Final Day- Negotiations Update- 6/12/20

Jun 13, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

First and foremost, we want to say thank you again to all our brothers and sisters for their incredible solidarity and focus on what is truly important, all of our futures. Unfortunately, we believe this is just the start of a tough fight. Our resilience will be tested, but we must remember what we are fighting for and how important it is for not only you and your families but for all of those who stand beside us in solidarity.

Friday was a long day, starting with more fruitless discussions at the table in the early morning. As we had a few hours before the next discussion the negotiating committee came to the shipyard and put the hammer down in the AB at 11:00 AM, followed by a tremendous rally where we all let our voices be heard loudly and effectively.

After lunch, we returned to the table, conveying to the company that they have not provided the Union with any articles and that we were waiting on them. The company stated that they would meet us back at the table at 8:00 AM Saturday. The committee said no, we are here to negotiate a contract for our members and we will return later at 8:00 PM with counter-proposals. The company caucused and said ok we will see you at 8:00 PM. 

When we returned to the table at 8:00 PM the company once again didn’t have any proposals and clearly didn’t want to be there. We were prepared, showing up with one counter and a 2nd proposal. The negotiating committee explained their proposal and in typical fashion, the company gave its usual and customary response; we understand your proposal.

At this point, the lead negotiator for BIW stated he was going to send his team home, would work on any open articles, and should have something for us by 3:30 PM Saturday. The negotiating committee asked if they were refusing to bargain because we still have more work to do and we would stay all night. We suggested meeting in a few hours at 11:00 PM. 

Noticeably irritated, they agreed, and now all of their dinner plans would have to be canceled, boohoo. The committees reconvened at 11:00 PM and then passed two more proposals, one of which was healthcare. We asked for information so we could effectively bargain and the company could not provide the Union a cost out of their own proposal! This is a tremendous problem!

At this point, the company passed two proposals and stated that a last best and final would be provided at 9:00 AM Saturday, not allowing the Union to counter the two proposals just passed. This is another tremendous problem! At least their incompetence is consistent. With that, we had a few choice words and departed just before midnight.

As the committee expected, the company never had intentions of coming to an agreement and the proof is in the last, best, and final proposal. This has become a take it or leave it situation. The contract proposal will be available as soon as they are printed, we will be distributing them and we will also try to upload it on our social media outlets for easy access.

The committee will be breaking down all of the contract changes starting Monday. The changes proposed by the company will be shared and explained, that way we have as much information and understanding as possible before we vote.

To be clear! Your Local S6 negotiating committee DID NOT come to an agreement on the proposed contract and the company REMAINS IN THE DARK. They have chosen not to listen and understand how to build ships from the 253 years of shipbuilding experience that sat across the table.

After all of this, we simply say…… HAMMER DOWN!!!!

These updates will continue to be posted on the Local S6 Facebook page as well.

In Solidarity, Local Lodge S6 Negotiating Committee.

Day 13 Negotiations Update- 6/11/20

Jun 12, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

*Originally posted: 8:10 AM, Reposted: 8:30 AM w/corrections, apologies for any confusion*

Brothers and Sisters,

Negotiations went long into the night, and frustrations continued to mount. The company has been holding out on Article 30, subcontracting. Late last night, the committee demanded that the company come forward with this article first thing in the morning. The Union has consistently shown the company, with substantiated examples, why they don’t need to subcontract and it’s a wish list item for them not to have to manage.

Union leadership had an aggressive conversation with BIW’s upper management on how devastating this process has been. Emphasizing several different issues that are simply intolerable.

  • Previous company proposals show no raises for MO3’s. That would put our brothers and sisters in a department with no raises for more than 15 years! STAND ALONE STRIKE ISSUE!
  • The company went on to say manning/demanning with no regard to seniority. STAND ALONE STRIKE ISSUE!
  • Loans with no regard to seniority. STAND ALONE STRIKE ISSUE!
  • Subcontracting our work with no regard to the Union. STAND ALONE STRIKE ISSUE!
  • The major increase in health care. STAND ALONE STRIKE ISSUE!

GDBIW has asked for all of these!

In the morning, the Union went back to the table to discuss issues with previous proposals given by the company, attempting to prove with facts, data, and compelling examples, that what they were asking for they already possessed and simply needs to be managed correctly.

The Union proposed:

  • Article 3, joint agreements on short term hardships, equal involvement in merit raise criteria and establishing a recognition program.
  • Article 7, separating the consolidated trades, putting them back to how they have historically been, along with deleting the entire efficiency gains section and driving loans back to a seniority driven system.
  • Article 10, shift changes remain seniority driven. If any mechanic wishes to go to an off shift for 3 months or less and at the conclusion return to their regular shift to be manned by most senior volunteers being compensated with instructor pay.
  • Article 32, maintain most senior volunteers, NOT a selected group of mechanics to be utilized as a tiger team but to be utilized on all sea trials which was proposed by the company.

*** We did manage to come to an agreement on Article 39, Joint Agreement Process, adjusting time frames that make sense to get through issues. ***

After we passed our proposals, the company passed over a counter to their proposal for Article 19, Compensation. The offer was a $500.00 ratification bonus and wage increases:

  • Year 1: 3%.
  • Year 2: 2%.
  • Year 3: 2%.
  • A&S increased from $250 to $260.
  • The company agreed to give the same wage progression to the M03 classification.

Depending on your medical plan and specific medical conditions that you or your family may have, the changes in healthcare could eat up the proposed wage increase.

It is important to note that your annual raise will be given every 13 months, not 12, resulting in a $1,000,000.00 annual cost savings for GDBIW. Another way the company is thinking of you!

The Union is waiting for the company to give us Article 30, Subcontracting before we provide a counter on Article 19.

Remember, we have not received a raise since May of 2015 and these dismal increases won’t make up for the losses incurred with respect to the cost of living. The company proposed the stripping of our seniority through multiple articles, and subcontracting will certainly be detrimental to each and every one of our futures. Don’t be fooled and be enticed by the shiny nickel on the ground, keep your head up marching forward. We need to keep fighting for a FAIR contract. Protecting seniority, the very foundation of our Union along with FAIR wage increases, benefits package, and job security.

We have an incredible amount of momentum; our unity is present and the company knows it. Grab everyone you can see and get them to the rallies. Encourage your brothers and sisters to stand with us. Our committee is aggressively attacking the company on their lack of knowledge and inability to provide want they want.

LET’S SHOW BIW JUST HOW POWERFUL WE ARE, UNITED AND UNWAVERING!

BROTHERS AND SISTERS LET LOCAL S6 BE HEARD!!!

HAMMER DOWN!!!!

These updates will continue to be posted on the Local S6 Facebook page as well.

In Solidarity, Local Lodge S6 Negotiating Committee.

Day 12 Negotiations Update- 6/10/20

Jun 11, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

The negotiating committee would like to extend a tremendous thank you to all our members for standing up for our rights and future. There was a great turnout and show of support from all who could attend our most recent rally, including retirees who know the importance of this fight. We showed everyone that Union pride and support lives on forever. The importance of solidarity grows more and more every day with the continuing onslaught of despicable company proposals passed across the table.

The committee met with many state legislators yesterday morning, explaining just how important it is to stand behind us. We showed them the actual proposals provided by BIW to the Union that will surely gut seniority and allow for subcontractors to enter our state and steal our jobs. These proposals will give BIW the ability to continue to fall further behind schedule, potentially putting an end to the proud heritage of shipbuilding that has aided in allowing Maine to thrive. BIW corresponds with these legislators regularly, trying to create a narrative that we are making good progress and we will be coming to an agreement by the end of the week.

We thought we would set the record straight with the very people who represent various communities across the state. They needed to know just how imperative this contract will be for the future of Bath, its surrounding communities, and the state of Maine. To say they we extremely concerned would be an understatement. They were upset by the fact that the information being put out by BIW was misleading and dishonest.

The tax break was a topic of discussion which was brought up by the very legislators who worked on the bill that granted BIW a $45 million tax break. Its intention was toward Maine jobs and its economy, not out of state subcontractors stealing from the State of Maine, our proud shipbuilders, and their families.

We went back to the table yesterday, only to continue to receive a list of wants, with little to no movement on loans, subcontracting, and schedule D; which will surely erode the cornerstone of our Union, seniority. We continue to bring facts, data, and well thought out reasoning as to why they don’t need what they’re asking for. What they need is to listen to the very people who actually build ships. Surprisingly, they continue to provide no actual proof that what they want and are asking for will actually work. 

We have passed counters proposals on:

  • Article 10, Shift Changes, ensuring that seniority is a priority in any and all shift changes.
  • Article 11, Overtime, again keeping seniority a priority when polling in all aspects.
  • Article 17, Holidays, we proposed the need to get Veterans Day back as a holiday and Christmas shutdown be code 14s, with any day that was a holiday, and worked be paid at double time, plus holiday pay.
  • Article 21, Employees’ Benefits, we proposed in all plans that we stay at current premiums, copays, deductibles, and out of pocket for the length of the contract with no increases.

The position from the company on most of these was that “it was overly burdensome to manage”. What a joke!

We tentatively have 2 days left with little to no movement from the company. The writing on the wall is clear, buckle up brothers and sisters. Continue to stand strong and united, the fight is approaching our front door.

These updates will continue to be posted on the Local S6 Facebook page as well.

In Solidarity, Local Lodge S6 Negotiating Committee.

Negotiations Update- Medical Insurance Premiums and Out of Pocket Expenses

Jun 10, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

As stated in our most recent negotiations update; day 11, we want to provide you with more details from the economic package we received. Specifically, on Medical Insurance Premiums and Out of Pocket expenses.

Upon received the economic package, the negotiating committee forwarded the information to Neil Gladstein; IAMAW Director of Strategic Resources, for a deep dive analysis. Please review the below information based on his results.

Medical Premium Share Proposal

Health insurance shows that the weighted average increase in total premiums went up by 8.4% from 2017 to 2020.  So, I don’t see how an 8.4% three-year increase could justify three 7% increases over the proposed contract (that’s 22.5% over three years compounded).

Out-of-Pocket expenses (co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles, etc.)

BIW is proposing very large increases in out-of-pocket expenses.  Changes in premiums from 2017 to 2020 do not justify these huge jumps (such as doubling deductibles).  These would be very large cost increases for those who get sick or injured.  Given the physical wear-and-tear from working in a shipyard, this is a problem for many of our members.

These updates will continue to be posted on the Local S6 Facebook page as well.

In Solidarity, Local Lodge S6 Negotiating Committee.

Day 11 Negotiations Update- 6/9/20

Jun 10, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

Days 8, 9, and 10 were pretty uneventful for us due to an issue we never should have had to fight. BIW was attempting to disrupt our ability to show solidarity through protected concerted activity. In the end, our Union negotiating committee was able to come to an agreement with BIW that insured our rights were no longer going to be infringed on. Our members were brought back to work and all discipline was removed, allowing our members to continue to fight for their future united and be heard. Today, our committee walked into the shipyard and thanked some of our members everywhere we could, stopping in PO2 at 11:00 AM to put the hammer down with some of you. We had to get back to the table by 1:00 PM to finally resume negotiating.

We came to a tentative agreement on the following:

  • Article 5 in which we were able to recognize more committees’- women’s, veterans, and education.
  • Article 8, Apprentices, we were able to reach an agreement to better the program.
  • Article 12, Second, and Third Shift Premiums.
  • Article 35, General Dynamics Stock Savings and Investment Plan (SSIP).
  • Article 51, Duration of Agreement which will be a 3-year agreement.

We had general discussions on a few other Articles and MOA’s. The company passed its first economic proposals which included below industrial average wage increases, no wage increase for the M03’s with continued $1000.00 lump sums for each year, 21% increase in healthcare over 3 years with increased deductibles, co-pays, and out of pockets. We will provide all the details very soon, there is a lot to go through and we want to make sure we are putting out accurate information.

That is a quick rundown of day 11 with much more to come.

The committee is incredibly thankful for all our brothers and sisters support, especially all of those who stood strong and did not get intimidated by BIW for standing up for yourself and each other.

These updates will continue to be posted on the Local S6 Facebook page as well.

In Solidarity, Local Lodge S6 Negotiating Committee.

HAMMER DOWN!!!