A Small Relief
Last week I said that the UAW was trying to get a strike going at my plant, which is in serious but not dire straits. I said that a strike right now would destroy the company.
We voted yesterday. According to the UAW Constitution it requires a 2/3 majority to authorize a strike and they did not even get a majority. Now the union officers are mad and saying we will vote on the contract and damned well better not complain about how bad it is. They were going to hold another strike vote immediately after a union meeting in which the union leadership would explain why we need the strike vote but I guess the higher-ups in the Union nixed that, saying we had voted "No" on the strike vote.
We get a raise, though not a major one, and about 1/4 of my initial raise will go to the increase in my health coverage. Union is furious about it, but most of the workers recognize reality. Our boss simply cannot afford it right now . . . end of story.
Now we just need to survive.
We voted yesterday. According to the UAW Constitution it requires a 2/3 majority to authorize a strike and they did not even get a majority. Now the union officers are mad and saying we will vote on the contract and damned well better not complain about how bad it is. They were going to hold another strike vote immediately after a union meeting in which the union leadership would explain why we need the strike vote but I guess the higher-ups in the Union nixed that, saying we had voted "No" on the strike vote.
We get a raise, though not a major one, and about 1/4 of my initial raise will go to the increase in my health coverage. Union is furious about it, but most of the workers recognize reality. Our boss simply cannot afford it right now . . . end of story.
Now we just need to survive.
posted by shoprat at 5:10 PM
7 Comments:
shoprat - how much will your union raise what you pay them to supposedly protect your interests? they must be upset because their coffers won't grow as much... :)
(course, you know i'm bout anti-union as you can get)...
Never been much of a Union man myself either, I can't really say I understand your situation completely and I just try to read into your words...
Are you 100% positive that your plants situation is as bad as they say it is?
I mean it could be exaggerated by the big wigs to keep a strike from happening and get by with paying you all the minimum based on the fear that the plant would go under if a strike was to take place and you would lose your job. An inside con job in other words.
Do you put all your stock in the management of this plant?
Gunz
There is plenty of evidence that things are not going as well as we would like in our plant. We see the clues daily. Even the union says our survival if far from ensures. The main clue is the amount of work we have done over the last year or more, this year I am averaging 33 hours a week which is an improvement over last year.
Somehow I have a feel you can't be fooled by much, if anything, anyway brother. :)
In my opinion if my husband's Union had done this instead of striking I don't think they would've gone bankrupt. I think this will turn out much better for you in the long run.
Glad to hear common sense prevailed.
Glad you got it settled.
Now you can relax (a little) for a few years.
The Big 3 contract is next fall, and I'm a little concerned. It could get ugly.
We shall see...
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