| Big Tobacco | 01-15-2008 | comment profile send pm notify |
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Lets try this again... SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER Feud with union threatens construction sites in region Last updated January 14, 2008 8:03 p.m. PT By DAN RICHMAN Angry concrete pourers in Western Washington are aligning with their employers and fighting the union they pay to represent them in a feud threatening to shut down more than a dozen construction sites. "We pay them to negotiate for us, and they have their own agenda," said Chad MacDonald, 32, a disenchanted member of Bothell's International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302. "I think what the union has done is absolutely, completely wrong." Added Scott Platt, of Stanwood: "The union has notified contractors saying we're not members of the union. We're still dues-paying members, but the only way to be a member in good standing is to sign a contract, and the contract they want us to sign goes against everything we have worked for over the last six years." The fight arose from negotiations over a new contract governing the relationship between the roughly 150 Local 302 members, who pour concrete at large commercial job sites, and about six companies employing those members. A master contract between the local and each of those companies, which for about six years let workers choose among benefits, insurance and pension plans offered by the union or the company, expired on Dec. 31. The local dubbed that choice "two-tier," calling it divisive and seeking to eliminate it in the new contract. On Dec. 30, the union members voted on whether to eliminate what they prefer to call the Unit A-Unit B offer, which gave them a choice of the union's or the employer's benefit package. The union and its members both say a majority of members voted against the A-B offer. But MacDonald says the rejection was "based on some simple language we wanted changed" -- changes he says the union didn't pursue. Local 302 spokesman David Groves says it was "willing to do the two-tier deal, but the members rejected it." The union said the members' rejection of the Dec. 30 offer caused the offer to expire. That, in turn, meant the local's members essentially stopped being union members and made their employers nonunion companies, Groves said. On construction sites, most union workers are contractually bound not to work with nonunion employees and companies, and many general contractors won't hire such workers and companies. About 18 concrete-pouring booms are in place at Seattle and Bellevue construction sites, and each site could be shut down either by a general walkout of union workers or by restrictions against nonunion workers coming onto the sites, MacDonald said. Local 302's Groves said the union does not plan to picket those sites or call for work to halt there. The skirmishing continues. Two pouring companies, Bothell's Conco Concrete Pouring and Federal Way-based All-American Concrete Pumping, and their workers have signed Local 302's master contract, which provides the union's benefits package. That means union business will flow to those companies, Groves said -- especially because the local acknowledged sending letters to every general contractor reminding them they can't hire nonunion companies or employees. As for the companies that haven't signed the master agreement, "the longer they hold out, the more opportunity the other companies have to capture the business," Groves said. Holdouts include Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping, of Kent; Lucht's Concrete Pumping Inc., of Sheridan, Colo.; Pacific Concrete Pumping, of Kirkland; and Ralph's Concrete Pumping Inc., of Seattle. The fight has caused workers to feel more loyalty to their employers than to their union. "I love the company I work at (Brundage-Bone)," MacDonald said. "For the union to come in and take business away from them is unfair." The disgruntled workers hired Seattle attorney Darryl Parker to file a federal lawsuit against the union this week. "None of the union members had any idea their voting down the Dec. 30 offer would mean no further negotiations with those employers and would end the contract," Parker said. "I think that's a pretty important piece of information to have before you vote."
P-I reporter Dan Richman can be reached at 206-448-8032 or danrichman@seattlepi.com. © 1998-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
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| Bob | 01-15-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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Since the companies rejected the contract; what does it matter if the operators wanted it or not? (end run) would be for the operators to hold a vote to determine whether or not they wished to be represented by the union. Each company's operators would vote on whether to be union or not. Since there is only one contract under which they would /could work, the company would be required to honor their wishes. If they didn't want the union representation then they are by definition, non union operators. Now they are union operators working for a non union company and must accept the company's terms.
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| 95schwing | 01-15-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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The union screwed up 6 years ago by giving them the two tier contract, the union is fixing that mistake, I am a local 302 pumper and I support our union. As far as the proposal being rejected because of simple langauge, there was alot more to it. |
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| Bob | 01-15-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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the two tier deal sounded pretty strange to me too. |
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| OE Local 3 | 01-15-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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T, You had posted this earlier,This situation is affecting all of our operators and we are very concerned. However, since i am "management" I hope you all understand that I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of this situation. Not trying to stir the pot ,but I dont understand ? you now are posting a newspaper article clipping. In my neck of the City ,TV news and Papers are not always a great source of info as they try to make things a little dramatized, or tend to be far from the whole truth.Since you are management, can you at least answer why B.B. had already decided to not renew as a union shop way before this happened? One more Q ? B.B had moved into Sacramento a while back. non-union yard. Why does the company you work for have some union yards in some states and areas, and non in others. just curious. Your Operators in Sac make about 1/4 what I make an hour doing the same job???? OE-3 |
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| OE Local 3 | 01-15-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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FACT SHEET on the Concrete Pumpers’ Contract January 15, 2008 The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to explain the current situation with the concrete pumpers’ master contract. Recent press coverage has done a poor job of explaining the facts and history of this dispute and of accurately presenting the Union’s position on the matter. What’s going on? As of this writing, Conco Concrete Pumping and All-American Concrete Pumping. The new master agreement was voted on and approved, first by Operating Engineers Local 302 and Local 612 members at Conco, and then the agreement was subsequently signed by All-American. (The contract is posted at our website: www.iuoe302.org). All other concrete pumping companies are now considered non-union. Local 302 is urging all concrete pumping companies to sign the new master agreement. If they don’t, they are choosing to remain non-union. What happened to the old master contract? The old contract expired on Dec. 31, and the pumping companies terminated their relationship with the Union upon its expiration. Before its expiration, Local 302 attempted to negotiate a new agreement with all signatory contractors. A last-minute substandard contract offer from Brundage Bone, Ralph’s and Pacific—presented through their attorney, John Payne—was put to a vote of the members on Dec. 30. The Union recommended rejection of that offer, explaining: “(The employers) will have an opportunity to present a better offer. If they opt not to make a better offer then those employed by those companies will not be covered by a union agreement. You will not be asked to strike. These companies will simply be non-union.” (See our Dec. 28 entry from our regular member updates on the status of talks.) That’s exactly what happened. Members at those three companies rejected the contract and their employers did not respond with a better offer. They didn’t respond at all. So they became non-union contractors. The first company to return to the bargaining table was Conco. They offered a strong proposal and the Union recommended acceptance. Local 302 and 612 members at Conco voted to approve the contract on Jan. 4. (See our report to members on that vote, and our news release about the contract.) The Union announced that it considered this new contract to be the new master agreement and invited all concrete pumping companies to sign it. On Jan. 11, All-American joined Conco in signing the contract. Local 302 continues to invite all companies to become signatory to the master agreement. Why are some Local 302 members upset about the new contract? Some Local 302 members at Brundage Bone, Ralph’s and Pacific are upset with the Union. They have become convinced that the old two-tiered master agreement and its two sets of benefits -- one with the Union’s defined-benefit pension and fringes, and the other with a 401(k) and company fringes -- is better. They are upset that the Union refuses to negotiate an agreement for them separate from the new master agreement. Local 302 has no interest in negotiating separate contracts that undercut each other. That’s the whole point of a master contract. To create a level playing field where all signatory companies compete based on efficiency and quality of work, and not on who can pay their employees the least -- or convince more (MORE -- Page 1 of 2) employees to take a cheaper set of benefits. The Union considers the new master contract to be a dramatic step forward for concrete pumpers and will not undercut Local 302 members who voted for that contract by negotiating for something less with their competitors. Will Local 302 members at these non-union companies lose their jobs because of the Union? If non-union pumping companies refuse to sign the new master agreement and lose projects as a result, THEY are putting their employees out of work. This Union will not haveany substandard contract forced upon it just because some company wants access to Union work. All Local 302 members who work at Brundage Bone, Ralph’s, Pacific and every other company that terminated its contract on Dec. 31 have been urged to sign up for work opportunities at Dispatch. That is their right as members. There are job opportunities available right now at Union pumping companies. One concrete pumper even got dispatched to work directly for a general contractors and is now getting paid even higher wages under IUOE 302’s A.G.C. Master Labor Agreement. The work isn’t disappearing. Union pumping will be done by Union pumpers. If Local 302members choose to remain working for non-union companies instead of getting on the list at Dispatch, and they subsequently lose their jobs because their employer refuses to sign the new agreement, that is their choice. What happened at the Friday, Jan. 11 protest outside the Local 302 Union Hall? Brundage Bone, Ralph’s and Pacific shut down their jobs that Friday and urged their employees to attend a protest in front of the Local 302 hall in Bothell. (One leaflet said the protest was a “MANDATORY meeting for all Ralph’s concrete pumpers.”) Between 50 and 60 Local 302 members marched on the sidewalks alongside management representatives from their non-union companies, and those companies’ attorney, John Payne. Members at the rally expressed their frustration that their employers are losing Union work and urged the Union to negotiate a new contract separate from the new master agreement. The Union met with the members and explained that Local 302 has no intention of negotiating a different contract that undercuts the new master agreement and urged all members to register at Dispatch for Union pumping jobs. Are pickets going to happen to shut down job sites with non-union pumpers? Local 302 has notified all general contractors which pumping companies have signed the new contract agreement, and which are now non-union. In many cases, those contractors have already replaced non-union pumpers with Union pumpers. At this time, Local 302 has not endorsed any job actions. However, rumors have circulated that some of the non-union companies may again organize protests like the Jan. 11 protest, but this time at job sites. Local 302 has spread the word that any suchprotest is NOT a picket line , and therefore all Union members should feel free to have access totheir job sites or Union hall. Bonafide picket lines hinge on the existence of an employer-employee relationship. There is no such relationship between Local 302 and these non-union concrete pumping companies, nor is there one between the non-union companies’ employees and the unionized concrete pumping companies. iuoe302/afl-cio |
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| OE Local 3 | 01-15-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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International Union of Operating Engineers Allan B. Darr, Business Manager and General Vice President_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Malcolm J. Auble , Financial Secretary • Charles T. Jurgens, President • Daren Konopaski, Vice President18701 120th Avenue NE • Bothell, Washington 98011-9514 Telephone: (425) 806-0302 • Toll-free: 1-800-521-8882 • Fax: (425) 806-0030 Washington Branches: Bellingham • Silverdale • Ellensburg Alaska Branches: Anchorage • Fairbanks • Juneau AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER – January 15, 2008Our Union is in a dispute with the some concrete pumping contractors. Recent press coverage of this dispute has implied that this Union is ignoring the interests of its own members in that industry. Nothing could be further from the truth. Concrete pumpers do hard work, and for as long as I can remember, they have been mistreated by their employers and forced to accept far less than they deserve. They worked under a divisive substandard two-tiered contract for several years and this time around, our members told us loud and clear that they wanted a better contract. That’s what this Union set out to negotiate. But a few companies -- Brundage Bone, Ralph’s and Pacific -- were intransigent. They were so confident they could get their employees to ratify whatever they offered that they notified the Union that the companies were terminating their relationship with the Union upon the contract’s expiration. Their gamble backfired when their employees rejected their last-minute offer that was truly a slap in the face of our membership. Rather than immediately make a new offer, these companies didn’t respond and terminated their relationship with the Union. So who’s to blame that their competitor at Conco stepped up and negotiated a fair contract with the Union, a contract that was overwhelimgly ratified by our members at that company? And who’s to blame that a second company, All-American, has signed this new master agreement? Who’s to blame that our Union got the best deal possible for its members – far better than the previous contract – and then refused to undercut them by negotiating a separate, lesser agreement for their competitors? Who’s to blame that these non-union companies that still refuse to sign the new agreement are losing work as a result? For as long as I’ve been a member of this Union, and as long as I’ve had the honor of serving as your Business Manager, Local 302 has fought for higher wages, secure retirement, affordable health care and fair working conditions for its members. Nothing has changed. Before anyone begins to believe the propaganda being circulated by non-union companies and swallowed whole by the mainstream media, I urge all of you give your Union the benefit of the doubt. Get the facts at our web site –www.iuoe302.org – or call us at 425-806-0302. When we are under attack, we need to remind ourselves that united we stand and divided we fall. This Union will fight for what’s best for all of us. For the concrete pumpers, that is this new master agreement. We will not go backwards to the divisiveness of two-tiered substandard contracts, and we will not turn our backs on our members who have approved this new agreement. Remember: No one of us is greater than all of us. Thank you. Respectfully submitted, Allan B. Darr Business Manager and General Vice President |
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| Schwingman | 01-16-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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See my post under "not to get controversial" for what happens under a two tier system. |
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| dick tracy | 01-16-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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The union screwed up a long time before that. They allowed one job agreements a two tired system since the late 80s. This allowed a unfair advantage to certain *** who did thier best to cheat the system...Like 1 union operator in the whole group on plan A and you were cohersed to chose plan B or guess what you didnt work. Personally if you want union work sign the agreement. Is there any reason why the pump operators should be making less money that the carpenters or labor's?. As long as the union stands strong and does not let the pump companies dictate what the wages should be (as they have done for the last 20 years) Maybe some operators may finally get a raise. Pump Ops in Seattle have not even began to keep up with cost of living. Early 80s wages were 19 plus benefits. No job time plus 1 hour BS for travel like some play, screw them it's about time the employee was paid for all their time. Some companies need unions to keep their feet in the fire, some do not. Seattle needs it. Look who only join togther in solidarity only at the time of union contracts and ask your self why? |
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| Big Tobacco | 01-17-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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OE-3, I simply posted an article from our local paper to show anyone who was interested the operators side of the story. As far as the California branches, I am not involved with any decision making when it comes to running the company so I am unable to give you an answer concerning those issues... As far as "stirring the pot", that is one thing that makes this sight great, the opprotunity to voice your opinion. Keep up the good work, Big T |
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| Bob | 01-17-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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I must be 'slow'. I do not understand what the operators have to do with it. If you are working for a company that rejected the union contract then you are, in fact, working for a non-union company. It doesn't matter if you are a union member or not; the company is non union. My understanding is that most of the pumping companies rejected the contract. Some times it takes me a while to catch up. |
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| OE Local 3 | 01-17-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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T, Thanks for your response. I believe that it is the MEDIA side of the story, not the Operators, or Councrete Pourers as they said it LOL. LOL. THATS A JOKE THEY CANT EVEN GET THE NAME RIGHT , HOW COULD THEY GET THE STORY RIGHT ! OE-3 |
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| OE Local 3 | 01-17-2008 | reply profile send pm notify |
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Well, I just hope everything gets solved in some way or another so everyone is happy. OE-3 |
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