Daily Update - Local Lodge 2766

18 Dec 2005

Today's Update comes from a message posted on LL1163's (Florida) website by an anonymous member from Huntington Beach who sums up well, many issues related to this strike:

Hello Robby,

A message from H.B.

Well here we are so close to Christmas and still on strike. I know we would all rather be working and looking forward to another holiday with all the benefits that we have all come to expect and enjoy. Let us not forget that someone had to negotiate, and at times fight for the benefits we have today.

Members need to remember that we are reaping the good times that were only obtained by constant and vigilant collective bargaining. We are members of a Collective Bargaining Union for the benefit of all. There is absolute truth in the saying "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" and I fear some of our members are ignorant of the meaning of the saying, or possibly they are not committed to any cause outside of their self centered existence.

Union's provide a stabilizing force in America. They created the middle class and are responsible for marinating a living class. Regardless of the type of business, when wages are at issue,"Union Scale" is the standard used for comparison. Unions and skilled labor has a long and meaningful history within this country. To be a Union member is to be American. Unions stand for all the values that we as Americans hold, those like fairness, equity, respect, the list goes on. To be anti Union is to be anti American.This company has decided to act in an anti labor fashion. Attacking us workers, as "the valued and necessary member of its team", it has said "you don't deserve".

This company has plenty of money, the IAM negotiators have stated that the company is prepared to spend between 400 to 700 million dollars to defend there top two executives, (figures were obtained from Boeing's own press releases, I heard this from Gary Quick whom said he got them from the International). The companies stated increases for our medical costs were touted at 30%. Well that 400 to 700 million would more than take care of the 30% increase for the 1000 members that this contract represents.

This Company is not just greedy, its misled. Leadership that don't take into consideration that the stability of its employees contributes to the stability of its company - is in my opinion unsound. World Class companies need World Class Benefits in order to attract and keep World Class Employees.

I would like to remind our members that this company ( IDS ) does not make any products that are sold to consumers or retail markets. All the products are for the Government and or Military and as such, are funded by tax dollar spending. Tax dollars that come from You and Me. That said, any company that receives tax payer funded work and acts in an Anti Labor fashion, and thus Anti Union, is in my mind Anti American. ....(kind of a stretch there, but follows the rules for good arguments)

Using the Boeing provided calculator, before we went on strike, I looked at the cost to the company for me. The number was $9000 which was inclusive of medical, dental, accidental death & dismemberment etc. In another-words it was all the fees to the company for this employees situation. A 30% increase for me would be $3000 a year. If that were taken over the life of the contract then that would be a $9000 increase for 1 employee. So lets apply those numbers for the 1000 membership that this contract represents. First lets round up the to $10,000 and we get 10 million dollars for a three year contract. When you look at the companies willingness to spend $400 to $700 million dollars for the legal defense for two executive who have questionable ethics, it seems that there should be enough for US.....the skilled labor groups that do the work (by creating value through the products be build).

This Strike is, in my opinion, a litmus test. We are living in a changing business climate with globalization nipping at our heels. The History of the American Labor Movement is all about Union and Unionism. My hope is that the membership of this union that have crossed over the line will come to understand and realize their error.

They hurt us all. They hurt those that came before them and those that will come after us. There has been much law made and many legal battles fought for labor and labor rights. These members have not taken the lessons that history teaches and as such are the kind that repeats the mistakes of history.

The members whom have crossed are weak and in their current understanding of labor history, are dangerous for labor. These people are a threat to the stability of labor. They will sell you out if it is good for them. They do not deserve the benefits or privileges that labor unions have provided to them. They were not willing to suffer the short term for the good of the long term. They have been tested and have failed.

As a member of the Huntington Beach local 2024 I am ashamed and saddened of my union brothers whom crossed the line here at A3. Selfishness, Shortsightedness and Ignorance seems to be common here. I am grateful for the solidarity you have all shown and thank you. I will continue to hold the line here and will only cross it when my union tells me to.
Please feel free to post this, edits are OK also.

To the Faithful....
Merry Christmas