AFL-CIO Support for Boeing Machinists
Strike
September 2, 2005 - The unions of the AFL-CIO are in full support of
the strike at Boeing by members of the International Association of
Machinists and Aerospace Workers. These 18,000 men and women are in
a very real sense fighting a fight for all working families.
At a time when nearly 46 million Americans are
without health insurance, Boeing tried to use scare tactics to
shift nearly $1,000 per year in health care costs to every
employee. And the company wants to jump on to national trends
by eliminating health care for future retirees, outsourcing
more mechanics’ jobs and shortchanging them on pension
benefits.
It is outrageous that this profitable company
refuses to meet the most basic needs of its workers, while
awarding millions of dollars in unrestricted stock to its
executives.
America needs good jobs – not worse jobs – and
the IAM machinists at Boeing are fighting for them. Despite
being offered $9,000 cash bribes and up to 15 days per year of
so-called “incentive” pay, the workers voted 86 percent to say
“no” --- and all of organized labor is behind them 100
percent.
Boeing IDS
Strike Sanction Vote
Union members from Wichita, Portland, and Seattle voted to sanction
a strike, if necessary, in the upcoming negotiations that begin
August 15, 2005 in Seattle. Members voted yes to the sanction by
98.5 percent. Record turnouts were reported in all three locations
emphasizing the importance of the upcoming negotiations.
Temporary Executive
Board Appointed
for Local Lodge 834
District 70 President/DBR Steve Rooney has appointed a temporary
Executive Board to continue the business of Local Lodge 834 until
elections can be held in December for a permanent Executive Board.
Appointees are: Ralph Stout - President, Craig Schiefelbein - Vice
President, Frank Lopez - Recording Secretary, Rich Ingalls -
Treasurer, Becky Ledbetter - Conductor/Sentinel, and David "Fonzy"
Robertson, Jo Wood, and Wayne Gifford - Trustees.
2005 Boeing Contract
Negotiators Appointed
Aerospace Coordinator Dick Schnieder has appointed the negotiators
that will attend negotiations in Seattle for negotiations between
Boeing Airplane Company and the Machinists Union. Your negotiatiors
are: President/DBR Steve Rooney - Main Table, Business
Representative Garland "Bear" Moore - Benefits Committee, President
Ralph Stout - Workforce Committee (contract language), and
Vice-President Craig Schhiefelbein - Jobs Committee. If you have an
issue for any of these committees you should get the information to
the committee person as soon as possible as we are trying to
coordinate with other locations on our issues. Stand behind your
negotiators and let them know that you are with them. A little bit
of encouragement goes a long way when you are far from home and
fighting for what is right.
Local Lodge 834
prepares for
contract negotiations with Boeing
Please refer any information or desires that you or your co-workers
have in the upcoming negotiations to your negotiators as soon as
possible. You can pass any information to them or drop it by the
local lodge at your convenience. The deadline for accepting job
upgrade requests is August 4, 2005. The committee meets in Seattle
August 8, 2005.
Article 23 - Income Continuation
or Lump Sum?
Many members have had questions regarding
their layoff benefits as defined in Article 23. In the event that
you are laid off, you will have two options with regards to you
negotiated layoff benefit.
Income Continuation - Income
continuation would allow you to receive your negotiated layoff benefit
every two weeks, just like a paycheck, until you have exhausted
your benefit. You must choose income continuation to keep your Cad
A recall rights intact if you wish to ever be recalled to Boeing.
Lump Sum Payment - A lump sum
payment would allow you to receive your negotiated layoff benefit
as one lump sum payment. Please remember, anyone who accepts a lump
sum payment at the time of layoff will lose their seniority rights
under Article 14 and recall rights under Article 22.
Question and Answer - Many Union
members have asked what would happen if we go on strike? Would I
still receive my negotiated layoff benefit or would my payments
be cut off? If the Union and the company cannot reach an agreement
and the Union goes on strike, there would be no contract agreement
after the expiration date of the contract. There is a possibility
that the company could decide to cut off the negotiated layoff benefit
at that time but it would strictly be a company decision.
To
read the current Article 23 contract language click here.
COBRA
In 1985, Congress enacted continuation
health care coverage requirements in the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation
Act (COBRA). COBRA requires that employers which sponsor group health
plans with 20 or more employees provide continuation coverage to
employees when those employees would otherwise become ineligible
for group medical coverage. This continuation coverage must be identical
to the coverage provided to employees under the plan. Qualified
beneficiaries under COBRA include the covered employee as well as
his/her spouse and dependent children.
The group health plan is required to
notify the employee and spouse of their rights under COBRA at the
time coverage commences with a qualifying event. Qualified beneficiaries
have at least 60 days to elect COBRA coverage. If COBRA coverage
is elected, medical expenses incurred during the gap between the
qualifying event and the end of the election period must be paid
or reimbursed by the group health plan. COBRA coverage extends for
at least 18 months after the qualifying event.
Qualified beneficiaries pay for COBRA
continuation coverage through premiums. For any period of COBRA
continuation coverage, a group health plan can require a qualified
beneficiary to pay an amount that does not exceed 102 percent of
the applicable premium for that period.
Click
below to read about the COBRA Act.
IAM
