02-04-2010
THE BARGAINING TEAM HAS WORKED HARD TO COME UP WITH THE BEST THAT THEY COULD GET. IT IS NORMAL FOR THE COMMITTEE TO REFER IT TO THE MEMBERS FOR THE FINAL WORD WHEN ALL THAT CAN BE GOTTEN HAS BEEN GOTTEN. THAT WAS THE CASE IN THE RECENT PRESENTATION OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE MEMBERS TO RATIFY OR NOT. THE MEMBERS DID NOT RATIFY AS YOU NOW KNOW.
WE ARE LUCKY IN THAT THEY COMPANY HAS AGREED TO TRY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, TO TRY TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU WERE (VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE RESPONDED IN TRUTH) NOT COMFORTABLE WITH. FOR THOSE THAT DID REPLY WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THE Bargaining TEAM IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WILL SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT SIMPLY VOTED NO OR DID NOT VOTE AT ALL, YOUR ISSUES WILL NOT BE ADDRESSED SINCE OUR CRYSTAL BALLS HAVE REMAINED DARK AS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WERE THINKING.
WE CANNOT PREDICT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AND TO WHAT SUCCESS WE WILL HAVE. THAT WILL COME IN A WEEK OR SO. HOWEVER, I POINTED OUT A FEW THINGS ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE THAT COULD HAPPEN THIS TIME AND THE DECISION AND AGREEMENT FROM THE COMPANY WAS TO TRY TO RESOLVE SOME ISSUES IF POSSIBLE. THAT PASS WILL NOT COME AGAIN.
IF THE CONTRACT IS TURNED DOWN AGAIN, THE PROBABILITY OF A STRIKE IS ALMOST CERTAIN. IF YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE NO AGAINST THE CONTRACT MAKE SURE YOU CAN STAY OUR A MINIMUM OF 72 DAYS OR MORE ON THE PICKET LINE. I USE THE 72 DAY FIGURE AS THAT WAS OUR ONLY LONG STRIKE. THAT WAS IN 1955 AND WAS OVER THE NO STRIKE CLAUSE. THE RESULTS WAS THE CLAUSE REMAINED IN THE CONTRACT. WE AGAIN FACED A STRIKE IN THE 70'S AND THEN THE 80'S, THE LONGEST BEING 21 DAYS. THE ECONOMY WAS BOOMING AT THAT TIME AND WE WERE NOT FACED WITH ALL THE ANTI FORCES WE ARE TODAY.
I THINK IF YOU ARE THINKING OF A WEEK OR TWO YOU ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE. IF YOU CANNOT SUSTAIN THE STRIKE FOR THE 72 DAY PERIOD (WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE OVER 90% DOING IT WITH YOU) THEN VOTE YES. IT IS THAT SIMPLE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED IF THE COMPANY PLANS TO UTILIZE PERMANENT REPLACEMENT WORKERS IN THE EVENT OF A STRIKE. WE KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO BRING PEOPLE IN ON A TEMPORARY BASIS BUT THAT CAN CHANGE QUICKLY. ALSO, FROM WITH WE UNDERSTAND RETRO-PAY IS STILL ON THE TABLE FOR NOW. IF WE DON'T RATIFY THEN THAT WILL CERTAINLY NEVER COME OUR WAY AGAIN.
SOMEONE STATED I SEE WHAT WE GAVE UP, BUT WHAT DID WE GET. SOMETIMES IT IS NOT WHAT YOU GET BUT WHAT YOU PREVENT. PREM TITLES WERE LARGE IN THE MEMBERS MINDS AS WAS CONTRACTING. WE KEPT WHAT WE HAD. WE SAW SOME INCREASE IN MEDICAL BUT THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED. Premium FOR RETIREES HAS BEEN IN THE CONTRACT SINCE 1995 AND IS NOT A NEW ISSUE AT ALL. YES, THE TIA WENT TO FUND THE HSA ACCOUNT BUT THE TIA WAS SUNSETTING AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT ANYWAY. CHECK YOUR BOOK FOR THAT TIDBIT.
I AM NOT TRYING TO SCARE ANYONE OR TRY TO CONVINCE YOU ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, HOWEVER, IS THERE AN ISSUE THAT YOU WOULD STAY ON THE PICKET LINE FOR IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED TIME PERIOD (72 DAYS) OR NOT. THAT WILL ANSWER YOU QUESTION ON HOW TO VOTE.
I FEEL STRONGLY WITH ERNIE, THE LP, THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ALL THE FACTS OF WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS A SHORT VERSION OF THE STORY, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
CHECK IN WITH THE INPUT FORM IF YOU NEED OR WANT MORE INFO (MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH PHONE NUMBER) AND ONE OF US WILL GET BACK TO YOU.
SOLIDARITY ALL
WEBMASTER
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