After 1 Year

My thoughts after 1 year

“Cost-cutting has become a grotesque addiction within GE, so much so that it has underminded the creativity and risk-taking that GE always hoped to encourage” (Thomas F O'boyle)

That one statement pretty much sums up what I have seen in this Executive Board job. Grind the employees down with farm-out and non-replacement of workers that retire, quit or die. Our servicers and move people get injured at an alarming rate while trying to do the job that several used to do. The ever smaller numbers of us left in the Riverworks, has morale at an all time low here. I can only speak since 1972, but, I have never seen so many employees discouraged about the future of the Plant. The Union fights for the Joint Strike Fighter, our employment levels decline. The Union agrees to precedent setting work rule changes and our employment levels decline. The Union fights for tax breaks for GE in the State of Massachusetts ($25 million) and our employment level declines. Immelt tells us he wants to bring manufacturing back to America and our Plant Management sends 1000's of parts overseas. Come next contract, we have already been told , they are going to try to shove that embarrassment of a management health plan down our throats. I have seen the company all happy as long as we agree to every idiotic idea that they steal from some other company, but if we object in the least little bit, we are trying to sabotage Lynn. The final thing that the Company has taught me again, is that if something goes wrong, it is always the Unions fault, no matter what.

The sad part is that we cannot even go out and try to get new work, even with our better numbers for 2010. We don't have the technical people in management any more to do development on any new parts, what few are left, are just trying to put out day to day fires. How can there be a future without new parts. This is not new news, everyone on the floor is talking about it, including management. The most positive comment I hear is 'I hope it lasts long enough for me to retire'. Very sad state of affairs.

Several people that have read this tell me it is a very negative column. I didn't mean it that way but facts are facts. My message is, if you want something to change then act. The GE is not your friend, and unless you force it, they will not willingly give you anything (they never have). With them it is always, what can you (Local 201 members) give us. After what I have seen in my year sitting in this chair, you and I have given them enough. Time to get some things back. Employment needs to increase to keep this a viable place to do business in the future.