weevy
04-18-2009, 12:23 AM
DO YOU THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE IBEW LOCALS 499 & 109 NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES, TO ALLOW THIS LAST, BEST AND FINAL CONTRACT OFFER FROM MID AMERICAN ENERGY TO THE FLOOR FOR THE UNION MEMBERSHIP TO VOTE ON IT?
THE FACTS: THE COMPANY THREATENED TO LOCKOUT WORKERS IF CONTRACT WAS NOT RATIFIED BY MAY 1ST
FACT: OUR OLD CONTRACT WAS TO EXPIRE 5-1-09
SO KNOWING THE ABOVE SITUATION LETS NOW TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT.
1. ON FRIDAY MARCH, 10TH 2009 COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE BEGINS THE DELIVERY OF WHAT IS TITLED "THE COMPANY'S LAST, BEST AND FINAL OFFER, TO ALL UNION MEMBERS AT VARIOUS WORK LOCATIONS
2. WE ARE GIVEN THE WEEKEND TO LOOK OVER FINAL OFFER, DURING THIS TIME WE ARE TOLD BY UNION THEIR WILL BE A MEETING AND VOTE ON MONDAY AT HOTEL THE DATE MONDAY MARCH 13TH 2009
3. MONDAY ALL SHOW UP AT 2 MEETINGS IN DES MOINES ONE AT 14:00 HOURS THE OTHER @ 18:30 HRS. DURING THESE MEETINGS, WE ARE TOLD BY THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES THAT THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PACKAGE. IF THEY DIDN'T RECOMMEND IT WHY THE HELL WOULD THEY EVEN HAVE A MEETING ABOUT IT. BUT DURING THIS MEETING THE UNION LAWYER THEN SAYS IF THE MEMBERSHIP VOTES IT DOWN THE COMPANY WILL LOCK US OUT, AND WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT GET OUR JOBS BACK.
4. THEN AFTER THE LAWYER GIVES US HIS TWIST, THE BA COMES BACK AND SAYS IF YOU VOTE THIS DOWN YOU COULD SUFFER SEVERE ECONOMIC SETBACKS IN YOUR PERSONNEL LIFE.
5. THE INTERNATIONAL REP THEN SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW IF THE INTERNATIONAL WILL SANCTION A STRIKE.
6.AFTER THE Q&A SESSION YOU THEN VOTED EITHER FOR OR AGAINST.
7. THIS TYPE OF FORUMS WENT ON UNTIL THURSDAY OF THE SAME WEEK
MARCH 16TH, AND ALL VOTES WOULD BE COUNTED ON FRIDAY THE 17TH.
NOW AFTER KNOWING ALL OF THE ABOVE LETS LOOK AT IT A LITTLE DEEPER, NOT JUST WHAT APPEARS ON THE SURFACE.
QUESTIONS:
1. WHY DID THE UNION LEADERSHIP EVEN BRING THIS TO THE FLOOR TO VOTE ON? HERE IS OUR OWN BUSINESS AGENTS WORDS "April 17, 2009
IBEW, Local 499 Media Statement
On April 9, 2009, following over two months of negotiations between MidAmerican Energy Company and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Locals 499 and 109, the Company presented the Unions with its Last, Best, and Final Offer.
The Company’s offer was for a three year collective bargaining agreement. The Company’s offer substantially cuts pension benefits for a large group of bargaining unit members. Additionally, the offer also shifts more of the medical costs to bargaining unit members.
Beginning on April 13 and continuing through April 16, 2009, the Unions’ memberships voted on whether to ratify the Company’s offer. Today, the votes were tallied and the membership voted to ratify the Company’s offer. As a result, the Unions and the Company will be parties to a successor collective bargaining agreement for the next three years.
Commenting on the ratification of the Company’s offer by the Unions’ membership, Don Krause, Business Manager of IBEW, Local 499, stated, “From the beginning of negotiations, we told our members that they would have the opportunity to vote on the Company’s Last, Best, and Final Offer. This week, our membership took that opportunity and decided to ratify the Company’s offer. While the Bargaining Committees did not recommend the Company’s offer, we respect the decision of our membership.”
Krause continued, “The negotiations for this collective bargaining agreement were tough. Despite its profitability, the Company chose to reduce the retirement benefits for our members and shift more of the medical costs to employees. The hardest thing for the Bargaining Committees to understand was the basis for the Company’s decision to bargain for those cuts when at the same time the Company has been making a profit. Hopefully, the Company chooses to pass on the savings to its customers.” :mad:
Don Krause can be reached at 515/334-0499.
2. NOW REMEMBER WHAT WAS STATED ABOVE, THE OLD CONTRACT WAS UP 5-1-09. THIS UNION BY VOTING ON THE FINAL OFFER 2 WEEKS EARLIER THAN 5/1/09, ALLOWED THIS COMPANY A 2 WEEK WINDOW, TO POSITION THEM TO HAVE REPLACEMENT WORKERS IN PLACE HAD THE MEMBERSHIP VOTED IT DOWN ON FRIDAY THE 17TH OF MARCH. HAD THE UNION WAITED TO BRING IT TO A VOTE KNOWING HOW BAD THEY SAY IT WAS THEN IT WOULD HAVE PUT THE COMPANY IN A BAD POSITION. THE UNION SHOWED THEIR HAND TOO EARLY. I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER WHY THE UNION HAD TO RUSH IT. WHAT WAS IN IT FOR THEM TO VOTE EARLY?
REMEMBER THE UNION LAWYER SAID THE COMPANY WAS GOING TO CREATE A L/O AND WAS TRYING TO BREAK THE UNION.
THE I.O.'S REP SAID HE DIDN'T THINK THE I.O. WOULD SANCTION A STRIKE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY AT THAT POINT, THEIR WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO AFTER THE SCARE TACTICS CAME DOWN
WHAT WOULD'VE THE COMPANY'S POSITION BEEN HAD THEY HAD TO WAIT UNITL LETS SAY THE 29TH OF APRIL TO FIND OUT. EITHER WAY THEY WERE GOING TO LOCK US OUT. THE UNION WAS IN A LOSE LOSE SITUATION. ACCORDING TO THEM AND THE COMPANY.
I JUST AM HAVING A HARD TIME THINKING WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HAD WE ONLY HAD WAITED A FEW MORE WEEKS.
I DON'T THINK THE COMPANY WOULD'VE LOCKED US OUT, IT WOULD HAVE COST THEM SO MUCH MONEY TO PULL IT OFF. THIS COMPANY CAN'T EVEN BUY DONUTS ANYMORE FOR MEETINGS, LET ALONE QUADRUPLE WAGES FOR LINEMAN AS WELL AS HOUSING FOOD ETC. THAT IS JUST LINEMAN THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE OTHER SUPPORT PERSONNEL.
THIS IS COMING FROM A COMPANY THAT CAN'T BUY DONUTS FOR MEETINGS. GO FIGURE BUT THEY WERE GOING TO BRING IN ALL THESE CONTRACTORS. YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE UNION SHOULD'VE PLAYED THE BLUFF UNTIL AT LEAST THE VERY END, AND THEN CAME OUT WITH THE DOOM AND GLOOM.
THE FACTS: THE COMPANY THREATENED TO LOCKOUT WORKERS IF CONTRACT WAS NOT RATIFIED BY MAY 1ST
FACT: OUR OLD CONTRACT WAS TO EXPIRE 5-1-09
SO KNOWING THE ABOVE SITUATION LETS NOW TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT.
1. ON FRIDAY MARCH, 10TH 2009 COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE BEGINS THE DELIVERY OF WHAT IS TITLED "THE COMPANY'S LAST, BEST AND FINAL OFFER, TO ALL UNION MEMBERS AT VARIOUS WORK LOCATIONS
2. WE ARE GIVEN THE WEEKEND TO LOOK OVER FINAL OFFER, DURING THIS TIME WE ARE TOLD BY UNION THEIR WILL BE A MEETING AND VOTE ON MONDAY AT HOTEL THE DATE MONDAY MARCH 13TH 2009
3. MONDAY ALL SHOW UP AT 2 MEETINGS IN DES MOINES ONE AT 14:00 HOURS THE OTHER @ 18:30 HRS. DURING THESE MEETINGS, WE ARE TOLD BY THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES THAT THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PACKAGE. IF THEY DIDN'T RECOMMEND IT WHY THE HELL WOULD THEY EVEN HAVE A MEETING ABOUT IT. BUT DURING THIS MEETING THE UNION LAWYER THEN SAYS IF THE MEMBERSHIP VOTES IT DOWN THE COMPANY WILL LOCK US OUT, AND WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT GET OUR JOBS BACK.
4. THEN AFTER THE LAWYER GIVES US HIS TWIST, THE BA COMES BACK AND SAYS IF YOU VOTE THIS DOWN YOU COULD SUFFER SEVERE ECONOMIC SETBACKS IN YOUR PERSONNEL LIFE.
5. THE INTERNATIONAL REP THEN SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW IF THE INTERNATIONAL WILL SANCTION A STRIKE.
6.AFTER THE Q&A SESSION YOU THEN VOTED EITHER FOR OR AGAINST.
7. THIS TYPE OF FORUMS WENT ON UNTIL THURSDAY OF THE SAME WEEK
MARCH 16TH, AND ALL VOTES WOULD BE COUNTED ON FRIDAY THE 17TH.
NOW AFTER KNOWING ALL OF THE ABOVE LETS LOOK AT IT A LITTLE DEEPER, NOT JUST WHAT APPEARS ON THE SURFACE.
QUESTIONS:
1. WHY DID THE UNION LEADERSHIP EVEN BRING THIS TO THE FLOOR TO VOTE ON? HERE IS OUR OWN BUSINESS AGENTS WORDS "April 17, 2009
IBEW, Local 499 Media Statement
On April 9, 2009, following over two months of negotiations between MidAmerican Energy Company and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Locals 499 and 109, the Company presented the Unions with its Last, Best, and Final Offer.
The Company’s offer was for a three year collective bargaining agreement. The Company’s offer substantially cuts pension benefits for a large group of bargaining unit members. Additionally, the offer also shifts more of the medical costs to bargaining unit members.
Beginning on April 13 and continuing through April 16, 2009, the Unions’ memberships voted on whether to ratify the Company’s offer. Today, the votes were tallied and the membership voted to ratify the Company’s offer. As a result, the Unions and the Company will be parties to a successor collective bargaining agreement for the next three years.
Commenting on the ratification of the Company’s offer by the Unions’ membership, Don Krause, Business Manager of IBEW, Local 499, stated, “From the beginning of negotiations, we told our members that they would have the opportunity to vote on the Company’s Last, Best, and Final Offer. This week, our membership took that opportunity and decided to ratify the Company’s offer. While the Bargaining Committees did not recommend the Company’s offer, we respect the decision of our membership.”
Krause continued, “The negotiations for this collective bargaining agreement were tough. Despite its profitability, the Company chose to reduce the retirement benefits for our members and shift more of the medical costs to employees. The hardest thing for the Bargaining Committees to understand was the basis for the Company’s decision to bargain for those cuts when at the same time the Company has been making a profit. Hopefully, the Company chooses to pass on the savings to its customers.” :mad:
Don Krause can be reached at 515/334-0499.
2. NOW REMEMBER WHAT WAS STATED ABOVE, THE OLD CONTRACT WAS UP 5-1-09. THIS UNION BY VOTING ON THE FINAL OFFER 2 WEEKS EARLIER THAN 5/1/09, ALLOWED THIS COMPANY A 2 WEEK WINDOW, TO POSITION THEM TO HAVE REPLACEMENT WORKERS IN PLACE HAD THE MEMBERSHIP VOTED IT DOWN ON FRIDAY THE 17TH OF MARCH. HAD THE UNION WAITED TO BRING IT TO A VOTE KNOWING HOW BAD THEY SAY IT WAS THEN IT WOULD HAVE PUT THE COMPANY IN A BAD POSITION. THE UNION SHOWED THEIR HAND TOO EARLY. I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER WHY THE UNION HAD TO RUSH IT. WHAT WAS IN IT FOR THEM TO VOTE EARLY?
REMEMBER THE UNION LAWYER SAID THE COMPANY WAS GOING TO CREATE A L/O AND WAS TRYING TO BREAK THE UNION.
THE I.O.'S REP SAID HE DIDN'T THINK THE I.O. WOULD SANCTION A STRIKE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY AT THAT POINT, THEIR WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO AFTER THE SCARE TACTICS CAME DOWN
WHAT WOULD'VE THE COMPANY'S POSITION BEEN HAD THEY HAD TO WAIT UNITL LETS SAY THE 29TH OF APRIL TO FIND OUT. EITHER WAY THEY WERE GOING TO LOCK US OUT. THE UNION WAS IN A LOSE LOSE SITUATION. ACCORDING TO THEM AND THE COMPANY.
I JUST AM HAVING A HARD TIME THINKING WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HAD WE ONLY HAD WAITED A FEW MORE WEEKS.
I DON'T THINK THE COMPANY WOULD'VE LOCKED US OUT, IT WOULD HAVE COST THEM SO MUCH MONEY TO PULL IT OFF. THIS COMPANY CAN'T EVEN BUY DONUTS ANYMORE FOR MEETINGS, LET ALONE QUADRUPLE WAGES FOR LINEMAN AS WELL AS HOUSING FOOD ETC. THAT IS JUST LINEMAN THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE OTHER SUPPORT PERSONNEL.
THIS IS COMING FROM A COMPANY THAT CAN'T BUY DONUTS FOR MEETINGS. GO FIGURE BUT THEY WERE GOING TO BRING IN ALL THESE CONTRACTORS. YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE UNION SHOULD'VE PLAYED THE BLUFF UNTIL AT LEAST THE VERY END, AND THEN CAME OUT WITH THE DOOM AND GLOOM.