It has been mentioned in passing that the union is trying to stir things up by pointing out misdeeds by non-dues paying employees while not reporting those by dues-paying members. While I have not been told exactly what was said by whom and when it was said, I have a piece of advice:
Those that live in glass houses should not throw stones.
By no means am I saying that employees that do not perform their jobs in a satisfactory manner should be kept on. Quite the contrary. What I am saying is that if this is the work environment the union wishes, then so be it. All of us can start recording every miniscule item of note when someone does something inappropriate and turn it in. We can go around and around and do this all day. And at the end of the day, no one will have a job. Is that what the union would like?
During these times of economic uncertainty, the union raises dues. Instead of "protecting" those it says it represents, it is on a witch hunt to get them fired. Again, I am not in favor of protecting those that break the rules, but the union seems to have a double standard when it comes to the employees it likes, and the ones it doesn't like. I have heard from union members, stewards, and other union elected officials that the union represents all hourly employees whether we like it or not. But their actions do not indicate such. They expect our support, but give no support to the employees that they say they represent.
The fact is, the union is on the brink of decertification. They are here because of their own mismanagement. They continue to blame everyone else for their failures. They have already started to blame us for a bad contract in November. WHAT? They haven't even began negotiations yet and they are admitting failure and placing the blame on someone other than themselves. Is this an organization you want representing you? No number of union pride shirts could replace that. Perhaps that is what all those increased dues are going to.
We do not collect dues because we don't need to. Everything that we do is funded by the employees that are interested in a chance for a better workplace. The working relationship with the company has been fractured for the past several years. We want the opportunity to try something better. That opportunity doesn't take money, just your signature. When the decertification petitions begin, please take a moment and sign it. Talk to the person with the petition if you have any questions. We can't promise what the workplace will be like without the union, but every one of us already knows what it is like with the union.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A Different Rant
Normally, we like to take a look at the things the union has done that are unfair, immoral, and, at times, illegal. It has been brought to my attention that some may read this to mean that I find the company to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. That is far from the truth. The last two years have proven more than anything that this union/company relationship is broken and one step to resolving that is getting the union out of the workplace.
How many of you take pride in your work? How many of your coworkers do? Do they take pride in their work or their union? And does management make these workers do their job effectively, or do they sweep it under the rug? It would appear that many of the supervisors and managers that deal with hourly employees have taken their leadership training from this union.
Most of the hourly management is so poorly equipped to promote their employees to succeed that they reward mediocre performance. What is the incentive going to be to get that lazy substandard employee in your area to do a better, more reliable job? He or she is going to be paid the same regardless. They aren't going to be fired. So what is the motivation? This isn't something that the union can control, but it is a side effect of the union being here. Management has failed in coming up with ways to make every employee as productive as possible. This problem will not suddenly disappear once the union is gone, but the system can begin to be repaired.
Would you reward your kids equally with the same allowance if one of them does all of their chores while the other one does only half of them? No, I didn't think so. So why should grown adults expect that treatment? It's time to cut some of the dead weight.
Management also had a gigantic failure in the way it allowed attitudes to be carried over from the last two contract negotiations. The attitudes have created such a pleasant working environment that several salaried people don't even want to come to work and deal with the union. Not only did the management fail the hourly workers in mending relations, they failed the salaried that work with the hourly. This causes a serious ripple effect. It demotivates workers, making them less productive, and puts a strain on employees.
I don't believe that once this union is gone everything will suddenly be roses and sunshine. That is foolhardy. But with the current set-up we can not even hope to have a better work environment. We can not hope to be treated as a valuable employee instead of a piece of equipment. Without this union, we can work towards bridging the chasm that has been created between employee and employer. That is why I AM NOT 933!
How many of you take pride in your work? How many of your coworkers do? Do they take pride in their work or their union? And does management make these workers do their job effectively, or do they sweep it under the rug? It would appear that many of the supervisors and managers that deal with hourly employees have taken their leadership training from this union.
Most of the hourly management is so poorly equipped to promote their employees to succeed that they reward mediocre performance. What is the incentive going to be to get that lazy substandard employee in your area to do a better, more reliable job? He or she is going to be paid the same regardless. They aren't going to be fired. So what is the motivation? This isn't something that the union can control, but it is a side effect of the union being here. Management has failed in coming up with ways to make every employee as productive as possible. This problem will not suddenly disappear once the union is gone, but the system can begin to be repaired.
Would you reward your kids equally with the same allowance if one of them does all of their chores while the other one does only half of them? No, I didn't think so. So why should grown adults expect that treatment? It's time to cut some of the dead weight.
Management also had a gigantic failure in the way it allowed attitudes to be carried over from the last two contract negotiations. The attitudes have created such a pleasant working environment that several salaried people don't even want to come to work and deal with the union. Not only did the management fail the hourly workers in mending relations, they failed the salaried that work with the hourly. This causes a serious ripple effect. It demotivates workers, making them less productive, and puts a strain on employees.
I don't believe that once this union is gone everything will suddenly be roses and sunshine. That is foolhardy. But with the current set-up we can not even hope to have a better work environment. We can not hope to be treated as a valuable employee instead of a piece of equipment. Without this union, we can work towards bridging the chasm that has been created between employee and employer. That is why I AM NOT 933!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Have you witnessed this behavior?
There was an interesting article that someone forwarded me from MSNBC.com.
Hubristic Group Pride May Indicate Insecurity
This was very interesting because this union makes a lot of boastful statements that are pretty empty. Remember the flyers they put up all over the place extolling the way they secured about $70,000 for roughly 50 employees? What about the other 1800 hourly employees? Or how about how they took big, bad Rayteon to task over health care for retirees? Something that they had very little to do with other than send a few representatives to the courthouse to make an appearance. What about during the strike? Holy cow!!! There were too many claims made to post them all here.
These all show that they are insecure, scared, and know that they have an organization that does not deserve the respect of the workers it claims to represent, the company it fights against, or the public in general. These are claims that a schoolyard bully tries to make to drum up respect for himself once he realizes that no one takes him seriously. It doesn't work there, and it won't work here. How many heard during the last negotiation cycle about how great and grand the union was? They had over 75% representation of the bargaining unit. Yeah, but how many of those were "free" memberships? Put all the facts out and let the validity of your organization speak for itself.
This type of behavior is so deeply ingrained within this organization, that they don't even realize the doubletalk that comes out of their mouths. I, as well as several other workers that I know, have been told by numerous agents of this union (i.e. elected officials such as stewards and officers) that the efforts to collect enough votes through a petition will fail and they give their various reasons why they believe that. Then, in the next breath, they tell us that if it comes to a vote, they will win. Um, wait. A vote only comes after a successful petition. If the petition is doomed to fail, why worry about a vote? I know the boy scouts motto, but if they are so confident that the petition will fail, then why do they need a back-up plan?
Speaking of back-up plans, the secretary/treasurer has made it known to certain individuals that should a vote come to pass and it not be at an easily accessible location such as the airport plantsite, the union would be providing bus service for union members so they can vote. No such option for non-dues paying members of the bargaining unit will be provided. Are these the actions of a truly confident organization? Was the elected official making grandiose statements not yet approved by the organization? Is my source lying? All or any one of these could be the case, but I have confidence in the person relating this information and if the secretary/treasurer would like to dispute this, he is more than welcome to. I've been asking for someone to deliver their side for some time.
Please do not take my comments to mean that the company is completely innocent and pure. Quite the contrary. The company performs so many surveys to prove that the employees are happy, upbeat, and dedicated to their jobs, but if they spent time actually talking to the employees, they would find that the picture isn't as rosy as they think it is. Maybe that is why these two groups have such a difficult time reaching an agreement on ANYTHING. Each one thinks the other is beneath them. Meanwhile, the hourly employees are trapped in the middle. Well, soon we will have an option to correct that. In the meantime, IAMNOT933!
Hubristic Group Pride May Indicate Insecurity
This was very interesting because this union makes a lot of boastful statements that are pretty empty. Remember the flyers they put up all over the place extolling the way they secured about $70,000 for roughly 50 employees? What about the other 1800 hourly employees? Or how about how they took big, bad Rayteon to task over health care for retirees? Something that they had very little to do with other than send a few representatives to the courthouse to make an appearance. What about during the strike? Holy cow!!! There were too many claims made to post them all here.
These all show that they are insecure, scared, and know that they have an organization that does not deserve the respect of the workers it claims to represent, the company it fights against, or the public in general. These are claims that a schoolyard bully tries to make to drum up respect for himself once he realizes that no one takes him seriously. It doesn't work there, and it won't work here. How many heard during the last negotiation cycle about how great and grand the union was? They had over 75% representation of the bargaining unit. Yeah, but how many of those were "free" memberships? Put all the facts out and let the validity of your organization speak for itself.
This type of behavior is so deeply ingrained within this organization, that they don't even realize the doubletalk that comes out of their mouths. I, as well as several other workers that I know, have been told by numerous agents of this union (i.e. elected officials such as stewards and officers) that the efforts to collect enough votes through a petition will fail and they give their various reasons why they believe that. Then, in the next breath, they tell us that if it comes to a vote, they will win. Um, wait. A vote only comes after a successful petition. If the petition is doomed to fail, why worry about a vote? I know the boy scouts motto, but if they are so confident that the petition will fail, then why do they need a back-up plan?
Speaking of back-up plans, the secretary/treasurer has made it known to certain individuals that should a vote come to pass and it not be at an easily accessible location such as the airport plantsite, the union would be providing bus service for union members so they can vote. No such option for non-dues paying members of the bargaining unit will be provided. Are these the actions of a truly confident organization? Was the elected official making grandiose statements not yet approved by the organization? Is my source lying? All or any one of these could be the case, but I have confidence in the person relating this information and if the secretary/treasurer would like to dispute this, he is more than welcome to. I've been asking for someone to deliver their side for some time.
Please do not take my comments to mean that the company is completely innocent and pure. Quite the contrary. The company performs so many surveys to prove that the employees are happy, upbeat, and dedicated to their jobs, but if they spent time actually talking to the employees, they would find that the picture isn't as rosy as they think it is. Maybe that is why these two groups have such a difficult time reaching an agreement on ANYTHING. Each one thinks the other is beneath them. Meanwhile, the hourly employees are trapped in the middle. Well, soon we will have an option to correct that. In the meantime, IAMNOT933!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Happy Holidays to ALL!
Since most of the Raytheon employees had taken today off to start their Holiday Shutdown early, I thought it appropriate to wish EVERYONE happy holidays. Although the last year has been particularly bitter between IAM and those of us with a vision for a better work environment, most of us do not wish any of them ill. I don't think the same could be said the other way, but it doesn't matter. It's only a few short days before the start of 2009! A new year! A fresh start! Perhaps even a better work environment.
While there are a lot of things that we want this time of year, it is important to appreciate the things we have. I hope that everyone takes time to think of those men and women overseas that are unable to be with their families during the holidays. No matter how unbearable the situation here may be, there are others in much worse situations. Please take a moment out of your holiday festivities to give thanks for their sacrifices.
Be safe, have a wonderful holiday, and I hope to see EVERYONE back at work in January. That even goes for those that can't say the same about us. See you in 2009!
While there are a lot of things that we want this time of year, it is important to appreciate the things we have. I hope that everyone takes time to think of those men and women overseas that are unable to be with their families during the holidays. No matter how unbearable the situation here may be, there are others in much worse situations. Please take a moment out of your holiday festivities to give thanks for their sacrifices.
Be safe, have a wonderful holiday, and I hope to see EVERYONE back at work in January. That even goes for those that can't say the same about us. See you in 2009!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Where is the dialogue?
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary:
dialogue: 1) a written composition in which two or more characters are represented as conversing.
2a) a conversation between two or more persons ; also : a similar exchange between a person and something else (as a computer)
2b) an exchange of ideas and opinions
2c) a discussion between representatives of parties to a conflict that is aimed at resolution
3 the conversational element of literary or dramatic composition
4 a musical composition for two or more parts suggestive of a conversation
It would appear that several of these definitions apply to what would be expected of the union officials that supposedly represent the best interests of the workers. Unfortunately, dialogue is not something they are interested in. Instead, they are more interested in hunting the individuals behind these websites and blogs. They are more interested in intimidation tactics and threats than they are in working towards resolution of differences. Has anyone noticed that not once, has a representative of the union responded to the information posted here? Nope, they are too busy spreading their propaganda flyers in the breakrooms. They are too interested in trying to corner individuals they feel are "hurting their cause".
Why not post your words here for everyone to see? That way there will be a public record of EVERY word said, not just the ones that are handpicked by whichever person wants to use them for his or her own purposes. I mean, several of those involved with these blogs have been told by union members and leaders that there is nothing to this movement, that it isn't going anywhere. But others have been told that we are hurting their families, power to negotiate, blah, blah, blah. I actually had a union member tell me after the strike that I hurt his family. Excuse me? Did he bother to take my family into consideration? How about the damage that his beloved union did to my family? My family is my responsibility, just like his family is his responsibility. I had no gripe with him staying out, but unlike me, the union seems to have a grudge. So nearly two years later they continue to hold a grudge. When it comes time to rally support for their pitiful attempt at negotiating, they will ask for our support and be sweet as pie. It isn't going to work. All the "free memberships" in the world won't help them get support this time. They had more support this last contract negotiation than they have had in a long time, but they squandered it.
They squandered it because of their inability to have dialogue with those that they don't agree with. They want everything on their terms or else nothing at all. That is not how a mature organization worthy of my trust and my money acts. All the buttons, pens, pins, pencils, shirts, hats, and sunshades aren't going to change that. You will notice that we don't have those things. We don't collect dues. Anyone of the people associated with our group are free to come and go as they please. They aren't bound to year long contracts with a two week window with which to quit. We don't ask anything but the opportunity to work for a year free of this union. That is all that we ask. The chance to be treated as more than the second class hourly bargaining unit employees we are currently seen as. These are the fruits of the union's labors. Nice...nice indeed.
I aspire to more. And that is why IAM NOT 933!
dialogue: 1) a written composition in which two or more characters are represented as conversing.
2a) a conversation between two or more persons ; also : a similar exchange between a person and something else (as a computer)
2b) an exchange of ideas and opinions
2c) a discussion between representatives of parties to a conflict that is aimed at resolution
3 the conversational element of literary or dramatic composition
4 a musical composition for two or more parts suggestive of a conversation
It would appear that several of these definitions apply to what would be expected of the union officials that supposedly represent the best interests of the workers. Unfortunately, dialogue is not something they are interested in. Instead, they are more interested in hunting the individuals behind these websites and blogs. They are more interested in intimidation tactics and threats than they are in working towards resolution of differences. Has anyone noticed that not once, has a representative of the union responded to the information posted here? Nope, they are too busy spreading their propaganda flyers in the breakrooms. They are too interested in trying to corner individuals they feel are "hurting their cause".
Why not post your words here for everyone to see? That way there will be a public record of EVERY word said, not just the ones that are handpicked by whichever person wants to use them for his or her own purposes. I mean, several of those involved with these blogs have been told by union members and leaders that there is nothing to this movement, that it isn't going anywhere. But others have been told that we are hurting their families, power to negotiate, blah, blah, blah. I actually had a union member tell me after the strike that I hurt his family. Excuse me? Did he bother to take my family into consideration? How about the damage that his beloved union did to my family? My family is my responsibility, just like his family is his responsibility. I had no gripe with him staying out, but unlike me, the union seems to have a grudge. So nearly two years later they continue to hold a grudge. When it comes time to rally support for their pitiful attempt at negotiating, they will ask for our support and be sweet as pie. It isn't going to work. All the "free memberships" in the world won't help them get support this time. They had more support this last contract negotiation than they have had in a long time, but they squandered it.
They squandered it because of their inability to have dialogue with those that they don't agree with. They want everything on their terms or else nothing at all. That is not how a mature organization worthy of my trust and my money acts. All the buttons, pens, pins, pencils, shirts, hats, and sunshades aren't going to change that. You will notice that we don't have those things. We don't collect dues. Anyone of the people associated with our group are free to come and go as they please. They aren't bound to year long contracts with a two week window with which to quit. We don't ask anything but the opportunity to work for a year free of this union. That is all that we ask. The chance to be treated as more than the second class hourly bargaining unit employees we are currently seen as. These are the fruits of the union's labors. Nice...nice indeed.
I aspire to more. And that is why IAM NOT 933!
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