http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1770221&nav=0Ra7M8Cj
Daniels Targets Democrats' Jobs Record
By Jim Shella
News 8 Political Reporter
The city of Marion is one spot that could well become a political battleground in this state.
Republican Mitch Daniels campaigned there Wednesday, one week after an appearance by Governor Joe Kernan.
Daniels brought his campaign to the closed Thomson factory in Marion where he made a new job creation proposal and then criticized the governor for doing too little, too late.
Coming to a place after the damage has been done and sprinkling tax dollars around is a nice gesture but is not a strategy, said Daniels. Driving the bus into the tree and then distributing aspirin to the injured is not an adequate response.
Union leaders for the displaced workers were among those listening. This is very insulting to our people, him making political hay on their misfortunes. It hasn't even been a month since the announcement, said David Ruhmkorff, IBEW.
I'm not sure state government's really responsible. It's not like this jobs are moving from Indiana to Illinois. These jobs are leaving because its 60 cents an hour in China, said Steve Rowland, IBEW member and former Thomson worker.
But Daniels brought more than criticism. He escorted a group of business leaders from Indianapolis and elsewhere to city hall. There they met with Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold to investigate ways to attract new jobs.
Governor Joe Kernan meantime offered a counterpoint in southern Indiana visiting a steel company in Princeton to highlight job growth there. I just wanted to come by and say thank you for their continued efforts and their continued partnership in helping to create jobs in Indiana, the governor said.
Daniels believes his message is the stronger one. It's been a terrible failure of our government not to have generated or attracted new jobs to replace those that are gonna be lost in our state, said Daniels.
Among Daniels' proposals, he is calling for a streamlined state permitting policy that he said would make sites including the Thomson factory "shovel-ready" for companies hoping to expand or relocate there. While other states were very busy diversifying their economies, throwing out the welcome mat to new kinds of businesses, we went asleep at the wheel, he said.
The unemployment rate in Marion is now over 13 percent. In surrounding Grant County it's over 10 percent. That compares to a statewide unemployment rate of 5.9 percent. That means that the folks in Marion can expect to be part of the focus in the race for governor for the rest of the campaign, like it or not.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
LU 317 (Huntington, WV) Acccepting Apprenticeship Applications
APPRENTICESHIPS: The Huntington Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee is accepting applications for electrician apprenticeships in Huntington.
Applications will be accepted at the IBEW Local 317 office at 1850 Madison
Ave. on the fourth Monday of each month from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on the fourth Saturday of January, March, June and August from 8 to 11 a.m.
Candidates must be at least 17 years old; be at least a high school graduate,
or have a GED or a two-year associate degree or higher; show evidence of
successful completion of one full year of high school algebra with a passing grade or one post-high school algebra course with a passing grade; and provide an official transcript for high school and post-high school education and
training. All GED records must be submitted if applicable.
An applicant must submit a DD-214 form to verify military training or
experience.
A $20 fee is charged to cover the cost of an aptitude test.
Applicants must have resided in the jurisdiction of the committee one year
before applying. The jurisdiction covers Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, Logan, Mason
and Mingo counties in West Virginia, Lawrence and Gallia counties in Ohio and
Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan, Pike
and Rowan counties in Kentucky.
Applications will be accepted at the IBEW Local 317 office at 1850 Madison
Ave. on the fourth Monday of each month from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on the fourth Saturday of January, March, June and August from 8 to 11 a.m.
Candidates must be at least 17 years old; be at least a high school graduate,
or have a GED or a two-year associate degree or higher; show evidence of
successful completion of one full year of high school algebra with a passing grade or one post-high school algebra course with a passing grade; and provide an official transcript for high school and post-high school education and
training. All GED records must be submitted if applicable.
An applicant must submit a DD-214 form to verify military training or
experience.
A $20 fee is charged to cover the cost of an aptitude test.
Applicants must have resided in the jurisdiction of the committee one year
before applying. The jurisdiction covers Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, Logan, Mason
and Mingo counties in West Virginia, Lawrence and Gallia counties in Ohio and
Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan, Pike
and Rowan counties in Kentucky.
IBEW LU 44 May Be Forced To Strike To Retain Payscale
NWE workers take step toward strike vote
By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
Gazette State Bureau
HELENA - With labor negotiations at a stalemate, members of the union representing 306 NorthWestern Energy workers in Montana voted unanimously this week to ask its international union leaders to sanction a strike.
This vote is not a strike vote, but it can set the stage for one later. It takes approval from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' international president for a local to go on strike, plus a supermajority vote of the members of IBEW Local 44, based in Butte. Local 44 members work on NorthWestern's electric transmission lines and natural gas pipelines.
The union's preliminary vote was Monday, with 85 percent of the 306 IBEW Local 44 members casting ballots, with everyone voting to seek the strike sanction. The vote followed bargaining sessions Thursday and Friday that failed to come up with a settlement.
Agreed on 39 issues
The next collective bargaining session is scheduled for April 30. The two sides have agreed on 39 issues but are at odds over the major topics of pay and health insurance.
If union negotiators can't agree on an offer worth sending to its members for ratification, then with the international leaders' approval, they likely will send out notice of a possible strike on May 31. Local union members have the final say whether to vote to strike or accept the offer.
"IBEW prides themselves as the strikeless union," said Don Hendrickson, business manager of Local 44. "To be able to strike, they make you jump through a lot of hoops."
The last IBEW strike in Montana was in the 1950s or 1960s, Hendrickson said, adding: "We hope we don't have one here."
"If we don't get something hammered out by May 1, we plan on giving them the 30-day (strike) notice that's required contractually and by federal law," Hendrickson said. "If we don't have a deal, we plan on mailing it on May 1. Some time after that 30 days, we may invoke a collective cessation of work, or we may not."
Continuing negotiations
In response, NorthWestern spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch said negotiations are continuing, with another bargaining session later this month.
She said NorthWestern, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganizing its finances, has proposed a wage freeze for all of its employees. However, she said NorthWestern offered union members a cash payment the first year and annual pay increases the next two years after the company emerges from bankruptcy. Neither she nor Hendrickson would discuss the specific details.
"The discussions are ongoing, and I would characterize the discussions as being very professional and straightforward," she said. "As always, we don't discuss the stage of our ongoing negotiations or what we have on the table."
As she understands it, Rapkoch said the IBEW vote to seek a strike sanction from its international union is more procedural than anything and something the union has done in the past.
"It's all part of the process they have to follow," Rapkoch said. "In the meantime, we're still in discussions with them and moving forward."
The union's electronic newsletter, The Communicator, said 88 percent of the union members rejected NorthWestern's last offer with a turnout of 90 percent of the members. The union rejected the pay freeze NorthWestern said it was giving non-union workers, saying the IBEW members were not responsible for the bankruptcy.
Union members rejected NorthWestern's 11th-hour offer of the cash bonus as of May 1 instead of a percentage annual pay raise, Hendrickson said.
The other major issue is the transition to a new health insurance plan, he said, with the union goal to come up with a cash-neutral method from how medical flexible dollars are now calculated to how they would be figured in the future. At least of one-third of the wage package and transition chart submitted by the union would go toward covering the health care transition costs in Montana.
"We know we need to make the transition," Hendrickson said. "We're trying to make a cash-neutral transition but we're not there yet. Their proposal works for some and not for others."
Hendrickson said non-union NorthWestern office workers and other non-union employees typically look to the IBEW-NorthWestern negotiations to see what kind of pay hikes they can expect.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
Gazette State Bureau
HELENA - With labor negotiations at a stalemate, members of the union representing 306 NorthWestern Energy workers in Montana voted unanimously this week to ask its international union leaders to sanction a strike.
This vote is not a strike vote, but it can set the stage for one later. It takes approval from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' international president for a local to go on strike, plus a supermajority vote of the members of IBEW Local 44, based in Butte. Local 44 members work on NorthWestern's electric transmission lines and natural gas pipelines.
The union's preliminary vote was Monday, with 85 percent of the 306 IBEW Local 44 members casting ballots, with everyone voting to seek the strike sanction. The vote followed bargaining sessions Thursday and Friday that failed to come up with a settlement.
Agreed on 39 issues
The next collective bargaining session is scheduled for April 30. The two sides have agreed on 39 issues but are at odds over the major topics of pay and health insurance.
If union negotiators can't agree on an offer worth sending to its members for ratification, then with the international leaders' approval, they likely will send out notice of a possible strike on May 31. Local union members have the final say whether to vote to strike or accept the offer.
"IBEW prides themselves as the strikeless union," said Don Hendrickson, business manager of Local 44. "To be able to strike, they make you jump through a lot of hoops."
The last IBEW strike in Montana was in the 1950s or 1960s, Hendrickson said, adding: "We hope we don't have one here."
"If we don't get something hammered out by May 1, we plan on giving them the 30-day (strike) notice that's required contractually and by federal law," Hendrickson said. "If we don't have a deal, we plan on mailing it on May 1. Some time after that 30 days, we may invoke a collective cessation of work, or we may not."
Continuing negotiations
In response, NorthWestern spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch said negotiations are continuing, with another bargaining session later this month.
She said NorthWestern, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganizing its finances, has proposed a wage freeze for all of its employees. However, she said NorthWestern offered union members a cash payment the first year and annual pay increases the next two years after the company emerges from bankruptcy. Neither she nor Hendrickson would discuss the specific details.
"The discussions are ongoing, and I would characterize the discussions as being very professional and straightforward," she said. "As always, we don't discuss the stage of our ongoing negotiations or what we have on the table."
As she understands it, Rapkoch said the IBEW vote to seek a strike sanction from its international union is more procedural than anything and something the union has done in the past.
"It's all part of the process they have to follow," Rapkoch said. "In the meantime, we're still in discussions with them and moving forward."
The union's electronic newsletter, The Communicator, said 88 percent of the union members rejected NorthWestern's last offer with a turnout of 90 percent of the members. The union rejected the pay freeze NorthWestern said it was giving non-union workers, saying the IBEW members were not responsible for the bankruptcy.
Union members rejected NorthWestern's 11th-hour offer of the cash bonus as of May 1 instead of a percentage annual pay raise, Hendrickson said.
The other major issue is the transition to a new health insurance plan, he said, with the union goal to come up with a cash-neutral method from how medical flexible dollars are now calculated to how they would be figured in the future. At least of one-third of the wage package and transition chart submitted by the union would go toward covering the health care transition costs in Montana.
"We know we need to make the transition," Hendrickson said. "We're trying to make a cash-neutral transition but we're not there yet. Their proposal works for some and not for others."
Hendrickson said non-union NorthWestern office workers and other non-union employees typically look to the IBEW-NorthWestern negotiations to see what kind of pay hikes they can expect.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises
IBEW Wins TV Anti-Dumping Complaint
Final ruling fails to surprise
www.chinaview.cn 2004-04-20 09:46:16
BEIJING, April.20 (Xinhuanet) -- Although it was expected, the final ruling by the US Department of Commerce on anti-dumping charges related to Chinese colour TV sets still disappointed Chinese TV manufacturers.
"We have prepared for such a decision as we know one in our favour is almost impossible given the current climate in the United States. But it is still very hard to accept the unfair ruling," said Liu Haizhong, spokesman for Changhong, a major domestic TV maker.
With the US presidential election looming, President Bush has been on the defensive because of the loss of some 1.8 million manufacturing jobs since he took office, and Chinese products, analysts say, are easy to blame.
But all the TV makers said they will spare no efforts in obtaining a fair result eventually and will not withdraw from the US market.
Although these final rates have decreased sharply from the department's preliminary dumping margins, the Chinese industry said that is because the preliminary margins were calculated based on inacurate inforamtion.
The department calculated the preliminary dumping rate on the figures provided by a website, which are groundless and unauthoritative.
Fu Donghui, a lawyer from the AllBright Law Office, who co-operated with US law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, successfully negotiated the duty rate on Xiamen Overseas Chinese Electronic Co (Xoceco), a major TV maker, from 31.7 per cent to 4.35 per cent by highlighting many faults in the department's calculation.
"A ridiculous example is that the department calculated transportation costs from Xoceco to the shipping port using air freight costs while the two are just 2 kilometres apart," Fu said.
These kinds of miscalculations are not uncommon in the department's anti-dumping cases.
Most of the troubles result from a Chinese concession for entering the World Trade Organization (WTO), which allows other countries to treat China as a non-market economy for 15 years after its entry.
By defining China as a non-market economy, the department uses the cost of production in a surrogate country, where material and labour costs are much higher than in China, to calculate the normal value of Chinese exports.
This time, the United States chose India as the surrogate country despite the fact that China's TV industry is highly competitive.
In fact, Changhong, Konka, TCL, Xoceco, Haier, Philips, and Skyworth have asked the department to recognize the Chinese TV industry as a market-oriented industry (MOI).
But the departmetn has refused the request, saying the Chinese TV industry, which may be the TV manufacturing industry experiencing the most fierce competition in the world, failed to meet its MOI test.
The department MOI test requires the following: There should be virtually no government involvement in production or pricing; the industry should have private or collective ownership that behaves in a manner consistent with market considerations; and producers should pay market-determined prices for all major inputs, and for all but an insignificant proportion of minor inputs.
The department said the data provided by the respondents strongly suggest that the Chinese TV industry does not satisfy the second prong of the MOI test.
Fu said no Chinese industry, even with a high degree of private ownership, has been regarded as a MOI by the department.
Now domestic TV makers are placing their hope on a fair decision by the US International Trade Commission (ITC), though they know their chances of a favourable decision may be slim.
The duties will not be finalized until the US commission rules on whether the US television industry has been hurt by the imports. Its final decision is expected on May 27.
Xoceco, which already receives the lowest duties, is one of the companies pinning its hopes on the commission.
Li Yong, general manager of the Xoceco's Overseas Trading Co, is not satisfied, even getting the lowest dumping rate in the ruling, because he says the way is unfair.
"Though the rate will not have a large impact on our business, we will continue to seek a final ruling we deserve," Li said.
"What we hoped for was that the figure would be zero, since actually the US market is very profitable for us."
The United States' two largest television retailers also urged the commission to kill anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made colour TVs.
Kevin O'Connor, vice-president in charge of home entertainment products for Wal-Mart, said Chinese televisions serve a low-end segment of the US market that domestic producers are not interested in supplying.
"We believe that these TVs do not compete with domestically produced colour televisions and have not had any adverse effect on the domestic colour TV producers," O'Connor told the commission.
He said Wal-Mart purchased a large volume of Chinese TVs in 2003 primarily for its "Thanksgiving Blitz" a one-day promotion where it offered low-end TVs at rock-bottom prices to bring customers into its stores at the start of the holiday season.
Bill Cody, vice-president of Best Buy Co, the second-largest television retailer after Wal-Mart, said his company stocks Chinese-made TVs year-round under the brand name Apex.
The Chinese sets do not steal sales from domestic producers, who are "focusing on higher-tech, value-added products that are the future of the TV industry and not the bottom end of the market," Cody said.
Some TV makers are looking ahead and say they will file a court case with the US Court of International Trade if the commission fails to give what they consider a fair ruling.
Since there have been precedents of positive outcomes for Chinese manufacturers in other sectors, TV makers are still hopeful.
Nine apple juice from concentrate makers from China won a case against the department for its anti-dumping ruling in February.
The US Court of International Trade ruled that the tariff rate for four of the nine companies will be zero, and those for another five companies will be less than 4 per cent.
In the original department ruling, these makers had to pay anti-dumping duties as high as 51.74 per cent.
In fact, the move to slap tariffs on Chinese TVs could end up hitting US consumer wallets while lending a hand to Japan's Sony and Toshiba, whose establishments in the US are now the main producers of TV, which pushed US brands such as Zenith and RCA into obscurity.
Labour unions at Sanyo Manufacturing in Arkansas, Sharp Electronics in Tennessee and Toshiba America in New Jersey all Japanese firms played a role in the case against Chinese TV makers.
Their moves led to a wide-spread suspicion among the China industry that Japanese companies were behind the case led by Five Rivers Electronic Innovations, two labour unions, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the International Union of Electrical, Electronic, Furniture and Salaried Workers (IUE-CWA).
Five Rivers is an electronics assembly factory but has no TV brands.
Whatever the outcome of the cases against Chinese TV makers, Li from Xoceco said they will honour existing contracts with American customers and will also further expand into the US market because of its great potential.
Han Facai, an official from Konka's Brand Management Centre, said Konka has achieved export increases of 235 per cent year-on-year and 198 per cent year-on-year in January and February this year, despite the anti-dumping investigation.
"We will continue with plans to increase market share in the US," Han said.
Yu Haitao, the director of Hisense's Information Department, said Hisense has adjusted its company strategy in response to the anti-dumping charges.
"First, we have gradually switched from colour TVs to LCD (liquid crystal display), PDP (plasma display panel), and Digital TV products to avoid the margins. Second, we will further our co-operation with overseas enterprises, such as our strategic co-operation with US Digital Television Channel to export digital TVs to the US market." Yu said.
He estimates that Hisense will ship a total of 400,000 digital TVs under this strategic co-operation, of which 11,500 units have already been delivered in the first quarter and another 10,000 units will be shipped this month.
"Third, Hisense will establish manufacturing facilities overseas, such as within North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) members as well as in Europe and Iran" Yu said.Enditem
www.chinaview.cn 2004-04-20 09:46:16
BEIJING, April.20 (Xinhuanet) -- Although it was expected, the final ruling by the US Department of Commerce on anti-dumping charges related to Chinese colour TV sets still disappointed Chinese TV manufacturers.
"We have prepared for such a decision as we know one in our favour is almost impossible given the current climate in the United States. But it is still very hard to accept the unfair ruling," said Liu Haizhong, spokesman for Changhong, a major domestic TV maker.
With the US presidential election looming, President Bush has been on the defensive because of the loss of some 1.8 million manufacturing jobs since he took office, and Chinese products, analysts say, are easy to blame.
But all the TV makers said they will spare no efforts in obtaining a fair result eventually and will not withdraw from the US market.
Although these final rates have decreased sharply from the department's preliminary dumping margins, the Chinese industry said that is because the preliminary margins were calculated based on inacurate inforamtion.
The department calculated the preliminary dumping rate on the figures provided by a website, which are groundless and unauthoritative.
Fu Donghui, a lawyer from the AllBright Law Office, who co-operated with US law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, successfully negotiated the duty rate on Xiamen Overseas Chinese Electronic Co (Xoceco), a major TV maker, from 31.7 per cent to 4.35 per cent by highlighting many faults in the department's calculation.
"A ridiculous example is that the department calculated transportation costs from Xoceco to the shipping port using air freight costs while the two are just 2 kilometres apart," Fu said.
These kinds of miscalculations are not uncommon in the department's anti-dumping cases.
Most of the troubles result from a Chinese concession for entering the World Trade Organization (WTO), which allows other countries to treat China as a non-market economy for 15 years after its entry.
By defining China as a non-market economy, the department uses the cost of production in a surrogate country, where material and labour costs are much higher than in China, to calculate the normal value of Chinese exports.
This time, the United States chose India as the surrogate country despite the fact that China's TV industry is highly competitive.
In fact, Changhong, Konka, TCL, Xoceco, Haier, Philips, and Skyworth have asked the department to recognize the Chinese TV industry as a market-oriented industry (MOI).
But the departmetn has refused the request, saying the Chinese TV industry, which may be the TV manufacturing industry experiencing the most fierce competition in the world, failed to meet its MOI test.
The department MOI test requires the following: There should be virtually no government involvement in production or pricing; the industry should have private or collective ownership that behaves in a manner consistent with market considerations; and producers should pay market-determined prices for all major inputs, and for all but an insignificant proportion of minor inputs.
The department said the data provided by the respondents strongly suggest that the Chinese TV industry does not satisfy the second prong of the MOI test.
Fu said no Chinese industry, even with a high degree of private ownership, has been regarded as a MOI by the department.
Now domestic TV makers are placing their hope on a fair decision by the US International Trade Commission (ITC), though they know their chances of a favourable decision may be slim.
The duties will not be finalized until the US commission rules on whether the US television industry has been hurt by the imports. Its final decision is expected on May 27.
Xoceco, which already receives the lowest duties, is one of the companies pinning its hopes on the commission.
Li Yong, general manager of the Xoceco's Overseas Trading Co, is not satisfied, even getting the lowest dumping rate in the ruling, because he says the way is unfair.
"Though the rate will not have a large impact on our business, we will continue to seek a final ruling we deserve," Li said.
"What we hoped for was that the figure would be zero, since actually the US market is very profitable for us."
The United States' two largest television retailers also urged the commission to kill anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made colour TVs.
Kevin O'Connor, vice-president in charge of home entertainment products for Wal-Mart, said Chinese televisions serve a low-end segment of the US market that domestic producers are not interested in supplying.
"We believe that these TVs do not compete with domestically produced colour televisions and have not had any adverse effect on the domestic colour TV producers," O'Connor told the commission.
He said Wal-Mart purchased a large volume of Chinese TVs in 2003 primarily for its "Thanksgiving Blitz" a one-day promotion where it offered low-end TVs at rock-bottom prices to bring customers into its stores at the start of the holiday season.
Bill Cody, vice-president of Best Buy Co, the second-largest television retailer after Wal-Mart, said his company stocks Chinese-made TVs year-round under the brand name Apex.
The Chinese sets do not steal sales from domestic producers, who are "focusing on higher-tech, value-added products that are the future of the TV industry and not the bottom end of the market," Cody said.
Some TV makers are looking ahead and say they will file a court case with the US Court of International Trade if the commission fails to give what they consider a fair ruling.
Since there have been precedents of positive outcomes for Chinese manufacturers in other sectors, TV makers are still hopeful.
Nine apple juice from concentrate makers from China won a case against the department for its anti-dumping ruling in February.
The US Court of International Trade ruled that the tariff rate for four of the nine companies will be zero, and those for another five companies will be less than 4 per cent.
In the original department ruling, these makers had to pay anti-dumping duties as high as 51.74 per cent.
In fact, the move to slap tariffs on Chinese TVs could end up hitting US consumer wallets while lending a hand to Japan's Sony and Toshiba, whose establishments in the US are now the main producers of TV, which pushed US brands such as Zenith and RCA into obscurity.
Labour unions at Sanyo Manufacturing in Arkansas, Sharp Electronics in Tennessee and Toshiba America in New Jersey all Japanese firms played a role in the case against Chinese TV makers.
Their moves led to a wide-spread suspicion among the China industry that Japanese companies were behind the case led by Five Rivers Electronic Innovations, two labour unions, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the International Union of Electrical, Electronic, Furniture and Salaried Workers (IUE-CWA).
Five Rivers is an electronics assembly factory but has no TV brands.
Whatever the outcome of the cases against Chinese TV makers, Li from Xoceco said they will honour existing contracts with American customers and will also further expand into the US market because of its great potential.
Han Facai, an official from Konka's Brand Management Centre, said Konka has achieved export increases of 235 per cent year-on-year and 198 per cent year-on-year in January and February this year, despite the anti-dumping investigation.
"We will continue with plans to increase market share in the US," Han said.
Yu Haitao, the director of Hisense's Information Department, said Hisense has adjusted its company strategy in response to the anti-dumping charges.
"First, we have gradually switched from colour TVs to LCD (liquid crystal display), PDP (plasma display panel), and Digital TV products to avoid the margins. Second, we will further our co-operation with overseas enterprises, such as our strategic co-operation with US Digital Television Channel to export digital TVs to the US market." Yu said.
He estimates that Hisense will ship a total of 400,000 digital TVs under this strategic co-operation, of which 11,500 units have already been delivered in the first quarter and another 10,000 units will be shipped this month.
"Third, Hisense will establish manufacturing facilities overseas, such as within North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) members as well as in Europe and Iran" Yu said.Enditem
LU 688 pickets Bucyrus Coomunity Hospital for standard wages and benefits for workers there
Picketers protest at 2 hospitals
By Lisa Miller
Telegraph-Forum staff
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 688 say they picketed two Crawford County hospitals Monday because they want more money and benefits for a Galion company's employees.
The company's owner says the wages he pays are based on merit and he just wants to get the work done.
Lynda Wenzel, president of the union local, and three fellow electricians were holding signs as they stood in front of Bucyrus Community Hospital.
"They're paid under the prevailing wage," she said of the Carter Electric employees who are working on an expansion project at Galion Community Hospital and doing renovation work at the Bucyrus facility.
Union electricians make around $25 an hour, Wenzel said, charging that Carter's employees are paid less than that and should get better benefits.
"The work is so hard," she said, "Hard on the body" and workers need "to have something to retire with."
Local 688 represents about 200 electricians in seven counties, including Crawford and Richland. Skies were dark off and on throughout the morning, but Wenzel said the pickets would be in front of the hospital until about 1 p.m.
An electrician for 35 years, Fred Claus said the work has "been good to me. It's raised my family."
He has participated in pickets before, explaining, "I help out when I can."
A third-generation electrician, John Carter is the owner of the company started by his grandfather before World War II.
"Our wages that I pay my people are based on merit, which is ability," he said, explaining that an apprentice is paid a lower wage than a journeyman who has been on the job for years.
He has 12 employees who also receive health insurance benefits, paid holidays, paid vacations and drive company trucks.
Noting his company was awarded the hospital job through competitive bidding, Carter said, "We're very happy to be doing the job."
Asked why his company was targeted by the union, Carter said, "I don't know. They would rather have their people in there doing the job than us ... We have done the electrical work at the hospital for years and years and years and years. I think we've got a good reputation for doing quality work.
"I don't want any problem with them," Carter said. "They have their right to voice their opinion. We're doing the job. That's what we want to do."
Bucyrus Community Hospital spokesman Jay Scott said, "Bucyrus Community Hospital recognizes the rights of individuals and organizations to freely speak and demonstrate their feelings about issues. We appreciate the way the representatives of I.B.E.W. Local 688 are conducting themselves as they communicate their message.
"Because this is a matter between Local 688 and Carter Electric, Bucyrus Community Hospital will not answer any questions about the issue. While we hear and understand the message being communicated by this event, for your health the work on the renovation and expansion of Bucyrus Community Hospital will continue as planned."
lkmiller@nncogannett.com
419-563-9222
By Lisa Miller
Telegraph-Forum staff
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 688 say they picketed two Crawford County hospitals Monday because they want more money and benefits for a Galion company's employees.
The company's owner says the wages he pays are based on merit and he just wants to get the work done.
Lynda Wenzel, president of the union local, and three fellow electricians were holding signs as they stood in front of Bucyrus Community Hospital.
"They're paid under the prevailing wage," she said of the Carter Electric employees who are working on an expansion project at Galion Community Hospital and doing renovation work at the Bucyrus facility.
Union electricians make around $25 an hour, Wenzel said, charging that Carter's employees are paid less than that and should get better benefits.
"The work is so hard," she said, "Hard on the body" and workers need "to have something to retire with."
Local 688 represents about 200 electricians in seven counties, including Crawford and Richland. Skies were dark off and on throughout the morning, but Wenzel said the pickets would be in front of the hospital until about 1 p.m.
An electrician for 35 years, Fred Claus said the work has "been good to me. It's raised my family."
He has participated in pickets before, explaining, "I help out when I can."
A third-generation electrician, John Carter is the owner of the company started by his grandfather before World War II.
"Our wages that I pay my people are based on merit, which is ability," he said, explaining that an apprentice is paid a lower wage than a journeyman who has been on the job for years.
He has 12 employees who also receive health insurance benefits, paid holidays, paid vacations and drive company trucks.
Noting his company was awarded the hospital job through competitive bidding, Carter said, "We're very happy to be doing the job."
Asked why his company was targeted by the union, Carter said, "I don't know. They would rather have their people in there doing the job than us ... We have done the electrical work at the hospital for years and years and years and years. I think we've got a good reputation for doing quality work.
"I don't want any problem with them," Carter said. "They have their right to voice their opinion. We're doing the job. That's what we want to do."
Bucyrus Community Hospital spokesman Jay Scott said, "Bucyrus Community Hospital recognizes the rights of individuals and organizations to freely speak and demonstrate their feelings about issues. We appreciate the way the representatives of I.B.E.W. Local 688 are conducting themselves as they communicate their message.
"Because this is a matter between Local 688 and Carter Electric, Bucyrus Community Hospital will not answer any questions about the issue. While we hear and understand the message being communicated by this event, for your health the work on the renovation and expansion of Bucyrus Community Hospital will continue as planned."
lkmiller@nncogannett.com
419-563-9222
IBEW LU 2228 settles with NAV CANADA
NAV CANADA Announces IBEW Arbitration Award
OTTAWA, April 21 /CNW/ - NAV CANADA announced today the successful
conclusion of collective bargaining with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, IBEW Local 2228, the company's third largest union, representing electronics technologists, installation technicians, electronics maintenance specialists, technical operations coordinators, and instructors. This binding settlement came by way of interest arbitration, through an award issued by a tri-partite board, chaired by Kenneth Swan, Arbitrator.
The award resulted in a five-year collective agreement, dated from
September 1, 2000 to August 31, 2005.
This brings to seven the number of collective agreements that have been finalized by NAV CANADA and its unions in the current round of bargaining. In addition to IBEW Local 2228, NAV CANADA has concluded collective agreements with the Association of Public Services Financial Administrators, the CAW/Canadian Air Traffic Control Association, the CAW/Air Traffic Specialists, the Canadian Federal Pilots Association, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Only one collective agreement, currently in conciliation, is outstanding.
NAV CANADA, the country's provider of civil air navigation services, is a non-share capital, private corporation with operations coast to coast providing air traffic control, flight information, weather briefings, aeronautical information, airport advisory services and electronic aids to navigation.
No: 10/04
OTTAWA, April 21 /CNW/ - NAV CANADA announced today the successful
conclusion of collective bargaining with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, IBEW Local 2228, the company's third largest union, representing electronics technologists, installation technicians, electronics maintenance specialists, technical operations coordinators, and instructors. This binding settlement came by way of interest arbitration, through an award issued by a tri-partite board, chaired by Kenneth Swan, Arbitrator.
The award resulted in a five-year collective agreement, dated from
September 1, 2000 to August 31, 2005.
This brings to seven the number of collective agreements that have been finalized by NAV CANADA and its unions in the current round of bargaining. In addition to IBEW Local 2228, NAV CANADA has concluded collective agreements with the Association of Public Services Financial Administrators, the CAW/Canadian Air Traffic Control Association, the CAW/Air Traffic Specialists, the Canadian Federal Pilots Association, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Only one collective agreement, currently in conciliation, is outstanding.
NAV CANADA, the country's provider of civil air navigation services, is a non-share capital, private corporation with operations coast to coast providing air traffic control, flight information, weather briefings, aeronautical information, airport advisory services and electronic aids to navigation.
No: 10/04
IBEW LU 272 Mansfield Ohio votes on "best and final" offer
Mansfield IBEW workers vote on 'best, final' offer
SHIPPINGPORT - IBEW union workers at the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant were
voting on the "best and final" contract offer from plant owner First Energy Corp. Friday.
First Energy spokesman Mark Durbin said the 360 operations and maintenance
workers in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 272 "are
the only ones right now that are not contributing" to their health benefits
package. First Energy recently settled with a clerical group and a lineman union,
and both accepted increased participation by employees in the health plan.
The offer would provide a three percent increase in each of the first two
years of the new contract, said Durbin. Bruce Mansfield IBEW members have been working under terms of an expired contract while negotiating a new pact. They rejected a company offer March 19.
Their three-year contract with First Energy expired on Feb. 15. The
coal-fired plant employs about 500 people total.
The amount of employee contribution toward health insurance coverage
reportedly has been the main point of dispute.
SHIPPINGPORT - IBEW union workers at the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant were
voting on the "best and final" contract offer from plant owner First Energy Corp. Friday.
First Energy spokesman Mark Durbin said the 360 operations and maintenance
workers in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 272 "are
the only ones right now that are not contributing" to their health benefits
package. First Energy recently settled with a clerical group and a lineman union,
and both accepted increased participation by employees in the health plan.
The offer would provide a three percent increase in each of the first two
years of the new contract, said Durbin. Bruce Mansfield IBEW members have been working under terms of an expired contract while negotiating a new pact. They rejected a company offer March 19.
Their three-year contract with First Energy expired on Feb. 15. The
coal-fired plant employs about 500 people total.
The amount of employee contribution toward health insurance coverage
reportedly has been the main point of dispute.
Friday, April 23, 2004
3rd Circuit Court of Appeals Strips NLRB Protection from Americans Temporarily Working in Canada
Appeals Court: NLRB Only Covers U.S.
Thu Apr 22, 8:49 PM ET
Add U.S. Government - AP to My Yahoo!
By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA - The National Labor Relations Board has no power to sanction U.S. companies for unfair labor practices committed outside the nation's borders, even when the violations involve Americans working abroad, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.
The ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals barred the labor board from taking action against a Pennsylvania company that fired two tree trimmers after they complained about work conditions while cleaning up storm damage in Canada six years ago.
Some of the workers for Asplundh Tree Co. complained their daily stipend for living expenses wasn't enough to cover the cost of their food. Two of the employees were fired, and told to find their own way home back to the United States.
A judge later ruled that Asplundh had engaged in unfair labor practices. The National Labor Relations Board ordered the company to rehire the men and remove any reference to improper conduct from their personnel files.
In Thursday's ruling, the three-judge panel determined that the National Labor Relations Act — which gave the board power to intervene — does not apply to employees working temporarily outside the United States.
Asplundh Tree's primary business is helping utility companies keep their power and phone lines clear of hanging branches.
Messages left with attorneys for the company, as well as the National Labor Relations Board, were not immediately returned Thursday evening.
Thu Apr 22, 8:49 PM ET
Add U.S. Government - AP to My Yahoo!
By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA - The National Labor Relations Board has no power to sanction U.S. companies for unfair labor practices committed outside the nation's borders, even when the violations involve Americans working abroad, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.
The ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals barred the labor board from taking action against a Pennsylvania company that fired two tree trimmers after they complained about work conditions while cleaning up storm damage in Canada six years ago.
Some of the workers for Asplundh Tree Co. complained their daily stipend for living expenses wasn't enough to cover the cost of their food. Two of the employees were fired, and told to find their own way home back to the United States.
A judge later ruled that Asplundh had engaged in unfair labor practices. The National Labor Relations Board ordered the company to rehire the men and remove any reference to improper conduct from their personnel files.
In Thursday's ruling, the three-judge panel determined that the National Labor Relations Act — which gave the board power to intervene — does not apply to employees working temporarily outside the United States.
Asplundh Tree's primary business is helping utility companies keep their power and phone lines clear of hanging branches.
Messages left with attorneys for the company, as well as the National Labor Relations Board, were not immediately returned Thursday evening.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)