Company locked us out!!

[DblTrbl]

Well, all my ride plans to events have been put on hold for now. Westinghouse (Newington NH) Locked out all members of Local 651 Boilermakers last Sunday at 11:59pm. With the lock out, we have no pay, no medical and no other benefits.

I have been on the picket line every night from midnight until 7am including Thursday/Fri with very heavy rain and thunderstorms.

We have had numerous politicians come visit with guys on the line and lend their support by sending communications to the company urging them to work with the union.

The company has refused to bargain once they made their 1st offer which just happened to be "their best and final".

Union is preparing to file Unfair Labor Practice against Westinghouse. This action has been urged by the Labor Board once they heard what the company has been doing by refusing to budge.

They now want to meet with the union on Wednesday morning but want the Union to back down on our requests without them having to budge on theirs. They call this bargaining in good faith.

We have members with severe medical problems and now have no insurance. The company says we can apply for Cobra.... how do you pay for Cobra when they cut off your paycheck??

Another example of Corp Greed!!

If you live near Newington, NH, please drive by Westinghouse on Shattock Way and honk your horns or stop and visit with the members to show your support for the working men and woman.

Thanks!!

[ol' school]

You all are in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy resolution.

[Ayatolla of Rockin' Rolla]

I feel for you guys.

A note of caution : Beware of the company bringing in "Scabs" as this dispute has the makings of getting ugly

[Burnerboy]

As a heating/plumbing contractor, and boiler installer, I can totally feel your pain...I worked for myself, and never had to go on strike, but going from a steady paycheck, and paid insurance, to nothing, does totally suck...Good luck! I just retied and sold my business just under a year ago, and know now what it feels like not, to get that weekly paycheck like I was used to....Stay tuff, your company, needs you as much as you need it, so one side does have to bend a bit to keep everybody happy.....You'll be back to work soon, I have that feeling, all household's and buildings need that heat and hot water installed so pressure's also on them to keep on manufacturing those heating units...........

Ronnie

[Fabricater]

I the early 1990's a local company lock out the union, brought in scabs. It still has a effect today. Long story short, the union took them to court, and because they had agreed to work under old contract until a new one was ratified, but company had locked them out, they were able to draw unemployment. The union did stay tough and went back to work eventually.

[peteg59]

Almost the same thing happened when I worked next door @ Tyco, (formerly Simplex Wire & Cable) back in 86.

After about 18 months on strike, it went to the NLRB in DC who ruled in favor of the company.

NLRB ruled the workers walked out of their own free will, & it was not a "Lockout" in the legal sense.

All those who filed for & rec'd. unemployment checks had to pay back every penny they collected.

It was an ugly scene daily as the "scabs" went in & out of the plant, with lots of animosity between management & union workers on the picket lines, but in the end the company agreed to hire back any/all former IBEW workers who went out on strike.

They ultimately succeeded in their original goal in busting the union, & sent them packing.

I'd bet my next year of paychecks that the management @ Westinghouse are keenly aware of that history next door, & will likely try to do the same in your shop.

Best of luck to you, & the rest of the Boilermakers in your "fight"...

[mhgoldwing]

Here's hoping the union demands are not such that Westinghouse will find it cheaper to build plant in Mexico or China. Then all will be out of a job.

[peteg59]

Here's hoping the union demands are not such that Westinghouse will find it cheaper to build plant in Mexico or China. Then all will be out of a job.

Without going into details, this specific plant builds components that go into nuclear reactors, so I doubt they'll move "offshore".

Stranger things have happened, though...

[roadking2]

I feel for you, but you best make plans to move on. Many years ago I worked in a Firestone tire plant. We were told that we had 6 weeks more then the plant was closing. It did, the union screamed to high heaven, law suits were filed, etc., and to this day, the plant is still closed. In hind site, it was the best thing that ever happened to me in my working life. I got some education and started a career that I loved and eventually retired from. It was very hard at first, but in the long run I was much better off than I would have been if the plant had stayed open and I retired from there. Its tough, but try to make some lemonade from the lemon and don't count on the union, the courts, Trump, or any other politician to save your azz. The best you can hope for with the company is to win the battle but eventually lose the war. If you are an older employee, it will be doubly hard, but face the reality and move on as best you can. Your plant doesn't make what I would call consumer goods and any thoughts of boycotts, strikes, etc. will be fruitless just like your time on the picket line was. Maybe through some miracle your plant will reopen, but don't bank on it and even if it does, the plants future is in a pretty precarious position.

[Lee H. Mann]

Did someone forget to mention that Westinghouse recently filed for bankruptcy (the other side of the story).

Is it true that they filed because of supply line shortages on a major nuclear project ?

This would surely send expenses through the roof.

Is the union demands like kicking Westinghouse in the balls when they are down ?

Is this a union busting game ??

All these questions have answers.

Westinghouse should just go out of business and that settles that.

[peteg59]

Glad to hear the "lockout" @Westinghouse is now over.(At least for the next 3 years)

Hopefully all got what they were after?

[DblTrbl]

Did someone forget to mention that Westinghouse recently filed for bankruptcy (the other side of the story).

Is it true that they filed because of supply line shortages on a major nuclear project ?

This would surely send expenses through the roof.

Is the union demands like kicking Westinghouse in the balls when they are down ?

Is this a union busting game ??

All these questions have answers.

Westinghouse should just go out of business and that settles that.

I believe I stated that they filed Chapter 11 and the cause was mismanagement!!! The union demands were minimal but the company put one offer on the table and refused to budge. They also refused to let the bankruptcy judge review and approve/reject any offers. They even refused to make "Policy" changes that would not cost them a single penny.

Last week they wanted to return to the table and made an offer which amounted to putting mustard on their **** sandwich. We had a union meeting and the vote was 73-69 to accept..... with that, they ended the lockout and we returned to work midnight Sunday. So with the future pay raise and the increase in the medical, we will be making $4K - $9K less per year..........fantastic contract.........NOT.....

Thanks for all your support and hope to ride with you soon!!

[consitter]

I believe I stated that they filed Chapter 11 and the cause was mismanagement!!! The union demands were minimal but the company put one offer on the table and refused to budge. They also refused to let the bankruptcy judge review and approve/reject any offers. They even refused to make "Policy" changes that would not cost them a single penny.

Last week they wanted to return to the table and made an offer which amounted to putting mustard on their **** sandwich. We had a union meeting and the vote was 73-69 to accept..... with that, they ended the lockout and we returned to work midnight Sunday. So with the future pay raise and the increase in the medical, we will be making $4K - $9K less per year..........fantastic contract.........NOT.....

Thanks for all your support and hope to ride with you soon!!

From one Union Brother to Another...this sucks! I hope karma bites the higher ups in the company right in the ass!!

[rhino 2]

From one Union Brother to Another...this sucks! I hope karma bites the higher ups in the company right in the ass!!

Just an observation.....How many Union Brothers buy Only Union made products , Instead of cheaper non union [offshore] made products...? Its like the guy who complains that there are aren't any Mom And Pop hardware stores left.... When that person needed only 2 or 3 nuts and bolts ,They would go to the Mom and Pops.... But if they need 50 of them... They run right over to the big Box store ....Cause it's cheeper....

We have met the Enemy 'And he is us!

[peteg59]

"We have met the Enemy 'And he is us!"

^....This is it 110%....^

Buy American never meant more than it does today. Anyone thinking otherwise is not a true American.

Trouble is, most of our fossil fuel used here is extracted from countries that would rather see US dead!

We need to perfect the technology that makes it cheaper/easier to extract OUR oil reserves vs importing it from non friendly folks in other parts of the world....End of rant, & hijack of thread....

[Phu Cat]

​Unfortunately what Raodking2 said is right. You'd best be prepared for the worst. I was out on strike for 66 days before we eventually went back only to be bought out and then shut down about 5 years later. The best thing I did then was to buy a book on how to interview. Interviewing is more than just answering questions, it's selling yourself to someone that listens to people do that all day long. Knowing how to present yourself, even which chair to sit in in the interview room can make all the difference in how the interviewer interprets everything you say. Even how you shake hands can make a difference to someone that interviews people for a living. A good book on interviewing will tell you how to do these things. The book I used was called: "How to turn an interview into a Job". Within 3 interviews I had the job I wanted.

Glad you came to a settlement as you never gain back what you lose while on strike. While you're working you can always use that time to look for a better position, or you can just grow older and wish you had if worse comes to worse. Good luck to you and your family.

PC