Questions to Local 104 Members about contract

[42linehand]

We just had our contract ratified by the body last night at a special meeting. I am saddened to say that I believe that we lost alot as far as our pensions go. We were told that you guys also gave alot. Us Lineman did well but our other members including Operators and driver groundman lost out and took a decrease and no increase for three years in their pensions. Is this the same for you guys as well and what were your guys getting before this new contract . Did all your classifications take a loss except the lineman. Thanks for the help

[tiler]

All Other Classifications Took A Hit In Annuity But Not In Pocket Biggest Raise In Locals History, Also Got New Language On Show Up Time, Holiday Pay, Still Have Double Time For All Storm Work, Had To Make The Journeyman Top Dog, Without The Lineman Other Classifications Might Not Be Needed,compare Our Classifications With Other Trades You Will See We Offer Much More.
Year 1-$35.12
Year 2-$37.06
Year 3-$39.15
Plus An Additional Dollar In Lineman's Pension, As I Stated This Is What The Lineman Wanted.

[42linehand]

Tiler, Thanks for the response. How much of a cut did you guys take in your pension. For example our first year groundman , 1st , 2nd step apprentices are only getting 50 cents now. As a lineman I feel that we made out but I just feel bad for our 20 year driver groundman who took the big cut in their pension.
Also is it true that you guys are having another Rodeo this year?

[just say no]

sounds like your union sacrificed a few so the majority could get the most........i thought a union was for all......your leadership sounds as screwed as the rest....wow!!!

[tiler]

maybe you missed where i posted it was what the lineman wanted, our apprenticeship drop out rate is pushing 65%, lineman are in high demand and should be rewarded, our union members are also our leaders we listen when they speak...

[42linehand]

What about your Driver Groundman, Mechanics and your Operators. I think that it is fair that the apprentices lose, that gives them more to thrive for when they top out. But what about everyone else that is in the union. They not only lost out on a raise in annuity but their annuity dropped. We were told that since you guys accepted your contract and you are our sister local that we would end up loosing in CIR. Maybe I am missing something here I dont know.

[edski104]

if the linemen go,so goes the union.

[igloo64]

Without lineman there wouldnt be all the other little classifications! DONT FORGET THAT! EVER!

[Bell Wrench]

When I first joined Com Electric we had alot more that we have now as a result of the merger into NSTAR. We've all lost. The clerical members of our union out number linemen 5 to 1 and the underground up at mass ave in boston alone out number the linemen in NSTAR. We dont have the voice we used to. All our platforms are short handed. THe company just posted 40 grade c linemen positions on Nstaronline.com look under career oppertunities. When we went on strike last year in May it was not the clerical part of the union that brought the company to its knees it was the linemen and the members of the IBEW Local 104 and other unions who refused to cross our picket lines. The linemen of NSTAR will never forget it. This is what unions are all about.

[NJlineman55]

The majority of utility locals have been watered down by other classifications that pass any bullshit contract because they dont want to lose their position. The contractor locals are 95% lineman so the lineman always get what they want period. Im not suggesting that other classifications are shouldn't get what they deserve, but the squeeky wheel gets the oil and whatever local you are in the majority classification will always be taken care of. Unfortunatly for the utility lienman you will always get the short end of the stick.

[42linehand]

I am not saying that I am not happy with what I recieved But I feel that everyone else should have recieved a raise in their pension. For the next 3 years all of the other classification recieve nothing for a raise and most others lost money. I do not feel that this is fair to them. Local 104 accepted their proposal which ended up putting our local and other Locals in the area in a bind because then we hear well 104 accepted it why wont you. We were told that if our contract went to CIR that we would most likely loose because 104 accepted it. Again I dont want a bitch match but just to conversate about the issue. We dont have many crane operators in our local but now why should they stay they are not getting anything for their pension. How about our truck Drivers and our groundman who are doing the jobs that none of us want to do maybe they should go too. Thats all I am saying. We are all dues paying brothers.

[edski104]

what do you mean about a job no one wants to do? you are a lineman aren't you? you should be able and willing to do ANY job there is on a crew,whatever it is.or are you so high and mighty that doing grunt work is below your highnesses hands. yes,sometimes the few do get the short end of the stick when the shit hits the fan,but who's up in the air in the middle of the night replacing tranformers or cutouts or wire.not any drivers i've ever seen.brothers yes,equals,no.my ticket says JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN on it. i went thru the apprenticeship for 7000 hours to get it. did the driver or grunt do any of that. when they do,give me a call.i feel for them,but like i said,if we go away,what happens then? the contractors are trying to get rid of the other classes anyways. the utilitys are doing away with equipment operators as i write this. downsize is the name of the game now.men.more with less. 3 men in 2 trucks,right? bullshit,isn't it. if anyone has a better idea,i'd like to hear it.

[just say no]

do you bark when your "leaders" tells you...or maybe roll over...you pay dues and have a mind of your own i hope.........................or do you..SAD

[INDUSTRY INSIDER]

Other classifications taking a cut or getting a freeze while work is as good as it is - that's total BS. Damn right Linemen should get top dollar, but you might as well not even be in a union if all classifications are not going to be treated fairly.

The solution I've seen other places where the Linemen scale is behind, is to do an ADJUSTMENT to the scale. For example, all classifications get an increase of 4.5%. But Journeymen get an adjustment of $2.00 per hour, THEN the raise of 4.5%. You can do the same thing with any of the classifications if they're out of whack with the area comparables.

Freezing pension for certain classifications? That's just not right. EVERYONE deserves a decent retirement after busting their asses out on the right-of-way every day for 30-40 years. The annuity is based on gross pay, so every classification other than Lineman is getting less in the annuity anyway, so this freeze really penalizes them.

[edski104]

in regards to tiler, i've worked across from him for 20 years now. we came up together.he's one god damn good little hand.i know. ask anyone on this site who knows me. i can tye a knot or two. i'd work with him on any job anywhere,anytime,at all.and have.like he said,the members have spoken. in 104,the linemen out number all the other classes. yes,they should have gotten a nice raise too,but the companys are going to just all linemen and apprentices and doing away with all the other specialised categorys like driver/groundman,equipment operators,and such. they just expect us to do it all,and like fools we do.the idea of a add-on and then the raise for everyone is good and is what they did to us down here in fla.everyone took it,apps bitched,but so what. is there a better solution,hell,i dont know. i was brought up that the union was about the most men making the most money and having the most fun while doing it.and if i seem to be on tilers side,well, brothers are like that. :cool:

[KingRat]

what do you mean about a job no one wants to do? you are a lineman aren't you? you should be able and willing to do ANY job there is on a crew,whatever it is.or are you so high and mighty that doing grunt work is below your highnesses hands. yes,sometimes the few do get the short end of the stick when the shit hits the fan,but who's up in the air in the middle of the night replacing tranformers or cutouts or wire.not any drivers i've ever seen.brothers yes,equals,no.my ticket says JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN on it. i went thru the apprenticeship for 7000 hours to get it. did the driver or grunt do any of that. when they do,give me a call.i feel for them,but like i said,if we go away,what happens then? the contractors are trying to get rid of the other classes anyways. the utilitys are doing away with equipment operators as i write this. downsize is the name of the game now.men.more with less. 3 men in 2 trucks,right? bullshit,isn't it. if anyone has a better idea,i'd like to hear it.
amen to that, you have many good hands in your local and the few that try to hide in those lower classes should not be compensated.but then you have that real standout operator that you have to find a way to reward.it appears that getting paid the same if your marching or fighting is the norm,bring back the bonus,everyone should not get same money, tiler is smart he can come up with something.

[tiler]

OUR DRIVER GROUNDMAN AND OPERATORS ARE WELL COMPENSATED WHAT WE DID IS START NEW CLASSIFICATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING, WHAT I AM SAYING IS IF A GUY WITH A CDL WALKS IN OFF THE STREET HE WILL BE PAID AS A INEXPIENCED DRIVER GROUNDMAN, LOGIC BEHIND THIS IS YES HE CAN DRIVE BUT WHILE YOUR ON TOP OF A STRUCTURE AND YELL DOWN FOR SOMETHING HE HAS NO CLUE, OUR TRADE IS FULL OF PRIDE AND WE LOOK TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF ALL CLASSIFICATIONS. all of our operators and drivers that held tickets prior to this contract where not effected and those who join us will be better off, many utilities are starting to tell contractors they want no d.g or operators during storm work, why would they do this? Could it be because there is very little traing for these guys well we look to change this and make our other claassifications work towards getting the big bucks like all of us lineman have had to do, I WILL GO TO MY GRAVE KNOWING LOCAL 104 DID THE RIGHT THING- FOR OUR INDUSTRY... THANKS EDDIE, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND I TO WOULD WORK ANY POLE WITH YOU BROTHER!!!!!!!!
TILER EATON

[NJlineman55]

Bottom line is utility companies are looking to get rid of as many people as possible and roll these jobs into the lineman classification which should be fine with any lineman as long as it does not overextend our men. No disrespect to any driver or groundman but their job can easily be performed by any journeyman lineman. The more tasks lineman are wiling to take on, the more money we will make and the better off the trade will be. Don't get me wrong, I do not want to see anyone lose their job, anyone that is currently in one of these classifications should not lose their jobs but we do not need to make anymore groundman or drivers. A small number of operators are needed in order to handle equipment that a lineman is not normally used to operating, such as a crains and some underground equipment, but utility companies are not looking to pay an operator just to set a pole and fuck the dog the rest of the day. It is only in our best interest of our trade to take on these tasks as lineman because they only make us more needed then we already are which is pretty damn high as it is.

[42linehand]

Tiler, So are you saying that your Driver Groundman and your Operators were grandfathered in. If that is the case then I totally agree with you. But I dont think that people who have been in the trade for 20-30 years should be loosing out.

[edski104]

make it easy. if you had an ape who for some reason couldn't top out,say for health reasons,or he developed a fear of work,like a lot of new linemen seem to get, then you could make them operators,or driver-groundmen.but the trade will not die if the grunt goes the way of the 10 fingered sabitino.the big question is will they be employable down the road. do we train people to shoe horses. lets spend lots of money on it,sounds good huh? no sounds like a moronic thing to do.same with grunts.their time has come.not something you like to see,but something you need to admit. grow up and be a man about it. 21st century,you know? want me to call for a horse and buggy for you too.the old timers deserve everything they can get, but new ones,well,sorry pup,hit the bricks.TILER,YOU DA MAN!!!!!!! :D :D :cool: