Happy Halloween, everyone!

...and as the sun goes down, keep those trick-or-treaters safe!

Family is what this day is about, and it's what our strike is about. You can bet that, when all is said and done, all that Mr. Carlyle gets in his sack is a rock!

BIG thanks for support!

Thanks go to Cecil E. Martin a retired member of Teamsters Local 480 came by the union hall with 10 lbs of barbeque, buns and sauce.

From Aeronautics Metalworkers CGT

This is a letter of support from the Union in France for Airbus. They know of our strike and are in full support. Solidarity is a strong thing, it can cross oceans.
Click on pic for large size

The latest from Vought...

Today, the company posted a letter that had been sent to Business Representative Chuck Killebrew last week. It was disregarded by the Union, as the offer was effectively taken off the table BY THE UNION MEMBERSHIP ON SEPT. 27TH WHEN THEY VOTED TO REJECT THE COMPANY’S LBFO.

They are welcome to take it off the table, because this membership is in no way ready to accept it.

In order for Vought to end this strike and return to producing product, our members are demanding OUR PENSIONS. We are demanding a contract WITH NO TAKEAWAYS. We are demanding, above all, a fair and equitable contract, which the LBFO was not!

When you get a chance, head down to Briley Parkway, and see “Mr. Carlyle” with his top hat and stogie, his pocket filled with money from trying to steal their employee’s retirement!

"Mr. Carlyle"

BIG thanks for support!

We were visited yesterday by Brenda Clanton of Waynesboro, who is the former President of LL 2325. She was laid off from her job two years ago, and has lost her seniority. She's obviously never forgotten her union roots, however. She dropped off four cases of water, and personally donated $200 for our hardship fund.

Thanks, Brenda, from the bottom of our hearts.

Also, District Lodge 711 has donated $500 to the hardship fund, and several of our members have donated their strike checks to help out.

Folks, that's what solidarity is all about. Thanks to EVERYONE!

International Support!

We are not alone! Our work for Airbus puts us in solidarity with unions in Europe, and International President Tom Buffenbarger has received several letters of support from our brothers and sisters in Europe. Thanks to Owen Herrnstadt, the IAM International Affairs Director, for his work in keeping in contact with the other unions.

Click on the pic for larger size, or click here for the Dansk Metal letter as a .pdf.

Click on the pic for larger size, or click here for the IF Metall letter as a .pdf.

Click on the pic for larger size, or click here for the Nordic IN letter as a .pdf.

Click on the pic for larger size, or click here for the Unite The Union letter as a .pdf.

A new sight on Briley Parkway!

When International President Buffenbarger visited us, he mentioned that the IAM had a corporate pig at headquarters, and he graciously sent it to us to let everyone driving by know that we are fighting corporate greed, to keep a pension for our retirement. Thanks to our International President for the pig, and be sure to honk your support as you drive by!

FLASH: Negotiations Will Resume

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IAM / Boeing Tentative Agreement

The IAM has a tentative agreement in Seattle, Portland and Wichita with Boeing. They've improved job security, improved pension, raises and bonuses, as well as frozen health care costs at 2005 levels. They will be voting on the proposal this weekend. Go here for more info on the contract.

Bottom line - this is a big improvement over the contract they rejected, and they were able to protect their job security.

Strike Update, Monday Oct 27

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IAM Local 735 Picket Line

A video by one of our members.

Boeing burns through cash

Well, since Boeing is a publicly-held company, they can't lie about how much the strike hurts them, via Bloomburg News:

Boeing Co., the second-largest commercial-plane maker and defense contractor, burned through $3 billion in cash last quarter as a strike by machinists halted aircraft production, hurting revenue.

The walkout shaved about 35 cents a share off third-quarter earnings, Chief Financial Officer James Bell said on a conference call today. That works out to about 1.4 cents a share for each day from the start of the strike on Sept. 6 until the end of the quarter. The strike is now in its 47th day.

We know that Vought is also losing money hand over fist. The only way they make money is if we're building assemblies.

District 751 President Tom Wroblewski issued the following statement in response to Boeing's 3rd Quarter Earnings Report:

"Obviously, this Company continues to have record backlogs, success, and sizeable profits - demonstrating Boeing has the ability to better share this success with Machinists Union members who generate the profits.

It would be a better business decision and a better investment to have made a fair contract offer with Machinists Union members. Partnering with the Union for the future is the best way to ensure success and to embrace the ideas our members can bring forward. There was no reason the Company needed to come at this Union with takeaways. These bad decisions contributed to this strike. Customers want their planes, shareholders want their value, and our members want to get back to building the best airplanes in the world.

We hope Boeing comes to the bargaining table tomorrow to resolve this strike, rather than simply giving the CEO a convenient answer to what this Company is doing to resolve the strike. McNerney should have to justify the lost revenue and answer why they continue to keep their employees on the picket line.

The Machinists were not involved in the decision to outsource the 787, which took airplane production out of Boeing's control. Although the strike might be a convenient excuse for production delays, these delays started 15 months ago because of global suppliers. The best way to get the 787 and Boeing back on track is to put the correct people to work, and that is the Machinists' Union members. Every time Boeing has problems, it is our Machinists Union members and SPEEA members who lead the way to success.

Our strike is about Boeing trying to bring outside non-union vendors they can't control into our workplace to replace our members. Many of their own managers have admitted this is not working, but Boeing continues on this path. The 787 is being delayed because of Boeing's flawed globally outsourced production system and has nothing to do with this strike.

There was no reason for the outsourcing, health care takeaways and other negative components to Boeing's best and final contract offer. In fact, this strike was unnecessary. With substantial profits and backlogs, our members expected Boeing to be fair and share the profits so they could grow with the success of the Company. Again, we hope that this new round of talks that begin tomorrow will be the answer to resolving this strike."

Update: Boeing returning to bargaining table

From the IAM District 751 website:

After 45 days on the line, your solidarity brought Boeing back to the bargaining table. Since talks adjourned last Monday, we have kept the lines of communication open and have agreed to pursue additional talks through the federal mediator. At the direction of the federal mediator, new talks will be held in Washington DC beginning Thursday, October 23rd.

We hope this marks a major step forward to resolve this strike. The Union will continue to do everything possible to bargain a contract that addresses the concerns our members have identified.

It is important as we move forward that we continue to stay strong on the picket lines. That's how we're going to secure a contract that will settle this strike.

In Solidarity
Your Union Leadership

Thank you!

Big thanks to brother David Mottern and Local 480 of the teamsters union for bringing water and supplies to our picker lines, and also to Jerry Lee and Eddie Bryant of the Tennessee AFLCIO for bring 7 cases of water to our picket lines!

It was very appreciated, and won't be forgotten!

SECOND ALERT

DON’T BE MISLED BY VOUGHT. On September 29^th, Vought said on its website that it had a way for IAM members to cross our picket line without being subject to union discipline. It said that members could change to being “financial core” members, which would release them from any responsibility to the union except payment of fees. The company’s explanation was legally WRONG, and the IAM immediately put up an Alert to make sure that our members were not taken in.

On October 20^th, Vought put up even more misinformation, including a letter for our members to use in supposedly changing to financial core membership. DON’T BE FOOLED. “Financial core” membership is a phrase that courts use to describe NON-members in states, unlike Tennessee, where unions are permitted to spread the cost of representation to all bargaining unit employees, whether they are union members or not. IT DOES NOT APPLY IN TENNESSEE.

The IAM establishes the IAM’s membership rules, not Vought. We do not have two tiers of responsibility. Either Vought does not understand the law, or they are trying to trick you. Don’t let them do it.

Strike Update, Monday Oct 20

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Strike Update

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Video from Seattle Strike

We aren't alone, there's a lot of other Machinists out there. We are all fighting the good fight for our families.

Short video of IP Buffenbarger's visit to the picket line

International President visits picket lines!

Our very busy International President Tom Buffenbarger made a quick visit today to Nashville and our picket lines early this afternoon. We'll have video up this evening.

Boeing Strike Update

Here's the latest news on the Boeing Strike in Seattle. The IAM Strikers are holding strong and are determined.

Strike Update - October 13, 2008

Statement by IAM District 751 President Tom Wroblewski

The Federal Mediators adjourned talks today between the Machinists Union and the Boeing Company without reaching an agreement. The Union had hoped Boeing would come to the table looking to resolve this strike, which is in its fifth week; however, this was not the case.

The Company is attempting to put the Union in an unacceptable position to bargain away our members' jobs. The Union currently has 2000 members involved in material delivery, inventory, distribution of parts, materials, equipment, etc. Throughout these talks and in earlier statements made by the Company, it has become apparent that the long-term strategy of The Boeing Company is to eliminate these IAM positions and replace the Union workers with outside suppliers. The words "flexibility" and "competitiveness" for Boeing appear to mean eliminating IAM jobs. It is a systematic attack on the employees who have generated unprecedented success for Boeing. If Boeing succeeds in their plan, it is our members' concern this will expand to other jobs in the factory.

The IAM is interested in bargaining a contract for the future, which provides success for Boeing and for our workforce -- but Boeing has a different agenda. We expect to be a part of the future of the Boeing Company and remain committed to achieving a resolution that protects our members and their families.

The fact is our members have bent over backwards for this Company to make them profitable. We have participated in every lean program, new initiative, fixed vendor mistakes and offered alternative ideas - all to make them successful. It is our members who consistently step up and get the job done for Boeing. We will continue to do that, but not at the price of our jobs. The Union will continue to look for ways to resolve this strike so that our members can return to building airplanes and making Boeing record profits, but it cannot be at the price of selling out thousands of our members' jobs.

Keep in mind other top issues are still not resolved, i.e. medical, wages, and pensions.

Strike Update - Mike Worrell Letter

Click for large size

Local Lodge Meeting Reminder

Our monthly Local Lodge meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 4:15 P.M. at the Union Hall. Directions

IAM 735 LIVE on the Bill Press Show!

This morning, Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge was a guest on the Bill Press Show, a nationally-syndicated radio show that's heard on many radio stations across America, as well as Sirius Satellite Radio.

Ron was on to speak about our strike against Vought, and talked about our pension issues, and how it tied in with the current market meltdown.

Here's an mp3 of the seven minute segment. Our story is important, and it resonates in the news because of the stories of so many retirees that relied on their 401(k) to retire, and now they find they have to go back to work, or will never be able to retire because of the market meltdown. We are fighting for our future, and for a retirement that is safe and secure.

Bill said he wants to keep abreast of the situation down here, and we will certainly keep in touch with him as the strike continues.

Strike Benefit Checks

Strike Benefit Checks will be at the union hall Monday morning, the 20th, at 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Come in through the back door and have your photo ID ready. After you have been identified and have sign for it you will receive your check and then exit through the side door so we can keep an orderly flow.

Because of strict federal regulation, checks must be picked up in person at the union hall. If you don’t pick your check up during this time, it will be sent back to the Grand Lodge and returned the following week along with your next check. Your checks will begin to accumulate, week after week until you pick them up.

We know that this is not convenient for many who live out of town. One suggestion is to carpool with others in your area and another suggestion is to trade places with someone who walks the picket line on Mondays.

If you live close to Nashville, please consider changing places with someone who lives far away. Here are two lists where you can sign up.

Click here if you need to walk on Mondays
Click here if you can change from Mondays

Retirement Wreck

New article in the Washington Post:

For many Americans, 401(k) plans were supposed to be their own little golden parachutes into retirement.

Now, it seems, those parachutes may not open in time.

The global financial crisis that revealed the flaws of Wall Street has also exposed the vulnerability of America's retirement system. Employers have increasingly abandoned traditional pensions, forcing workers to rely on 401(k)s and similar plans that have a lot more exposure to the stock market. The assumption was that even if the market suffered short-term losses, over time it would rise, allowing workers to recoup their savings. But the steepness of this year's market collapse and the still-uncertain depth of the economic downturn has prompted lawmakers, academics and economists to question the wisdom of letting workers hitch their retirement fortunes to the precariousness of the stock market.

Read the entire article. It's unbelievable that Vought is STILL trying to say that it's a good thing they want to freeze the pension for everyone with 16 years or less and give us a 401(k) in it's place!

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Strike Update 10/09

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401(k)s meting down.

From yesterday's USA Today:

The financial meltdown has demolished Americans' retirement savings, wiping out $2 trillion — or about 20% of value — in the past 15 months, Congress' top budget analyst said Tuesday.

This estimate probably comes as no surprise to millions of Americans who have reviewed their 401(k) statements in recent weeks.

"This is a financial panic right now, and one reason it feels so bad is that everything is going down," says Kurt Brouwer, a financial planner in San Francisco.

The sharp drop in savings has led Americans to postpone contributing and, in some cases, delay retirement, Peter Orszag, head of the Congressional Budget Office, told the House Education and Labor Committee.

A new study by the AARP found that one in five workers 45 and older have stopped putting money into a 401(k), IRA or other retirement savings account during the past year.

Vought wants you to put your retirement security into the Vought Casino, and hope you have enough when it's time to retire.

Here's the AARP story, Retirement Dreams Falter as Economy Slumps. It links to the study.

This is our future we're fighting for. Let's make sure we can retire when it's time, instead of continuing to work until we drop.

Breaking - Boeing Returning to Bargaining Table

From the IAM DL 751 website:

After 33 days on the line, your solidarity brought Boeing back to the bargaining table. Tonight, District 751 President Tom Wroblewski announced that throughout the strike Union leaders have talked regularly with the mediator and had several conversations with Boeing.

Today, Tom Wroblewski and Mark Blondin met with Scott Carson and lead negotiators for Boeing to further outline your issues. At that meeting, it was agreed to return to the bargaining table. We are working out the details of the return to the table with the federal mediator.

We hope this meeting marks a major step forward. The Union will continue to do everything possible to bargain a contract that addresses the concerns our members have identified.

Boeing returned to the bargaining table because you stayed united on the picket lines. It is important as we move forward that we continue to stay strong on the picket lines. That's how we're going to secure a contract that will settle this strike.

This shows the simple fact, companies won't keep losing money when there's airplanes to be built. We'll keep you up to date as those negotiations continue.

Mind Games Flyer

Strike Update - Mike Worrell Letter

The Rat is here!

When a company forces it's workers out on strike with a contract full of takeaways, after calling them "family", then buses in scab labor to do their work, it's clear they've sunk pretty low.

So, the IAM has brought in the rat, and it now sits at the Briley Parkway gate to let the citizens of Nashville know what a rat this company is being to the very employees who create the wealth of Vought Aircraft. And, they scabs in the bus can see every time they are bussed in and out what THEY are, too.

Strike Checks Monday Oct 20

CORRECTION!!!

Strike Checks will be available Monday, Oct. 20, and every Monday thereafter. They can be picked up at the Union Hall from 10:00 AM - 5 PM.

Titans Solidarity!

In the comments today, walktheline said:

I thought it was cool today. Iwas walking on satuerday from 12 - 4 and was joking with the guy iI was walking with that since the Titans were in the players union that they need to stop by the line. Well not 5 minutes later Kevin Mawai, the center for the Titans came pulling up and said that we are all union brothers and sisters and needed to stick together. The Titans were loading on to a plane to go to the Baltimore game. Several of the players drove by and either honked and waved or gave us a thumbs up in a show of support.

GO TITANS

Now THAT is great! Something that everyone might not know is that in the seventies and eighties, our then-International President William W. Winpisinger helped nuture and support the then-fledging (and broke) NFLPA, the players union. The Union was headquartered out of the IAM HQ in D. C. for many of those years, and it was Machinists support that got them through tough times.

And Mawae is currently PRESIDENT of the NFLPA!

Did anyone get any photos???

Well, if the Titans will root for us, we will CERTAINLY root for them!

GO TITANS!!!

From the Comments!

This one deserves to be promoted to the front page:

Anonymous said:

Hey Vought!!!!!!!

We shot that contract down, got it?

Fact checkers or not, it's over. Time to make a brand new contract and give up on that garbage you presented already. No one wants that big pile of crap you called a contract. We voted and gave you your answer already on that last contract. Do you not understand that? It is already spoken for, a done deal, and it's time to put your money where your mouths are. I do have a suggestion on where to plant those lips too!

October 4, 2008 2:37 PM

EXACTLY RIGHT! Fantastic post, Anon!

Weekend Update

You'll be seeing a new face on the picket lines. Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge and GLR T.L. Smith will be working the Vought Assignment in South Carolina and Nashville, while Communications Representative Bob Wood will be staying here. General Vice President Bob Martinez is making sure there is plenty of Grand Lodge support for the strike, so he's assigned Special Representative Mark Love to assist in the strike.

Brother Love (yep, that's what we call him) is brand new to the Southern Territory staff, just assigned as of Oct. 1. This is his first assignment!

However, Mark is a highly experienced Aerospace Representative. Mark was a LL 834 Organizer in Wichita, KS from 1991 to 1997, then Business Representative at District 70 from 1997 to the present.

Mark was Strike Coordinator for the 1995 Boeing Strike and several other strikes in District 70, including the recent strike at Hawker Beechcraft. Mark is one of the experts in the IAM when it comes to running a successful strike. His knowledge and guidance will be very helpful during the strike.

As with all our Representatives from the Grand Lodge, Mark is here to help and to assist your very capable Negotiating and Strike Committee. Be sure to say hi when you see him on the picket line or at the Union hall!

Strike Update 10/03

Strike Update 10/02

The Scab

After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, he had some awful substance left with which he made a scab.

A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue.

Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles.

When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and angels weep in heaven, and the devil shuts the gates of hell to keep him out.

No man (or woman) has a right to scab so long as there is a pool of water to drown his carcass in, or a rope long enough to hang his body with.

Judas was a gentleman compared with a scab. For betraying his master, he had character enough to hang himself. A scab has not.

Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage.

Judas sold his Savior for thirty pieces of silver.

Benedict Arnold sold his country for a promise of a commission in the British army.

The scab sells his birthright, country, his wife, his children and his fellowmen for an unfulfilled promise from his employer.

Esau was a traitor to himself; Judas was a traitor to his God; Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country.

A scab is a traitor to his God, his country, his family and his class.

Jack London (1876-1916)

NO SCABS!

Strike Update 10/01

ALERT!

ALERT!!!

The company's latest update "Fact-checker #2: Retiree Health Care Costs" is currently under legal review, and will be responded to appropriately.

Blog Comments will be Moderated

Your comments on this blog will be going through a moderation step, and will have to be okayed by the administrator before it appears on the post. We believe in freedom of speech, and we've not deleted any comments before now, even when they are negative, or even those from management.However, speculation about names of those who have crossed the line is inappropriate, and can't be allowed. What if someone said YOU were crossing, when you weren't? Such comments cannot be allowed, and have been deleted.

There have been a few posts that show up "deleted by author." Once posted, you can't edit a comment, and some have deleted their own comment and started over. Posts we deleted say "This post has been removed by a blog administrator."

Thanks for the comments, it keeps the blog lively and interesting, and we want you to keep them coming. We hope you understand the need to make this change. We will be sure to check often to have your comments posted in a timely manner.

IMAIL

Yesterday's imail led with a story and photo of our strike. The imail is the twice-weekly news email from the International. Click here to subscribe.

Strike Update 9/30

Alert

ALERT!

On the Vought website, the “Working During The Strike” pages give WRONG information about union membership. Don’t make a BIG mistake.

Vought says that you can be an IAM member and still cross an IAM picket line and not be subject to Union fines and discipline. The company says that by becoming a “financial core” member, you can retain IAM membership but only owe dues and fees with no other responsibility. The company is WRONG. There is no two-tier IAM membership.

Here is the real story. Many other states allow unions to collect dues or fees from everyone covered by a CBA, whether they belong to the union or not. Members pay union dues, and non-members pay what is called an agency fee. Courts sometimes call this second group “financial core members” to highlight the fact that their only obligation or responsibility is to pay that fee. But don’t be confused by the wording. The law is absolutely clear that such fee payers do not belong to the union and are not union members. In saying otherwise, Vought is flatly WRONG.

Even worse, the concept of “financial core” membership does not even apply in Tennessee, where unions are only allowed to collect from members. If an employee does not want to belong to the union, he or she can freeload on the backs of union members and collect the benefits of having a CBA for nothing. They owe no “financial core,” so there is no such thing as being a “financial core” member in this state. Vought is either ignorant of the law or trying to mislead you. Either way, Vought is WRONG.

Strike Update 9/29

Press Statement

Tennessee Machinists on Strike Over Pensions

September 27, 2008 - Nearly 1,000 Machinists began a strike at Vought Aircraft Industries in Nashville, TN, after voting by a large margin to reject an offer from the company that would have frozen the existing pension plan for employees with less than 16 years seniority and replace it with a risky 401(k) plan.

IAM members of Local 735 in Nashville, TN, assemble wing and tail structures for commercial and military aircraft customers, including Airbus, Gulfstream, Cessna and Lockheed Martin.

Additional demands in the proposal that triggered the strike included minimal wage increases, increased out-of-pocket health care costs for employees and work rules that ignored basic seniority principles.

Like Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, KS, where Machinists union members recently concluded a successful strike, Vought is a highly successful aerospace company, with numerous contracts to fill and additional work on the way.

Despite Tennessee's status as a right-to-work (for less) state, the bargaining unit at Vought is keenly aware of the value of full membership, with more than 90 percent taking full advantage of their collective bargaining rights.

Additional information about the strike is available at www.iam735.blogspot.com

News coverage

Here's the NewsChannel 5 Coverage from last night:

You can find WZTV Channel 17's video here.

STRIKE!

Yep, it's a strike. Our membership spoke loud and clear - 77% to reject, 94% to strike.

The strike begins tonight at 12:01 A.M.

Watch the website and blog for updates and strike information.

From the incomparable Billy Bragg:

Who runs this Union? THE MEMBERS!

Vought's latest, entitled "Communication Meeting" is something else.

Vought just doesn't get it. Our Union is a DEMOCRACY, as we've already said. The "International Reps" don't give orders to the members, the members are PROUD AMERICANS, and the International Reps and local leadership works FOR them!

The strength of this Union is the MEMBERS. The shop floor RUNS this Union, and it's the Shop Floor that will WIN this strike. You have the POWER to control your destiny. You have the power of Solidarity, that is far more powerful than anything the company has.

If you don't build airplanes, Vought doesnt make money.

You have their attention! Be at the vote tomorrow, we'll answer ALL questions, and you, the membership, holds your future in your hands.

FACT CHECK!

In their latest flyer on the Vought website, the company posted a comparison between Hawker Beechcraft and Vought.

Clarification - Vought Management doesn't get it - GVP Martinez, in his letter to the Local Lodge 735 membership, was talking about the ability for the Union to achieve their goals when they stick together. Hawker Beechcraft workers certainly DID believe the strike was worth it, they had improvements on all their issues. You have already heard from their Negotiating Committee on this website.

Here's the bottom line: Hawker management demanded takeaways, just like Vought. When the strike was over and the dust had cleared, Hawker workers had a contract with absolutely NO TAKEAWAYS IN IT.

Something to think about.

Vought acts like they know so much about the inner workings of our Union, but they say "after the International led them on a 28-day strike?" (bolding theirs)

They don't understand this is a DEMOCRATIC UNION. The contract is negotiated by YOUR NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE - who YOU elected - with the ASSISTANCE of the District and International. The decision whether to recommend or reject the offer was made by the Committee alone - the District or International did NOT have a vote. They won't have a vote tomorrow, either. Neither will Maxie or Mr. Tharp.

Vought is NOT a democracy, and they don't know how to deal with a democracy.

Why were we offered the contract to freeze a pension for those with less than 16 years seniority? We were told across the table by Maxie that they were demanding to freeze the pension to "bring them in line with the rest of Vought".

Who are the REAL outsiders? Those who came here to assist us, or the ones who came here to order the local management to shove this 401(k) down your throat?


Vought's only REAL competitor is Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, KS. C'mon, Vought. Give us the comparison with Spirit's contract. Put up a side by side comparison, their wages, our wages. Their $60 month Pension, and the bonuses THEY have!

Let's compare apples to apples. Let's do a REAL "Fact Check", Vought.

For your enjoyment

Words from the Red-Headed Woodpecker!

Negotiator, Mike Lawrence

Retiring on a 401(k)?

Will it be enough to Retire under Vought’s proposal for Current IAM Members with less than Sixteen Years of Experience and New Hires?

The value of a traditional guaranteed pension is well understood: they provide a secure, predictable retirement income that cannot be outlived. Employees know in advance of making the decision to retire.

However, Vought is proposing to end the traditional pension plan for its current workers with less than sixteen years of seniority and new hires with the proposed Vought’s Savings and Investment Plan (SIP).

Under Vought’s proposal, current workers with less than 16 years of seniority and new hires are kept out of the Vought traditional plan and instead are only eligible to participate in the SIP plan, severely limiting their chance to reach an adequate retirement benefit. In fact, the likelihood that he or she will reach an adequate retirement income with a three percent of salary contribution to the plan is approximately zero percent.

Given financial market uncertainty, varying contribution levels to the SIP, and investment return on defined contribution balances, the resulting savings can vary significantly, for instance:

• If the typical 30 year old receives an employer contribution of around 6% of their salary during their working life then he or she will have about a 1% chance of reaching a sufficient retirement benefit.

• With a 10% contribution, the likelihood that he or she would have enough to retire is about 32%.

• In order to almost guarantee sufficient savings for retirement, annual contribution of 25% or more is required.

Therefore, as we can see with the recent downturns in the financial markets and other uncertainties your savings may suffer and not provide sufficient retirement income.

However, the SIP plan is important to the retirement security equation if it is a supplement to the current pension plan, but it is not designed to stand on its own. So be careful of the proposal that Vought is putting out to eliminate the pension plan and replacing it with a savings plan for members with less than 16 years of service and new hires.

Thanks, Fact Checker!

Well, Vought "fact-checked" our flyer we put out today, and we sure appreciate it!

Yep, we messed up. We pointed out the BIG takeaway on prescription drugs from new retirees, the FACT that the company has capped the prescription benefit at $425 a month, not a year.

That was a mistake we made in our haste, and we admit it.

The prescription benefit was uncapped until now, and we all know with the cost of prescription drugs these days, and the fact that retirees often need expensive drugs, it's a HUGE takeaway, that could affect a retiree's ability to live on their fixed income.

I wonder what they are going to say to a retiree that has multiple drugs that could easily come to over $1,000 a month?

Tough luck?

They pointed out on the "Fact Checker" that the Temporary Transfer Language, where they can put you ANYWHERE in the plant for ninety days, regardless of seniority, they say "For explained production reasons only".

That means for whatever reason they want to explain. The worker has NO PROTECTION in the contract. It's all up to the company.

We just wonder, when will the Fact Checker check THEMSELVES???

From Your Negotiating Committee

The company dropped their Last, Best and Final on us this morning and immediately went to the shop floor with it. Understand it takes some time for us to put a full explanation together, while the company had all day yesterday to put as much perfume on it as they could. We are working on a full explanation, but here’s the main lowlights:

Ratification Bonus: $3,000 sounds great, but about a third of it will go to taxes! We asked for REAL raises, that pays off year after year, and would move your top pay up. The company’s raises are far below the industry standard.

Pension: the pension should be for EVERYONE. A 401(k) means that you have to take a lot of money out of your pocket to hopefully have a decent retirement. A pension costs NOTHING out of pocket. It is a classic divide and conquer strategy. Those with the frozen pension have it frozen at $43. We must STAND TOGETHER, and not leave those with 16 years or less behind. If we accept this, on the next contract it’s very likely they will demand to do away with the pension for EVERYONE.

Health Care: Increased premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. It eats up your raises. Both Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft’s IAM contracts FROZE premiums for the life of the contract, so their raises (Cessna: 5%, 4%, 4%, Hawker: 4%, 4%, 4%), were REAL raises. But, you’ll be paying for more insurance, plus the 16 yrs and under people will have to make 401(k) contributions, too. What happened to that bonus and raise???

Spouses Health Care: If your spouse works elsewhere and the employer pays more than 50% of health care, your spouse will have to purchase insurance there, too. This is not a rule from either provider, this is from Vought.

Retiree Prescription Drugs: $425 a month (edit, changed from year) cap for retirees.

Random Drug testing for everyone!

40 hour rule: You have to work 40 hours to get overtime pay.

Seniority: Temporary transfer language: At the company’s will for up to 90 days.

You have made too many sacrifices for this company to accept this contract. Your Negotiating Committee stands together unanimously in recommending REJECTION and STRIKE.

From the shop floor

This is a comment on our blog. We thought that EVERYONE should see this, and we're posting it on the front page of the blog.

MrLogical said...

From the perspective of the companies previous actions, one could conclude that it's a bluffing game that is being played in hopes of making the Union workers feel that somehow, we will accept the paltry contract that they have ready when it goes to vote this Saturday.

Need both sides be reminded of the past?

1. The fact that Dallas could NOT perform the specialty work that Nashville does.

2. The fact that the Gaining Ground program that gave management a lump sum, for a management mistake, that left the Union workers with the short end of the stick.

3. The fact, that thus far, the negotiations are nothing more on the companies behalf, to make the hourly people contemplate a strike, in hopes that they will accept a low ball offer that has no merit to the accomplishments of the Union workers.

4. The fact that management is playing nothing more than mind games in this whole negotiation, when it was stated that they wanted a to offer fair contract.

When the definition of fair equals dividing the pension plan between Union workers, it's nothing more than trying to divide and conquer techniques being used on every level, in order to weaken any contracts in the future.

We as the Vought Nashville Site, must also know that with the Cessna program coming in to our facility, have an impression to make to them (Cessna) and when the management team doesn't want to play fair with the Union, what message will that send to Cessna, if they see us on strike.

Clearly another poor decision is being made by the upper elitist in management at Nashville, that could effect any future business with other perspective programs that would be considered by Dallas' board of directors.

Stop playing management mind games and do what is going to benefit all of us in the years to come, or ruin any chances of having a promising future here, at the cost of having all the buildings torn down. Was that a subliminal message that was trying to be sent as a display that you could level a building and create fear? Will you be impressed when your salary is leveled from making bad judgement calls and you are gone from being hard headed and causing discontent, even in lower management?

Look beyond our Southern accents and stereotypes, oh Great Ones in the upper tiers and make a proper contract that will reward you with the work force having a higher moral, which will also profit the shop floor managers, that are your sacrificial lambs in the past.

In closing, this has been an indicator of the sloppy and shoddy work done on managements behalf once again. That has resulted in overtime refusal and productivity lost. IT IS TIME. Time to rethink your arrogant strategy.

Sincerely,

Some shop floor hillbilly

Lipstick on a Pig

The company gave us the proposal, and now they are trying to bargain with each and every one of you - doing a hard sell, telling you how WONDERFUL the contract is, and how you should vote for it.

Make no mistake - they are putting lipstick on a pig. This is the worst proposal in the industry. We are now crunching the numbers, and will have explanations out as soon as we can.

REJECTION!

At 10:00 AM, Vought negotiators presented your Committee with the Last, Best, and Final offer. Your Negotiating Committee has unanimously recommended a rejection of the contract and a vote to

STRIKE!

We will be posting and distributing more information through the day.

The news is, there's no news!

The company has told your Negotiating Committee they are working issues within the offer, and informed us a short while ago we would not be meeting today. Plans are for a meeting tomorrow morning.

The Corporate Sell Job

Great Video about the Employee Free Choice Act, but it also shows the management attitude towards the workers. They'll tell you giving up your pension for a 401(k) is a great deal, when it's not. Don't take the slick talk - they have an agenda, and it's not in you or your family's best interests.

Letter of Support from LL 839

To the Sisters and Brothers at Local Lodge 735;

I am Kathy Petersen, President of Local Lodge 839 in Wichita, KS at Spirit AeroSystems. I write to forward the support of the members of our Local Lodge. We have received information that Vought Aircraft is demanding to freeze the pensions for employees with less than 16 years of service, and we urge you to reject these demands in the strongest terms possible. Every contract we fight to keep and improve our pensions, and Machinists in the aerospace industry have NOT been giving up pensions, and we should not start now.

Like your facility, we are a subcontractor, and we are in the same market as you are. Good wages and benefits at our facility and dependent upon BOTH contracts are strong contracts with good wages and benefits. We can lift each other up, on successive contracts. Our companies may be competitors, but we are in the boat together; we are sisters and brothers.

We went through a painful time three years ago when the Commercial Aircraft portion of Wichita's Boeing facility. During the sale, our Local fought hard for our pensions, and while our Boeing pensions were frozen, our Solidarity won us the IAM Pension Plan for the future, at $60 per month per year of service. We had a five-year contract with a economic opener this year, where we couldn't strike. The company essentially gave us nothing, and this was a valuable lesson, one we hope you will take to heart.

Companies will GIVE you nothing. You get ONLY what you are strong enough to TAKE. We are gearing up for what we consider will be a likely strike in 2010, and our local WILL NOT roll over for corporate greed.

If they are trying to sell you a 401(k) for giving away your pension, IT IS A SCAM, one that you shouldn't accept. We are all the Fighting Machinists, and if you need to fight, we will be standing with you. Good luck to you all.

Kathy Petersen,
President,
Local Lodge 839
Wichita, KS.

Path to Retirement Security

We all know that when a company is trying to put the big sell on, they are doing it with THEIR best interests in mind, not yours. They will be trying to tell you how much BETTER their plan is for you.

But how about some experts that are on YOUR side, and will tell you the TRUTH about what kind of retirement plans are best for you?

Beth Almeida is the Executive Director of the National Institute on Retirement Security. Before joining NIRS, she served as assistant director for strategic resources and as senior economist with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) where she was instrumental in transitioning some 40,000 airline employees out of terminating or freezing pensions into the IAM’s multiemployer defined benefit pension plan. Earlier in her career, Ms. Almeida led research initiatives at academic centers in Germany, France, and her home state of
Massachusetts. She has authored numerous economic and pension publications and is a
frequent speaker at academic and industry conferences, both in the US and abroad. Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in international business from Lehigh University and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

She has authored a research brief on retirement plans for workers.

From the NIRS blog:

Retirement Readiness: What Difference Does A Pension Make?

An adequate retirement income can be defined as one that enables an older household to take care of its own needs in retirement. Workers who retire without adequate sources of income may face a range of unattractive choices.

Continuing to work may be the first alternative, but if that is not an option due to bad health, lack of appropriate job opportunities or other factors, retirees may become dependent on family or even public assistance programs to meet financial needs.

Most Americans prefer to be able to meet their own needs after they stop working, so the question of how employees achieve retirement income adequacy is a pressing one, not just for individuals' well-being, but for public policy as well. It is probably not surprising that job-based retirement plans make a difference, but the particular importance of traditional pensions, so-called defined benefit (DB) pensions, in ensuring retirement readiness may be under-appreciated. DB pensions really do make a difference for working Americans in achieving an adequate standard of living in retirement as a reward for decades of hard work.

This brief reviews the evidence on the role DB pensions play in ensuring that older Americans have the resources they need to be self-sufficient in retirement. It examines recent trends in pension coverage and discusses the effect these trends have had on the state of retirement readiness among American workers. Finally, it points in the direction of areas worthy of exploration for policymakers seeking to address specific retirement security goals.

Download the full brief here (pdf).

Negotiations Update - 7 PM Tuesday

At 4 PM the company came back and gave us a new counter-proposal, and it’s still VERY ugly and nothing acceptable to our membership. Here’s the lowlights:

GWI:

2009: $0.50

2010: $0.50

2011: $0.50

Wow! A whole shiny QUARTER more!

That’s about equal to a 2.5 percent raise every year. When everyone else is getting 4% or 5% a year, this isn’t even CLOSE! LET YOUR MANAGER KNOW!

COLA: No change, still NO ROLL-IN.

AUTOMATIC PROGRESSION: raised the one-time raise – not to exceed the maximum – of $0.90. This won’t help any new hires. It shouldn’t take so long to get to the top – they obviously aren’t listening.

Ratification Bonus - $2,000

We need REAL raises, which pay off year after year. We don’t need a ratification bonus that will be gone by Christmas, leaving us with substandard pay, health care and pension.

Pension – Still the two-tier system, leaving everyone with 16 years or less behind. They bumped the multiplier some:

2009: $48

2010: $50

2011: $51

Be loud – tell your manager the two-tier pension that divides our membership WILL NOT GO – THIS IS A STRIKE ISSUE.

Today, each member of your Negotiating Committee spoke to Maxie and the Vought Committee. They spoke about our Seniority, the sacrifices we have made, and spoke strongly and from the heart about the company demand to divide us over pension rights. We need YOU to speak the same way to Vought management. Tell them NO!

HEALTH CARE – Premiums drop slightly - $22 a week for single, $45 for family. Premiums and out-of-pocket expenses still eat up the paltry raises offered.

TRANSFERS – Vought still demands to gut our Seniority rights.

OVERTIME – Vought still demands the forty-hour rule.

However, the company removed the demand for mandatory overtime – Make no mistake, YOUR voice has been heard, and YOU made the difference.

This shows how powerful your voice is, and how effective you can be on the shop floor.

We have a short time left, and we are LONG ways away from a good contract. We’ve sacrificed and sacrificed for this company, and it’s clear that they want MORE sacrifices, even in a time of great success for the company. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD EVEN LOUDER. We need to either bring a great contract home, or stand together to vote for STRIKE.

Your Committee made another counter-proposal to the company at 6:30 PM. We are now awaiting the company’s next counter-offer.

Stay tuned!

Letter of Support from LL 733/2328 (Hawker Beechcraft)

(click for large size)

We are the Negotiating Committee of Local Lodge 733 in Wichita, KS, and Local Lodge 2328 in Salina, KS. As you may know, we recently won a strike against Hawker Beechcraft, and we wish to give you our heartfelt support in securing a good contract at Vought Aircraft.

Your fight seems familiar to us. As Yogi Berra once said, “It’s déjà vu all over again”. Hawker Beechcraft demanded big takeaways in both economic and contract language areas from us, even though they were highly successful and profitable. When our Negotiating Committee told the company “no,” the company went to the shop floor and tried to sell the rotten contract to the members. We understand that Vought is following the very same script.

Of course, our membership stood strong against the tactics, and managers trying to push the members, our membership rejected the contract by 90%, and voted to strike by 89%. We learned we could stand together, and we put up a strong strike and walked the line for 28 days, and the company returned to the table and we got improvements in all our key areas, and we went back to work, our heads held high, a strong Union.

Our motto was “Strength to Strike” and we proved we had the strength, and we prevailed.

We are here to tell you that it can be done. Also, we had great assistance from our District Lodge, our brothers and sisters at LL 774 (Cessna), LL 839 (Spirit), LL 639 (Bombardier/Lear Jet), and LL 834 (Boeing), who of course are now on strike along with their brothers and sisters in Seattle and Portland.

We also were assisted by the International and the Southern Territory. Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge and Southern Territory Communications Representative Bob Wood were with us for the negotiations and strike. Their knowledge and expertise was crucial in our success. We understand they are now assisting your Committee, and you are in good hands with their assistance.

We know that a 401(k) is a good supplement, but pensions are far more important to aircraft workers and their families. We urge you not to divide your membership and to demand EVERYONE have the pension, and to bring your pension multiplier up to industry standards.

We understand your membership level is over 90%, and we are VERY impressed with the Solidarity that gives you that kind of membership in a right-to-work state. We know how hard it is, as we are under the same thing.

In closing, make no mistake, YOU HAVE THE POWER. Stand behind your Committee, don’t accept takeaways, and you will prevail. You have our full support. We had a battle cry during our strike, “One Day Longer.” We were willing to stay out one day longer than the company was willing to keep us out. It served us well, and if you are forced to strike, we will be with you ONE DAY LONGER!

In Solidarity,

Negotiating Committee
Local Lodge 733
Local Lodge 2328
District Lodge 70

Support from our Brothers and Sisters in Texas

District Lodge 776 has about 9,000 members in the state of Texas, and represents workers at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth that builds the F-16, F-22 and F-35.

To our IAM Brothers and Sisters of Local Lodge 735 employed at Vought Aircraft,

I’m writing to encourage the IAM membership of LL 735 to stand firm and unyielding against Company demands that have adverse affects on you and your family.

I have learned that Vought Aircraft has proposed a freeze on the pension plan for employees with sixteen years or less of seniority and move that benefit to a 401(k). Just another Company takeaway from a well funded plan. Vought should know by now you cannot hoodwink the IAM membership.

District Lodge 776 wants to commend each an every Negotiating Committee Member for their unwavering efforts and stance against Company pressure and takeaways. District Lodge 776 is a Supporter and Defender of our IAM Brothers and Sisters of Local Lodge 735 in the quest of a better way of life for the IAM membership working at Vought.

We urge the IAM membership to remain United, Strong and Supportive of their IAM Negotiating Committee.

In Solidarity
Tim Smith, President/DBR
District Lodge 776 – IAM/AW

Here's the numbers

Yesterday’s company proposal was quite insulting to the members that have put in so many hours of hard work into making Vought Nashville a success.

Here’s the hard facts of their current proposal:

GWI’s:

2009 - $0.50

2010 - $0.25

2011 - $0.50

At a $20.4 average wage at Vought, that adds up to a raise of:

2009 – 2.5%

2010 – 1.2%

2011 – 2.5%

At the latest aerospace contracts, Cessna received a raise of 5%, 4%, and 4%. Hawker Beechcraft received a raise of 4%, 4% and 4%.

This offer is WAAAAY below industry standards.

COLA – no change in formula, and NO ROLL-IN of current COLA into the base rate.

Automatic Progression – No change. A ONE-TIME increase of $0.65, not to exceed the maximum of labor grade.

Shift Differential – No change.

Ratification Bonus - $1500.00

Pension – As you’ve heard, freezing pensions for all under 16 years. Increase multiplier from $43 to $48 for senior employees.

Health Care – New plans, but costs continue to rise - $108.34 dollars a month for single, or $25 a week, and $216.67 a month, or $50 a week for family. Also, the copay and other out-of-pocket expenses are too high. If you are only giving a fifty cent raise, the increased insurance costs will eat it up.

Spousal insurance – Demands that if your spouse has insurance at her place of work that pays at least 50% of the costs, you cannot put them on as a dependent.

Along with the pension, the company is still insisting on mandatory overtime.

This is the reality of the company proposals as it now stands.

Of course, your Committee feels this is far below what we deserve. Tell any manager that tries to tell you this is a good deal he’s putting lipstick on a pig!