Classes of membership

December 3, 2016

‘Unions need to support the same good deal for all workers in their bargaining unit. Not continuation of existing pay and benefits for current members, while newly hired workers get much less.’

We tend to agree with that concept, however the writer washed his hands in participating or lending his hands in the infinite struggles that face blue collar workers, rather he embarked on cartoon and animation that does not benefit no one. However, we will discuss his views that may benefit many.  His premise presents a thorny issue for all members, we would like to advise him, he should roll up his sleeves.

First Equal Pay Act of 1963 the most important provision of the act is the mandate that men and women receive equal pay for equal work, our guess his premise does not talk about this.

Secondly, which is his main thrust is the classes among one bargaining unit in addition to the ‘unborn’ future employees (in his opinion our local previous leadership were famous for protecting) we agree. In his view that there are no clear current wage policies in our local, here we disagree, but rather remind him that during his tenure, he could have taken that task, we would have cheered him on.

Third, he is aware our local is like any other local, we are not special our negotiating  across the board cents per hour wage increases on a percentage basis, our raises are diminutive, based on political pressure ‘infighting’ that motivates us how we negotiate to please the rank and file to win reelection to the office and ratification of new contracts. The negotiation is pursued in a manner  that satisfies the median rank and members in good standing for their votes, at the expense of those on the bottom of the totem pole and the unborn - we get it, why he does not roll up his sleeves, join the struggle?

Our employer has succeeded in holding down earnings for blue collar workers, this is nothing new.

The new law (Chapter 18 of the Laws of 2012) - Chapter 18 is commonly referred to as Tier 6, was enacted amending the retirement benefits of public employees - he is well versed how the legislative body works, in addition, he knows the law affect all not exclusively to our local members, he can argue that our local was short sighted or sleeping at the wheel while the law was enacted, that may be acceptable however why he did not roll up his sleeves, to join the struggle then or now?

He can argue that our local has forgotten what its bread and butter issues, but rather went on social issues based on the results of the recent presidential election that has send shockwave to all. He can argue that the members who are at the bottom of the totem pole or the unborn, they will be close to the poverty line, or simply put poor, again why he did not roll his sleeves, join the struggle?

Tier 6 hypocrisy is good however it is too late, one can conclude Tier 6 is here to stay. 

There is no credibility, no one has warned of the dangers of a classes among one bargaining unit literally ‘the haves and the haves nots’ or ‘a tale of two cities’, and now he is practically gleeful no one can dismantle anything and everything done in the last four years. What has changed about now?