I received this email from a union pressman:
"Well.... now you've done it. Good luck. You'll need it!
Interesting. Have these "Union Guys" mentioned that there isn't a contract left in America that has manning language? Ours continues to go down... along with our pay. We haven't had a raise in three years, and our medical is paid for by something called "wage diversion" in which our hourly goes down 12 cents an hour per year. If it wasn't for overtime, half of us would be standing outside soup kitchens. We're up for a new contract this year, and I'm certain they're going to try and f***ing nuke us. (Reel tenders, short shifts... etc, etc.). San Francisco just contracted out their production to a third party printer that will no doubt hire minimum wage scabs to be supervised by a few former Journeymen. I'm guessing that bi-lingual language skills will come in handy there. Believe me, every paper in America is looking at that model to see how it works. And just you watch... the main goal of your new union bosses will be to get you all into the ILPF (Interlocal Pension Fund).... because it's starting to fail."
Is this what our future is going to look like? I hope not! I'd like to hear from more pressmen from other union shops to get some idea as to what we can realistically expect from a contract. I've seen the information the Newsday folks were kind enough to provide(thank you Mike and Lou); is their contract the norm, or the rare exception?
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23 comments:
WOW,
Maybe you guys should have thought to look at other contracts before voting! Everything in life.... get a 2nd or 3rd opinion.
Ask the pro union folks on the floor who have promised you everything... what all this about?
"In California the Union has never been able to negotiate wages, benefits and working conditions as good as you have today."
Ask Mike and Lou about that one!!!
Ed,
Do we know who this is and where he works?
The union has never been able to negotiate a "New York style contract" because we have not sat down to negotiate yet.
We are not trying to get a "NY" style contract to begin with. we are going to negotiate a contract that will serve "OUR" best interest and it is irrelevant that we are on the west coast.
And the name of this ....pressman ......is ???
Hummmm .......???
ED... the Title should be UN identified Pressman ... After all Anything can be written on a blog ( even a Union Buster Lawyer )
And the name of this paper is ??
And how does he know about the inter-local ??
And how can we validate or refute these allegation
And I do not remember any one promising anything
WOW , this sounds like someone who is antiunion ( maybe management ??? ) BOO!!!!
Looks like we may have gotten more than we " bargained" for by voting in a union!
Hummm... I wonder if the Times Lawyers ( Union Busters ) are looking at this web site
First of all there are contracts in the country with manning tables.
The real issues are not with manning but with management rights. The fact is this industry happens to be under seige because people are getting information from other sources.Unions offer more protections for people then non union shops. The interlocal pension plan is voluntary and is suppose to be a supplemental pension plan, and is one of the few plans beside the 401k that is tax deferred.Employers all over the country in various industries are all trying to move away from defined pension plans.Read the papers.
I'll respond to some comments, see if I can help clarify a few things.
Ronnie Pineda said...
Ed,
Do we know who this is and where he works?
Yes, Ronnie, I know who it is and where they work. But, I will respect their request for anonymity, just as we respected the anonymity of our pro-union comment contributors during the union campaign.
Anonymous said...
And the name of this ....pressman ......is ???
Hummmm .......???
I find this comment ironic, what's your name?
Anonymous said...
ED... the Title should be UN identified Pressman ... After all Anything can be written on a blog ( even a Union Buster Lawyer )
Once again, an anonymous person complaining about another's wish for anonymity. Would that be considered a double standard?
Anonymous said...
And the name of this paper is ??
And how does he know about the inter-local ??
And how can we validate or refute these allegation
And I do not remember any one promising anything
WOW , this sounds like someone who is antiunion ( maybe management ??? ) BOO!!!!
How do they know about the inter local? Read the post, they're in the union. How can you validate or refute? Talk with your contacts in the GCC/IBT, they should be willing to share contract information with you. It sounds like someone who is anti-union? Once again I ask you to read the post, it's from a union pressperson.
Anonymous said...
Hummm... I wonder if the Times Lawyers ( Union Busters ) are looking at this web site
It's an open website on the internet, anyone can see it; union officials, union members, LATimes employees, anyone with internet access. What's your point?
ronnie
so now were not trying to get a new york stile contract? then why is it that was the contract that was always waved in our face by the pro union guys during the union drive?
lou,
So the interlocal is purely voluntary?? or is it something that could be manditory if it's added to the contract.....
this is for mr nicosia
newspapers are a dying industry, there is no union contract which will save us from being layed off if business is in the toilet!!!
If a person is in a union shop the interlocal pension is available. The people decide if they want to join it not the employer.If you guys don't want it you dont have to have it. The people also decide the amounts they would like to contribute. In Newsday the pressmen give 2% but i believe other departments give up to six.
Again this is suppose to be a supplemental plan our main retirement plan is the Times Mirror Pension Plan AND the 401k.
Newspapers are a declining industry but as long as the can keep making the profit margins that they are, we'll be here. A contract will not insure layoffs but it will insure that it is done fairly.
Hey Ronnie its all about you.The union worker can not identify because the union will you know or maybe you dont know.You comment more on this site than your own how come.Your credibility is in question. signed RICK SATTERLEE
Mr. Bonpensiero let me understand this, your quote I am taking from you is " A contract will not insure layoffs but it will insure that it is done fairly". Explain to me what was unfair when the Valley closed? It was based on seniority was it not? Or was that not fair and only the Valley people should have been fired?
Uncle Junior
So you guys get to pay union dues for a while and the only thing you'll get out of it is a "fair" way to layoff staff when the printing is outsourced and the business is focused on the internet? Sounds like a nice career plan. What has been unfair about the last 6 layoffs? Didn't they go by seniority and not talent or work ethic? Well again, maybe that is NOT FAIR!
Mr. Bonpensiero & Mr. Soprano are you both using your vacaion time here in SOCAL to educate everyone or is the an all expense paid trip compliments of the union? #1 LAT pressroom employee union supporter how much of a kick back did you get for this mess???
Uncle Junior
how can you guys be talking like this on the internet.the company looks at this guaranteed.your first contract is the hardest and from the way it sounds your solidarity is in question.also the derogatory comments on the newsday pressmen are un called for.they came to help flew across the country and you guys make up soprano names for them, are you kidding.be proud you are apart of americas strongest union.if it wasnt in your best interest why would have the company go all out for you to vote no.because the care so much about you right.watch during your contract you will see how much they care about you.the union is there for you.and the point lou was making about the layoffs was everything is done fairly in a union shop by senority.its the best system.
In your dreams!!!!!!
Take the test.... you may be surprised!!!!!!
http://www.unionfree.com/latimes/quiz.html
Without UNION CONTRACTS non –union employee’s would not have half the things you currently have .Everything you have is close but not the same and the reason being is to try to keep you out of unions. Just think about this? If we agree to pay 45% more in healthcare in our contracts do you think for one minute non-union employees would still be at 27% !Or we accepted to just give up the 5th week of vacation without a time frame in place you guys in L.A. would still have it! Non-union employees have what they have now because of UNION CONTRACT that’s the FACTS
Mike LaSpina (Local 406)
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