Cog in the machine...

A week or so back, I wrote directly to the folks at "no_wtpu@cox.net," questioning a report I'd seen in the Wichita Eagle. I'd read that one of the primary reasons the petitioner wanted to eliminate union protections for our coworkers was "to allow our own voices to be heard again."

Subj: A question about your rationale...
Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 8:34:25 PM
From: WorkerUnit
To: no_wtpu@cox.net

The newspaper reports that you've petitioned for decertification in order to have your voice heard and I was wondering... just who's not listening to you?

There's nothing in our contracts that prevents any interaction between management and us subordinates. I don't know about you, but I've always had a marvelously open communication relationship right up my Organization's management chain, from First Level to Director. In our wide-ranging discussions, I've never once found a contract provision that became a roadblock.

You, however, apparently have had other experiences and I was wondering just what you couldn't talk to the Boss about and how a loss of union representation would somehow rectify that?


-- Bill Hartig

I've yet to receive an answer or acknowledgement.


-- Bill, who's not much surprised, as their arguments don't hold up to scrutiny...

UPDATE: Y'all might not want to sent any e-mail to that "no_wtpu@cox.net" e-dress from your work location, 'cause I just found out that a friend of mine -- a Decert supporter a year ago -- sent a polite contradiction to them and they ratted him out to Security, claiming he was misusing Company time by sending the e-mail to them during work hours. I wonder if they also turned in supportive messages sent to them during similar work periods...

Well, I've met Harry Stonecipher and I've talked with Harry Stonecipher and I think I understood that Harry Stonecipher didn't much like the burden of his workforce and I've just gotta say that Nigel Wright ain't no Harry Stonecipher...

-- Bill, who's surprised that he apparently trusts management's word more than do the Decerters...

The answers, more or less, to the last list of contract issues we had with our previous employer:

1. No,
   
2. no,
   
3. no,
   
4. no,
   
5. no,
   
6. no,
   
7. we don't think The Executive Pension Supplement mentioned in the Boeing-Onex Asset Purchase Agreement is any of your concern
   
8. no, and
   
9. no.

-- Bill, who may be paraphrasing here, but the intent is accurate...

The folks behind the effort to take away our legal rights to union representation have a website out there, with what they state are "Just the FAQs" about their campaign. I don't think their answers are quite complete enough, so I’ve some followup questions:

Decert FAQ #4.: Is there a difference in the SPEEA-WTPU represented and non-represented packages that went out to employees?
     ANSWER: Only the EIP-like bonus.

Followup: Is there a difference in the SPEEA-WTPU represented contract and the implemented "Initial" non-represented conditions of Day One? I mean, if your contention is that non-represented employees would somehow fare better without a union, how do you explain away the fact that the contract improves on virtually all "Day One" wages, hours, and working conditions? Guaranteed wage pool minimums. Double-time for PC2 overtime. Limits on mandatory overtime. Retention appeals. Recall from layoffs. So you've gotta admit there are significant increases in what the represented employees negotiated and what was imposed on us Day One, doncha?


Decert FAQ #5.: Why would MWAS cause friction by offering a better Annual Performance Bonus for non-represented employees?
     ANSWER: Additional cost associated with union representation.

Followup: On what do you base your accusation that union representation costs the company the implied 10% of wages? Sure, union representation got double-time overtime pay for Paycode 2 employees and that adds to the bottom line. But that certainly can't comprise 10% of labor costs. So where's all this alleged extra cost coming from?


Decert FAQ #8.: Who will see my signature? Is it shared with any party?
     ANSWER: We give them to the NLRB to count...

Followup: While you answered the question of sharing with other parties, you neglected to answer the "who sees my signature" part. Who are the employees and consultants on the Decert Team who reviewed our coworkers' signatures?

-- Bill, who really didn't need another freakin' union-related distraction...

The folks over at Midwest Musings have a surprisingly serious essay addressing the Decerter's bogus "Annual Performance Differences" claim.


-- Bill, who finds Musings quite amusing...