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TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS ANTICIPATED UNIONS GET READY FOR GE CONTRACT 2007 At a series of important meetings October 18-21 in Saratoga, N.Y., IUE-CWA and CBC (Coordinated Bargaining Committee) unions began preparing their bargaining proposals and mobilization plans for GE Contract 2007. The current IUE-CWA National Agreement with GE expires on June 17, 2007 and bargaining over a new contract is scheduled to begin in May 2007 in New York City. The Contract directly impacts over 20,000 union members and indirectly impacts many non-union members, management individuals, and over 200,000 GE retirees. BARGAINING PROPOSALS The IUE-CWA National Negotiating Committee (see page 6 for list of members) met for two full days on October 18 and 19, reviewing past demands and discussing potential new proposals. Over 50% of the 17 member IUE-CWA Bargaining Committee are returning veterans from previous GE negotiations. The committee is divided into three subgroups (1) the “Small Table”, (2) Pension/Insurance Subcommittee, and (3) Contract Language Subcommittee. The Pension and Insurance Subcommittee drew up many specific proposals aimed at improving the pension, medical, disability, and other benefit plans for members and retirees. Local 201 BA Ric Casilli, a member of the Pension and Insurance Subcommittee, stated, “Our subcommittee worked to make our proposals detailed, specific and reasonable considering GE’s financial health.” The Contract Language Subcommittee drew up specific proposals aimed at making improvements in such areas as overtime, seniority/service, night shift bonus for new hires, vacations, sick time, etc., and a number of demands in Article XXII, the important Job and Income Security provision. Wage and Cola demands were also discussed and will be developed in line with a whole economic package and be a major discussion at the “Small Table”. The proposals, by both subcommittees, will be fine tuned over the next few months and prioritized based on National Membership Surveys. National survey results showed that #1 was health benefits, #2 job security, and #3 pensions, but they were all very close in priority. These were also the three top priorities of Local 201, but only in different order. #1 was pensions, #2 health benefits, and #3 job security for Local 201 members. IUE-CWA CONFERENCE BOARD (CB) MEETING On October 20th, delegates from all IUE-CWA GE Aerospace locals met. Joining BA Casilli, were Local 201 President Jeff Crosby, and Local 201 CB Delegates Len Redican and Ted Comick Reports were heard from recent contract negotiations that members of the CB had negotiated at Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and some smaller Aerospace Companies. Delegates felt these decent agreements would aid the Conference Board in negotiating a fair and decent contract package with the even more profitable General Electric Company. Delegates were given a summary of the work the previous two days done by the subcommittees, involved in the GE Contract. Delegates discussed the recent sale of the GE Waterford Plant (Silicon) to Apollo Inc. and what could be done to assist the two locals who now would be dropping out of the National GE Contract and faced with bargaining a new Contract with the successor employer. CBC MOBILIZATION PLANS In the evening of October 20th and all day October 21st, representatives from all Coordinated Bargaining Committee Unions met to discuss the overall economic and political situation and the anticipation that these negotiations would be extremely difficult. Joining, 201’s CB Delegates for the CBC meeting were Local 201’s VP Alex Brown, GP Board Member Bill Rounseville, and Contract Campaign Activists Tom O’Shea, Bldg. 99 and Joyce Wallace, Bldg. 29. The CBC representatives outlined, that statements and actions by GE, led them to believe that GE was intent on trying to shift even more medical costs on members in these negotiations and was also likely to try to shove, their new hire (January 1, 2005) Exempt Retirement Pension and Medical Plan” (major cutbacks) down on “new hire” union members. CBC Chairman and IUE-CWA President Jim Clark summarized, “We agree that we are in a Healthcare Crisis in the United States. But whose crisis is it? Is it a crisis for CEO retirees like Jack Welch…or GE executives? No it is a crisis for working class retirees and middle class workers. It is a crisis for those who have to make a decision between healthcare and paying the rent!” Steve Tormey, the UE GE Conference Board Chairman, made an excellent presentation putting GE’s complaints on rising health care costs in perspective. Tormey factually debunked some of the “myths” about how high GE medical costs really were, and put them in relation to their growing profits per worker and also beside the increasing cost shifting on to GE employees that began back in 1985. The presentation was received enthusiastically by CBC members. Knowing that these negotiations would be extremely difficult, CBC members broke into workshops to develop mobilization plans involving all members, retirees, non union GE shops, and communities. Many ideas concerning communication, education, and other action plans were debated out, with ideas being referred up to the CBC Steering Committee for refinement, funding, and to secure earmarked resources for the campaign. IUE-CWA GE Aerospace Conference Board Bob Santamoor summed it all up emphatically, “the best way to secure a decent contract and avoid a strike is to have all our members prepared to strike if it becomes necessary.”
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For further information contact Local 201 IUE-CWA at (781) 598-2760 |
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