Proposal Sheets

PROUD MEMBER · May 23, 2015, 04:43:37 AM

With everything we've gone through in the last two years I can't believe that some members just don't give a shit. All they want to do is be negative. With the exception of Reliant every yard has a 3 year extension with an EPP. As far as I'm concerned that means we have some leverage to bargain with as long as we stick together with our requests Local wide and more specifically within each Property. Yet today at Pioneer there were SOME members filling out the Proposal Sheets and at the same time saying its a waste of time. Then there were other members filling out the sheets incorrectly such as just checking everything instead of numbering them 1 through 3. If Ernie & the EB doesn't know what we the majority want the most then how do they know what to negotiate for. Then when a contract is up for ratification the same people will complain. Also on the Proposal Sheets where it asked for comments hardly anyone was writing anything. SUCH AS WE WANT BACK WHAT WE GAVE UP!! Remember in the amendment to the last contract when we agreed to give up what we did it stated that if Neil gets an extension he would sit down and negotiate. Come on people this is not only the beginning of the negotiations but it's the slimplest part. When you go in Tuesday get a Proposal Sheet and fill it out correctly and make a comment. If you already filled one out then fill another one out. In 6 years since I reached top pay not only have I NOT gotten a raise but I've had money taken away from me. Also I went from paying nothing into medical to paying a little then a little more. Besides paying more & more into the Medical the co pays & prescriptions have gone up. In all this time that we keep losing things guess what Neil keeps gaining. Do you see how he negotiates? He was being offered 2 years without even having to negotiate yet he stood strong and got the 3 years he wanted. Now it's our turn. Grab another Proposal Sheet. Take your time fill it out and let's start this negotiation out the right way. Bottom line is keep the faith, remain United amongst ourselves & stand behind our representation and make use of any advantage we have. Neil keeps saying that he has concern for us (and I hope that's true) but whether he does or not he is definitely a business man with a family. Well let's show him that we also have families and we mean business! God Bless all the Members of 1181 as well as Neil & his family but most of all this weekend God Bless all the Members of our Military deceased & living!

Eucerin · May 23, 2015, 05:35:21 PM

VERY WELL SAID... many good points to think about, believe I will take more time and resubmit another proposal sheet

Buzz · May 25, 2015, 02:57:10 AM

I listed virtually all of the points PROUD MEMBER mentioned. However, I am sure our union leaders are well aware of EVERY ONE of them. I feel proposal sheets serve the purpose of at least giving us the feeling that we had some say in negotiations but are little more than a procedural formality. Just my opinion.

PROUD MEMBER · May 25, 2015, 03:57:12 AM

Buzz
I hope you're wrong because if it's just a procedural formality I will be very disappointed in Ernie and our EB. As you state the EB knows what we want just as Neil already knows what we want. WE WANT WHAT WE GAVE UP ... PLUS more money, a better pension and the best health coverage possible. Obviously we're not going to get all of that so that is where the Proposal Sheets come into play. So this way the Board knows what the majority of us want the the most and can vocus negotiations based on our needs. Frankly you shock me with your post because basically you're saying that the Proposal Sheets are a waste of time. As you can tell from my original post I personally feel just the opposite. If we the members and our EB work together as one as all Unions should there probably wouldn't be a need for this or any other site. Part of that working together is for every Member to take time and fill out a Proposal Sheet the correct way. This way when the Board comes to us with a Contract we can say Yes that is what we asked for or No that is not what we want and not what we asked for. When it comes to Ourselves & Our Families and the Future of this Local NOTHING should be considered just a Formality!

Buzz · May 25, 2015, 02:37:22 PM

As I said, it's just my opinion. Everybody, including Neil and the union, knows what we lost and what we want back and/or improved. I honestly can not see that anybody is actually going to take the time to tabulate the forms from thousands of members to determine what the Number 1 Issue should be, the Number 2 and so on.

That would mean looking at every sheet and recording each issue and how many "votes" it got ... we were told to number then in order of importance. For instance, it would have to be determined that "SALARY" got X-number of votes for 1st place, X-number of votes for second, X-number for third and so on, just for that one issue ...from thousands of sheets. The same would have to be tabulated for every issue at hand. It would take many days ... if not weeks ... of work and just does not seem feasible to me. I could be wrong, but I don't see that happening.

John Eadicicco · May 25, 2015, 05:42:06 PM

Buzz, some people still believe pie in the sky!!!!!!!

PROUD MEMBER · May 25, 2015, 08:17:24 PM

Some members just disappoint me. With any Union obviously when things are bad we (including myself) almost always blame our leadership. The same leadership that the MAJORITY of us voted in no matter who that leadership is! With regards to the Proposal Sheets I understand 100% where Buzz & John are coming from. Although I myself for the first time in two years see a glimmer of hope. So instead of being negative and waiting to we are offered a Contract that we don't want I came on this site to promote Moral and get Members involved whereas John & Buzz who without a doubt are Pro-Union are doing just the opposite. Have some faith in the people we put in office, fill out a Proposal Sheet and stand United & Strong.

John Eadicicco · May 26, 2015, 02:38:11 AM

You speak just like someone who has been in the union 2 minutes!

Rock Steady · May 26, 2015, 02:53:17 AM

As far as I'm concerned, the EB shouldn't leave the bargaining table until they got back all the money we gave up. We the Drivers & Matrons have been taking a beating for years. A poorly run and organized strike lead by clowns, thousands of dollars lost out of our annual salary, getting pounded by inspectors with ridiculous $200.00 fines, a jerk-off GM who definitely suffers from bipolar disorder. And now the board can change any run they want when all new work used to go to the bottom driver, so now seniority has even less meaning. This job has taken 22 steps back and not one forward. It has taken such a downward spiral its not funny. Some of us gave up over 10% of our salary for nothing. It was supposed to help Neal be competitive but it wasn't necessary ! I'm already hearing from our leaders that we're not getting everything back, they're already putting a spin on it. If 1181 doesn't get our money back, they've lost all my support and I'm done with them. Unless they take a pay cut to make up our loss, I will never make another Meeting to support them. This membership has been taking a beating and I'm tired of being a punching bag.

worker341 · May 26, 2015, 03:03:35 AM

Lets cut through the red tape have a union meeting like we did in the pass Raise our hand and state what we want so all will know what we want and then sit back and let the EB work for us. Not anyone else. then we will see how long or short our contract takes. And how fast our Union works for us. Do you really think Neil is going to sign a contract in a few weeks when he has to cut our tenured checks we are not going to get what we lost back in our tenured checks this time around. Lucky if we get any kind of raise. My opinion Neil made a ton of money on our backs and it is too hard for him to give it back. Sorry people just my opinion.

worker341 · May 26, 2015, 03:10:00 AM

Well stated Rock Steady.

John Eadicicco · May 26, 2015, 04:54:00 AM

Well stated ...we can stick those proposals up our butts."That's a smokescreen just like the last time if you remember!!!!!!!

Buzz · May 26, 2015, 11:14:15 AM

Quote from: PROUD MEMBER on May 25, 2015, 08:17:24 PM
... So instead of being negative and waiting to we are offered a Contract that we don't want I came on this site to promote Moral and get Members involved whereas John & Buzz who without a doubt are Pro-Union are doing just the opposite.

You're missing the point. Not being negative at all. We have every reason to be hopeful. I'm just saying the proposal sheets serve little purpose other than to make members feel they're "involved" ... as you put it. All the issues are already well known by all parties. The proposal sheets are yesterday's newspaper.

Buzz · May 26, 2015, 11:24:27 AM

Quote from: Rock Steady on May 26, 2015, 02:53:17 AM
As far as I'm concerned, the EB shouldn't leave the bargaining table until they got back all the money we gave up. ... Some of us gave up over 10% of our salary for nothing. It was supposed to help Neal be competitive but it wasn't necessary ! I'm already hearing from our leaders that we're not getting everything back, they're already putting a spin on it. ...

With you on that! Absolutely no reason it shouldn't be. We bargained in good faith and agreed on a contract we didn't like under the guise that it would give Neil the room to bargain competitively. As you point out, that was not necessary. We should get EVERYTHING back ... at the very least!

PROUD MEMBER · May 26, 2015, 11:36:47 AM

Obviously Buzz you are missing my point. I think you know by now I've been around long enough to know EXACTLY what and how our membership & leadership think. My point with the Proposal Sheets was exactly what you stated. NOT ONLY TO MAKE MEMBERS FEEL INVOLVED BUT TO GET THEM INVOLVED. I just phrased it so people would take an interest. Unfortunately you of all people shot that down. So I'll say it for the last time to everyone at Pioneer. Grab a Proposal Sheet and/or grab Ernie and GET or FEEL INVOLVED!