Strike!

Nothing to do with baseball..........the collective agreement where I work is due to expire on Sunday the 27th at midnight. The company and union have been meeting, but as with many places the company is trying to cut pensions - they did this to us a few years back, but being salaried we really had no choice. I managed to be above the cut-off in terms of age and years of service, but many people lost their defined benefit pensions.

Last Sunday the union held a strike vote, and it came back 96% in favour of going out if that issue is not settled in their favour. Certainly the guy that negotiates from our management is just a puppet being controlled by the corporate honchos in the US, so no doubt he can only give what they tell him to. I am polling my contractors to find out who will be willing to cross the picket line to continue work on my project if the union goes out - so far some will and some won't.

They are not even meeting again to negotiate until Tuesday, and they haven't met for over a week. The last time there was a strike here was in 1967 (the strike of the now defunct salary union happened in 1985, just before I started, but that one really doesn't count for much in this case) so everyone here is a bit nervous. Yesterday the company had contractors in beefing up the fences surrounding the property......this doesn't look good.

It will be an interesting week or so..............

[JJ Irani]

Not very good news, Al. I do hope everything works out well and you fellas come to a mutual and suitable agreement.

All the best and good wishes!!

JJ

First I thought this post was about something else, until I realized it was spelled with an 'i'.

That sucks Al. Time to keep the YM on the wrist, just in case you need a weapon. I've done some picket line crossing in my day and it can get pretty damned ugly. I hope it all works out in the end.

The one thing about strikes is that it's a good barometer of the economy. People rarely go out when it's tanking.

[mailman]

Hope everything works out for you Al.

[dman]

Hope it turns out for the good all the way around Al!!

[Rockrolex]

I wish you luck, Al. Sorry to hear about the strike problem. I'm of two minds. Coming from a management family (my family owned the business and I remember when the factory went union - but this was 50 years ago), I was opposed. In many ways I still am opposed to unions in their present form and nature. However, with large companies today doing what they can to screw the workers due to their own mismanagement, I have some sympathy for the workers.

Do hope it all works out well.

[Gedanken]

Yikes. All the best and take care of yourself, Al!

[Uncle-AJ]

I hope your troubles will soon be behind you. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Rockrolex

I'm of two minds......... In many ways I still am opposed to unions in their present form and nature. However, with large companies today doing what they can to screw the workers due to their own mismanagement, I have some sympathy for the workers.

Do hope it all works out well.

Ed, I feel about the same as you do. I have never been a union "supporter" but after seeing how people are treated in a large multi-national corporation, I do think they have their place in some respects. The issue I have the most trouble with is their protection of members who are not worthy of protecting. I know that even some of the people who are on the union executive are sometimes forced to swallow hard and defend someone who they feel should be let go.......

Thank you all for your support. It's quite strange around the plant today, especially after last night.........

One of the managers was called at home by the fire monitoring company - they stated something was wrong with our fire alarm system (I put this in a few years ago and the system is quite sophisticated, but can be touchy). He called one of his supervisors on shift (this was 3 in the morning), who went out to out security room where the fire panel is located. He found a guy standing on the desk in there, with his head up inside the suspended ceiling, yanking at a bunch of wires........

The supervisor asked him who he was and what he was doing. The man stated his name, and then quite calmly said "I'm looking for the bomb."

Yikes!

The police were called, and they knew this man who was mentally disturbed. He was taken away, but some people here are a little more nervous than they have been........

[mailman]

Hey Al. We have a union in the Post Office. I am a menber but I agree that some people don't deserve representation. I've been asked to become a steward a number of times and I've always replied no thanks. My reason for this because it seems the union is always representing the same people on greviences. The same people get into trouble all the time and I don't want to go and fight for them. It sends a message that it's ok to be a screw up because the union will fight for you tooth and nail no matter what they do. Now don't get me wrong, there are some instances where people may need them. This is in no way, shape or form a shot at any lawyers anywhere (Read Ed) but the syewards that have to d othis remind me of the slimey trial lawyers that will represent any criminal regardless of the crime they commited. Even if they told counsil that they did it. I look at like this I pay union dues like car insurance, I hope I never have to use either one but they are there just in case I do.

Take care of yourself and good luck.

Originally Posted by mailman

Hey Al. We have a union in the Post Office. I am a menber but I agree that some people don't deserve representation. I've been asked to become a steward a number of times and I've always replied no thanks. My reason for this because it seems the union is always representing the same people on greviences. The same people get into trouble all the time and I don't want to go and fight for them. It sends a message that it's ok to be a screw up because the union will fight for you tooth and nail no matter what they do. Now don't get me wrong, there are some instances where people may need them. This is in no way, shape or form a shot at any lawyers anywhere (Read Ed) but the syewards that have to d othis remind me of the slimey trial lawyers that will represent any criminal regardless of the crime they commited. Even if they told counsil that they did it. I look at like this I pay union dues like car insurance, I hope I never have to use either one but they are there just in case I do.

Take care of yourself and good luck.

Exactly Paul! I see the good and bad in both sides, so kind of feel caught in the middle a bit. I hope that the situation gets resolved, but it seems that for now both sides have dug in their heels, so in a week from now if it's not settled, it will be interesting.........

I'll have to decide what beater watch to wear if I have to cross the picket lines, I guess.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Avalon

Exactly Paul! I see the good and bad in both sides, so kind of feel caught in the middle a bit. I hope that the situation gets resolved, but it seems that for now both sides have dug in their heels, so in a week from now if it's not settled, it will be interesting.........

I'll have to decide what beater watch to wear if I have to cross the picket lines, I guess.

I'll send you my 12 yr old Timex Ironman if you need it Al

Well, the company I work for and the union that represents the shop floor employees at the manufacturing plant I work at reached an agreement over the weekend. The new contract was ratified yesterday, and I did not have to cross a picket line to get to work today - thankfully!

The company retracted their demands to eliminate all the pensions, so it was a definite victory for the union. I think this issue was something worth fighting for, but not so sure the union will win in 2008 when the next contract is due.........

[dman]

Great news, we'll worry about 08 as it gets closer!! Glad to hear it Al.

[mailman]

Great news Al. At least you can go to work and not have to worry.