By Ronnie Pineda
It seems The Blogging Pressman, AKA, Ed Padgett, has alot of people wondering what is really going to happen at the Orange County Facility in the quickly approaching future. It has been rumored that the O.C. plant would close for quite some time now, to which management always denies any plans to do so at the time, when asked.
Anyone still having in their possesion, the DVD management mailed to our homes during our organizing campaign, can view former Publisher David Hiller attempting to reassure employees that O.C. was to remain in operation. Was this statement the truth or an attempt to influence pressroom union voters? I seem to remember former SVP of Operations, Mark Kurtich making the same comment to Northridge employees prior to the closing of their facility. Arrive at your own conclusion.
I can tell you based on personal conversations Exec. Vice President Keith Denson and I have had with Newton, Walker and Bugarin, that they claim to have no knowledge of any new products coming to Orange County. I specifically asked about the Orange County Register and was told by Russ, "that door is closed". Russ also stated that the owners of the O.C. Register would never have their paper printed by "UNION" workers! I proceeded to inquire about possibly printing The San Diego Union Tribune, and his response was, " I can't talk about that"
Any plans that the company may be preparing to implement will not be divulged to the workforce and we should not expect management to consider our interests in any current plans they may be considering at this time as history has proven time and time again.
Management is coninually looking for ways to increase savings and profits and they ultimately result in job losses, so if O.C does indeed close, it is quite likely that jobs will be slated for cuts in the closure plans. Whatever management plans are, if their actions violate our members rights under the Law and/or our Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Union will defend those rights.
According to our election certification from the N.L.R.B. any work printed in the L.A. and O.C. facilites fall under our jurisdiction, as we represent those employed by the L.A. Times at these facilities. Any arrangements to sell the O.C. Facility and enter into agreements with another entity to print products currently being printed by L.A. Times Presspersons, (as well as products that mgt.may currently be in negotiations to print at these locations), and not have our members print these products, would be done intentionally to undermine the contract we have with the company.
We must always be prepared and diligent when it comes to defending our rights under the contract and always remember that management is not interested in how their decisions affect you or your families, so if there is any truth to these rumors, I know what I'm going to do, what are you going to do? Get involved or accept managements decisions because they've always known what is best for you and you family........right?
Ronnie Pineda
President
GCC/IBT Local 140-N
SOURCE: Save Our Trade