To you, our Brothers and Sisters, the Membership,
If you open the CBA to page 168, you will find under Article 24.01, the term of the Collective Agreement. It’s an agreement between both parties to follow the rules set forth within, for the duration of the time period, with a further agreement to renegotiate those terms “prior” to the final date. That date, as you are all aware of, is Sept 30th, 2021 at midnight. It’s unfortunate that the Company chose to make themselves available for only one day in July, two days in August, and only thirteen days in September. That’s sixteen days of a possible ninety-two. We can only speculate what "their" priorities in those 92 days could’ve been. We can see with clarity, however, what/who the priority did not fall upon. Acting on your behalf as a Bargaining Team, we made ourselves available by clearing off our personal agendas to bargain in those 92 days. Yesterday, September 29th, as a result of the companies misaligned schedule, we found ourselves looking at days to bargain into October. The positive side is we are meeting non-stop now and are scheduled for tomorrow and all of next week. As the sun sets on the eve of our contracts end, the company bargaining committee made the decision to go home for the evening. Although we will continue to be protected by the CBA beyond midnight, our members will not enjoy the improvements we are working for beginning tomorrow October 1st, 2021. We have progressed into the monetary component of bargaining with a proposal package, reflective of your cumulative requests. With an everchanging landscape of inflation, autonomy, and staggering company profits, reaching a strong settlement is our commitment to you, the members. The deep red and orange embers of a fire long since burning, are evident, and we acknowledge this as we move forward. Our current time frame must be adjusted to and we know you will all support us with discipline and professionalism. We as a membership didn't want to be in these current circumstances. This isn't something of our creation. Our members have stepped up time and again to help with positive healthy change. Many took the chance to let the walls of mistrust to come down somewhat, during a disingenuous two years of "we want you to feel good about yourselves." And here's the ironic beauty. "We do feel good about ourselves." In fact we feel better than we've felt in seven years. We have immersed ourselves in our own communities and created even stronger bonds. We have grown stronger through the adversities handed to us by disregarding the frivolity of a management team and focusing on our members and their better welfare. When our members needed a place to live, our doors were open. When they were hungry, our pantries were distributed to them. When our members were thirsty, they drank from our cups. Tonight, and the 16 days prior, have shown that our family is being disrespected. We teach people how to treat us. How do you want to be treated? We are showing them that we will remain at the table to secure the best possible deal we can. We are showing them we will be respected. Each tick of the second hand that we do not secure a contract only exemplifies the frivolity of a management team bargaining on borrowed time. For us, one day longer, is one day stronger. We recognize that when the time arises, those deep glowing embers will become the firestorm of solidarity. Your United Steelworker 7619 Bargaining Team Comments are closed.
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August 2021
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