November 11, 2008 – As the IAM met with a Federal Mediator today, company Negotiators arrived at the hotel where mediation was being held with armed guards that accompanied the company officials into the meeting room. The
“This was certainly an insult to both the IAM and the Vought workers, who have conducted a peaceful strike in the face of outrageous tactics by Vought management, using strikebreakers instead of negotiating in good faith,” said Local Lodge 735 President Mike Worrell. “This shows a complete lack of respect for their workers who have given years of loyal service to this company. It is shameful to demand that workers give their pensions up to a highly profitable company at a time like this.”
"This strike was triggered when Vought tried to walk away from its pension obligations," said Worrell. "It will be resolved only when Vought responds to the very legitimate concerns of its workforce."
IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger said “Our Union is democratic, and the elected negotiators of the Local Lodge are in charge of the negotiations. Vought obviously doesn’t understand how our union operates. We are working with the Local Lodge to keep the Carlyle Group from committing grand larceny in their immoral attempt to steal the pensions of hard-working Americans who have made Vought a highly profitable company,” said International President Tom Buffenbarger. “Vought was unwilling at this time to bargain to keep the pension for all the employees on strike, so the mediator ended the meeting.”
“The tactics of Vought and Carlyle are NOT good-faith tactics. Armed guards and attacks in the press is no way to come to an agreement,” said Buffenbarger.
Additional information about the strike is available at www.iam735.blogspot.com
25 comments:
armed guards ...... lol i guess our negoators are bad to the bone stand strong 735
boing got the same crap and what is the difference in us having international and them havin goons and corprate lawers ? same o lyin crap we have heard seince vought bought nashville
I am glad to see the union make a press statement. Vought has told lies from the start in the press about this strike. I am so proud of Local 735 and proud to walk the line with all of you. Vought does not know its Tennessee workers if they think treating us like this will get them anywhere.
Get back to the table and get us something to vote on. We need to go back to work. I have borrow all that I can. Let all of the union vote on the best contract you can get. We need to go back to work.
NOW
Maxie, You got your job by playing with balls now you better get some to keep your job because when this is all over you better have some big ones!There's been many below you,same level and a few above and they went same as you can go!
Thanks for your support Tom. The company acts like we don't know what the heck is going on, thanks for laying it all out for us. They truly don't know how to negotiate. Haven't they ever bout a car and negotiated or did they just pay the sticker price? The statement on their website is a joke. I think our comm. is doing a great job, we came to talk and they came with a deaf ear. They didn't like what we said and they ran off. Just like before when they tried to talk to the people instead of our comm. and even mailed crap to us at home. They waisted so much time during negotiations , then and now. Its their move, the know where we stand......UNITED !!!
Yes we need to go back to work and yes times are getting hard for everyone especially with Christmas coming up, but I WILL NOT and I repeat WILL NOT lose faith in my negotiating committee in getting us what we deserve. That's why they were elected by the people for the people.I do not want to just settle for something the backstabbing company just throws out. We've been out too long to just cave in now.Hold strong for one day longer. We all know the horse crap the company is putting out about business as usual is all BS. Just remember when we do go back in of just how much the Company really thinks of it's (US) hard working employees. Just think of how many bonuses they've cheated us out of, no hams or turkys for Christmas or Thanksgiving. They really appreciate us, huh. In solidarity with my Bros and Sis.
ME
Could you give us a "short" rundown of how this procedes from here? I know all of us had our hopes up but we were at least expecting this to be argued face to face. Now the RATS are saying that our committee didn't even want to negotiate. By that I mean fold and take their offer. I guess Maxie does feel guilt and couldn't face us because he knows he is WRONG WRONG WRONG. I can't speak for all members, but for me and my family, I would give in on the retirement IF and only IF they were to "buy-out" my 10 years. Then I could at least ensure my family would have the means to take care of me in my golden years.
I think brother Jacob said it best to the media when he had his kids on the picket line and said he wanted to make sure they weren't burdened by him when he retires.
I hope nothing bad for the families of the company "shot-callers" but it is obvious their parents are either passed away or have a retirement from somewhere that is signifficantly better than the offer they have made to us. I won't even be able to buy diapers
(for myself),medical supplies, and medicines for a measley $430 a month. And of course the housing expense will eat up my 401K in a matter of years. I'm not willing to sell out for a few thousand dollars either.
Some Information I wish the union could provide is how much the company actually has in that retirement fund account. I know there are several companies that have stopped retirement for new hires and are making MILLIONS more in interest alone than they are paying out. After everyone dies they will pocket tens of BILLIONS of dollars and the employee that made the PIG RAT that money will be left to a paupers funeral. Or his /her surviving family will have to finance the funeral.
Hey Brothers and Sisters don't forget that The Mighty Vought Texas
couldn't build what we build everyday. So what do you think those drift around town to town homeless SCABS can do in our house? Relax everybody! Our committee is smarter than Vought.
Remember Texas. They lost millons and looked stupid to the whole world. And we won!
I'm I the only one that fiends this funny! Vought claims that they are almost achieving the same efficiency that we produced and that has offset the cost of the strike. So all the guards and the busses and the the pay for the "skilled" help (cleaning crew) at 40 dollars an hour helps offset our 20 an hour. Like they are really reaching new highs. They would have no reason to lie would they?
Vought you are running out of time. Tick Toc You are only making the attuides of the employees turn sour with every failed effort.
I would like to say thanks to the committee for standing up for us.
Stay strong!!!!
It can be so easy for some people that are stretched thin to want to give in.....but each time we hear more of their crummy lies, slimy, "ratified" , "pigish" ways....it just adds that much more umph to stand out in cold,in the rain, and whatever it takes!!! I am so tired of their nonsense!! It's a shame they have yet to learn integrity along with their desire to run a "world class" facility.
Thanks so much to our Union Reps. Hey...we are behind you all the way.
UNITED WE STAND
Sit down at the negotiating table Vought management and face reality. Don't like our signs? Don't like our tenacity? Think you're that good at lying and cheating?
Airbus, Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, and Cessna won't tolerate much more of the arrogant antics that are being shown on managements behalf.
Watching this display of strong arm tactics being used is only making the resolve of LL 735 stronger everyday.
If there's need of armed guards, then there's fear inside Vought. Let that fear eat away at them. They are the one's having doubts about this, losing sleep and can see that this is snowballing on them.
LL 735, it isn't just about Nashville, it's all of the Vought plants that we are paving the way for by standing united against the corporate greed and deception.
This is a classic David v. Goliath situation and when the giant falls, the rest of the common people will rejoice and other Vought facilities will follow our example and not fall victim to them.
This is what Vought knows and is afraid of, so therefore, the reason behind all the deception.
Fight the good fight IAM LL 735 and stay positive with this in mind. Our fight is just and will be something that makes the difference for more than just our Union. This is our moment to shine for others and lead the way.
The corporate officer's had a hidden agenda and thought that once Dallas bought their contract it would be easy to sell to the rest. Seems the smoke screen has just lifted and now the truth is being exposed. Then again, how should I know. I'm just....
Some Shop Floor Hillbilly.
MrLogical strikes again!
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.”
William Shedd
Somebody really needs to give management a lesson on what "negotiation" means. Vought does not seem to understand the concept and has been treating this entire situation with a take it or leave it attitude.
Contract "negotiations" originally began August 4th. Vought should have had something to present to us long before the last week of the the contract so we could counter, they could counter etc. That is how you negotiate.
This round of negotiations was originally scheduled for 11/12, 11/13 and 11/14. Then the company changed their minds to 11/12 only. Again they gave us "take it or leave it" scenario.
The Negotiating Committee has been open to the true meaning of negotiations but Vought has the nerve to claim we are not co-operating?? Looks like the other way around to me when you look at all of the facts!!
Vought has used nothing but bully tactics in this whole process.
Stand strong everybody! We will get through this together and when all is said and done we will come out on top!!
As we have seen, Vought has a record of bad decision making. It takes several costly tries before they finally decide to do the smart thing. They are like rebellious, stubborn, sulky children. They don't learn from their past mistakes. This is just another example of that. Be patient. The "Big Guys" in Texas are telling the Little Guys in Nashville what to do, and they are faithfully doing it. However, they're not going to be able to continue this, and they all know it. The Big Guys, true to form, will soon pick out a scapegoat or two in Nashville to blame everything on. They'll be fired, and the Big Guys will pretend that they were for us all along. That's the kind of loyalty they've demonstrated so far. We're the lucky ones, really. We KNOW where we stand in the eyes of the company, and their lack of appreciation for the work we do is no more than a minor disappointment. However, our pride in ourselves allows us to keep going, doing the best that we can do, and our reward is at the end of the day we can look at our own reflections in the mirror and know we did the right thing.
maxie our people are the ones in need of armed gaurds. you and elmer are liares and thieves how can you stand in front of your workers and tell us what a great dedicated workforce we are and lie to our fine community we made your third quarter so why dont you tell the truth about the fourth i hope you your scabs and goongaurds choke on our holiday pay maybe we'll see you next year
Everyone needs to be praying...
God is good,and his mercy endures forever!!! Keep the faith 735!
HEY VOUGHT WAKE UP,AND SMELL THE COFFEE... MAMA SAID YOU DON'T CONTROL EVERYTHING! YOU DON'T HAVE THE POWER... GOD HAS THE POWER TO SHOW YOU HE HAS THE POWER!!!
DID OUR JOBS MOVE TO TEXAS? NO!
WILL WE WIN THIS STRIKE? YES!
GOD BE FOR YOU, WHO BE AGAINST YOU?
STAY STRONG 735!
I FOUND OUT WHO WAS PRYING FOR THOSE GAS PRICES TO COME DOWN IT WAS MAMA!!! STAY STRONG 735!!
Why are we not listening to Maxie? He has always treated us fair in the past.
Maxie was hired on to play softball for Avco back in the day but now he’s trying to play hardball. I think he’s stepped outside of his league.
Remember how eager Dan Tharp and Wayne Martin were to dunk Maxie in the open house dunking booth? That shows their loyalty to each other. And remember how the company canned Monty, the bean counter, so they could shaft us on our bonus back in Feb? I think making Maxie the fall guy over this debacle is a great idea.
Go ahead and take that turncoat Randal Davis with you when you go Maxie and good riddance. Go see if you can open a run down honky-tonk in a cave somewhere.
well if the company wants to show up with armed guards then maybe our negotiating should show up with twice as many and it should be our fellow brothers and sisters that have concealed weapons permits. just to see the look on maxies face would make me volunteer for that job
WHY DO YOU HATE MAXIE SO BAD. HE IS DOING HIS JOB. HE IS JUST A PAWN TO THE CORPORATE PUKES
Post a Comment