First rule of negotiations
Be willing to actually get up and walk away! It's one thing to say it, but to actually do it...Well thats speaks volumes!
Now that the negotiations seem to be over with. I would like to welcome all the new partcipants to the Central States Plan. Well, that is after the vote count was verified by carefully appointed observers and then officially certified by the IBT.
I did read that Teamster Members are upset that non affected Teamsters are going to be able to vote on other Teamsters' future. I do have sympathy for them and I believe that only affected members should only be able to vote on concsessions that concern themselves and only themselves, but this is not unpresidented. Remember last contract, all UPS Teamster members were given the opprotunity to vote as to weather UPS could take 44,000 Fulltime members out of Central States Pension Fund. So why are some complaining now? Just an observation that I felt needed to be shared.
Here is something think to about. Unions are exempt from the Affordable Heath Care Plan, unlike companies such as UPS, at least for a few years. The way the Company plan was set up and operated, would never be allowed under Obama care. Therefore, UPS found it considerably cheaper to pay the union supply the health care! That way, they wash their hands of that whole mess! As of just a few weeks ago, I inquired about how much UPS pays Central States for our coverage. My BA told me it worked out to be over $1200 a month per full time employee. So the question is, how much is being paid out on behalf of each member in the company plan? When that is known, a comparrison can be made.
I thought the main objective here was to maintain equality with all members, I just didn't think they wanted to lower the coverage of 140,000 teamsters and their families to our level in order to to do so!
The customer service, in my opion, is very poor in Central States right now. Just imagine what it is going to be like when over 140,000 members + their family members are enrolled. Can you say Cluster friend--k!
Can't wait for the rest of the details!