Meeting with GP local union representatives in Pittsburgh prior to the USW Paper Bargaining Conference, International Vice President Jon Geenen gave an overview of bargaining and peered into the future.
“What happens at one local affects what happens in another local – no matter what union.”Geenen said.
“After 25 years of bargaining concessions,” he said, “We’ve made progress in paper. “We can’t simply look at bargaining as setting a date 60 days before contract expiration and scheduling a meeting,” he said. “That’s not how bargaining occurs. It is an exercise of building power.
He gave major credit to locations that were out in front in bargaining, with their memberships fully engaged and standing in Solidarity. “Building Power from the ranks below with full commitment of resources from the top is what it takes to achieve victory,” he said.
“We were losing the right to bargain collectively over health care,” he said. “Now we do not sign contracts where we do not have that right.
“In 2004 we had less than 50 successorship contracts and now we have 500.
“Where we had 75/25 on health care, we got employees backup to 80/20.
“Attacks on our defined benefit pensions have stopped.
“The frameworks (broad parameters of allowable agreements) are not the end game,” Geenen said. “As we develop the GP Council, it calls for rank & file leadership.
“Our biggest victory is that we’ve influenced the process,” he said. “We’ve changed the way GP bargains.”
Looking to the future, Geenen reiterated, “We will rebuild this council, coming out stronger. There’s enough leadership roles to go around for many rank & file members to get involved.”
Thursday, May 1, 2008
GP Union Conference delegates discuss regional meetings, building local union strength
Union delegates from Georgia Pacific-owned facilities spent the first morning of the conference in Pittsburgh April 28-29 talking about issues raised at the regional GP meetings earlier in the year around the country to get a clearer understanding of issues facing hourly workers.
Reports back from these regional meetings talked about the most serious problems now facing workers at GP. Union workers also came up with a united plan to begin address these issues as a group. With assistance from USW Strategic Campaigns staff, breakout groups discussed various ways we are building stronger communications networks so no one is left in the dark about union-company relations at any facility.
Additional ways of building power were discussed. More details will be discussed in future issues of this publication.
Reports back from these regional meetings talked about the most serious problems now facing workers at GP. Union workers also came up with a united plan to begin address these issues as a group. With assistance from USW Strategic Campaigns staff, breakout groups discussed various ways we are building stronger communications networks so no one is left in the dark about union-company relations at any facility.
Additional ways of building power were discussed. More details will be discussed in future issues of this publication.
Monday, February 25, 2008
GP/Dixie Workers in Easton Accept 4-year Deal with Retro Pay
GP/Dixie Local 412 in Easton, Pa., ratified a 4-year contract by a 282 to 37 vote after walking a labor agreement that expired Aug. 2, 2007. The settlement improves wages and benefits while limiting employees’ cost for health care and dental benefits to 25% of the premiums.
Workers are receiving a 2% wage increase retroactive back to Aug. 1, 2007 and three more 2% general wage increases each Aug. 1, through 2010.
Employee life insurance is increased to $29,000 with the entire cost paid by the company. Additional supplemental employee life insurance up to $50,000 (in increments of $10,000) may be purchased by employees. Dependent term life insurance is also available for spouses and
dependent children with costs paid by employees and premiums subject to change on an annual basis. This may be an important benefit for those unable to qualify for life insurance under general underwriting guidelines.
Weekly S&A benefits are increased to 60% of the employee’s regular straight time rate times 40 hours.
Pensions are increased to $25 per month per year of service, and increase $1 a year until the multiplier reaches $28 in the final year. The company also agreed to add 10% to the employer’s cost of maintaining present pension levels that would have otherwise faced reductions.
The safety shoe allowance is increased from $75 to $85 per calendar year, and smoking in the workplace ends Jan. 1, 2011.
Workers are receiving a 2% wage increase retroactive back to Aug. 1, 2007 and three more 2% general wage increases each Aug. 1, through 2010.
Employee life insurance is increased to $29,000 with the entire cost paid by the company. Additional supplemental employee life insurance up to $50,000 (in increments of $10,000) may be purchased by employees. Dependent term life insurance is also available for spouses and
dependent children with costs paid by employees and premiums subject to change on an annual basis. This may be an important benefit for those unable to qualify for life insurance under general underwriting guidelines.
Weekly S&A benefits are increased to 60% of the employee’s regular straight time rate times 40 hours.
Pensions are increased to $25 per month per year of service, and increase $1 a year until the multiplier reaches $28 in the final year. The company also agreed to add 10% to the employer’s cost of maintaining present pension levels that would have otherwise faced reductions.
The safety shoe allowance is increased from $75 to $85 per calendar year, and smoking in the workplace ends Jan. 1, 2011.
GP Fires Shift Worker for Safety Violation
A worker in Dubuque, Iowa, was fired a few weeks ago for his second violation of the lock out/tag out procedure over the previous 12 months.
He was a second shift worker who worked a lot of 12 hour shifts during his tenure.
According to company work rules in Dubuque, a one-year time frame is important because, “discipline steps become inactive after one year…”
GP employees who are written up for safety violations must be especially cautious to follow the rules, especially during the 12 months following the infraction.
While it may seem like a cloud hanging over your head, representatives of Local 1861-5 warn that discharge may result and these cases can be difficult to overturn. In this case, the worker left without asking any help from the union in regaining his job.
As all of our sites continue or go through “rapid transformation,” we need to be aware that working long hours can subject us to being disciplined for committing unintentional safety violations.
He was a second shift worker who worked a lot of 12 hour shifts during his tenure.
According to company work rules in Dubuque, a one-year time frame is important because, “discipline steps become inactive after one year…”
GP employees who are written up for safety violations must be especially cautious to follow the rules, especially during the 12 months following the infraction.
While it may seem like a cloud hanging over your head, representatives of Local 1861-5 warn that discharge may result and these cases can be difficult to overturn. In this case, the worker left without asking any help from the union in regaining his job.
As all of our sites continue or go through “rapid transformation,” we need to be aware that working long hours can subject us to being disciplined for committing unintentional safety violations.
Shutdowns Upset Workers, Spotlights Need For Job Security
Union workers are increasingly concerned about the wave of shutdowns announced by GP, and responding for now by fighting for the best deal possible for workers affected by the loss of jobs.
More news has arrived about GP’s plan to shut down the plant in Franklin, Mass. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, a union delegation visited state officials to nail down additional shutdown benefits, retraining and rehiring assistance for the 30 GP workers who have already been laid off and the remaining 60 workers who will be laid off in April. The Union negotiated severance pay and family health insurance until at least June and more.
At GP’s Suffolk, Va., saw mill, the temporary shutdown is to be made permanent, leaving approximately 15 workers laid off. The USW is bargaining with the company over this action and what it will mean for workers there.
A closing was also announced at the GP box plant in Batavia, Ohio. Union negotiations over effects bargaining are completed. The plant is scheduled to be shut down April 7, 2008
Union workers are seeking a way to discourage this corporate sell off of assets. It’s suspicious how the timing of these box plant closings coincides with hints that GP is buying Temple Inland,
which has 2 box plants not far from Batavia (Middletown and Marion, Ohio) and two box plants within 200 miles of the closing GP box plant in Franklin (Spotswood, N.J. and Scotia, N.Y.)
In the meantime, the USW and the GP Union Conference have made it a priority to assist those adversely affected to help them land on their feet. While the company goes through these business transformations, union workers want to have a seat at the table when decisions like this are being made. And while protecting workers rights in regards to seniority and other job security issues, we want to persuade the company into reinvesting in GP facilities for long-term viability.
More news has arrived about GP’s plan to shut down the plant in Franklin, Mass. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, a union delegation visited state officials to nail down additional shutdown benefits, retraining and rehiring assistance for the 30 GP workers who have already been laid off and the remaining 60 workers who will be laid off in April. The Union negotiated severance pay and family health insurance until at least June and more.
At GP’s Suffolk, Va., saw mill, the temporary shutdown is to be made permanent, leaving approximately 15 workers laid off. The USW is bargaining with the company over this action and what it will mean for workers there.
A closing was also announced at the GP box plant in Batavia, Ohio. Union negotiations over effects bargaining are completed. The plant is scheduled to be shut down April 7, 2008
Union workers are seeking a way to discourage this corporate sell off of assets. It’s suspicious how the timing of these box plant closings coincides with hints that GP is buying Temple Inland,
which has 2 box plants not far from Batavia (Middletown and Marion, Ohio) and two box plants within 200 miles of the closing GP box plant in Franklin (Spotswood, N.J. and Scotia, N.Y.)
In the meantime, the USW and the GP Union Conference have made it a priority to assist those adversely affected to help them land on their feet. While the company goes through these business transformations, union workers want to have a seat at the table when decisions like this are being made. And while protecting workers rights in regards to seniority and other job security issues, we want to persuade the company into reinvesting in GP facilities for long-term viability.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Naheola and Brunswick Reach Agreements
In light of the recent, unprecedented USW/GP framework agreement reached in large part to the ongoing solidarity at Naheola and Brunswick, the contracts at those two locations were recently settled. Here are some details -
USW Locals 950, 952 &966
NAHEOLA, ALABAMA
• Four year agreement
• Wages: two $1,000 payments for mill and converter, plus 2% and 2%
• Increases for mill job classifications
• Increase protective clothing and shoe allowance
• More retirement benefits, including full retirement at 60 years of age
• Funeral leave, add “step child” and great grandparents.
• Medical and dental plans converted to company plan 1/1/09, with employee contributions 25% of the premiums
USW Local 400
BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
• Four year agreement
• 1st year, 2%, 2nd year $1,000, 3rd Naheola and Brunswick Reach Agreements year 2%, 4th year $1,000
• Wage adjustments up to $1.50/hour
• Family health care and dental insurance converting to company plan
• Pension improvements for both plans, up to $50 per month per year of service
• Red circled jobs continue at increased wage rates (USW maintenance workers put back in production during reduction in workforce at previous rates of pay)
February 8, 2008
SOLIDARITY!
USW Locals 950, 952 &966
NAHEOLA, ALABAMA
• Four year agreement
• Wages: two $1,000 payments for mill and converter, plus 2% and 2%
• Increases for mill job classifications
• Increase protective clothing and shoe allowance
• More retirement benefits, including full retirement at 60 years of age
• Funeral leave, add “step child” and great grandparents.
• Medical and dental plans converted to company plan 1/1/09, with employee contributions 25% of the premiums
USW Local 400
BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
• Four year agreement
• 1st year, 2%, 2nd year $1,000, 3rd Naheola and Brunswick Reach Agreements year 2%, 4th year $1,000
• Wage adjustments up to $1.50/hour
• Family health care and dental insurance converting to company plan
• Pension improvements for both plans, up to $50 per month per year of service
• Red circled jobs continue at increased wage rates (USW maintenance workers put back in production during reduction in workforce at previous rates of pay)
February 8, 2008
SOLIDARITY!
Friday, January 11, 2008
GP Conference Adopts Groundbreaking Bargaining Framework
When Naheola, Brunswick and Cleveland entered negotiations, the Company’s bargaining pattern consisted of four year contract offers that included two small lump sums along with two-2% wage increases during the contract’s proposed four year term. The company was also advocating a corporate wide initiative to alter health care coverage to include ONLY consumer driven health care plans with very high deductibles that would only serve to limit our access to medical services. Widespread objections to the company’s proposal led to months of hard work by local unions at the bargaining table, coordinating bargaining and high level meetings that have now set the stage for a better deal at GP’s USW locations. As a result of your support and solidarity, we’ve achieved a new opportunity to establish improved contract standards.
On January 9, the GP Union Bargaining Conference agreed overwhelmingly to new bargaining standards that address concerns about box plants wages that have been suppressed for too long, but also address the need for improvement in the mill pattern as well. Most importantly, the new standards recognize the need for affordable health care, better pensions and assurances that what we bargain now will remain for the life of the contract and in place if a location is sold. Contracts failing to meet these goals will not be subject to ratification. The following basic standards will apply to contracts at mills and box plants for Agreements expiring in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Wages
Mills
** Mills in mid bargaining cycle (meaning that they have not bargained since beginning of cycle that included lump sums)—Year 1 - 2 %; Year 2 - $1000 lump sum; Year 3 - 2%; Year 4 - $1000 lump sum
** Mills, starting new bargaining cycle, 2%-1%-2%-1% at anniversary/18 mos/30 mos/40 mos.
Box Plants
**Effective immediately Box Plants 2%-2%-2%-2% on each anniversary date.
** Mills and Box Plants will receive retroactivity for timely ratification of agreements.
Health Care
**The company must not rate locations individually. Premiums to be based on claims experience of all GP employees enrolled in the same company-wide plan. For example, the current PPO will be evaluated using the experience of the same PPO plan. The GPABH plan will be based on experience of all participants enrolled in the same GP-ABH plan.
** Process for evaluating the comparability of network issues that arise from the change in plan administration and network, by exploring alternatives, including, but not limited to:
* Improving the current networks
* Securing other and/or additional network providers
* Addressing unreasonable disparities by treating out of network providers as “out of area” or
“in-network”.
** Transitioning for people who are pregnant or being treated for a serious health problem(s) to assure continuing coverage.
** Premium cost sharing - Mills at 75/25. Box Plants at 80/20.
** GP and the USW agree to explore additional incentives including a reduction of premium co-pays.
**GP and the USW agree to meet annually to review premium changes & discuss method to calculate.
**Retirees will continue to be eligible to purchase health care through the retiree medical health care plan at their own expense.
Pensions
Mills
** $50 benefit per month per year of all past and future services.
** PIUMPF (Naheola, as proposed; Halsey and Cedar Springs, to be handled comparably to Naheola).
Box Plants
**Improve by $1 per year in each year of the contract.
Non-waiver – Company must negotiate over changes to healthcare during the term of the agreement.
Successorship – Current nationwide contract language applies to all facilities, including Brewton.
January 11, 2008
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