We Are Ready To Negotiate As A Team

Negotiations for a new contract will start tomorrow! This is what everything has been about since the beginning - getting a written contract. We are all on the same page, the same playbook, the same team. We are there for the workers, the people, the paycheck earners.

We are beginning our negotiations with a great attitude.

An attitude that will spill across the table. An attitude that will show the company that we are open minded and fair - but by no means stupid or pushovers.

We have been meeting and planning for months now and WE ARE READY.
We want what is best for all of the people working at the plant.

It is time for ALL of the workers at the plant to become one and support your union and your reps. There are no other sides anymore.

The only side for a worker to be on now is the side of the worker. To do anything else would be self defeating and non-productive.

Thank you to all of the many people emailing, calling and pledging their support - it has been great to hear from you all!

We will keep the membership updated as we progress to the degree that we can discuss the issues at hand. You may be asked direct questions on here for your opinion - please give those opinions freely.

Get ready, hold on tight, stay solid, stay strong, support your reps and support yourself.

YOU are IBEW Local 363!

WOW!! 80,000 Hits! Thanks For The Support!

80,000 hits on this site! That is amazing. Every one of those hits and words written on this site had to do with you - the can makers at Newburgh MCC. 80,000 hits watching what the workers at a plant in Newburgh would decide to do when faced with a choice to have a voice or not.

Very soon, we will go to the negotiating table for every one of those workers - to help them have a voice and a contract for their time and their labor.

The people at that negotiating table will be the same people who make the cans.

The best news of all is that those people respect their employer and their job, in addition to themselves. Now they will find out who else really feels the same way they do.

During the campaign, we had meetings on both sides and both the union and the company representatives claimed to have your best interest at heart. We both claimed we truly cared about your future and we both said that we would do everything we could to make it a great future.

Next week we both go to the negotiating table. IBEW Local 363 is going to that negotiating table with fairness and your benefit in mind.

If the company comes to the negotiating table with the same mindset, it will be the start of a great relationship and you will all gain from that relationship. Let's look forward to that happening!

Stay strong, stay solid and support yourselves. Become part of the movement.

Negotiation

Keep The Emails and Calls Coming! Your Side Is The Only Side!

Bargaining starts on November 29th! We already know what side you are on and we are right there with you! We are on the side of the worker! The person who puts in all of those hours for that hourly paycheck.

Every worker at the plant should be on that same page by now even if they are non-committal on the surface. If there is anyone not on that page for any reason, you my friend, are working against your own interest. I know you are ALL wayyyyyyyyyyyyy smarter than that though!

Support your reps, stewards and alternates. They are really doing a great job and putting in a lot of time for everyones benefit. We are going to do something great here. Be part of it!

Stay solid, stay strong!

Great Meetings This Week - We're Ready To Start Negotiating!

Thank you to all of the reps who came to meet this week, extremely tired after their 12 hour shifts and on their days off! Your co-workers do appreciate what you do! Not everyone can do what you do.

Let me touch on a few important things that most know but some have not grasped yet.

The reps were told that they cannot get into detail about what we have discussed or planned for our negotiations. It seems that some still don't see the logic to that - allow me to explain.

First - we are discussing the issues you all gave us to discuss - in detail. That is where it all started - with the peoples thoughts and concerns.

In general and without going into detail, here for all to read is SOME of what we have discussed:

Hours of work, vacations, sick days, holidays, overtime, forced overtime, wages, health plan, pension calculations, seniority, layoffs and hiring, classifications, duties, time keeping, attendence policies, bereavement, jury duty, inclement weather, state of emergencies, production, team leaders, supervisors, promotions, temporary vacancies, safety, disciplinary procedures, grievance issues and methods, scheduling, drug testing, tool lists, disability, workers compensation, company doctors, responsibility, production, plant holiday closings, call in, emergency work, breaks, lunch, Kronos, favortism and equality just to name a few items.

The time for more detailed discussion is when you meet with me at our meetings. That is why we have them and make sure they are held on off days for every crew.

I do not want any rep speaking IN DETAIL about our meetings or negotiation plans for a couple of reasons: I don't want to get the rumor mill started in the wrong direction and I do not want to telegraph our negotiation plans or strategies at any time by the public airing of such.

Unless you would like to hand all of that on a silver platter to the management negotiating team I think you can grasp why. Makes some sense, doesn't it?

That is why we have the meetings and answer every question asked there - at the union hall - where we can discuss a subject and not have any chance of something being twisted or misunderstood.

We will have meetings now a little less frequently with the whole unit but we WILL have them. I strongly suggest that everyone attend the meetings when they are scheduled and have your voice heard.

Even though your feet may hurt or your wife may nag, it is YOUR welfare and YOUR livelihood that is being discussed. My feet would have to be amputated to allow anyone to discuss these issues without me present - but that is just me. We know there are many people who are very content just waiting to see what happens and that is fine and acceptable and your choice - you are in good hands with your reps. They are really looking out for everyones benefit.

We will be meeting with the company during the week of November 29 and the week of December 13. We will keep you posted on this site as to what is going on.

We may post a specific subject that is being discussed in bargaining and ask you to discuss it right here to get a feel for your opinion. You DO have a part to play in these negotiations and you will be asked to contribute and give your opinion, that's been an open invitation from the very beginning.

Two last thoughts:

United We Stand and

You Reap What You Sow.

So let's get goin' and let's get sowin'.