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Here it is again, in case you know it alls on the PICKET LINE OUTSIDE THE GATE didn't get it the first time or the second ......

MILITARY AIRCRAFT CENTER/FLIGHT OPS UPDATE

Continuous good progress reported with all aircraft in the hangar and in final assembly. All lead aircraft are fully staffed and working in final assembly, testing and inspections. Close coordination continues with the Program Office and the DCMA to ensure that our customers' needs are being met.

Critical fleet item requirements continue to be delivered, including Coast Guard and Navy (H-60) Main Rotor Blades and dampers. Close to 1,000 items have been delivered to the war fighter since the labor action began.

Stratford Precision Operations is delivering main modules to WCS -- a critical spare item needed to support the war fighter. The team met its MRP requirements for BLACK HAWK spindles and cuffs in the month of February. Both the Spindle and the Cuff cells operated at full-rate production last week. Over the weekend, an S-92 main gearbox was delivered to an off-shore oil operator. The delivery occurred three days earlier than expected.

Precision Ops is recording “lessons learned� that will lead to more productivity. To date, they have recorded more than 60 “lessons learned� opportunities.

“SPARES� OPERATIONS HIGHLIGHTS

• We have processed more than 900 deliveries to customers since the strike began.

• Kitting operations are at full volume, especially for kits headed to military units in Iraq and for repairs at CCAD.

• Critical spares are being shipped to support all customers.

• Offload packaging operations with Beta Logistics has increased significantly, and will continue to grow in volume and scope.

An improved shipping process has been coordinated to enable direct shipment to USG customers from Beta Logistics.

WEST PALM BEACH UPDATE

Crews continue their work on UH-60Ms, MH60Ss (including a final engine installation, which will happen today) and on S-76 and S-92 aircraft.

Lord knows that management had lessons to learn. They basically ignored us when we tried to alert them to issues that needed dealing with. Now that they have to try to do the job themselves, they are finding out that we were not just blowing smoke up their behinds. If nothing else comes of this situation, at least they have a chance to see what the problems are for themselves. Hopefully, they will then deal with those issues, but I will not hold my breath waiting for the solutions to take effect.

As for the benefits or lack thereof emanating from the current state of trade unionism, I have long held that companies that have unions generally deserve them. If a company knows how to treat its people, and does so fairly and equitably, unions generally are not needed. Unfortunately, this company does not follow that scenario. The last nails in the coffin of the notion of a family friendly company were driven in by the alternate work week proposal (thankfully pulled from the table) and the health care issue. As an example of a company that once treated its people well, up until the 90's Delta Airlines did not have a union. They didn't need one, and people in the industry wanted to work for them, because they knew how to treat their people. They got good pay, good benefits and good treatment from management. When the company was in a bind, the employees got together, chipped in, and bought the airline a brand new L-1011 Tristar. Who ever heard of employees getting $28,000,000 to buy a company a major capital investment? I could not see that happening here before this current debacle, and it certainly will not happen now. Unfortunately, new management took over Delta, and the employees brought in a union to deal with the new situation, resulting in the sorry state Delta is in now. If management deals with its people fairly and equitably, even with a union, there is no need for this kind of nonsense. When they start throwing inside curve balls at us, we do what we must to deal with the situation.

Before the vote, I felt and said that neither side was in a strong position to be playing this kind of hardball. I feel even more strongly that this is still the case. We offered the company several ways out of this dilemma. They refused us flatly. They made the bed, they can sleep in it.

It is no longer just the shareholders that companies exist for. There are several constituencies that companies have to answer to. The shareholders are but one. Management's responsibility is not so much to ensure the success of the company but its survival. To do this, it must balance the conflicting claims of all the stakeholders. These stakeholders include the customers, suppliers, owners, employees and the communities. The rights of all these stakeholders are valid with respect to management responsibility, and due respect must be given them. In fact, each must have due say in matters that affect their welfare. This is what we are trying to do here. Since management failed to listen and act upon our just concerns, action was necessary on our part. The employee constituency spoke on February 19th. The company needs to hear us instead of treating us as the lower forms of life that hourly employees have often been treated as.

With regard to the alternate work week, that was a VOLUNTARY program that was designed to offer any NECESSARY overtime to the people who WANTED it while allowing those who didn't want it the choice to choose a work schedule that would allow them an extra day off each week. They were willing to pay you for 40 hours, even though you wouldn't actually be working all 40 hours. This arrangement would have given you extra time with your family, so don't go claiming Sikorsky doesn't care about family. And I repeat, it was VOLUNTARY.

God grant me the serenity
to accept that the company doesn't need me;
courage to face my wife and children when they take our house;
and wisdom to find the unemployment line.

The alternate work week was not a bad idea if it was to work as it was suppossed to. My concern is that it would cut out the O.T. for the people that really do need it. That would of been interesting to see how it worked. I wouldn't mind having a little extra time off, but not like I have off now.

As for "Zenith", I know him and the situation he got himself into. He deserved to be fired. Forge a Dr.s note then harass the supervisor to put it in. Stupidity got him fired. He wasn't right either, constantly following around the new, younger female employees and making coments to other how he prefers young girls, but it wouldn't suprise me if the union gets him back in one day. If they managed to get the oxycontin ring back in this shouldn;t be a big problem.

As for the union getting people back in that shouldn't, they are damn good at it. That is why every slacker you see is hardcore pro union. Anyone remember the guy from Milford, Rich Strich I believe? He was fired for threatening to kill his forman. The union made a deal with HR to get him his job back, but in the meantime, he was arrested for shooting his wife who was also an hourly employee. The union should have just hired an outside source for negotiations because it is obvious they are only good at protecting the useless and deranged.

No more unemployment line, it is now all done online.

I'm practicing to be a poet just for a backup plan if I don't get my job back.

Since someone brought it up: Anyone remember the oxycontin ring? reinstated with back pay no less.
Why did the union save these people? Talk about conspiracy, why would the union save them unless it was for their benefit. The customer knew about this, don't you think we lost our big contract because of this.

It's your union, stop the corruption.

In response to the above... Why did the union
save these people??... Why is O.J. out playing golf??

Teamsters Local 1150 began a strike against Sikorsky Aircraft on Monday, February 20th over the company's failure to negotiate over healthcare benefits. The company introduced a package that initially doubles members' up front contributions in the first year and triples them by the third year. This huge increase in the burden upon the members will pay for a plan that drastically reduces coverage. 80/20 insurance with stop losses of $3,500 per year for a family under the best scenario. Doctor visit co-pay increases and huge increases for prescriptions that do not count toward the stop losses or deductibles make this an unaffordable offer. The company introduced this package more than 6 months prior to negotiations and informed the union that it would never change. The union offered to keep the coverage the same as it was under the old contract by taking money out of wages or ratification bonuses to pay for the difference in plan costs. The company rejected this offer. The cost difference that the company is refusing to allow workers to pay?... 31 cents per hour!

Does this mean you want me to explain the medical plan again?

If any of this holds any truth at all. The interesting part is that all this is being done with people not doing their own jobs….. gee I might not be the sharpest pencil in the drawer, but it should be noticed whose jobs actually do need to be done to get aircraft out the door…. My guess is not yours!

NO NEED, Thank you. It makes me sick!

Four workers were discussing how smart their dogs were. The first was an engineer who said his dog could do math calculations. His dog was named "T-Square", and he told him to get some paper and draw a square, a circle and a triangle, which the dog did with no sweat. The accountant said he thought his dog was better. His dog was named "Slide Rule". He told him to fetch a dozen cookies, bring them back, and divide them into piles of three, which he did with no problem. The chemist said that was good, but he felt his dog was better. His dog "Measure" was told to get a quart of milk and pour seven ounces into a ten ounce glass. The dog did this with no problem.
All three men agreed this was very good and that their dogs were equally smart. They all turned to the union member and said, "What can your dog do?". The Teamster called his dog whose name was "Coffee Break" and said, "Show the fellows what you can do". Coffee Break went over and ate the cookies, drank the milk, went to the bathroom on the paper, claimed he injured his back while eating, filed a grievance for unsafe working conditions, applied for Workmen's Compensation and left for home on sick leave.

What does a Teamster say to a snail? "Hey, why you been following me around all day."

Why do the Teamsters have a horse in their logo? It's the only animal that can sleep standing up.

How can you tell a Teamster's kid on the playground? He's the one standing around watching the other kids play.

What is the last thing Jesus Christ said to the Teamsters?
"Don't do anything 'till I get back."

Gotta give credit where it's due! TOO FUNNY...

about time we got a little humor here

Maybe they should put that on their picket signs, great one Brother Ben

I work on Constitution Blvd. in Shelton and I don't understand how the Sikorsky union is crying poverty. They have taken over virtually every restaurant on the River Road where they settle in to eat and drink like kings. It's to the point that we don't have time to have lunch and get back without being late. To make things worse, they loiter in the parking lots smoking giant cigars which emit an absolutely disgusting smell which we have to walk through to get to the car. I think they should ALL get back to work!!!

We are sorry Sarah that this is a free country and smokers are still able to smoke outside. We also need to eat lunch too, maybe we should starve so you can get to your precious food a little quicker.

I'm sorry but this has probably been the most uncalled for complaint I have heard yet.

Alternate work week voluntary my aching back. The plan was to ELIMINATE overtime at the expense of the ability to see our families. Those of us on Second Shift have enough trouble getting family time. 4 ten hour shifts (or 3 twelves) and no overtime would really screw things up.

On March 13th, 500 former Local 1150 Teamsters will cross the picket line as sub-contracted employees (Yellow badges), creating a chain reaction of resignations from Local 1150. Within 30 days time, that number will expand to 2500 employees and continue until...Game over!

If you believe that, I have a fine selection of East River bridges you might be interested in for a reasonable price.

First off, for the record, I'm the wife of one of the people you lovely union folks are calling "scab", "a**hole", "scum" to name just a few. To me, he's just a hard-working salaried supervisor at Sikorsky, trying to do his job and take care of his family. Your fight is not his fight, nor should it be, and you could have some common decency to recognize that, instead of harassing the people that HAVE to go to work or be fired.
That said, I work in the insurance industry (oh no!), and having read all of the messages on this blog, I am amazed at some of the absolute crap I'm seeing passed off as fact. Does anybody in the union ever read a newspaper???? Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, in large part due to an aging population and also to America's utilization of healthcare. We as a country are used to free access to healthcare ~ well it ain't free anymore (it never was). Now it's time to pay the piper. The old answer was HMO's ~ but that didn't contain costs. Now it's cost-shifting and making employees foot more of the true cost, and it's happening nationwide. IT'S NOT JUST AT UTC OR SIKORSKY. You might not like it, you might not think it's fair, but IT IS THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW. I agree with the many messages about how healthcare in this country needs a serious overhaul, but I believe this is a long, long way off. And THAT'S an issue that is going to be uglier than any part of this strike.
I hope there can be some kind of resolution to this mess soon; for everyone's sake. God Bless.

When the company is doing poorly we are asked to tighten up our belts and suck it in. And we do. Does it make sense that we should "suck it in" when the company's belt is bursting open with work and money ? Is it really fair to not only charge us more for health ins. , but to cut the coverages as well ? We all know what corporate greed smells like . How about you Mr./Mrs./Ms. human resource advisor ? What about you Mr. low level manager w/ two kids and a wife ? Do you really think its fair to have your benefits cut while our vp's collect thier bonus checks for all your hard work they took credit for. Come on now forman , how many of you like the raw deal you recieved when the company told you that your $7,500 health ins. bridge will no longer be available . No one is asking for a winning powerball ticket here ! We only want what is fair . Remember this one , "Think safe , think family..." ? I would never treat my family this way and niether would you ! We all want to go back to work . Most of us even like our jobs and the people we work with ! Sikorsky and UTC should do the right thing and stop playing with our lives over .31 cents an hour . And finally , lets not forget about our service men and women at home and abroad who count on our helicopters to carry them safely on thier missions , weather it is attacking a terrorist training camp or evacuating a small child to a hospital. They need us back as well and we will be there for them ! God bless us all !

Pay more for less.....Would you ?

Well......would you like it if your Chevy dealer said we are going to raise your car payment and make your Silverado a Cavalair. Get the point ?

I already do (the family is on my insurance). But I'll tell you one thing, now that more of the cost is coming out of our budget, we ask doctors a LOT more questions about what is really necessary. And I sure as heck don't go to the doc for every sniffle.

In reply to "Striker One": Out of 3600 Teamsters, six (6) crossed the picket line to be turned away by security on the first day of the strike. Do you seriously think there will be a "conga line" of FIVE HUNDRED (500) crossing on March 13th? The "game" has just started. You're dreaming.

Knighthawk ... do you really have to fight your hubbys battles for him? I mean does this man really need you for a mouth piece? Or is that just the way it is for him in work too? Does make ya wonder.

Dear SupersWife, With the UTC/CIGNA healthcare plan, you would have no need to ask your doctor ANY questions about what is "really necessary". UTC will ultimately decide what level of care and treatment you receive based on cost! Yes... it's quite a comprehensive plan... as long as you don't become ill or suffer a serious injury! STAY HEALTHY ALL.

Boy, don't you just love it when the dirty laundry gets put out in public view?
Don't forget people that this is a PUBLIC forum, with thousands of people reading it, quite possibly more.

Just one more word of advice from personal experience... Many of the promising medications, treatments, and medical devices widely used in Europe are considered "experimental" in the U.S. until they are approved by the F.D.A. Approval often takes years. The UTC/CIGNA healthcare plan WILL NOT pay for any medical care/treatment which has this classification, regardless of its proven success in other countries.

Well people, guess what they did now? The word on the street is that in addition to the incident below, guess what happened now???

Again this is just, the word on the street, don’t have any hard facts here. Feel free to comment my salary brothers & sisters.

As I received a termination letter recently, company policy no longer applies so I can BLOGG AWAY!

Someone who obtained a P.I.V. license from a bubble gum machine damaged an aircraft in the Military Hangar.

D.C.M.A. HAS THEM SHUT DOWN! I hope the Skipper doesn’t get sacked over this. If it’s true it’ll be a hell of a way to end an otherwise great military career.

OH WELL, You know what they say, "LIVE BY THE FINGER, DIE BY THE FINGER!" I can recall a time when our brothers had choppers stacked like cordwood, (ah ha, All Of The Good Hangar Stackers Are Outside Stacking Cordwood). Not as much as a scratch would get put on those choppers.

What I want to know is how can the do this they only had 4 birds in the hangar, & don’t tell me the place is banging them out. The assembly line is a ghost town, the salary workers that are there are demoralized, & don’t want to be there!

SCORE ANOTHER ONE FOR THE UNION! GOOOOOO TEAM
UNION – 2
COMPANY - 0

Does any one have any info on this is this for real? Did this actually happen or is this the teamsters propaganda mill on steroids? I found in another blogg:

http://forum.connpost.com/picketline/archive/2006/02/week_1_large_pe.html#comments

Does one of our salaried bloggers care to COMMENT ON THE GROUND STRIKE THAT OCCURED THIS WEEK. Yes you are reading correct a ground strike on the flight field. Apparently without the benefit of one of our N.A.T.O.P.S. TRAINED & CHECK RIDE CERTFIED brothers in the Back to hold thE piloT back, the pilot Hit the stabilator on the Flight fIeld. How he was able to do that with out packing it into a smok’iN hole in the Ground I’ll never know. I just hope someone is held accountablEfor this I heaRd the FAA is investigating D.C.M.A must be livid.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 25, 2006 07:29 PM

Boy that slowed the board down!

Posted by: Anonymous at February 25, 2006 07:34 PM

Get your facts straight.

Posted by: From Salaried Employee at February 25, 2006 07:36 PM

STILL NO REPLIES????????????WHAT GIVES HERE In AVIATION THE LAWS OF PHYSICS RULE , as some are learning the hard way!

Posted by: Anonymous at February 25, 2006 07:37 PM

Again, get your facts straight. What you are describing is not 100% truthful. I cannot elaborate more today, except to say your comments are not 100% accurate.

Posted by: From Salaried Employee at February 25, 2006 07:38 PM

O.K. SO just what are the facts? Tell Us.

COME ON TELL US!!!!!!!

Posted by: Anonymous at February 25, 2006 07:39 PM

Posted by: Anonymous at February 26, 2006 11:45 AM

For those salaried employees who condemn and tell us, teamsters members local 1150 to search our souls about the type of people we are and what we are doing. I ask you to do much the same for what you are doing. Do you cross thru the picket lines taking our so called abuse to perform duties for a company that you love and respect? Do you cross thru the picket lines dealing with our so called ignorance and obscene gestures so you can perform the duties of a job you love for a company you love or is it that you bear another burden, to have to cross our picket line to work for an employer you FEAR? Your loving employer has mandated no time off of any kind. I’m well aware of a company that tells you when you can take your so called entitlements, I spent 12 years of my 29 as a salaried employee. When was the last time you used personal time not vacation to be part of your Childs school function, you do get personal time, or used your vacation time when you were out sick because it would reflect better on you. You do or don’t do those things out of FEAR of your employer. I just wonder what your new management would think of you using company time and computers to participate in bashing the hourly work force. My impression of hutton and finger is that they are performance oriented not kiss ass oriented. What are you people going to do if you are actually expected to perform a function in a timely cost effective way? Just what you needed, more FEAR. To my union brothers and sisters, we all have our own views and opinions, everyone’s situation is different and voted accordingly. Unfortunately the insurance at the time of the vote was not as big a deal to me since I have a wife that works and is offered a much better plan, you can guess how I voted. It was not out of fear of a strike, fortunately my daughters are out of college and I can financially weather it but because I only thought of myself and my situation. Being out of work and talking and understanding my union brother and sisters situations, not always agreeing, makes me feel I voted wrong. In conclusion yes we are opinionated and strong headed and at times your typically stereotyped factory worker, yet we don’t go to work out of fear of our employer. We have the Horses and procedures to protect us, including the NLRB and the labor board and know how to use them. Most importantly 3600 low life, ignorant and obscene union members have rallied together for a common cause, something 3600 FEARING salaried employees will never do.

P.S. The word employer stands for Sikorsky/UTC not your spouse.

USMCWIFE made a good point yesterday about the larger implications (i.e., to our military) of this strike. Certain members of the union (not everyone, rest assured, but a large number) have proved so self-interested and myopic that they probably care little about the impact their actions are having on our country during a time of national crisis (actually, crises).

But there's something else implicit in USMCWIFE's post that perhaps the union members should care about:

It is very possible that the Boeing aircraft her husband flies was, not too long ago, referred to as a McDonnell-Douglas aircraft. Not sure if anyone remembers, but MD had its share of union problems too - particularly at the Long Beach, CA facility. The union was one of the several factors (and a pretty large factor, to boot) that drove the company into such financial distress that it had to sell itself to Boeing. Perhaps the Sikorsky aircraft that the union members were working on will one day also be referred to as Boeing (or better yet, AgustaWestland) aircraft. And don't think UTC will be quick to step up and save SAC if finances get too marred by the strike. UTC is known for buying and selling companies - as soon as Sikorsky becomes too financially insecure for UTC's portfolio of companies, it will quickly vanish into someone else's hands (does anyone remember UT Auto? it existed once, but quicly disappeared when times got tough).

USMCWIFE made a good point yesterday about the larger implications (i.e., to our military) of this strike. Certain members of the union (not everyone, rest assured, but a large number) have proved so self-interested and myopic that they probably care little about the impact their actions are having on our country during a time of national crisis (actually, crises).

But there's something else implicit in USMCWIFE's post that perhaps the union members should care about:

It is very possible that the Boeing aircraft her husband flies was, not too long ago, referred to as a McDonnell-Douglas aircraft. Not sure if anyone remembers, but MD had its share of union problems too - particularly at the Long Beach, CA facility. The union was one of the several factors (and a pretty large factor, to boot) that drove the company into such financial distress that it had to sell itself to Boeing. Perhaps the Sikorsky aircraft that the union members were working on will one day also be referred to as Boeing (or better yet, AgustaWestland) aircraft. And don't think UTC will be quick to step up and save SAC if finances get too marred by the strike. UTC is known for buying and selling companies - as soon as Sikorsky becomes too financially insecure for UTC's portfolio of companies, it will quickly vanish into someone else's hands (does anyone remember UT Auto? it existed once, but quicly disappeared when times got tough).

After reading this morning's paper with the articles showing how much George David, et al are worth and the Teamsters full-page "corporate greed" ad, I would imagine that will be the big topic on this blog today. However, before some of you afflicted with diarrhea of the mouth start spouting off about how unfair it is, let me ask you to consider this...

Is it fair that a labor grade 0 makes twelve bucks an hour more than a labor grade 11? Why don't some of you labor grades 4-0 give up some of your money to the labor grades 11-4 so that they can get a "fair" wage? How much do each of you earn in a year and how much does Rocco earn? Is he passing out personal checks to each of you so that you can have a little extra?

If you think you are qualified to do George David's job and deserve his pay - or any job superior to that of a labor grade 0, for that matter - then I urge you, now that you no longer have a job, to submit your resume. I am sure that if you are adequately qualified and the hiring authority believes you can do a better job than George David and can make more money for the company than George David, then they will happily give you his job.

PUT UP OR SHUT UP.

BUSINESS

David Firm On Sikorsky Dispute
UTC Chief Says Company Will Insist That Workers Accept New Health Plan
March 1, 2006
By JOHN M. MORAN, Courant Staff Writer NEW YORK -- The top executive at United Technologies Corp. said Tuesday that the company will "stand firm" in insisting that union workers at its Sikorsky Aircraft division accept a new health insurance plan - one that prompted about 3,600 Teamsters to walk off the job nine days ago.

George David, UTC's chairman and chief executive, said workers throughout the corporation have already agreed to the same kind of health care cost-sharing that is now the sticking point in bargaining for a new Sikorsky labor contract.

"Sikorsky is the last in the [bargaining] cycle, and we have stood firm on every single one so far, and we will stand firm on this one," David told a gathering of Wall Street analysts in New York City.

David also noted that under the Sikorsky plan, UTC will still cover 100 percent of expenses beyond a set out-of-pocket maximum. Offering Teamsters a different plan from that already covering salaried Sikorsky workers and other UTC employees would be "inequitable," he said.

His comments came a day after word that representatives from Sikorsky and leaders of the 3,600 striking Teamsters in Connecticut and Florida had preliminary discussions about resuming contract talks.

Talk about the Sikorsky strike was one of few downsides in an otherwise sunny report on UTC's outlook that was presented to analysts and investors.

David and the heads of the company's six top divisions - Otis Elevator, Carrier, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Hamilton Sundstrand and UTC Fire & Security - all forecast higher revenue and profits in 2006.

Pratt President Louis Chenevert said the market was strong for the unit's overhaul and repair services, and for parts, as the commercial airline industry continues to recover from the downturn earlier in the decade. He said the unit has high hopes for its military jet engine programs and for a new engine designed to power light commercial aircraft.

Hamilton Sundstrand, the Windsor Locks-based maker of aerospace systems, is benefiting from similar trends, according to its president, David Hess. "I've never seen Hamilton Sundstrand as well positioned for growth as I see it standing here today," he said.

Sikorsky President Steve Finger said his unit remains on track in its five-year plan to double revenue by 2008. Despite the strike, he said, the company delivered three helicopters to customers in the past week and was to deliver a fourth on Monday.

Sikorsky expects to deliver 150 helicopters in 2006, up from 100 last year, Finger said. But he said the ongoing strike could have an impact on the company's first-quarter revenue, depending on how long it takes to resolve the dispute.

Geraud Darnis, president of Carrier, said his unit is making progress in cutting costs and building sales. "Our productivity strategy is working," he said. But Darnis also said higher prices for such raw materials as copper and aluminum would make it more difficult to grow profits.

UTC Fire & Security is continuing to integrate the Chubb and Kidde companies that UTC acquired in recent years, according to division President William Brown. He said the division, UTC's newest, expects to grow its revenue by more than 10 percent in 2006.

Otis Elevator sees higher profits and profit margins in 2006

I urge all Teamsters sickened as I am by the way this thing has been managed (or mismanaged) to resign your membership. I need a job more than I need solidarity.

I agree with the PUT UP OR SHUT UP guy. George David makes what he makes because he makes a sh*tload of money for the stockholders and it is THEY who determine if his pay is fair or unfair, just right or too much. If they are giving him that kind of salary, think what he must be doing for the company. There are different pay levels in every job, company, industry, etc. and the higher you go, the more you make. If you don't think you are making enough, maybe you need to work harder to become someone the company can't live without. The company can easily live without the slackers, sandbaggers, slowdowners and old farts living in the sixties. Does anyone see any rush on the part of the company to resolve this? No, and you won't. If there is a plan in the works to move the company, this is the perfect time.

Hello Guys and Gals: Outsider's observation

No connection to the strike; however, here is the general (public's) conception of it.

PUBLIC --no affiliation, in any way to Sikorsky--is not sympathetic, in the least to your plight. Not a criticism to anyone on the line, but cold, hard fact.
PUBLIC -(much of the private sector: Read non-union) have seen their benefits, pay, bonuses, etc. erode steadily over the past decade or so.
PUBLIC - Is worried about their own perilous situation, not yours, i.e. kids in college, mortgages---All the same worries that you and %75 of the population in the country has...at this present time.
PUBLIC --Basically feels unions have gutted the workforce, due to protected and indolent workers. Extravagant raises, etc..NOT TRUE...nevertheless, always on the PUBLICS LIST of bad things that union folks are or do.
FACT: The PUBLIC feels that the Sikorsky worker will now find out that he or she is not as special as previously thought.
FACT: Almost, all industries across the board, have faced health care issues; and unfortunately for the American worker, he or she has lost the battle (in most cases)
Don't know who may agree or disagree;nevertheless, I think it important that folks on the line, truly understand how their struggles are perceived by the outside world.

Yes , I think I can do my formans job better than he does. I can also say that I could easily do my managers , directors and GM's job as well . Can they do my job??????

Since George David is standing firm on his one insurance policy, When will he and friends sign off the corporate gold policy and accept 80/20 too? Don't hold your breath.Do as I say don't do as I do. Still no comment about flight incidents? Thought everything was being operated SAFELY and up to standard. Line shut-down?? Also anonymous, liked your update of status "inside" Yes Emporer, your new cloths look wonderful, I can see them clearly....

I totally agree with Neutral above. It's awfully hard for me to support this when my children are being awakened by hollers and horns in the middle of the night and then expected to perform well in school the next morning. Dealing with the traffic is also a pain in the ass, as is the knowledge that my tax dollars are paying for all the extra overtime the cops are working. The health plan is almost identicle to the one I have at my job, which I pay more for, by the way, and I'm having a hard time believing they are thumbing their noses at it wanting more, more, more. You would expect the income of a company like UTC to be in the billions, but you wouldn't expect an hourly laborer's income to be that high. Get real, please. This is, in the opinion of me and my neighbors, just the most hoggish and disgusting display of greed that we have ever seen. And no, we're not talking about the company, we're talking about the Teamsters.

to neutral

Excellent observations and to the point. The fact is that unionization has, on the whole, improved manufacturing as well as wages, and helped create a safer environment. Basically a union is the watchdog of the people. It could be pure anarchy if the tsunami known as UTC gets what a lot of bloggers say they want- DECERTIFICATION.

To anonymous... I would suggest, then, that you apply for one of those jobs. As to your question, yes, they can do your job. My husband is doing it right now, doing it well, loving every second of it and enjoying his job immensely, now that he is no longer babysitting the likes of you.

I think unionization did some important things to improve the job situations of workers ABOUT THIRTY OR FORTY YEARS AGO. We have laws to do this now that didn't exist when labor unions first started in this country. It's no longer about workers' rights, but about how much more they can get for doing less. What I have seen from unionization is a line of completely decimated steel towns and empty plants along the Ohio River. Someone yesterday mentioned the rust belt. I totally agree. Someone should do a study of the number of dilapidated old buildings left to rot in forced union states by companies who had to leave to protect themselves from union greed.

I urge everyone to read this mornings Hartford Courant. George David makes comment on wall st. about strike!

OOOh what a surprise, standing firm. I got my bonus and good insurance and I also have my hand in yours. thanks George. If delauro and dodd and shays wanted to end this strike, they would audit the UTC insurance fund. All the tax free health insurance money being used by UTC as cash flow for themselves.Free transparent money to use as they wish. Talk about rising healthcare costs, seems like rising profits.

At first I felt really bad for all the union members who voted to ratify, because I felt like their union leadership mislead them and that they were being used as pawns in a game they knew nothing about. I felt like they were victims of their so-called "brothers and sisters," who would have voted to strike no matter what the contract had said. And I did feel deeply for the hard workers who are trying demonstrate peacefully and respectfully.

But do you know what? After over a week of this, I've run out of sympathy. If you don't like how you are being represented, then do something about it. If you think your leaders don't care about you, then vote them out. If you are sick of being swept up in an someone else's agenda, tired of going without to feed someone else's ego, then resign your membership. If you continue to let the minority determine what kind of image you are presenting to the public, then I can no longer have sympathy for you.

I am sure I am not the only member of the public at-large who feels this way. When you didn't agree with the company, you launched a strike against them. If you don't agree with your leadership, then boot them out. Stop being hypocrites. It does nothing to help your cause.

Dear hangermech, hangar is spelled with an "a."

To Wife and Anonymous:
Wife: I whole-heartedly agree with you.
Anonymous: 2 questions, first are you the "anonymous" who has been monopolizing this site since day 1?
Secondly, are you taking any medications for this hostility of yours?
I offer you up a challenge.....not looking for your name, rank, or serial number..but could you exactly tell us all just what is is you WERE doing at Sikorsky's that you don't believe wife's husband or my own is doing right now and confidently better than you?

Another comment to hangermech: IT IS THEIR MONEY, THEY CAN SPEND IT HOWEVER THEY LIKE. Why can you boneheads not get that?! Oh, well, just keep sticking your hands out for more. I'm sorry that you cannot see how pathetic you look, but be assured that the rest of the world CAN.

Wonder what so patriotic about preventing your workers from buying better health insurance during a time of record profits and hiding behind the flag when they stand up for themselves????

With regard to Team's post of last night, my wife could care less about this blog. I speak for myself, thank you. I have 24 years at Sikorsky and 34 in aviation. I have been an aviation enthusiast since my youth. I happen to love what I do. I just love it when people flame the poster when they can't answer the point being made.

We hold no grudge against the junior salary personnel attempting to do our jobs. Do they get razzed a bit going in and out of the plant? I am afraid so. This is a strike, and things like that are common on a picket line. Unfortunately, this area knows little of such things, since there has not been a major strike in the area in some time. Once upon a time, it was commonplace for the supervisory team to be drawn from those on the floor who wanted to advance that way. That is, unfortunately, no longer the case more often than not. Several supervisors were recently hired off the street because the guys on the floor were not willing to take a cut in pay for more aggravation, mandatory overtime without overtime pay and a cut in benefits (with the exception of the salary retirement package, which is reputedly better). I do not envy the floor supervisor. With the exception of a few boneheads, I respect them for putting up with what they do. They get boned every which way you look. The anonymous post of 1214AM paints a true and clear picture of what reality is for the salary type. I know several fine workers who came back on the clock after getting fed up with the horse manure they were fed as supervisors. They are great people, and I am glad to know them.

One thing about people on salary. They serve on an "at will" basis. This means they have to spout the party line whether they believe it themselves or not. They don't need some more senior supervisor taking a wild hair toward them, since they have no protection at all. When you hear them talking up what is going on in there, or otherwise rah - rahing for the company, remember that they have no choice but to adhere to the party line.

Actually, they do have a choice. They could choose to take their considerable talents elsewhere, but they do not. Not because they are forced to repeat a party line they don't agree with, but because maybe they actually like their jobs and the company they work for. Otherwise, I think your comments were mostly on point. Being salaried is no fun, especially when your hands are tied behind your back in so many situations, but I don't think it's the company with the key to the handcuffs. It's the union.

MOVING SALE: One well-used snow blower; assorted snow shovels; overpriced house with exorbitant property taxes. No reasonable offer refused. Company relocating me to the south.

and what makes you think you'll be going back to even be asked to go South?
P.S. How much for the Harley???

Anonymous - If you can do everyone's job why arent' you? This is the rediculous thinking that is giving every union person a bad name. You make everyone look ignorant.

Nighthawk... you are so misinformed its ridiculous and if the strikers believe you, then they get what they deserve. Use some common sense. The salaried guys and gals have pride... that is a strong commodity. That's something the oldtimers like you lost a long time ago. Your jealousy for people who have educated and improved themselves is pathetic. It shows your ignorance to think that people would post on this blog because of their fear. They have choices inside. The people doing your jobs are doing them because they want to... because of their pride in the company and in who they are. If they are to be looked down on because they are loyal, hardworking employees, so be it. they aren't stupid. They understand the nature of business. They know that because of you, the company could decide to pick up and go. But they also understand economics. The company doesn't owe them or you anything. The bottom line dictates. Period. The air up there where you are must be awfully thin. Its affecting brain function.

I am salaried employee. Does anyone in the union really think that I would not come to work and lose my job and my ability to support my own family so that union members could provide their own families with better medical benefits than I currently have... Get real... Would you?

I can do everyone's job including assembly, welding, engineering, field support, managment, foreman, sales, purchasing, HR, medical assistance, security, maintanence, president, CEO, bla bla bla bla....you are an idiot

I'm the one that posted the moving sale ad. I don't work for Sikorsky, it was just something I expect to see coming in the future. Just food for thought. Everyone on both sides needs to wake up and smell the coffee. There is a bigger picture here that involves more than the union workers' petty strike to assuage their own greed or the salaried folks pride in stepping in. It involves the huge, gaping, sucking hole that will be left if/when UTC moves Sikorsky out of Stratford. I'm just saying it's not all about YOU, strikers. Your bad decision could adversely affect all of Stratford and even the state of Connecticut. I really think you should have put a little more thought and consideration into what this means to the rest of us, not just what it means to you.

Has anyone seen George Davids comments in this mornings Hartford Courant?

I don't think someone qualified to be the President or CEO would be starting out any speeches with bla, bla, bla. Time for you to get your blankie, pacifier and warm milk, your getting cranky..take a nap.

As the mother of two children who became mentally challenged due to an automobile accident, I sorely resent your abusive and belittling usage of the word "retard."

As defined by Webster, retard means to slow up, especially by preventing or hindering advance or accomplishment. This sounds more applicable to the union than it does to anyone else.

You should be ashamed of yourself. I'm embarrassed for you and pity anyone related to or affiliated with you.

I will guess that there is a few hundred people (Salary/Hourly/citizens) and maybe one quarter of that posting comments, so the sample here is very skewed, both pro and anti-union.
My personal opinion is it has now become a lose-lose situation for the union. No, I am not union bashing.
As I said in an earlier post, the union is negotiating with UTC, not Sikorsky management. George David has made that clear today in the reported newspaper story.
If we were to ratify a new contract this Sunday and return to work Monday, we would have lost 2 weeks wages, gained little in the contract, the union will be blamed for everything under the sun, and Sikorsky management will be considered the bad guys and take the brunt of the workers animosity.

If we continue to strike for several more weeks, we will continue to lose money, and many members will start getting angrier at the union as more of their bills go unpaid, and ultimately force the union to re-ratify any contract to get back to work, and the same scenario as above will occur, but probably with a lot more animosity and frustration.

I can only hope the executive board can negotiate some type of face saving deal soon, and basically cut the losses we all have taken and will continue to take.

I am a union member and walk the line, but hope that the executive board will remove their egos from the equation and resolve this dispute soon, for both our sakes.

Just one comment for all salaried personnel who may be tempted to comment on this ground strike deal or on any other specifics as to what is happening inside the plant.

Please do not sacrifice your loyalty to our employer, our fellow co-workers and our customers by letting some uninformed, uneducated, disloyal, brainless, dickless, thoughtless thug on the OUTSIDE OF THE GATE get your goat. We have customers to protect, we have goals to meet, we have plans to implement and we have an image to uphold.

Let us not cause any unnecessary embarrassment to our customer(s) by commenting on the ground strike. Let us not jeopardize our company's strategic plan by providing details to outsiders. Let us keep up the good work we are doing together, continue to cultivate our relationships and enjoy the benefits we are reaping as the result of this situation.

This will all be over soon and we all know what the outcome will be. Enjoy the ride and, more importantly, enjoy the destination!

Coffee break over, time to get back to work.

With all due respect, Hmmmm, I, too, have educated and improved myself over the years. I happen to be a dedicated aviation maintenance technician of 34 years total experience. I am not jealous or envious of the salaried worker. In many respects, they have my sympathy. The foreman on the floor has a tough job to do. He or she catches hell from both sides. Apart from the aforementioned boneheads, I respect them for what they do and have to put up with. The engineers that I know are bright and try to do the right thing. A couple of them are card carrying rocket scientists. Where I draw the line is when you get away from the hands on supervision. At that point, they lose touch with the realities of the floor. I, too, take pride in what I do, because I know that the lives of everyone who ever flies in the aircraft I produce hang on the quality of what I do. I have the pride to stand up to those members of supervision who try to accept things that should not be accepted in order to meet schedule. We both know this happens. Out of PRIDE in the company, I will not air the details we both know exist for all to see. It is the pride of the old - timers like us that prevents management from cutting corners and allowing slipshod product to go over the fence. Quality and safety can and must override cost and schedule. We do not make ceiling fans. We make aircraft.

I voted to ratify that contract. That position lost the vote. I have the integrity to stand with my fellow workers to fight for what we want. If you could, you would, too. I am proud to do the job that I do, and look forward to doing it again.

To Hourly Lurker: Good post. I hope there are more of us out there who will urge an end to this. In case no one noticed, we do not even have a contract offer to vote on this Sunday. There's no way we're going back to work Monday. We rejected a contract on the 20th and the company has not offered a new one for us to even vote on. Whatever contract they do offer, that is IF they even offer us a second deal, is bound to be worse than the first one. We're cutting off our noses to spite our faces here. I truly believe we got suckered and BIG. If they needed us, they would have offered a better deal. I think it's time we realized that they don't need us. Who knows? Maybe they do want to move to a non-union state. What then?

Once the union accepts that the company's hands are tied by UTC and have been since the beginning of the negotiations six months ago, some kind of deal can be brokered. Whether I like the health care package or not makes no difference to UTC or Sikorsky.
Both sides called each others bluff and no matter what is posted here, both sides are taking losses.

I am not mad at either side, just want to get back to work.

I see we DO have an HR watcher here to enforce the party line referenced in my previous posts. It is too bad that this individual could not resist the urge to contribute to the divisiveness with a little name calling. Now, before you clobber me for the use of the term bonehead, there are boneheads everywhere and on all sides of any issue or job. Most of the supervisors and other salary personnel are good, hardworking people. So are we of the hourly side. We both have our issues. What has annoyed us over the years (and this particular problem has existed for decades) is the tendency of some members of the salaried workforce to view the hourly worker as a lower form of life. This sort of attitude is exemplified in the tone of Salaried Advisor's post. This does nothing but breed hate and discontent, and finally resulted in the situation we all face today.

We are quite well informed, well - educated (many of us have our own college degrees), have fully functional and functioning brains, and our genitalia are fully formed (regardless of gender). We act out of loyalty to our co - workers, who are trying to gain the best return on our investment of time and labor for the company. We are loyal to it, as well. Given the average age of the hourly workforce, it is quite clear that most of us have worked our entire careers for the company. That is loyalty. We had not struck for over 40 years. Given that, careful consideration would show that the hourly workforce would not throw all that away lightly. It is the strength of this view of us as lower forms of life that finally led us to act.

With regard to "help" and "support" being given by politicians, a letter is just a piece of paper with words on it. Anyone can write one and they carry as much weight as the paper they are written on. What are these politicians doing about the rising cost of healthcare? What are they doing to keep Sikorsky in Stratford, one of the largest employers and taxpayers in the state? Next election may be the first one ever that I don't vote a straight Democratic ticket.

I for one am kind of happy those guys are out there.
1. No lines for coffee in the morning
2. No lines for lunch
3. No lines for the Credit Union

P.S. It's nice and warm in here.

I just found this blog and have spent a good hour reading the many posts from both sides of the argument.Let me now express my position.First I am an hourly worker for the past 28yrs or should say was an hourly worker,as the union has opted that I not work.My job was easy and stress free.I was offered overtime on a regular basis,and made over 60000 dollars last year.I watched my co-worker enjoy the country club atmosphere that was the norm.There was no preasure to produce and most ,not all, took full advantage.To see these same people say Sikorsky is unfair makes me laugh.I only hope that the union leadership is aware that they are gambling with our future,a future that may never be as good as we had it.I wager that in some parts of the shop they're finding out that production has increased .The work ethic that I saw back in the 80's is fading fast.The next generation of worker are the worst.It saddens me to see this entitlement mentality that is helping to sent jobs elsewhere.I don't read of any manufacturing companies coming to connecticut to do buisness.I only see empty buildings with weeds growing out of the parking lot.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), formerly known by the name International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, is one of the largest labor unions in the United States. The union's name and logo reflect its origins as a craft union when founded in 1903: a teamster was originally a person who drove a team of oxen, a horse-drawn or mule-drawn wagon or a muletrain (in the latter case, he was also known as a muleteer).

The union grew beyond those narrow craft boundaries with the development of automotive transport, organizing "over-the-road" highway drivers, studio transportation drivers, warehouse workers and dairy employees in the 1930s. It expanded its jurisdiction even further after World War II, particularly after its EXPULSION from the AFL-CIO in 1957, raiding other unions' jurisdictions and organizing manufacturing, service and public sector workers.

At the same time, the Teamsters developed a CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ORGANIZED CRIME at the International Union level and in a number of locales. That HISTORY OF ORGANIZED CRIME involvement in union affairs led the federal government to spend years prosecuting Jimmy Hoffa and his successors and to sue the union in 1988 to impose federal supervision over much of the union's day-to-day operations and its internal election procedures. That intervention, coupled with organizing at the rank-and-file level by dissidents within the union, led to the election of Ron Carey as General President in 1991. He was succeeded in 1998, after being expelled from the union in the wake of a SCANDAL OVER MISUSE OF UNION FUNDS for his 1996 reelection campaign, by James P. Hoffa, the son of Jimmy Hoffa.

In 2005, the Teamsters disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO, opting to join the the Service Employees International Union to form the independent Change to Win Federation.

-

ORGANIZED CRIME had been active in some Teamster locals, particularly in the garment industry in New York City, as early as the 1920s. Labor RACKETEERS made inroads in other cities, such as Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City and Detroit, in the 1930s. Hoffa and other Teamster leaders made strategic alliances with ORGANIZED CRIME, in deals that benefited both the MAFIA and its associates, who obtained sweetheart contracts, and the union leaders, who received kickbacks and other forms of assistance.

In many cases ORGANIZED CRIME played an even more direct role. Hoffa depended on the support of a number of "paper locals" from New York established by Johnny Dioguardi, an associate of the Lucchese crime family, in running for the presidency of the Teamsters in 1957. Other locals were likewise CONTROLLED BY RACKETEERS, which exploited them by skimming dues, creating "no-show jobs" for associates, and extorting employers and selling sweetheart contracts. In some industries, such as garbage hauling in New York, the line between union and employer became blurred, as both sides might be CONTROLLED BY THE SAME CRIME FAMILY.

The reports of CORRUPTION, given nationwide publicity by the McClellan Committee, led the AFL-CIO to EXPEL THE TEAMSTERS in 1957. Ironically, the McClellan Committee only served to STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE IBT by bringing about the conviction of Dave Beck, Tobin's successor as General President, for TAX EVASION AND MISUSE OF UNION FUNDS. At the 1957 IBT convention held in Miami Beach, Florida, Jimmy Hoffa was elected president of the union, which then had 1.5 million members. Another response by the union to its expulsion from the AFL-CIO was to raid other unions' jurisdictions, and expand by organizing manufacturing, service and public sector workers. At the same time, the AFL-CIO fought back by organizing some of its own unions as alternatives to the teamsters' unions, e.g., the Laundry and Dry Cleaning International Union.

-

Strikes
1902 major packing houses in Chicago (May 27 - June 5)
1905 Montgomery Ward - over 100 days, took 21 lives, and cost about $1M
1934 Minneapolis Strike - Successful strike led to the organization of interstate truckers
1985 National Automobile Transporters Association - 19 days
1985 Watsonville cannery strike - 18 months
1991 Midwest Motor Express, Bismarck, North Dakota - 32 months
1992 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Press (May 17)
1994 United Parcel Service - 1 day (February 7)
1995 Gannett's Detroit News and Knight-Ridder's Detroit Free Press (July 13)
1995 Ryder Systems (September 7 - October 10)
1997 Browning-Ferris Industries - 24 hours (January 28)
1997 United Parcel Service - 15 days (August 4 - August 19)
2004 St. Louis-area new-car dealerships - 70 days (August 1 - October 10)

-

The rise, fall and disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
Hoffa achieved his goal of unifying all freight drivers under a single collective bargaining agreement, the National Master Freight Agreement, in 1964. Hoffa was a skillful strategist who used the grievance procedures of the agreement, which authorized selective strikes against particular employers, to police the agreement or, if Hoffa thought that it served the union's interest, to drive marginal employers out of the industry. The union won substantial gains for its members, fostering a nostalgic image of the Hoffa era as the golden age for Teamster drivers. Hoffa also succeeded where Tobin had failed, concentrating power at the International level, dominating the conferences which Beck and Dobbs had helped build.

In addition, Hoffa was instrumental in USING THE ASSETS OF THE TEAMSTERS' PENSION PLANS, PARTICULARLY THE CENTRAL STATES PLAN, TO SUPPORT MAFIA PROJECTS, such as the development of Las Vegas in the 1950s and 1960s. Hoffa was, moreover, defiantly unwilling to reform the union or limit his own power in response to the attacks from Robert F. Kennedy, formerly chief counsel to the McClellan Committee, then Attorney General. Kennedy's Department of Justice tried to convict Hoffa for a variety of offenses over the 1960s, finally succeeding on a witness tampering charge in 1967. After exhausting his appeals, Hoffa entered prison in 1971.

Hoffa installed Frank Fitzsimmons, an associate from his days in Local 299 in Detroit, to hold his place for him while he served time. Fitzsimmons, however, began to enjoy the exercise of power in Hoffa's absence; in addition, the ORGANIZED CRIME figures around him found that he was more pliant than Hoffa had been. While President Nixon's pardon barred Hoffa from resuming any role in the Teamsters until 1980, Hoffa had challenged the legality of that condition. Hoffa disappeared in 1975.

-

And you wonder why people call you thugs?

The union web site is touting James Hoffa maybe comming to town and Rocco is planning a rally in Hartford WOW! George David must be shaking.

BUSINESS

David Firm On Sikorsky Dispute
UTC Chief Says Company Will Insist That Workers Accept New Health Plan
March 1, 2006
By JOHN M. MORAN, Courant Staff Writer NEW YORK -- The top executive at United Technologies Corp. said Tuesday that the company will "stand firm" in insisting that union workers at its Sikorsky Aircraft division accept a new health insurance plan - one that prompted about 3,600 Teamsters to walk off the job nine days ago.

George David, UTC's chairman and chief executive, said workers throughout the corporation have already agreed to the same kind of health care cost-sharing that is now the sticking point in bargaining for a new Sikorsky labor contract.

"Sikorsky is the last in the [bargaining] cycle, and we have stood firm on every single one so far, and we will stand firm on this one," David told a gathering of Wall Street analysts in New York City.

David also noted that under the Sikorsky plan, UTC will still cover 100 percent of expenses beyond a set out-of-pocket maximum. Offering Teamsters a different plan from that already covering salaried Sikorsky workers and other UTC employees would be "inequitable," he said.

His comments came a day after word that representatives from Sikorsky and leaders of the 3,600 striking Teamsters in Connecticut and Florida had preliminary discussions about resuming contract talks.

Talk about the Sikorsky strike was one of few downsides in an otherwise sunny report on UTC's outlook that was presented to analysts and investors.

David and the heads of the company's six top divisions - Otis Elevator, Carrier, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Hamilton Sundstrand and UTC Fire & Security - all forecast higher revenue and profits in 2006.

Pratt President Louis Chenevert said the market was strong for the unit's overhaul and repair services, and for parts, as the commercial airline industry continues to recover from the downturn earlier in the decade. He said the unit has high hopes for its military jet engine programs and for a new engine designed to power light commercial aircraft.

Hamilton Sundstrand, the Windsor Locks-based maker of aerospace systems, is benefiting from similar trends, according to its president, David Hess. "I've never seen Hamilton Sundstrand as well positioned for growth as I see it standing here today," he said.

Sikorsky President Steve Finger said his unit remains on track in its five-year plan to double revenue by 2008. Despite the strike, he said, the company delivered three helicopters to customers in the past week and was to deliver a fourth on Monday.

Sikorsky expects to deliver 150 helicopters in 2006, up from 100 last year, Finger said. But he said the ongoing strike could have an impact on the company's first-quarter revenue, depending on how long it takes to resolve the dispute.

Geraud Darnis, president of Carrier, said his unit is making progress in cutting costs and building sales. "Our productivity strategy is working," he said. But Darnis also said higher prices for such raw materials as copper and aluminum would make it more difficult to grow profits.

UTC Fire & Security is continuing to integrate the Chubb and Kidde companies that UTC acquired in recent years, according to division President William Brown. He said the division, UTC's newest, expects to grow its revenue by more than 10 percent in 2006.

Otis Elevator sees higher profits and profit margins in 2006

Posted by: from

Knighthawk 321, Your wasting your time trying to reason with people who are paid to be unreasonable. The time of their post strongly suggests that their not on the floor doing our job, but have taken a break from computer solitaire to spew company propoganda. Think Family...????

I know that's right, Hangarmech. My post is as much for those who are reading this from the outside as anything else. You know I have always had this quixotic tendency to tilt at windmills. It may not get me anywhere, but it has to be said, anyway. Someone will read, understand and agree.

touche`

It's sad to see that many on this site cannot get over themselves long enough to see the really big issue. It doesn't really that Knighthawk thinks he is perfection personified, or that hangermech can't spell hangar. It isn't about what the salaried folks are doing or not doing on the inside or even what the hourly folks are doing or not doing on the outside. The real issue, and one that everyone seems to be missing, is whether or not this situation - regardless of who caused it or who's "fault" it is - could end with Sikorsky pulling up stakes and moving to greener pastures. Instead of pointing fingers across the gate at each other, why don't we use our collective imaginations and try to come up with a real solution?

And if the worst does happen, what will the Teamsters union do for us when those jobs are gone? The company does seem to have the upper hand here, guys. Do we really want to alienate the people who hold our livelihoods in their hands?

Let's stop salary-bashing, the majority of them aren't in a position to affect the decision-making process, anyway, and put our talents into finding a way to get our jobs back and keep them. I'm issuing this challenge to ALL Teamsters. Is anyone up to it? (Again, not looking for put-downs on the salaried folks, but looking for a real solution.)

Hey anonymous...still waiting...MOVING SALE:
Is the Harley up for sale or what?

Hey SCARED hourly, it's a blog name and is spelled however I spell it. Blog much??

Sorry, I can't afford a Harley. I drive a beat up old pick-up truck that's only being held together by the rust that is growing on it. I just think you should appreciate what you have. Oops, what you HAD. Realize that your own greed may be your downfall.

Sorry, Mr. I Meant to Mispell My Own Handle. If you'd read my blog entry, it was a call to end the bashing and work towards a solution. Turning on one of your own?! It's people like you who give Teamsters a bad name. Now, does anyone have anything constructive to add? How do we resolve this?

Anonymous, you were right the first time, what I HAVE, opps..have you not figured out I'm salary.

No one is perfect in this world. Least of all, me. He who has never screwed up has never done anything in his life. We resolve this by getting both sides back to the table and getting a decent contract. Is it scarey? Sure it is. Many of us were living on the edge before this situation arose, and are looking down the chasm now. That is the main reason I voted to ratify. We lost that vote, and owe it to our colleagues to stand united to win this thing. Abe Lincoln, among others, reminded us that a house divided against itself cannot stand. That applies to Sikorsky and it applies to that part of Sikorsky known as Teamsters Local 1150. We stand united, or we lose. Ben Franklin commented after the Declaration of Independence that "We must all hang together or we will all hang separately." This is equally true for us now.

make up your mind, are you scared or anonymous, I can't keep misspelling things all day. You want a solution, pay us like yellow badge jobbers. We'll take the extra pay and buy our own insurance and it will never be an issue again.

There's no need for salary bashing in this forum. The company will be taking care of that for you in the coming weeks! Yes... it's salary raise time once again. Congrat's on the 1%-3% windfall you will be receiving for all your outstanding efforts!

What it all comes down too for salary, hourly, and sub contractors are everyone is scared that UTC might end up moving Sikorsky out of CT. Then we are going too all be out of a job. If anyone thinks they will take more than a select few they need some drug testing. Both sides need to work together and resolve this. Hourly and salary unless they have another marketable job skill other than helicopters are all going to be looking at jobs that pay much less. Manager making 100k+ a year, do you think anyone is going to take you in with that kind of salary?

I'm not scared that Sikorsky might up and out of Connecticut. I hope they do. And I hope they do soon. It would be the best thing in the world. North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama??? I wish that would happen, but, realistically, it won't. I don't understand why people like Connecticut and desire to overpay for groceries, taxes and real estate while sitting in traffic and hearing about all the shootings in Bridgeport and Hartford every day.

Be realistic, Sikorsky isn't going anywhere, but some of the "old" union jobs have already left in the last 2 weeks.

Salary Vs hourly seems to be the topic of this blog. Ironic as YOU ALL ARE EMPLOYEES OF UTC. Why are the salary filling up this blog and name calling hourly/strikers names? Do I sense some jealousy? By the tone of the blogs it does seem like the salary have the better then thou attidude. You should be ashamed of yourselves as this company will spit you out when they are finished with you. So the end result will all be the same.

Just to play devil's advocate, what really constitues a "fair" contract? Is something unfair just because it is different than what you want? I think it is unfair that Bill Gates has so much money and I have so little, but I don't expect him to write me a blank check. What is really unfair is how little we pay our military and our teachers, for example, while we have people like athletes and actors making millions. That is unfair to me. In this situation, though, I just don't think it is unfair to be on the same health plan the rest of UTC is on, to get a $2-3k ratification bonus, to get guaranteed 3.5% raises each year, etc., etc., etc. and then to stick your hand out further, demanding still more. Let's act the people in this state who are unemployed or making minimum wage what they think of the contract the union rejected. What say you, community-at-large? Is this fair?

All this talk of fair and unfair is giving me a headache. What does this really accomplish? I think it is important to have a dialogue and debate is a wonderful thing, but as a veteran of the armed forces, if asked to choose sides, well, I see one group of people continuing to build aircraft and spare parts to support our military, even though they are called names and otherwise abused, and I see another group of people walking around in circles carrying signs and flags and not doing their jobs because they are supposedly standing up for their right to gouge their employer. I gotta say it, ladies and gents, I think it could have been resolved without putting our military at risk and it kind of ticks me off that you couldn't have found another way to make your point maybe one that would have allowed you to keep supporting the armed forces. Our troops aren't out there fighting for themselves, they are fighting for YOU. What are YOU doing for them?

What are DODD and DELARO doing for us? Sending a letter to Finger. Ooo... that's going to help. They're always here for a photo op when something goes wrong. They were there when we lost the Comanche and Presidential. All they did was talk but they knew they couldn't do anything for us. They are only interested in our votes, not necessarily our well being.

Come on Chris and Rosa, get off your butts and put some pressure on Sikorsky and UTC management.

I'm at work writing this on my lunch break, thank God I have a halfway decent job. But I know we cannot make it without Sikorsky. I think if we were in as strong of a bargaining position as we thought we were in, then we would have gotten the contract we wanted in the first place. I don't see Sikorsky chasing us down and showering us with better offers. Do you? I am 100% sure we will not see a better health plan offered. I am 95% sure that whatever new contract is offered will probably suck as compared to the one we rejected. And I'm about 75% sure that the Stratford plant is on it's way to becoming either a museum to vertical flight, a parking structure or possibly storage space. I feel it in my bones this is the end of an era for Sikorsky in Stratford. Me, I'm praying hard and wishing we could take it all back.

You know, here's the thing, the Teamsters voted to strike, calling Sikorsky's bluff. But apparently Sikorsky wasn't bluffing. Now what happens? Someone suggested the next contract we vote on could be worse than the last. Do we still vote to reject it or do we vote to ratify it? Have we really addressed amongst ourselves what are the terms that we will agree to go back to? ARe we of one mind on that?

I am a salary employee, and personally do not distinguish between salary and hourly workers. What I do distinguish between, is the idiots and good people among us. You a$$hats posting worthless jabs at each other, both salary and hourly, are at the very core of what is wrong with this entire country these days. I have no respect for any of you. But for those of us working hard, and trying to get this company back in good running order in a logical and respectful manner, keep fighting the good fight.

I agree with hourlyworker it was all a photo-0p with our politicans don't forget it's an election year guys. Do you think Mr Finger is going to care what they have to say about the strike, think again my friends. All I want to do is go BACK TO WORK.

Kicking Out Your Union

Employees who no longer want a union to represent them -- whether it's because the union is undemocratic, corrupt, violent, or just plain inept -- are entitled to seek an election to determine if a majority of their coworkers wants to drop the union. Such elections, conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), are known as "decertification elections." They are not rare -- several hundred take place in a typical year.

Employees who want to vote a union out have to circulate a petition calling for a decertification election. A sample petition is available below. They should not seek help from their employer, because the union can then complain that an unfair labor practice has tainted the election. Employees may take advantage of outside assistance, though. Signatures should be collected on non-work time and in non-work areas. It is important that the names of the union and the company be filled in before any signatures are collected.

Hundreds of polls are held each year to end representation by poor union leadership

In 2004, workers successfully decertified poor representation in 65 percent of decertification elections, according to cases closed by the NLRB

While union leaders try to avoid democratic secret ballots to organize workers (increasingly turning to "card check" campaigns to gain representation), they demand secret-ballot elections for ending representation

Click here to download and print a sample decertification form

It doesn't matter why the employees are dissatisfied. But there are some timing issues that are important. The NLRB has a rule that a new union is given one year to represent the workers before a decertification election can be held. Unions that have already negotiated a contract for employees can usually be subjected to a decertification election near the expiration of the contract. Therefore, workers with an old union should start their decertification drive a few months prior to the expiration of their contract to be sure they don't miss their window of opportunity.

If at least 30 percent of the workers in the bargaining unit sign the petition, then it must be sent to the NLRB's closest regional office, along with a cover sheet, NLRB Form 502. Once the petitions have been received and validated, the NLRB will set a date for the decertification election, usually about 60 days in the future. Individuals on both sides may campaign to sway the employees. When the vote is held, if a majority of the workers who participate favor decertifying the union, or if the vote results in a tie, then the NLRB will officially remove the union's recognition as the bargaining representative of the workers.

Union leaders have abused the trust of their members. They've misspent member dues and harmed the very same people they promise to protect.

In 2005 alone, federal racketeering investigations resulted in 196 convictions against union officials and $187 million in fines. Union tactics -- including deception and intimidation during organizing campaigns, strikes that hurt members more than they help, spending mandatory union dues on radical political agendas, and the use of anti-democratic voting practices -- are long overdue for exposure.

The Center for Union Facts has gathered a wealth of information about the size, scope, political activities, and criminal activity of the labor movement in the United States of America. Welcome to UnionFacts.com.

The Center for Union Facts
PO Box 27455
Washington, DC 20038

For interviews, comments, or information, contact
Sarah Longwell at longwell@unionfacts.com
or call 202-463-7106.

Don't bring actors and athletes into this mess.
I hate when people make the Teachers v Athletes argument.
Should teachers get paid more? Of course! Can we pay them more? Not with our national budget the way it is. Can you really pay hundreds of thousands of people as much money as they really deserve? I don't think so. And do you really want to? No, because that would mean your property taxes would go up, HIGHER. And then you would really be screaming murder, even though YOU wanted teachers to make more.
The fact is, athletes make a lot of money because they have a gift, they work/worked very hard, and they have a rare job. A baseball player for example has 1 out of about 600-700 positions (jobs). That means, he beat out thousands of people for the job he has. Statistics, and economic principles dictate that someone with such a rare and desired job will make more than your average joe.
Second, all people see is the end result of athletes training, the game and performance in the game. Everyone forgets that they have given up normal teenage and college years just to be at practice and conditioning their bodies. Lots of them go through major injuries and bounce back to perform at their JOBS. So they have earned the right, with their talent and hard work to make millions of dollars. Especially because the very ones who complain about their salaries continue to buy expensive tickets and food at the games.

Everyone needs to get off the American high horse and realize that we are no better than the rest of the world. Every human being (except anarchrists and terrorists) want peace and happy family life. And people work very hard to support their families. The fact is, if you moved Sikorsky to Mexico, they would work just as hard as our workers here. That goes for China, India or wherever. This isn't 1900 anymore. The world's economy is growing faster than the USA, and they would be happy to do work that we feel we aren't compensated enough for. So both salary and hourly people need to analyze their lives and priorities and come to grips with the fact that life isn't fair, and you better provide be proud to make a decent living, while that opportunity is still around.

Spoken like a true jockstrap. I mean, jock.

No, spoken like a person who doesn't shoot their mouth off without looking at the facts, and looking at reality. I bet you are the same person who said, or still says, "Hey, let's nuke the whole Middle East, that will solve our problems, and get me another beer and my miniature flag that I can wave so I don't attract any attention to myself for thinking instead of reacting."

I don't think the union will be decertified, but I do think Rocco will join the ranks of past Secretary-Treasurers like Santamaria and Cedarbaum come the next union election.

Rocco needs to be out TODAY. He actually needed to be out a long time ago. It makes me sick to think we are paying to let this guy ruin our lives.

PETITION FOR DECERTIFICATION (RD) --
REMOVAL OF REPRESENTATIVE

The undersigned employees of _______________________ (employer name) do not want to be represented by _____________________ (union name).

Should the undersigned employees constitute 30% or more, but less than 50%, of the bargaining unit represented by ___________________ (union name), the undersigned employees hereby petition the National Labor Relations Board to hold a decertification election to determine whether the majority of employees also no longer wish to be represented by this union.

In addition, should the undersigned employees constitute 50% or more of the bargaining unit represented by ___________________ (union name), the undersigned employees hereby request that __________________ (employer name) immediately withdraw recognition from this union, as it does not enjoy the support of a majority of employees in the bargaining unit.

_______________________ _______________________ ____________
Name (Print) Signature Date
_______________________ _______________________ ____________
Name (Print) Signature Date
_______________________ _______________________ ____________
Name (Print) Signature Date
_______________________ _______________________ ____________
Name (Print) Signature Date
_______________________ _______________________ ____________
Name (Print) Signature Date

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These signatures should be collected when the employees are on non-work time, and in non-work areas! You must fill in the names of the union and employer in the blank spaces above before you collect signatures. There should be no employer help, and employer resources should not be used.

The Ohio Supreme Court uses the following guideline to determine whether lockout vs. strike: "which side, union or management, first refused to continue operations under the status quo after the contract had technically expired." [Bays v. Shenango Co., 1990]

Union-represented employees who did not report to work after their collective bargaining agreement expired were not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits because their failure to work was not the result of a lockout by their employer, the Ohio Court of Appeals ruled Aug. 24 (Abrams-Rodkey v. Summit County Children Servs., Ohio Ct. App., No. 22358, 8/24/05).

Wis. Stat. § 108.04(10)(d) provides that a "lockout" does not include barring employes from an establishment if such action is "directly subsequent to a strike or other job action of a labor union or group of employes of the employer."

By far, the most common type of initial work stoppage action is strike action, i.e., walking off the job or refusing to report to work. The Court established in the Bodinson case that the claimant must have voluntarily left due to the trade dispute for the disqualifying provisions of Section 1262 to be applicable. The Court said:
". . . disqualification under the Act depends upon the fact of voluntary action, and not the motives which led to it. The legislature did not seek to interfere with union principles or practices. The act merely sets up certain conditions as a prerequisite to the right to receive compensation, and declares that in certain situations the worker shall be ineligible to receive compensation. Fairly interpreted, it was intended to disqualify those workers who voluntarily leave their work because of a trade dispute." Accordingly, when claimants take strike action by voluntarily leaving due to a trade dispute, the claimants are subject to disqualification under Section 1262. Unlike the voluntary leaving provisions of Section 1256, there are no good cause provisions in Section 1262. The final decision is not predicated on the merits of whether or not the claimants had compelling reasons for taking strike action.

CUIC Section 1262 states:

"An individual is not eligible for unemployment compensation benefits, and no such benefit shall be payable to him, if he left his work because of a trade dispute. Such individual shall remain ineligible for the period during which he continues out of work by reason of the fact that the trade dispute is still in active progress in the establishment in which he was employed."

To all those salary people and their {wives who don't even work at Sikorsky} that write in. Whether we lose this fight or not,we are all standing together to fight the good fight. I have walked the line almost daily and see what is going on. Talking,laughing,worrying,and some are making new friends. The vote for the strike may not have been 100%,but it seems most people have bonded through it all. We all what to go back to work and there is no need to be bashing those people who work just as hard as you and will have to face and work with again. Because in REALITY if we don't come back to you won't be able to work there sooner or later either.So give that some thought,down the road when YOUR out of a job making double the money we make without overtime, thinking about Health Care,your mortgage payment of $3,000 a month on your $700,000 house, and maybe just maybe your WIFE won't take you to DIVORCE COURT. Good luck in the future if we are not there. See you in the shop.

As Hockeyfan said

"Do we still vote to reject it or do we vote to ratify it? Have we really addressed amongst ourselves what are the terms that we will agree to go back to? ARe we of one mind on that?"

I would like to anwser this. Vote for what you think is right. We are in the position we are now because a couple thousand people voted how others thought they should. Time to start thinking for yourself and make your own decisions despite what Rocco, salary, or hourly think you should do. Use your brain and consider what is good for YOU and your Family, no one else because when it all comes down to it you and you familys own well being is the only thing that matters.

Your right , my family matters and thats why I'm on strike ! Once again , I'll pay more for good healthcare but not more for less . And by the way , when George David says this is the healthcare you get and thats it , does that sound like BARGAINING ? Sounds more like dictating to me !

Ps that was by a union member forever !

Regardless of the reasons that Union members voted as they did, there were several very good points made here, one being that all of the Union members have the right to make the decision that works best for them, and make that decision themselves, not simp