Thanks to the people who came by to visit us this week. It was great having you guys hang around with us for a while. As you guys saw, it is an absorbing task that triggers multiple discussions. We were happy to include you in that with us for the time you were there.
I had more than one person tell me how enlightening it was to be there. It is really just like anything else, it sometimes looks less complicated until you get in there and do it yourself. It is just like everything else in another way, you can get pretty good at it too. You begin to think differently. You are also obligated to see it from the other sides viewpoint too. That is what makes for a good, fair and healthy negotiation.
We have some meetings set up within the next couple of weeks. I am planning on visiting A & C Crew at night at the end of next week. We are meeting after that on the 17th and the 20th. Ask your rep for details if you didn't get an email. Attendance is voluntary and purely to gather your thoughts and information.
Thank you to the negotiators and reps and stewards that came in this week - good job - through some tough times too. Good job.
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We accomplished alot of work this week. I feel that we have come to where the rubber meets the road. Almost all of the policies have been hashed out. There are just of couple of items hanging out there that we could not be finalized because of concerns on both sides of the best way to proceed. During this break between now and june, Im confident that both sides will be considering the issues that are standing in front of us and come up with the right way to reach an agreement that reflects the needs of both sides.
ReplyDeleteI also want to thank all the people who showed up in support of all of us. I also want to thank the reps for their dedication. Its a good feeling for me to know that what we are creating is going to help people. I firmly believe that this contract will keep the flexibility the company needs to continue to be succesful. That is part of our intent.
I get rejuvenated when people thank us for doing what we are doing.Its true when its said that the more you give, the more you get in return.
thanks to all involved in getting our first ,true and fair contract started, this will be well worth it in the end, there is still lots of hard work to be done, but the finished product is in sight ! thank you sam,IBEW363, AND all reps.,putting in long hours,your hard work does not go unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteThis has become way too sweet. I know were not going negative, but all the lovey dovey is a bit much. It's deal for the money time and we should be putting on the armor and letting loose. All the reps are doing an excellent job but let's get to the end and then do the group hugs, or whatever.
ReplyDeleterrrrrrr are we feeling ready to rumble? Show up at the negotiations and let it fly there!Good job on keeping involved . Thank you. Thats what we need. rrrrrrrrrrr
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to rumble for big numbers, or at least a very fair number. Go get em.
ReplyDeleteMAY 17 AND MAY 20 ARE DRAWING CLOSER ARE YOU READY TO MAKE YOUR VIEWS AND WISHES KNOWN. HAVE YOU TALKED TO YOUR REP'S. ARE YOU PLANNING ON MEETING IN HARRIMAN. [[ I GUESS THE POINT IS IT'S UP TO YOU WHAT TRANSPHERES ON THESE DATES, NO REASON TO NOT BE INVOLVED.[[ BE SAFE // BE FOCUSED // BE RESPECTFUL // BE 363 RESPECTFULLY DAKOTA
ReplyDeleteLet’s fast forward into the future for a moment. Imagine the day after the contract is signed. Finally, people can come to work with a sense of happiness. Secure in the fact that they have a promise from the company of a fair wage, now and in the future. They will know what to expect to pay for medical costs today, tomorrow, next month, next year. They will have more motivation to come to work and perform so that the company will be there in the future and will be profitable and be able to fund their pensions.
ReplyDeletePeople will be free from worry; they will know that they are represented by capable people. A contract that protects them from injustice. Consistency will be mandated everyday for everyone. Policies will be written down in full view to be accessed anytime they want. Fully explained. No more silly games by management that change rules from person to person, day to day.
Honesty and Integrity returns to Newburgh. Once again we will be PRO-EMPLOYEE! Watch how a motivated work force will be a work FORCE. A force that can change the can industry.
The company will capture that energy and use it again to change our industry and lead us into the future. We will look for challenges again. We have a drive that is ready to be unleashed. All we need is fuel for the engine. Gentleman, Start your engines!
That's right Prophet! We do need to fuel this engine. A very good start would be going to the meetings at the UNION HALL. That way we all can fill out a survey.So our reps know what we want to fight for . I can;t wait see you all there.
ReplyDeleteLots of questions about the meetings and questions about the contract at work. Its good to see so many people interested. This is what being a union is all about. Preserving the right things and getting rid of the wrong things. We are dedicated to preserving our jobs,our plant, and yes our company. Motivation to perform is basically done by either of two ways. One way is from fear. Obviously that has not worked. It has been this way here for quite a while. It didnt work, and will never work. It has bred alot of mistrust,and discontent and disolves team work.
ReplyDeleteThe other way is through loyalty. That generates trust,pride,happiness,efficiency,imagination, all the things that security generates. If an employee has no fear of his employer ,he or she is more likely to think of ways to make their jobs better and to keep improving the process that they work with everyday. Someone who has no motivation for success usually just follows direction. The motivated person leads the direction.
Get it?
Just a reminder - I will be visiting the plant on Thursday and Friday night. I will be in the cafeteria hopefully by first break. Hope to see you guys there. Unless I have an absolute emergency, I will be there.
ReplyDeleteit will be good too see ya Sam
ReplyDeletecan't wait to see you as well sam. we have been waiting for a long time to have a union representative in our plant to (LISTEN) to our issues. others say they listen but. We all know the rest. I can really tell you listen because a question was brought up in the beginning of this process and you had an answer but you said your not sure if it was 100% that you would look into it. the next day you had the answer on the blog. and in your negotiation meetings i have heard through the grape vine that you sometimes stop and pick out things even the negotiators miss, and you ask them is this right and what do we need to make it right.
ReplyDeleteso thank you very much for your continued 110% effort and time that you and your team of 363 brothers have put in for your newburgh brothers and sisters.
You guys are all welcome and thanks for the nice words. I am looking forward to being there tomorrow and Friday to just talk with each other. I can't guarantee the suit jacket stays if I make it home between 6 and 8 pm.
ReplyDelete7:19 everything you said is true.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sam!!!!!!! Great Q&A last night. You answered a lot of questions and put a lot of rumors to rest. Its crystal clear where we are and whats left to do. A lot of hard work behind us and a lot of hard work in front of us. If the contract is 1 year than I think 3% is justified. If the contract is 3 years than I think 2.5% each year will work with no reduction in hours worked,(keep it a 12.25 hr shift). Thanks again Sam and we will see you at the meeting on the 19th.
ReplyDeleteRight.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sam for explaining how things are going.I do worry that the company will try to keep taking away things like they have been in the past. I took this job because I was told things that made the future here look promising and made me decide to take this job. Since I got here the company has been reducing my total compensation package.I truly regret taking this job and now I am stuck.I know this company isnt Anheuser Busch anymore but I didnt think a company would change how it treats its employees so much since thats what made Anheuser busch so great. Please help us get through to management that people are looking to get out than get in.
ReplyDeleteI will. I think that more people who feel that way should express it here like you did. Maybe management has no clue that you guys feel this way. I am hoping for the best and to begin a good and productive relationship for the workers there and the management. They need to be profitable. When that happens then we can expect to be compensated as well. That is what is fair.
ReplyDeleteI hope more people decide it is time to stop sitting on the side lines and express their own thoughts. Nothing gets the point across more than something right from the source.
Gotta go - I am going to the plant tonight again at 8 pm.
If management actually read the surveys that we answered months ago themselves,they would have seen the results to the question in regards to employment here at Metal Container. The question was if you were offered employment somewhere else if they offered the same money and benefits would you still work at metal container. I already put no. Our management staff breezed so fast past that survey when the results cameback. They didnt spend any time going over it. They announced the results, and had our preshift meeting and was out on the floor in under 15 min. None of the comments were discussed and nothing other than saying we had to figure how to make things better here. By the way, we still havent talked about it, its been swept under the rug again. Its a shame because I feel the same way as the comments above does.
ReplyDeleteABINBEV could care less about the survey. Management knows that. If they did care, something would have done about it already. Check out this link.http://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/lager-heads/article_90eac8b6-759e-11e0-88ac-0019bb30f31a.html?mode=comments
ReplyDeleteThis is from a blog st.louis. apparently our whole North American zone had the lowest score.
The brewery unions are very concerned about how they are going to be treated.
Good to see you last night Sam, thanks for stopping by and telling us how things are going!
ReplyDeleteThe world's largest brewer reported that it sold less beer in the first three months of 2011 but still managed to boost revenues 5.6 percent, compared to the same period last year.
ReplyDeleteAnheuser-Busch InBev also doubled net income to $964 million in the first quarter compared to $475 million a year earlier.
The Belgian brewer said worldwide beer sales were down 0.2 percent, dragged down solely by its continued struggles in the North American, its largest and most important market.
Beer sales to retailers in the United States were down 2.2 percent.
Worldwide revenues of more than $9 billion were slightly greater than analysts' expectations. But the mild decline in beverage volumes -- 0.4 percent when you include non-beer drinks -- was slightly worse than expected.
A-B InBev showed that beer price hikes it pushed through late last year in the U.S. and Brazil seemed to be sticking -- and generating more money for the company despite less beer being sold.
Analyst Mark Swartzberg of Stifel Nicolaus noted this morning that A-B InBev should exceed sales expectations later this year as U.S. unemployment pressures ease and signs that the rate of sales decline has been slowing for several months.
The brewer sounded bullish about the prospects of Bud Light in the United States, which gained a little market share thanks to Super Bowl and UFC (ultimate fighting) sponsorships. The brewer also noted the increasing importance of its digital marketing efforts.
Long-suffering Budweiser seemed to be showing signs of stabilizing, the brewer said. A-B InBev retiterated its committment to the flagship brand.
The brewer also reported strong sales of minor premium players Stella Artois (up 19.4%) and Shock Top (up 58.2%).
In the North America maket, however, A-B InBev saw market share fall slightly, less than one percent
they improve those numbers by taking unexpected schmucks off the street to fill your positions then they are brain washed to think that A-B is that better beer company in a better world. Remember guys its not our management that holds the problem as they are only puppets to the burrito and to the peacock. I'll take mild sauce with mine
ReplyDeleteVengeance is mine sayeth SAB Miller.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the old A-B?
Don't buy Miller Beer because it's not an American Beer?
If you buy Miller Light your money goes to South Africa!
Buy Budweiser, the American beer!
Now we're InBev.
If you buy Budweiser, or any InBev product, your money goes from the American worker into Brito's Brazilian pockets. Take it a step further. Brito states that his profits, and his huge amassed bonus' are from cost savings. Yes, he's right. AB/Inbev Managers are cutting your pay, cutting your benefits, cutting your retirement, and cutting the work force so you work harder for less. "We, (The folks who preach this must have a mouse in their pocket, 'cause I don't see the number of their postions dropping)have to do more with less." Brazilian Brito is getting richer, by taking money from us.
INbev is no different than SAB Miller now.
Many consumers know this.
Americans want to buy American products.
I've spoken to many people who have dropped INbev products and switched to Yuengling or Sam Adams to avoid sending our American money overseas to folks like Brito.
Yet they wonder why NA zone sales are dropping?
I'm glad we have our Sam in our corner.
Thanks Sam for fighting for us.
Should we not buy our own products then? Don't support that pisswater yingling just because it's not foreign owned. It's still the competition. We might not work for a company that is owned by an American but the products are still American made. We need to remember why we started this and it ain't about cutting our nose to spite our face. It's about fair treatment. Sam, they're at it again. Get focused on making us better people, not selling more Sam Adams.
ReplyDeleteThat is a true statement 5:25 pm. I think that is frustration coming out a little caused by knowing the company is profitable and worrying if they will be ok too.
ReplyDeleteI agree though. Bud and others are OUR product. We can't speak against our own selves and our own company. We need to press them to take care of our needs too and still stay loyal.
It can be done. Get involved in the process. Support your union.
everyone take a deep breath, the 1.00 poster didnt really say not to buy bud, read it again. he was stating how he talked to many people who have switched beers. I know what he's saying sounds like he's jumping ship but i would agree thats the sound of frustration speaking. we need to keep supporting each other and keep everyone focused on our future. it is up to all of us not only in this company but in this country to keep our beliefs and freedoms alive. This is what governments and corporations like to do. is keep you divided and fighting then they win. stick together it ok to have a different opinion but remember where you bread comes from and try to think things through before we all act and regret.
ReplyDeletethe boiler room talk has it that a particular manager up front wants to slide another inexperienced team member into the team leader spot. It is rumored that most of the managers that are more involved with the process on the floor would very much prefer to have the other more experienced team member step into the team leader position. After all this effects there jobs as well.This team member has proven over and over again that he can handle the job with ease. a very well rounded individual that has preformed the job consistently on and off over this past year. In this plant you need to have at least floated or have been involved with many break downs over the course of a period of time not a month or so. You just can't plop anybody in that position that has NOT BEEN INVOLVED DOING BREAK DOWN WORK IN THIS PLANT. PERIOD!!! they need to have had experience in THIS PLANT. Being a team leader in newburgh is much harder then a few think it is.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what they think about that but it seems like they think if they give them the answers they want to hear then that makes them team leader qualified. NEWS FLASH TO THOSE FEW WHO THINK THAT. ASK YOUR SELF WHY NO ONE WANTS TO DO THAT JOB ANYMORE!!! It's not about having the right answer you want to hear in a nice quite atmosphere with nothing else going on.
you need to have a team leader that wants to get involved,that likes to help out, not stand back and give orders and watch everyone else work.
It would again be shameful if that one manager goes against what the rest of the management team on the floor recommends.
lots and lots of people on the floor is asking what kind of game is going on with this team leader position.
To the management team you wonder why NOBODY TRUST YOU AT ALL!
There seems to have been all kinds of funny stuff going on during these last two team leader postings.
maybe there's nothing going on but just the way everything is handled and being done just sends out stinky vibes to the members on the floor. you should know by now that everyone sees everything on the floor. they talk to each other a lot 12 hours is a long day and night. we talk a lot.
your transparency is terrible. just look at the survey.
If you want better marks on survey's start doing the right things.
Not being negative here.
CALLING IT JUST LIKE EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT IT.
P.S.
ReplyDeleteTHERE'S MANY SPECIFICS ABOUT THIS BUT WILL NOT POST IT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BRING THE MANY ISSUES OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS OUT IN THE OPEN. THE FEW THAT MAKE THE DECISION KNOW WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE AND HOW TO CORRECT THEM IF THEY CHOSE TO DO SO.
ON PURPOSE OR BY ACCIDENT MOST WILL HAVE TO ADMIT THESE LAST FEW POSITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN HANDLED VERY PROFESSIONALLY!
I SPEAK FOR MANY PEOPLE HERE.
St. Louis we just want our fair share. Tony remember who butters your bread. We have been number 1 or near the top for years. hmm whys that you ask. Well we used to get compensated very well, great benefits packages, Great Morale. Fast forward to today no raises, for a couple years take it or leave it benefits package "pay more for less" = Low Morale. well Sam and the Boyz are ready to play hardball and fight for what we deserve. Go get them guys we are ready to take Newburgh to even greater heights. GO 363 and thanks to Sam and collegues and to our REPS who have put numerous hours in for our futures.
ReplyDelete