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Right to Work for Less
Bob Newhouse
What is Right to Work for Less?
Right to Work for Less is basically an amendment to our State Constitution that prevents the placement of a security clause in your Labor agreement with a Union company.
The Security clause is the language in your contract that states all people hired by a particular company must become union members. Otherwise known as a closed shop.
The “Colorado Peace Act” is the current legislation in Colorado that governs the organization of a company under a union contract. First an election must be taken by the union to see that a majority of the people at a particular work location wish to be represented by a particular labor organization. Once the workers have elected to have such representation, then a second vote must be taken on the implementation of a closed shop, (the security clause). The vote must be won by a 75% majority.
By regulation, each person hired by a particular company must be informed that they are being hired by a Union company where Union membership is a condition of employment. At that point anyone not wishing to work for a Union company can refuse to take employment and is free to seek employment elsewhere.
UPS hourly employees can find the Security Agreement in their contract under Article 3 Section 2 entitled Union Shop and Dues on page 6 of the National Master United Parcel Service Agreement.
What does a closed shop mean to you?
Let’s start off with the basics. Each person that works beside you is also a union employee. You each have the same rights, (no more, no less). You each make the same wage for the same work. You each have the same right not to be singled out for more severe discipline than the other. You each have the exact same right to Union representation under the contract. You each contribute through your dues for the costs associated with these rights.
Additionally you each have the same wage and benefit package negotiated by your Union. You each pay for those costs through your dues also. As you are aware, UPS has the best pay and benefit package in the small parcel industry. Fed-Ex the other major player in this industry, (besides the Post Office), pays their people up to 5 dollars an hour less for similar positions. Additionally, their pay and benefit package can be changed at the whim of management. You have paid your Union to provide you with that level of quality in your compensation package. The person beside you has made the same payments.
 When the Union speaks with one voice at the negotiating table, that voice is very strong. Divide that voice, reduce the financial health of that voice, and you successfully weaken that voice at the bargaining table. It is a constant competition at the bargaining table for strength and power. So far the Union has been strong because it speaks with one voice. Obviously Corporate America would like to see that change. Right to Work for Less is an attempt to weaken that voice.
Additionally, with Right to Work for Less, Federal regulation requires the Union to represent non-dues paying members at the same level as you, the dues paying member, creating a class of freeloaders within the company at your expense thus reducing the quality of your representation.
If you wish to maintain a strong voice and maintain quality pay and benefits for the hard work you do then get involved with your Union this summer and fight out-of-state corporate interests who are trying to change the Colorado constitution. We have done pretty good for ourselves here in Colorado without outside interfence. But now the National Right to Work for Less groups want to change all that. Union members need to stand together this election and protect our way of life in Colorado for ourselves and our children.
In America
Southern Exposure
Bob Newhouse
Ahhh, a touch of spring at last. Even though in the more southern part of the Metro area there aren’t any green trees or grass, but you can tell it’s thinking about it.
 We’ve had a busy month in the South Building with one grievance going all the way to the deadlock committee. Without going into details, it’s just mind-boggling. The company was allowed to change their entire case at the JAC’s and the ruling wasn’t even about the original issue presented on the grievance. We still don’t know what the rules are regarding timeliness for filing after discipline is issued. What a joke. People’s politics sure change things at that level. Meanwhile a Union Member gets screwed.
The latest battles are at the low end of the seniority list with our wonderful economy causing a drop in volume. The drop is causing the elimination of some routes, and the distribution of others. The big question is what rights a driver has when their route is split up. If they are the senior driver they should have first choice of which portion to follow, and so on down the line. The guy at the end has to work as directed, and unfortunately the bottom senior people could be subject to the layoff provisions in the contract. Of course our politicians in Washington say we aren’t in a recession, but I can see it in the back of my truck.
The other big issue has been the pension changes, particularly with the high seniority drivers that can leave in the not too distant future. Many of them have put in for a pension estimate to see where they are with the benefits at the time of their “termination” from the company. There are many hours questions, and vacation qualification questions. The best source I have found is right here in the pages of Denverbrown. Check the archives if you don’t see what you’re looking for.
The Steward as a Political Activist
The steward has the responsibility to make the members aware of political affairs that effect their livelihood and social well-being, including keeping them informed as to legislation that affects the collective bargaining process and climate. the steward should also become involved in politics by helping on campaigns of labor-endorsed candidates. Listed below are the things the steward should do and know to fulfill the role of political activist and suggestions as to how to do them:
1. Keep members informed about political events. Know pending legislation..locally and nationally.
2. Register and vote. Our nation cannot remain democratic without the participation of the people.
3. Encourage everyone in your department to vote. Ask every member if they are registered and if not, help them get registered.
4. Email your representatives and encouage others to do so. Know your representatives and how to email them.
5. Work on campaigns of labor candidates. Know who has been endorsed and why.
6. Promote the political action of your union. Know the political position your union.
Here are some tips on how these things are done. Read newspapers and union literature, such as the AFL-CIO News, The Legislative Alert, and your international paper, so that you understand the issues from a labor perspective. Attend education programs that address the issues. Volunteer to work on a phone bank, knock on doors, stuff envelopes or pass out fliers for a labor endorsed candidate. Join an email action alert program like the AFL-CIO acitivist network. Participate in "actions" organized by your union, such as rallies and marches. Distribute union literature to all members.
Being a political activist can be fun and rewarding. And this year especially, it's vitally important.
IBEW Local 1613
So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains
And we never even know we have the key.
Eagles
Trans. Secretary Promotes Pilot Trucking Program
Denver, CO -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said Tuesday a pilot program allowing American and Mexican truckers to drive products across the border has been good for business.
Peters said efforts to end the pilot program are misguided. At a meat packaging plant in Denver, she said transferring beef and other products to different trucks at the border costs time and money.
"As a result, every slab of beef, every bushel of cabbage and every sack of potatoes leaving this state for Mexico has to come to a complete stop north of the border while they are loaded onto Mexican trucks driven by Mexican drivers before heading south," she said after touring the Maverick Ranch Natural Meats facility.
 The North American Free Trade Agreement gave Mexican trucks greater access to U.S. roads in 1995, but opposition from labor and safety groups had kept them off most U.S. roads. The roads were opened to a few trucks only when the pilot program began last September.
Mexican and U.S. drivers panned the program because of concerns that truckers in the other country would be at a competitive advantage, and Peters has been fighting an appeal by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the program.
Earlier this month, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., called for an investigation into why the federal government was spending money on the pilot program, saying Congress prohibited spending money on the program last year.
"When Congress passes a law that says no funds can be used for this program, we mean no funds can be used for this program," Dorgan said. "The Department of Transportation cannot simply pick and choose which laws they want to follow and which laws they want to break."
But Peters defended the program Tuesday, citing businesses benefits.
"It is hard to understand why anyone would choose a time like this to slam the door on growth and profits for U.S. businesses," Peters said.
News4
Know Your Contract
Your contract is divided into 2 parts. The first section is the National Master Agreement and the second part is the Central Region Supplement. Everyone should get a copy of the new agreement reached in 2002 and read through it. Here is an example of what it says.
Article 17, ......National Master Agreement
Paid for Time...........Vacation Checks
All employees must receive their vacation pay in a separate check before taking vacation. Vacation checks for an employee who is taking a properly scheduled vacation...will be at the operating center on Monday of the week prior to the employee's
vacation week(s). This is to ensure that the employee receives his/her pay prior to taking his/her vacation. The employee will be shown his/her check upon request, but will not receive the check until the regular shceduled pay day.
So far this new language has not achieved its goal. It was meant to give employees a look at their vacation check on the Monday before their vacation week, so that if the check was incorrect, then UPS could fix it and issue the correct check on the Friday before the employee's vacation.
It works like this.... the check comes in on Friday 2 weeks before your vacation and you are supposed to be allowed to look at it on Monday of the week before your vacation. But when the check comes in, the company cannot tell it from your regular weekly pay check and so they give you both checks on that Friday, 2 weeks before your vacation.
I suppose you should open them both, keep your paycheck, verify that your vacation check is correct and then give it
back to them and they should issue it to you again on the following Friday, the day before you start your vacation. But instead, they are letting us keep the check, so in effect you are getting your vacation check now two weeks before your vacation. While you could give it back to them for reissue the following Friday, those on automatic deposit find that it has been deposited into their account already anyway, so giving it back is a moot point.
This language is creating problems and needs to be addressed.
Is Wal-Mart Helping You "Live Better?"
On April 5th, the WakeUpWalMart.com campaign will celebrate three years of making Wal-Mart a more responsible company. It's been a grueling fight for substantive change at Wal-Mart. And, for all of the movement's success, we still have one question for you.
Is Wal-Mart helping you "live better?"
Your tax dollars are still subsidizing Wal-Mart's health care crisis. Your good jobs are still being shipped overseas so Wal-Mart can import over 70% of its goods from communist China. Your neighbors are still earning poverty-level Wal-Mart wages so America's richest family can line their pockets with Wal-Mart's $12 billion in profits.
Are you living better yet?
This year, we can't settle for anything less than real change from Wal-Mart. We know change won't come unless we work together to bring our campaign's message to new audiences in new ways. That's why we're launching the first in a series of new WakeUpWalMart.com videos: "Living Better." Please, do your part and pass it along.
Are You Living Better Yet?
Wake Up Wal-Mart
DRIVE...How it started
"In 1959, the Teamsters launched DRIVE...... Democrat, Republican, Independent Voter Education..... the political action and legislative arm of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. DRIVE was born in the aftermath of anti-union legislation such as the Taft-Hartley Act and Landrum-Griffin Act when it became clear that political and legislative action was required for the survival and prosperity of the union.
 Josephine Hoffa, wife of the General President Jimmy Hoffa (and mother of current President James Hoffa, Jr.), was the guiding force that initiated the DRIVE program. The October 1963 issue of the Teamster magazine had this to say about Mrs. Hoffa: “To the Teamsters movement, she symbolizes the woman in politics to protect economic gains her husband has won at the bargaining table and on the picket line…Jo Hoffa symbolizes the wife of the working man who stepped forward to meet the political challenge of the times and to put DRIVE into ACTION.”
It's important in any year, but most important in an election year, to be active in the political success of the labor movement. If you aren't already giving to DRIVE, you can get involved by contacting your Steward or Business Agent. Even if you only give a couple of dollars a week, this amount when comibined with the contributions of thousands of other Teamasters, adds to making a strong Union Voice. Whether you like or not, politics is the only game in town.
Get in the game.
Get Involved
Sign up for Local 455 Teamster Alerts
A Steward's Advice
"It's important to remember, because we (the members) are the union, and what we say in front of outsiders matters. It's okay, in fact it's vital, that we have different views within our union, but we should always remember that in making careless statements that make the union look bad, we give away some of the strength to protect our rights on the job.
If you have any problems or questions with the way your local union is run, or any concerns about your rights in the workplace, please address them to your steward or local executive board directly. You may find out that more is being done than you think. Or you may find that your steward or executive board hasn't been made aware of the problem previously, in which case, you can make them aware.
Our union will work much better when we become involved and give the process a chance to work."
Howard Hall, Willow Grove UPS facility
If you can’t take the problem to a logical conclusion, take it to an illogical conclusion. Then offer the logical conclusion as a way to settle the problem. It works every time.
Bob Newhouse
"I Trust the American Workforce"
You know, the best-run companies, I notice, are the ones that are not afraid of union drives, because they know that if they've got a cooperative workforce that feels it's got a stake in the company's success, that that company will end up over the long term being more successful and more profitable...
 The Employee Free Choice Act, I'm a huge supporter of, and I intend to sign it when I'm President of the United States of America...
One of the things I think you're seeing in the union movement is a greater maturity and understanding that if the company doesn't make a profit, it doesn't matter what your contract says, they're gonna shut down. Right? So the union has to constantly be working with management to figure out how do we make the company more profitable, how do we make it more efficient, how do we innovate, how do we incorporate new technologies. And if you've got that attitude, then I trust the American workforce. I believe we can compete with anybody in the world...
What we do have to be sure of is that our strategy for long-term economic growth is not just to drive down wages, eliminate benefits, and boost corporate profits at the expense of workers. That's not a recipe for long term economic growth. A strategy for long-term economic growth is making sure that workers, alongside management, are continually adding value, and getting more skills, getting better training, creating new, innovative technologies; that's gonna be the recipe for long-term success. And my job as President is going to be to encourage that partnership and to continually invest in workers.
Barak Obama
Posted by Jason Lefkowitz on the CTW Blog
Work Safe
Supervisor Gave Out 'Urine Bags' To Cut Down Bathroom Breaks
DENVER -- Union officials in Colorado say a Qwest supervisor tried to cut down on lengthy bathroom breaks by telling workmen to use disposable urinal bags in the field.
The manager distributed the bags to 25 male field technicians, telling them not to waste time leaving a job site to search for a public bathroom, the Rocky Mountain News reported Thursday.
"We deal with a lot of silliness in corporate America, but you've got to admit, it takes the freakin' cake," Reed Roberts, an administrative director at the Communications Workers of America District 7, told the newspaper.
Roberts did not return a message left by The Associated Press.
Qwest spokeswoman Jennifer Barton said, "There's no policy whatsoever" requiring field technicians to use the bags.
 "They are there for convenience, and they are there because employees asked for them," she said.
The union has not filed a grievance, Barton said, and she could not discuss the details of the allegations from the communications company's field worker in the sparsely populated area near Montrose.
Roberts said he had complained to Qwest's corporate labor relations department. He said the company has made an issue of the amount of time wasted by workers returning to the garage or central office for bathroom breaks.
But he said it appears this manager "took it upon himself to cut down on the time technicians spend to go to the bathroom."
Neither Roberts nor Barton gave the name of the supervisor involved.
Qwest and other companies have for years offered portable urinal bags to workers who could find themselves in the field far from a bathroom.
The bag's manufacturer, American Innotek, said it provides the bags to various industrial companies, including electric utilities, municipal public works and telephone companies.
7News
Ballot Initiatives Aim to Raise Colorado Turnout In '08
Here in Colorado - a major swing state in a major swing region - conservatives are championing a so-called "right to work" ballot initiative in hopes of driving up conservative turnout and keeping Colorado in Republican hands in the presidntial election. As I've shown in previous posts, "right to work" initiatives are designed to undermine the labor movement and decrease workers' wages. And a statewide poll shows that when Colorado voters learn about the initiative, they oppose it.
Why would the right in Colorado push such an unpopular anti-worker initiative in the face of a recession? Part of it has to do with sheer incompetence. The Colorado Republican Party is now run by Dick Wadhams - the same "guru" who ran George "Macaca" Allen's campaign, effectively ending the Virginia senator's career. Additionally, conservatives in Colorado - like conservatives nationally - are losing their grip on power, and when that happens extremism tends to become prevalent.
There's even more good news for progressives than the right's strategic idiocy: Labor unions are using the ballot initiative process very smartly. Specifically, unions are proposing a series of ballot initiatives that are putting the right in a very uncomfortable position. In recent years, unions have been on the defensive, and what labor is doing out here in Colorado could serve as a national model for other states looking to go on the progressive offensive.
Read the whole column here for the details of what's going on, and what the national implications could be.
The Denver Post
Monkey Sex
Know Your Contract
Your contract is divided into 2 parts. The first section is the National Master Agreement and the second part is the Central Region Supplement. Everyone should get a copy of the agreement reached in 2002 and read through it.
Where to Find Things in the Contract Book
Your Cheat Sheet
UPS/Teamster Contract and Central States Supplement 2002-2008
Topic
Article #
Page#
1. 401k Plan.........................................................29, sec. 3................................70-71
2. 6th&7th day work............................................12, sec. 9.................................184
3. 8-hour request.................................................19, sec. 3.................................197-198
4. 9.5 day.............................................................12, sec. 1.................................181-182
5. Accidents.........................................................18, sec .3.................................46-47
6. Air Drivers.......................................................40, sec. 1&2,4.........................121-128,132
7. Air Drivers wages...........................................40, sec. 6.................................133
8. Air Hub.............................................................40.............................................128-132
9. Breakdown/Road Closure.............................10.............................................177
10. Bumping..........................................................3, sec. 9..................................164
11. Cost of Living COLA.....................................33..............................................72-74
12. Customer complaints....................................17..............................................196
13. Disability payments.......................................14, sec. 7-8..............................187
14. Discharge and suspension...........................17.............................................194-196
15. Doubles/triples pay rate................................19, sec. 8.................................199
16. Early start time...............................................12, sec. 2,6 .............................182-183
17. Employee working off the clock....................17, sec. 3..................................42-43
18. Excessive rides..............................................37, sec. 2.................................114-115
19. Extra work........................................................3, sec. 16................................170
20. Fair Day's Work, Fair Day's Pay..................37.............................................113
21. Feeder driver bid change............................... 3, sec. 13...............................167-168
22. Funeral leave..................................................29, sec. 2..................................69-70
23. Grievance procedure......................................5, sec. 1..................................172-173
...................................... 7.............................................19
24. Harassment.....................................................37, sec. 1-2-3.........................113-115
25. Holidays.........................................................15..............................................187-188
26. Hours of work.................................................12, sec. 1..................................181-182
27. Innocent until proven guilty............................. 7................................................19
28. Jury duty..........................................................29, sec. 1...................................68-69
29. Laid off feeder drivers...................................19, sec. 2...................................197
30. Loss of driver’s license.................................16, sec. 3.1-3.3.........................36-39
.....................................35, sec. 1-2...............................79-80
31. Maternity leave...............................................16, sec. 4...................................39-40
32. Meals and breaks..full time............................18..............................................196-197
33. Mechanics personal tools..............................19, sec. 4.................................198
34. Medical examinations....................................29, sec. 1-4...............................58-60
35. Mileage pay rates...........................................43, sec. 3..................................144
36. New hire orientation.........................................1, sec. 1...................................155-156
37. Option day.......................................................15...............................................188
38. Package car driver..bidding procedure.........3, sec. 8...................................162-163
39. Package car driver..returned to building......19, sec. 6...................................198
40. Package car driver..route change..................3, sec. 9...................................163-164
41. Package car driver..bid coverage jobs..........3, sec. 18................................171
42. Paid for time.....................................................19, sec. 1.................................197
.......................................17..............................................42-43
43. Paid holidays....................................................15, sec. 1-2..............................187-188
44. Part time............................................................22, sec. 1-5..............................61-64
45. Part time breaks...............................................11, sec. 6.................................180
46. Part time employees........................................11, sec. 1-7..............................178-180
47. Part time transfer to full time..............................3, sec. 10...............................164-165
........................................11, sec. 2.................................179
48. Pay periods..........................................................8, sec. 1................................176..
49. Penalty pay........................................................17...............................................42-43
50. Picket line........................................................... 9, sec. 1,3................................27-28
51. Resignation..........................................................2............................................157-158
52. Safety and health rules......................................13, sec. 1-2............................184-185
........................................18.............................................43-58
53. Seniority...............................................................3, sec. 1-7.............................158-162
54. Sleeper teams...................................................43.............................................140-144
55. Stewards.............................................................4...............................................12-14
........................................21..............................................60
.........................................5..............................................172-174
56. Struck goods..................................................... 9, sec. 2....................................27
57. Start time..........................................................12, sec. 4.................................182-183
58. Subcontracting...................................................1.................................................1
........................................26.............................................66-67
........................................32.............................................72
59. Supervisors working..........................................3, sec. 7................................10-11
..........................................1, sec. 2................................157
60. Temporary alternate work (TAW)...................14, sec. 2.................................33-34
61. Tractor trailer school..........................................3, sec. 14..............................168-170
62. Uniforms............................................................42............................................139
......................................... 6............................................175-176
63. Unsafe equipment............................................18, sec. 1................................44-45
64. Vacations..........................................................16.............................................189-194
65. Wages/part time...............................................22, sec. 5................................63-64
66. Wages/full time..................................................41, sec. 2...............................136-137
67. Wages/feeder mileage pay.............................43, sec. 3...............................144
68. Workers comp..................................................14, sec. 1.................................32-33
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April 2008
