First of all, thanks to all of the MCC IBEW members who came to the rally this past Thursday. There were almost 1000 people there. Nurses, truckers, iron workers, teachers, electricians, can makers, highway department workers, firefighters and many others were there to stand up for the rights of all Americans to bargain with their employer.
Thank you to THE WORLD FAMOUS PETE SEEGER for coming and singing "Which Side Are You On?" with us. Mr. Seeger is now 91 years old and truly an inspiration to everyone near him.
If you missed it you will get another chance in the beginning of April at another rally that should be much larger. Look here for details.
Bargaining for your contract continues next week. Like many of the posters already stated under the previous story - we want to make sure that we make our progress in the most prudent way - we are not rushing or holding back.
Negotiating is a marathon, not a sprint.
We believe that we will be making some decent progress this week. If you have any suggestions - please let your reps know.
Stay Strong, Stay Solid
I hear there is going to be a shut down on easter.Does anyone know if it will be more than one day?
ReplyDeleteNo one knows yet. As always, it depends on the built up inventory. I'm hoping that by the week of April 4th, management will know if we will be shut down for April 24th only or April 23,24,25 and 26.
ReplyDeleteplant running great low spoilage. Great work everybody!114% increase in profits last year.That came from louise Edmond in a webcast live on March 3rd.Boy I cant wait to hear the excuses why we dont deserve a raise!
ReplyDeleteWOW. 114% is pretty good...
ReplyDeleteand they will tell us how bad the economy is,and they cant giveus much or anything at all.lol. Brito gotta make a gazillion dollars or they shut the doors.Its for our own good as Tony always says.LOL
ReplyDeleteAw come on guys cant we all jus get along.You shuld trie and werk fer crown corc an sqweel.Get some.
ReplyDeleteThat was 141% I saw the speech and the share point that was posted along side the video feed but we're still broke or reaching parity with other plants and competitors or some other vague excuse. On a positive note the entire North American Zone came in last place on the climate survey following the Western European Zone (remember those crazy guys who held their bosses hostage?) closely in lack of morale. At a round table the same day, Easter was a maybe for 4 days shut down each crew sharing the pain equally. "Nothing definite yet". They'll probably know on Good Friday. Stay tuned....... or tuned up, whatever is better.
ReplyDeletewow 141%. We suck.Brito needs more. So does Tony. My kid can eat every other day from now on just so I can pay my taxes,buy milk,and make sure Brito and Tony get what THEY need.
ReplyDeleteis it contract yet?
ReplyDeletewe need a contract in writing. support your reps. go ibew. union made. proud to be american union made.union brother and sisters..................................................................................................................................................................................!
ReplyDeleteCome on brothers & sisters we got to stick together! Do you actually think The union is responsible for taking as long as this for our contract? Do you actually want Jacksonvilles contract or do you want our contract? Do you want as much as possible on paper or do you want
ReplyDeleteto leave everything up for interpretation!
Yes i believe the contract is being stalled
a bit but do you actually think its the union!
There not getting paid until we get a contract
Be glad there not rushing into something we
do not want. I know things are getting tight
rising taxes, rising food costs,(including beer)
rising utilities and fuel. But hang in there
we will get our contract and fair collective
bargaining for this state you live in.
WE WILL NOT BE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY!
It is definitely not the union that is holding up your contract. The company negotiators don't show up until late afternoon on Mondays and then are out of Dodge City on Friday morning. Then it's slog through Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. And their response time for proposals sucks. If you want to lay blame it's not hard to find where to point the finger.
ReplyDeleteSo, continue to prove on a daily basis what we are capable of. It's in our best interest to be better than they ever expected. Remember we are a dirt poor company that brings in an astounding 141% profit gain (4th quarter report) for LEVIATHAN. Maybe we should move our plant to Appalachia and bring down the property values there.
Hang tough, we won't be a third world country. We are the Organized, Unionized American Worker! An intrical part of the American economy and workforce. THE BEST.
4:22, your upbeat, positive attitude is so stimulating! Perhaps if you would show up and show your support and bring fellow team members with you to the site of the importatnt to YOU negotiations it will make an impact on those whose job it is to try and NOT give you that raise. I've been there and the hotel lobby is a ghost town! Show up! show these Corporate "no" men you are interested in the outcome of your contract. Show that you want to protect your stake in the process. INVOLVEMENT! BY YOU AND OTHERS, A PRESCENCE TO SHOW WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT!!! Sitting back and letting others proclaim your support isn't cutting it. Be vocal, be present, it would be refreshing to see a lobby full of 363 MCCers concerned and supporting the quest for a contract. Not some "another fucking year without a raise" piss into the wind. This is probably dragging on because the Corporate people are not seeing the support, the concern, the asses in the seats in that hotel lobby every negotiation day. Their attitude is probably that this is a fart in the wind and if the take their time it will blow away. Why? Because we don't show up to support our own cause. OURSELVES! What an apathetic, sorry assed group of sheep we have become. Let someone else fight my battles, that way if the outcome isn't to my satisfaction I can blame them, not myself for my inaction. Get up and out and support this or lose it! Step up and make sure you get that fucking raise this year.
ReplyDeleteThat's bout as clear as it gets call them as you see them.........well said.
ReplyDeleteIt is us at that table. To not lend support is to work against our own interest. That makes no sense. Supprot yur reps, your union and your self
ReplyDeleteI call them as I see them,I commend you on your passion and your spirit and your support shows that you understand whats at stake here.Or should I say steak! Lol.Does everyone remember the great steak out? Was a raise the only thing that we brought our union together for? Our union. In order to form a more perfect union.Does anyone remember those words and where they came from? 235 yrs ago a bunch of people fought and died for us to give us certain unalienable rights. Those rights ARE self evident.We are tied together with all of the unions who are under attack at this moment.The right to collectively bargain.The right for us to be sitting across the table all this week with our employer hashing out an agreement.A raise is important, but so are many things. Even management has been getting the shaft from our Foreign company.These days are going to go down in history as a time in this country when us as a people either stood up against tyranny (CORPORATE GREED) or as a people of sheep who blindly accepted fate dictaded by a foreign owner who tells Americans "buy our products" "Budweiser is the great American beer". Right on the label as it states on budweiser.
ReplyDeleteSo I am asking everyone to really think on whats going on today here in our country and in our negotiations and ask yourself what would have happened all those years ago if the leaders of America had just listened to the foreign people that were in charge at that time?
Common sense right? Gee I wonder where I have heard that before?
Monday QB, Unionman, what do we have to do to get our fellow 363era involved? We need deeds, action, not just kind words of support. I'm not saying people with picket signs in the lobby, just come in and meet your reps when they go on lunch, another bunch could be there when negotiations quit in the afternoon, stop in on your way to the night shift. We have to stop this programmed MCC way of thinking, that someone else was dumb enough to stand up, let them carry the weight, or the next guy will get it. Words of encouragement are always welcome but the physical appearence of support would inspire. It's like opening night and you're playing to an empty stadium. We are not the only people who need this. Our success could be a yardstick to measure other groups wanting to organize, to be secure in their jobs. To be that success we need the asses in the seats in that stadium, we need the physical support and the words of support. And now is the time when the game is going to intensify, so now is the time to step to the plate, everyone. We have the potential. Move beyond that potential, get Kinetic. Show your faces. It's in all of our best interest.
ReplyDeleteWe moved forward again today at negotiations. We buttoned up a couple articles, and planned our day for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI would like to address the concern of how much time it is taking to construct this contract. Each topic has to be verbalized, discussed,captured on paper.Discussions on each point of veiw, rewrite it and then it has to be shared with all the reps.On both sides of the week. Then after a concensous of all the reps that participate then the final wrap up of the topic has to be done. Company and union sides then reach agreement or defer finalization because a topic or article is tied to another and that article has to go through the same process with both sides of the week.
Neither side has ever encountered our unique cicumstance.Having to work with two sides of the week on all articles. Sometimes a subject sounds so clearcut until we really get down into the layers. We are doing our best to get it right. Mike Forte and Sam Fratto as well as all the reps who participate are grinding out each aspect of each article. Alot of hard work and effort are going into this. I know it is hard to be patient,but please accept the facts as I described. Im eager to be done also, but not at the expense of having a quality contract that binds both sides.
Please discuss with your reps any ideas that are important to you.Lets get them out and not hold back. We have a great plant with people that continue to amaze me. The ideas that have been brought forward reflect the quality of the people we have.Keep supportive,it helps us all to get through the hard work of negotiations.Thank you.
Thank You reps for all you are doing sorry i'm not able to show my support but we are at work while meetings are going on. Thank you IBEW for your out standing work I feel a good contract coming.... Thank You all if they think stalling
ReplyDeleteis going to get us to give up on the union no way jose.. we need this more then ever now they rapped the managers of everything.
It is obvious these posts are censured.... what is meaning of freedom of speech...If ALL the posts are not published???? Is this the representation we want????
ReplyDeleteWe all know that we need the union and the contract. We suport and back everything you guys are doing. I get around on my shift and I can tell you that everybody backs you guys. They are just not announcing it so management or any tattle tales can hear it. Don't pay attention to any "stitz" out there who tries to stir the pot. We are all 363 now and proud of it.
ReplyDeleteWe need a contract in writing. Support your reps. You guys and gals are doing a great job. In the end it will all be worth it. Have you guys covered pension and wages yet? What about vacation time? Is there a time frame when you think you will be done? If we come to the hotel can we sit in and be part of the contract?
ReplyDeletealthough it's not "on topic", I would ask my fellow 363 members to have a look at this as a way to support Union Labor in the places where it is threatened now:
ReplyDeletehttp://kucinich.us/labor/petition.php
And big thanks to all those who are working our side of the table at the negotiations...go 363!
If all of you "supporters" weren't going to follow through and get 'er done, Why the hell did you vote yes in the first place? Show up, be counted, show support, or get off the bus!
ReplyDelete7:42am - You are absolutely wrong. The posts are not censored at all - they go right thru -
ReplyDeleteNice try though at spreading misinformation.
The good news is that there will be no need to negotiate an escape clause for YOU in the contract! If you really can't stand the idea of having a voice at work and a written contract - you are free to leave! Cool huh?
The rest of the people will be protected and happy - and so will YOU at your next voiceless non unon job.
The fact is this blog has been wide open for comments by ALL - by the way, I would suggest that YOU be more concerned with surviving ABINBEV than worrying about things that don't exist - like the non-existant censorship going on in your head.
7:42 did you try to blog from your AB Inbev company Blackberry? Your PC with Internet access in the fishbowl? you bad, bad, bad, boy! And you didn't get a 404 Access Forbidden Message? If I were you I'd be looking over my shoulder right now.
ReplyDeleteCue up some Cheap Trick "The Dream Police" for our "censured over censorship" blogger.
This blog does not screw with your first amendment rights.
We stayed late tonight trying to keep the movement going forward.I would have to guess that we are in the 3rd quarter with a few seconds left on the clock. No wages or pension or benefits were discussed yet.Overall I think we made some good progress for the week.All the reps have been conducting themselves with professionalism and enthusiasm and trying to relay the concerns and wishes of the people on the floor. Again Sam and Steve have been arduously working with us trying to construct our contract our contract. Mike Forte the company lawyer has been courteous and considerate and doing a good job explaining details and concerns on the companies point of view.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your support and ideas, and concerns. We are a diverse talented group of workers. That is what makes us strong. We do not know the time table for the next round of negotiations yet. As soon as we do we will let everyone know as soon as possible.
thank you JOE . these are hard hard times. goverment taking the rights of workers and discarding them to the wind.imiagine what a private organization could get away with.i believe we have headed down the right path with 363 and Sam.i will continue to have your backs and support my representives to my fullest. any questions just ask BE SAFE BE RESPECTFUL BE TOGETHER BE 363 RESPECTFULLY
ReplyDeleteJoe D... to you and all our reps...Sam and Steve!! Thank you for beleiving in our cause... We need a ray of sunshine amidst the DARK clouds.. If negating collective bargaining can happen in Wisconsin... then what's next??? Stay Strong!!!!
ReplyDelete