Your Comments

I am an airframe engineer who volunteered to work on the floor. Yes, we found a lot of issues with solumina and with the work orders, but we are correcting them. There is no better way to correct problems, then to experience them first hand. I have to give credit to the union guys who were able to get the job done with information we gave them.

When/If the union gets back in, I hope that they will help setup a program to get MEs, planners, and designers working on the floor with the shop guys to continue this experience. I think that will help the shop guys get better drawings and work instructions and the engineers will actually have the real world experience to do a better job the first time around.

Does this sound feasable?

(Oh when you are drilling holes on the aircraft, follow the work orders in place, we had a hell of a time patching all the extra holes you guys drilled in M7).

no charge for the extra holes buddy
they find that on water test or in the hanger

hope the company fires everone soon. that would give me just the motivation i need to move out of this state.

I just visited 1150’s Web site and noted the following:

“Discussion of the company's weekend letter asking members to call them and come back to work resulted in a demand by the membership to call the company during the meeting. The call was made on speaker phone and the members left a message for the company: a long resounding "BOO".�

Time to grow up. Did you feel better saying BOO into the phone? Did you accomplish anything? How is the $232 holding out? Your dues payment is due next week!

SAC was waiting for the 15th to see what happened at the meeting. Looks like the replacements will be marching in!

In the meantime… do you have enough firewood? It’s getting colder! Did you have to get a permit for a fire – or is that a special fire barrel?

I am a salaried worker and just received my raise in the paycheck I got today. It’s only 3.5 percent but it just about covers what you make in a week walking in circles. I’m not complaining… I’m glad I have a job and very proud of how I do it.

I heard there could be salary lay-offs in the future following this strike; any truth to that?

I agree that ME's and mech's should work side by side to get all the problems worked out....

But since this strike has happened...there will be a lot of hate brewed up, and it might take a year or so before everyone cools down. What productivity you guys on the inside can get done, you better be happy with it. When the teamsters get back, they will tear everything apart, and look for anything that they can, to find their known problems, so they can point fingers and they can feel like they were needed. The longer this drags out, the more hate for another group will fester. And the more wasted time to put everything back together to get to the same spot that the aircraft are currently.

And also, there will be further safety problems springing up if this strike lasts too long. The union guys will try anything they can, to get the scabs fired. A simple point a freind said to me... he mentioned he would cross the line, but there will be a day, that someone will go back over his work, and possibly cut something, like a wire bundle, and point it out to someone else, and claim it was him, the "scab" that did it. The scab gets fired, the wire bundle will take more man hours and parts to replace, and the security and safety of the aircraft will be tainted. A tool can be lifted from another scabs toolbox, and a lost tool report will be filed towards that aircraft. Point is, the longer this strike lasts, the more tempers will flare, it will be an all out war between salary and hourly, union and scabs, and management and workers trying to absorb more OT to recover the hours they already lost for this long of a time frame.

It will be a long time before we all work together again as....one. From the blade shop to paint cell, the sheet metal shop to the production hanger, from the company to the customer...we all need to work together to get a safe aircraft from a basic carbon based ply of fabric to a fully built smooth operational helicopter...that the customer can fly into war and to depend on it for their lives, or for another customer to take 19 people to an oil platform so they can get to their work....well...thats it...we all need to work, and we all need to work together.

Work.....

We do need to work together.

The scabs need to work to help get them thru their current situation, they only crossed because they either had loved ones that needs medical attention, or they are already behind in their financial abilities. The salary guys are working, but it's not doing the work that they need to be doing, granted, they don't have anyone to boss around, so they have to do our work, and we want to work, but we're not happy with a damn contract that the company offers us, so we strike. But now, I'm sure the company would want us back, so they can have some sort of a secure feeling that the job, that has been going on with the safe record for so long, that we do on the aircraft that we DO deliver.

The company will be hireing a lot of people anyways to help with the ramp up of all the aircraft that they already had in line to be purchased by certain organizations, so the new guys that have came to fill in, are getting some hands on experiance, but they would get better training if their peers were training them, instead of their new bosses. I can go on all night like this, but I won't....so....

Think....

I feel very sorry for you all. It seems you have been within SAC's walls so long you have lost sight of the real world.

In the real world good paying jobs, with benefits, are hard to find.

In the real world people have to share the cost of their benefits.

In the real world there are hundreds if not thousnads of people waiting to get the jobs you union folks are so casually walking away from.

I feel sorry for you all because your going to learn what the real world is about the hard way.

In the real world of tomorrow there will not be union workers in building aircraft SAC.

I feel very sorry for you all.

ONE O SIX THOUSAND: I agree we could keep the same workforce that we have in the present.Were making our deliveries on time with unprecedented quality to boot!

Wow...who'd of thought...another anonymous post.....

The time's of the poster on this board is under the phraze that they posted. Just an FYI...

And...

A. I would never do anything to damage an aircraft, because...
a.1 I will eventually fly in them, and
a.2 I have freinds and the customers flying in them.

B. This strike is also "dealing with people's lives"
b.1 Just wasteing our time blogging on this post.
b.2 Not making any money.
b.3 Not getting any work done for the company.
b.4 Turning everyone against each other.
b.5 Missing doctors appointments.
b.6 The check book is starving, and turning red.
b.7 ....and this list can get as long as it wants..

C. And Rocco.

c.1 He is in charge, I didn't vot him ther..but others did.
c.2 I feel that he might be trying, but so far no results.
c.3 He's now had over 7 months to get something done, and all he has is a damn strike to show for it.

Enough said???

Think.....

hrmmm

Well as much as I feel that people have the right to strike for better benefits I think your UNION Officials are the one doing the most to screw over the workers.

Remember your UNION employees stil get paid their wages, their benefits etc... while you are all walking the line.

Ask these questions;
1) What did the Union do to prepare for this strike?
2) What kind of warning did the Union give you in regards to a forecast of what the future contracts talks would be like, so membership could prepare themselves?
3) What did the union do to at least maintain your health insurance while on strike when how many of your union brothers/familes are fighting life threating illnesses?

If your union leadership really cared and where professional they would have prepared better. Your leadership could have arranged for alternate insurance or have a been keeping a policy in fouce in a stand by mode to cover you.

I wonder what everyone will say one who can not afford the full boat price of med care drops dead because they had to discontinue meds or treatments. Hell what they give you in strike pay would not even cover a Drs. office visit. Ever have to pay cash for a test or other med care? If the gross bill is say $10,000 insurance only pays about half thath anyway as they get a discount of about 50% that you or I as a cash customer don't get.

I am sorry your med package offered under your new contract is about the same as the real world for people making half your pay wage.

If the UTC insurnace isn't good enough why not have your local see about pulling out of UTC's plan and enroll everyone into the nation Teamester plan and YOU as a member can have a bigger say on how much your weekly contribution is and what is covered and not. The union only has to bargain the cost at contract time.

I ahve a friedn who works at UTC about to loose his home as he was in dire straights when this strike hit. He had a major medical condition this summer lost over 3 months work. Plus his medical bill are our of this world, just his RX alone would be about $1300 a month out of pocket.

What is he going to do, the union will not help. Loose his house and maybe his life over this issue? What is his wife, who can't work do where is his 2 kids to live?

I support my friend decision to cross the line. Family first then union then company.

You have a fantasic pay rate, better to budget better and tough it out till times are better. Think about the people who make half of what you make and make it and have been paying what you would be paying under the current offer?

sorry about those multiple posts...it appeared that my comp was on the fritz...

I heard about the crank phone call and thought it was childish, immature and certainly not something one should do to their employer, with whom they are supposed to be negotiating a way to return to work. How do you expect the company to take you seriously when you act in this manner? But then I started thinking about the longer term consequences of this action. If this crank call was left on someone's voice mail, as previously reported on this blog, then you guys just screwed yourselves with regard to the unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB. All Sikorsky has to do is play that message back for the NLRB. It's hard to bargain in good faith with a bunch of juvenile imbeciles who would rather make crank calls than seriously discuss the issues.

What you refuse to understand is that you WILL NOT win this medical plan fight. Beth Amato announsed yesterday that this second offer you rejected has been pulled off the table and each successive offer will only get worse. Try this two or three more times and you may see NO rat bonus, NO increases to pension/401(k) plans, the same 80/20 health plan plus a decrease in your hourly rate to make up for the financial hit the company took due to this strike.

Does it really sound like they are desperate to get you back?!

LONG ARTICLE AND FROM 2004, BUT ONE THAT I THINK COULD OPEN SOME EYES. PLEASE READ ON. LINK PROVIDED BELOW.

Communism… Alive and Well?

Written by JB Williams

©2004-07-02

Despite the fall of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall, Communism is alive and well in the most unlikely places. It’s thriving in the hearts and minds of blind Party loyalists today. Most of them are unaware that blind Party loyalty is the core design of Communism. It’s the means by which people are driven to look past truth, common sense and personal thought, and walk the line of collective thought.

While the media and consequently most Americans, focus their attention on the war against terrorists, (better described as a war on jihad), the doctrine of Marx springs forth from the deeply rooted and fertile ground of anti-Americanism.

I have written on this topic many times, but in this case, I want to bring to your attention some very disturbing trends in America, even more disturbing evidence, and the linkage between true communists and their unsuspecting bedfellows in the Democratic Party.

You first need to understand the basic history and ideology behind communism. In short, it is the union philosophy, collective bargaining practices applied to everyday life, instead of just at the workplace. The idea that all men have the same economic worth, regardless of individual ambition, work habits, contribution, or choices, a Right to the same results, regardless of the differences in their efforts.

These ideas incorporate all inclusive social engineering, whereby all ideas, lifestyles, moral or immoral behaviors have equal merit, equal status, and all doctrines of individualism are set aside in favor of a supposed collective interest.

Like in the workplace, this concept requires a central power for collection and distribution of resources. A power to determine what is fair for all, collect the resources necessary to provide that equality, and distribute it accordingly. In the case of Communism, that central power is the government.

Anyone who has ever worked in a union job can tell you, the result of this form of equality is the unlimited reduction in productivity and resources. People with low ambition and poor work habits are elevated to equal status with those who carry the lion’s share of the load. More productive and ambitious individuals are lowered to equal status of those less productive. Inevitably, the desire for good work habits and personal ambition are eliminated, since unequal efforts will only achieve equal results.

This is the real cause for the fall of communism around the globe. No communist country has ever been able to feed itself long term, ultimately collapsing under the weight of its own lack of productivity which always results in a lack of resources.

This is the reason America was designed to be a society which protects the Rights of the individual over the collective group or groups. (Voting blocks)

But there is a strong movement in America today to replace our forefathers design with a collective bargaining system in which the central federal government collects an increasing amount of private resources, grabs responsibility of deciding everyone’s worth, and provides the government sanctioned benefits demanded by the people, (like heath care).

This my friends is collective bargaining, union mentality, socialism at first, and communism in the end. As you have already seen, the public demand for government services never ends, once it begins. Already, the government controls approximately 43.8% of America’s wealth, and it isn’t enough, they continue to outspend that.

True socialists/communists understand this, so do many politicians who promote these ideas under the guise of Democracy and equality. However, many unsuspecting bedfellows are unaware of what they are supporting. They focus on immediate needs (often with good intentions), and shortcut fix’s of allowing government to solve individual challenges, without considering the long term implications.

Some of the politicians who promote these ideas know exactly what they are promoting, and some are simply unsuspecting bedfellows themselves, pandering to the electorate for votes by the best means available. Either way, they are selling America out for personal power.

It’s important that the American people understand what they are supporting. This link Marxism Headlines & Archives provides an eye opening look into the communist movement in America today, and their connection to the DNC.

This link to Peoples Weekly World , and this one to Communist Party USA , and this one to International Socialist Review , and this one to Liberals-Vs-US.Us will provide the supporting evidence that this movement is in America, it’s well organized, and it is working in concert with the DNC, MoveOn.org, the Kerry campaign and others to unseat a President that threatens everything they believe in. This is the “Anyone but Bush� movement�.

The tactics used to promote communism and socialism have changed dramatically since the days of Stalin. America’s military superpower provided a formidable resistance to the spread of communism around the globe, so new tactics were required.

Today their tactics are more subtle, and in many ways more devious, as they fly (for the most part) below anyone’s radar. Their methods have been adjusted to win the hearts and minds of the people, who would then demand an ever increasing socialist government responsible for caring for its people’s daily needs.

You can clearly align the platform of today’s Democratic Party with that of either the communist or socialist agenda, but most people have never looked and compared. Many of the grassroots workers in the DNC are from the socialist and communist party’s. They realize that you would never knowingly vote for their candidate, so they adopt the next best thing, the DNC candidate, and they push the DNC further and further to the left.

Communists predicted long ago that they would achieve success in America without ever firing a shot. This is what they meant, and they are well on their way to that success.

The upcoming election is about more than the economy, the war on terror, Halliburton, Health Care, or jobs. America is divided right down the middle, 50/50. Half fights to preserve Americanism, free enterprise, individual liberty, and a Right to make what we choose of our own lives and our country. The other half has fallen victim to the drumbeat of “Anyone but Bush�.

This phrase, though used by many democrats across the country, was coined by the communist movement, as in, (though we can’t get a candidate of the communist party elected, “anyone but Bush� would be a step in the right direction).

The American people need to understand that our nations division is no accident. It was systematically designed, diligently deployed, as a means of eliminating individuals and creating voting blocks instead. Voting blocks that could be manipulated into casting certain votes for narrow reasoning, groups pitted against one another, in order to cause single issue voting, an electorate that could be swayed by policy promises geared towards the ideals of the voting blocks.

The system has been brilliantly employed. So much so, that today, we are more divided and fragmented than ever before in history. No amount of evidence seems to sway people’s opinions either. It’s almost a Jim Jones style grip that this ideology has on people. Most search only for facts that support what they choose to believe.

It’s easy enough to document the agenda of a George Soros, (who is attempting to buy the Whitehouse for John Kerry), and his hatred for America’s world power. It’s easy enough to debunk the rantings and misleading statements of a Michael Moore or a liberal media. But blind Party loyalists won’t hear the message, despite a mountain of evidence. Even conservatives now find themselves cornered into pandering in order to just slow the tide.

This presents the largest threat to America, more so than all the world terrorists combined. Party loyalists need to realize that loyalty to country, honor, truth and American principles are of greater value. Partisans need to understand that it does not matter who gets the credit, as long as the right thing gets accomplished. Who gets the blame won’t matter either, if we don’t turn this trend around. We need to face the fact that our forefathers had it right and that we are about to relive the mistakes of centuries past.

As the saying goes, you have to watch what you wish for, because it might come true!

Brothers/ we have been screwed over by our union officals. We pay them to prepare and watch out for our well being.

What did they think this contract was going to be a cake walk like we have so much power? Especially when they do not prepare, plan or even inform us properly?

We have a dam good pay rate and even with increases in the health plan there are at least 100 people for each one of us, out there who would work for half the pay rate for the offered benefits! So the company could new hire 2 people for everyone of use and absorb the cost of training them, and before the next contract period recouped any productivity and training costs for the new hires.

Plus they would get a pat on the back from gov't officals that they created 3,500 new jobs by doubling the work force. Trust me you think any politician is not going grab any glory no matter what happens?

Read ina earlier part of the blog about strike pay for everyone including UNION HALL officals and employees when on strike.

GOOD IDEA!!!!

It is as though it is the late 1930's we see war coming but what did we do? Nothing untilll the last minute. Our Union treated us worse than FDR and the gov't did then. At the very least FDR started teh country to a war footing in '39 and '40, our union officials waited until Pearl Harbor was bombed and we will be like Wainright on Cooregidor.

We the Battling Bastards of Stratford,
No Papa, no Mama, Uncle Jimmy.

Think about we shall be like the lost souls of Pearl Harbor we lost about the same number dead there as we are now. (3500) All due to no preperation, piss poor planning and wrong assumptions.

I am going back to work, I have bills to pay.
Screw the Union until we can get better people running it. And if the Union screws me over as they have done to memebers (1996) in the past be prepared for legal action I have my own special strike fund set aside.

Anyone who feels the way anon 6:32 says (s)he does should have spoken up yesterday at the meeting. This blog is wonderful for sharing info, feelings, insights, news, etc., but expressing your dissatisfaction here is pointless. If you don't let your leaders know how you feel, either by telling them point blank or by calling for their removal, then you have no right to complain about the kind of treatment you are getting from them. If you're in an abusive relationship, then get out, but if you don't get out, then don't come crying to the rest of us the next time you get knocked around.

I dont understand why people listen to the comments in here and taking them seriuosly. There are kids and people writing in this blog fucking with you on all topics. They are fueliing the imaginary fued everyone now thinks exists between a salary worker vs an hourly worker. Its a damn shame. When I read there are college kids getting grades and getting paid to mess with peoples lives and beliefs in a place where it was set up to add information for them in a time of need is just f'd up. Strikers will be on strike until SAC tweaks the health benefits, period. I think if they offered these guys 10% raises they would still turn it down. Its principle now with the union heads. And the blind will follow the blind regardless if they like or not.

Watching how union members continue to be lead around by the noses by their false god, "the union," has given me a new understanding of how cults work. The way cults get their members to perform mass suicides, that's the same method this union is using to get its members to perform mass financial suicide. And the sad thing is that union members, like cult members, can't be spoken to. You can't give them advice, guide them to make better choices, provide them with information or help them to think for themselves. The union mentality is so deeply ingrained in them that they cannot see what is coming and refuse to believe anything that has not been spoken by their leadership. They are totally blind to reality and cannot accept that they may be wrong.

When this situation first developed and the first contract was voted down, I just thought they were stupid or had over-inflated opinions of themselves. Now I see them as they truly are... brainwashed zombies. If our politicians in this state and the entire country care anything about the working class, they will remove unionism from this country altogether and teach the working class how to think and succeed on their own merit.

The union cant except the new proposal because it did not address any benefit modifications. period!

Union members also remind one of drug addicts. Ever heard the expression you can't argue with a drunk? Same thing. When suffering from the effects of their drug of choice, in this case it would be unionism, they are unreachable.

Dude, they are basically told whats best for them, and theres no in between

Remember Eric Clapton's song, COCAINE?

If you wanna hang out you’ve got to take her out; UNION.
If you wanna get down, down on the ground; UNION.
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie; UNION.

If you got bad news, you wanna kick them blues; UNION.
When your day is done and you wanna run; UNION.
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie; UNION.

If your thing is gone and you wanna ride on; UNION.
Don’t forget this fact, you can’t get it back; UNION.
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie; UNION.

She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie; UNION.

I was at yesterdays meeting and would have loved to have spoken. But yes i'm a women and when you have a men yelling and screaming like excon's you get scared. I read in the paper today that we voted on the new offer from sikorsky that is a big fat lie! Rocco voted for us we were not asked! I would love to cross. But i fear these union members with no brains.

Sad, the bullies you see in the meetings and on the picket line are all just a bunch of cowardly sissies one-on-one. If everyone who is afraid to speak up would just write a letter to Rocco and stick it in the mail, maybe you all could get somewhere. There's a website, www.nrtw.org for the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, where you can go for free help if you feel that you have been unfairly treated by your union or if you fear retaliation for crossing the picket line. I would urge Sad and everyone in her shoes to contact this organization. They may be able to help you. No one can help you if you are not willing to help yourselves, though.

I've been an engineer at SA for over 30 years and have nothing but respect for the hourly men and women that assemble these marvelous aircraft. I really think your union has done you a huge disservice. Picking the medical plan as the sticking point for contract ratification was a mistake. Just about everyone working for UTC has the 80/20 plan. P&W had to take the medical. Do you really think the corporation is going to give in to 3600 workers when they employ 200,000?

The issue that you should have fought for was job security. Can't you see the jobs slowly being off-loaded as more and more aircraft assemblies are built out of house? This strike is just the insentive the company needs to off-load the entire aircraft assembly line to someone else that wants to work hard for a good wage. And don't think there aren't workers at Kaman or elsewhere that can't do your jobs.

I don't have any hard feelings for the strikers, but you've got to see that this is a battle that you can't win.

I believe with all my heart that yesterdays meeting was overtaken by the loud, foul mouthed union minority, who have completely intimidated those with a different opinion about this strike, the contract and returning to work.

But don't beat yourselves up over not speaking...I am salary and am not sure I would have put myself in that position either.

But actions speak louder than words...you can still send your leeter of resignation into the union and come back to your job.

I have spoken to many of my hourly friends and they want to come back to work but are truly afraid. One of these days the fear of losing their job will be greater than any consequences they believe will befall them if they cross the might Teamster Strike Line...

Use your head though...company is not sitting around pining for your return...then are planning and planning and planning....

The whole strike philosphy is outdated and trite. It seems that the Union has lost their focus on what they are fighting for. If it's one issue, stick with the one issue. Avoid attacking George David and the salary workers. If you want David's money, get a better job or buy stock in the company. Pick a battle you have a better chance of winning. Biting off more than you can chew just makes you look like a fool.

It's honorable for the union members to stick together and fight for what they believe it, but when they loose focus, they will loose the battle. The union workers should be working side by side with the salary workers to make a better Sikorsky Aircraft so that way everybody wins. Remember the old addage "a house divided can not stand"? If the company can not compete in the GLOBAL market place, no one will have job -- hourly or salary -- no one.

Make a better Sikorsky by working WITH the company, not against it.

I get that some people may be afraid of retaliation from the union if they speak up. But what are you more afraid of, someone calling you an ugly name or losing your job, your financial standing, security for your family? At what point do you start standing up for what you TRULY believe instead of what you've been DICTATED to believe? If there is one person out there who would like to see this union go, then print out a petition to have Rocco, et al dethroned. Surely, that one person knows another person, and that other person knows another person, and so on and so on and so on. Before you know it, there will be enough of you who have had enough willing to sign a petition to remove this local from representing you. You can lay down and let yourselves be run over by the Teamsters or you can fight for your jobs and your dignity. We can help provide the resources, but ultimately YOU have to do the work to make it happen. Prove you are NOT lazy, circulate the petition and kick this union out!

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.

All I can say is that they're getting exactly what they deserve. Too much greed made them vote down the first offer, too much pride made them vote down the second offer. Will there be a third offer? And which of the seven deadly sins will they be willing to commit in rejecting the third offer?

I still cannot believe the update on the union site - calling and leaving a "Boooooo" message to SAC. Union members pay $50 a week for that kind of representation. Get some grownups to negotiate.

It wasn't booooo we yelled in the phone. It was BULSH** that we yelled in the phone. Get it right!

From the union site - update - I got it right!

"The call was made on speaker phone and the members left a message for the company: a long resounding "BOO".

First off my husband is on strike and they did not get to vote on this last offer Rocco rejected it without them!!! Second when I heard they called SIK and said BOO I was embarrassed for my husband and all the other hourly employees, that is ignorant and I myself would not want to be lead by an ASS like Rocco!! Third the fight was supposedly over insurance but Rocco has already stated that he would except the 80/20 so why the hell are we still on strike!!Better question how does it feel to have wasted the last 26 days and counting for him to just eat the 80/20 you were supposedly fighting over!! This needs an END!!

"Sikorsky also said that, starting this week, it would accelerate plans to move work out of the state. The company has not specified where that work would go or whether the relocation would result in permanent job losses when the labor dispute is settled."

The future couldn't be any clearer.

Oh, I think the end is very near, indeed. Sikorsky is already making it happen, the only thing left for them to do is issue a press release naming the site of the new plant(s). I would bet they hold off until the next meeting of shareholders, but after that it will be a fait accompli.

Again I told you all to voice your opinion at the meeting. I heard no one talk negatively about ROCCO.
The papers are reporting that we voted no to this second proposal, which in fact we did not.
ROCCO made that decision for us before asking us.
I ask about layoffs and was told that with the amount of work there that we should not worry about it.
Well ROCCO there are many that are worried about many things.
HEY CAN I CALL YOU UP FOR A DONATION TO PAY MY MORTGAGE?

Regarding the call made to HR from the Union Meeting of Wed. 3-15...

These are the facts...

At the request of several members who had received letters in the mail from HR instructing them to call, and advising them to cross the picket line, a conference call was placed to ask some legitimate questions. Numerous members had brought the letter to the meeting with them.

The "Booing" transpired after the call was received by an answering machine. The call was placed in a serious attempt to answer member’s questions about the correspondence from HR.

The call was not placed as a "crank".

I was present and witnessed the call as described above.

12:16 - Your entry was probably a very factual description of what life would be like inside if the strikers are allowed back in with the union. I hope that SIK is smart enough to see that. That's why none of you who won't resign from the union should be allowed back in. The attitudes would be totally non-productive and harmful to everyone there. The union has showed more childish behavior than any of us could have imagined (slandering women, throwing nails, name calling, threats, crank calls, etc.)but it hasn't been dangerous. Now with promises to sabotage workers and machines, that's too much. I hope SIK is monitoring this site and understands that the Teamsters will get even one way or another, if they are allowed back in. New permanent hires need to come in asap.

Move the plant!!!!!!!!!

Remember, folks. This is an ENTERTAINMENT site only. The blog is overrun with uninvolved "commenters" that thrive on those who are unable to see this site for what it is - an open forum that lets ALL in.
There are hourly posting as Salary, Salary posting as hourly, people who have nothing to do with either SAC or the Union or Stratford, people who love to see their words on the web, and so on.
Take what you need and leave the rest. This site is for those moments when you can't find anything good in the National Enquirer....
All the best to the Union members, Salary folks (I miss the ones I know), and all who are affected by this situation. Last, but foremost in my heart is my wife who has stood beside me without reserve in what is for many of us a very difficult time. Thank you for reminding me that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that's important.

You salary guys are behaving like the Union slugs! Wasting company time and screwing off...much like Bob Garbian and Ted Harvey

Boeing's Strike: Go Figure

The shutdown is costing much more than it would to meet the machinists' demands

In the days before Boeing Co.'s (BA ) 18,300 machinists walked off the job on Sept. 2, management thought it had a smart strategy for avoiding a strike. True, the aerospace giant wasn't ready to jack up its traditional defined-benefit pension plan nearly as much as the International Association of Machinists (IAM) was demanding. But Boeing had an alternative: Offer as much as $9,000 in cash bonuses, including a generous new match to the 401(k) that IAM members get along with their pension. Managers hoped the juicy stack of cash would tempt the roughly 4,000 mostly younger workers who had been recalled recently as orders picked up. If so, that would have sufficed to bring about a repeat of 2002, when the IAM failed to muster the two-thirds majority needed to sanction a strike.

Instead, Boeing's effort misfired badly. The machinists rejected the company's offer by 86%. Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Alan R. Mulally, who's running the show while new Boeing CEO W. James McNerney Jr. learns the ropes, denies that the company attempted to divide the union membership. Still, what's puzzling is why he hasn't yet found a face-saving way to end the standoff. A close reading of management's offer suggests that it could meet the IAM's key pension demands for just $90 million more over the three-year life of a new labor contract. Since that comes to less than 1% of the nearly $4 billion the company will spend on the IAM's total wage-and-benefit expense over that period, it's difficult to see what Boeing hopes to gain by a lengthy showdown. That's particularly true in light of analysts' estimates that Boeing will rack up more than $90 million in costs each month that the walkout drags on.

FAT ORDER BOOK
What worries Wall Street is the long history of bad blood between Boeing and its unions. In 1995 the company endured a 69-day strike that poisoned morale for years. This contributed to a series of painful production snafus over the next few years that cost the company $2.5 billion -- a profitless stretch that lasted right through what then was the biggest boom in commercial aviation. Today demand is once more rising for jetliners, raising concerns that Boeing will again let labor animosities get in the way of boom times. "The money makes no material difference to either side -- there is no reason for this strike to be happening," says Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at aerospace consultant Teal Group.

While Boeing's initial strategy seemed promising enough, Mulally and Boeing Human Resources Vice-President Jerry Calhoun clearly underestimated the machinists' desire for traditional pensions. Indeed, two-thirds of IAM members are nearing retirement and weren't tempted by the short-term cash offer. Instead, older workers are looking for a big boost to the pension plan that currently pays them $60 a month per year of service -- about $1,800 a month for a 30-year veteran. Boeing offered to bump that up to $66 by 2008, but the IAM is looking for $80 -- or $70 at the least, union insiders say. Older workers, says IAM District 751 President Mark Blondin, feel they deserve a richer retirement as payment for helping Boeing rebound from the worst slump in commercial airplane history. They also know that the Chicago company is sitting on more than $5 billion in cash and has earned more than $1.1 billion in profit in the first half of this year.

The question now is, if the strike is costing more than a compromise would, why doesn't Boeing just settle? True, no industrial company wants to saddle itself with even higher fixed pension costs these days, given the pain that General Motors Corp. and others are going through with their troubled union retirement plans. But in Boeing's case, the extra dollars it would take to satisfy its aging IAM workforce amount to a pittance.

Okay, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that the phone call was not placed as a "crank call," but are you expecting the company, the mediator, the NLRB, etc. to give you that same benefit of the doubt?! If a message was left with nothing but a bunch of booing in the background, how do you think it makes you look? Will anyone really believe that it wasn't a crank call? Maybe, I don't know. I just think that, regardless of the intention, the call did more harm than good. More union grandstanding that, I suppose, was to keep you riled up, but really just further damaged your image.

Anon 8:56 - then why does the 1150 Union online site say different. Is that how the Union communicates with their members? They Lie?

To Workingstiff... yep, NOW you've got it! ;°)

Get back to work salary people

6:49 - right on the $$ !!

Noone said anything at that meeting because anyone that had a differing opinion was chastizes ,insulted and threatened the shame is those same people are honoring the strike and were treated that way wanting information

What meeting were you at (time)?

to annonymous at 8:55 AM:
I was there and if you really were you would know that you CAN contact Union Hall/Rocco with your concern /situation and can expect help. Tsk Tsk.
Oh, and did YOU talk about YOUR concerns at the meeting? If you did not wish to openly voice your concerns did you approach any of the board? I know you did not because they were there and more than available. I know. I did talk to them and received rational and intellligent responses.
Geez.....
You're apparently a fake and a coward.

I have a suggestion for Sikorsky Management which would provide an illuminating perspective of just how dedicated the Salary workforce actually is.

Make a call to CSC and ask for a report of how many hits are going out from your server to http://cbs.sportsline.com in order to watch the streaming videos of March Madness.

Then, terminate all of those "diligent" contingency workers who are watching basketball on company time!

It's really too bad the way some of the "bad actors" within the union are railroading some of the others. It is not wrong to want to resolve this issue, go back to work and put back together everything that has been broken as the result of this so-called labor dispute. (I still don't know what you are disputing. Changing your health care plan is not an unfair labor practice.) I hate unions. I think they are destructive to their members and to employers and this is a prime example of what a bad union can do to good people and a good company. Someone needs to grab hold of the reigns and really take charge of this situation. Rocco is not leading you, he is MISLEADING you.

Anon 9:10 Good Idea

As an ex-Sikorsky A/C employee, I for one am glad that I no longer have to be in contact with the thugs would are the Large Big Mouthed Members Of 1150. They are the minority of the membership. They try to intimidate when they are in a group, but never as one. If they are confronted as one ,they call for a union steward. They knew I couldn't be intimidated by their high school actions. That only pissed them off more. People go back to work while you still can. The union big mouths will not retaliate against a large group. Go back before that choice does not exist. You must remember SAC makes up only a small fraction of the UTC Corp.

http://www.nrtw.org/

9:07 - what does that tell you about your "brotherhood"? Follow or be knocked down. that should be the motto! Congrats to those of you who now know the truth and have gotten out and kept your jobs.

Again..."The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for the good to do nothing!" I pray the rest of you find your character and courage. Its worth being able to look in the mirror at the end of the day and have some self-respect. If you don't resign, you really do get what you've chosen. Good luck

Sad, the bullies you see in the meetings and on the picket line are all just a bunch of cowardly sissies one-on-one. If everyone who is afraid to speak up would just write a letter to Rocco and stick it in the mail, maybe you all could get somewhere. There's a website, www.nrtw.org for the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, where you can go for free help if you feel that you have been unfairly treated by your union or if you fear retaliation for crossing the picket line. I would urge Sad and everyone in her shoes to contact this organization. They may be able to help you. No one can help you if you are not willing to help yourselves, though!

Posted: Wedesday, March 15, 10:14am

Yesterday, the Connecticut Department of Labor Office of Program Policy denied unemployment benefits to striking Sikorsky workers.

Hearings on the unemployment claims began two weeks ago.

In a letter to the company, the labor department stated that its decision was based solely on records and documents submitted by Sikorsky because...

"despite repeated efforts to secure a statement from the Teamsters Local 1150, the Union did not return telephone and electronic messages during the week following the scheduled hearing."

Are you people so stupid that you think the only ones posting anti-union comments here are salaried people wasting company time? There are plenty of us out here that totally disagree with this horrible situation and blame union members' greed for what could potentially be a serious blow to the economy of the entire state of Connecticut.

We are taxpayers who do not want to pay police OT or to support you all when you end up on welfare. We are parents who do not want to have to pay extra for our children to each lunch so that yours can eat free. We are retirees, spouses, family members, friends, neighbors, members of the community, veterans, active duty military members, ex-Sikorsky employees and future Sikorsky employees. Some of us have a stake in the outcome of this situation, some of us are just observers of humanity, some of us are news junkies and probably many of us are just here for the entertainment. So what? If someone makes a valid point or expresses an honest opinion, does it really matter who they are or why they are posting? Or are you too insecure to let people who disagree with you share your right to free speech?

If you want to continue making incorrect assumptions about who is posting comments on this blog or anywhere else, that is fine. Sometimes you are probably right, sometimes you are definitely wrong. But here's the thing... you don't really know, do you? You may be discarding an actual FACT because your union has told you to believe it is "company propaganda." Well, what about the propaganda your union leadership is spewing? Keep a scoreboard, all of you, and make sure you put tally marks for each confirmed lie told to you by both the company and your union. When this is all over with, we will just see who really lied to whom.

Here is a legitmate question.... I admit I'm new to all this stuff and I have read a lot about "right to work states". First, what is a right to work state? Is it a state where unions are now allowed? or a state where even if there is a union, you don't have to belong and they don't bargain for you?
And most importantly, how would CT go about becoming a right to work state? Does anyone have a factual answer?

Visit www.nrtw.org for answers to your questions about right-to-work states. They do have unions, but they do not have forced unionism. Right-to-work states have something known as "free choice."

For CT to become a right-to-work state, a right-to-work law would have to be passed. With the Democrats in power, this won't happen.

Thanks for the info.!

Okay, if we are dead in the water on the 80/20 thing, lets go forward, we lost this fight, and lets get something somewheres else. I am at the meeting yesterday, and just wondering to myself, "Rocco keeps saying about waiting to hear back from the company, and I'm thinking to myself, why wait, go pound on their door you idiot", why wait, so we can lose more than we have already? It does no good to voice your opinion, cuz Goz did, and maybe he wasnt understood correctly, but he got "the look", and that was the end to that. Rocco keeps saying about,"alittle longer", well how much longer is longer to him, before more people NEED to cross the line? Or Rocco said,"I wont hang ya out to dry, lose the house, etc", but everyone has a different limit, I heard a few guys saying they were hurtin big time already, so lets get another offer to these people soon! On the flip side, I do hear Roccos point about an insulting offer, which it was, but do any of you actually think the offer was gonna be better? And Rocco, after being out of work 4 weeks, do you think the company is going to "reward" us for stying out, like we are gonna get a much better offer? Lets get real here folks, the offer wasnt all that bad, the insurance was the thing we struck on, but we lost, face it, and lets get something of reason to vote on and get back to work, before we dont have a job. I heard Sam Ranno say yesterday, "I wont go back, I lost $4000.00, its not worth me going back in", well good for Sam. Sam also is 64-65 years old, no kids, wife works, and a disabled vet(which I admire his service), but he does not have a clue what the younger people are facing. Then on the other side, the younger workers think the ones with 20 years plus time are all set, they are wrong too. I have 25 years, started when I was 18, have some college, company bought by the way, and just cuz I have all those years, I am far from set!So lets all look in the mirror, take a deep breath, and lets get back to work, and another thing, I have been laid of twice, so I know whats on the outside, and from what I see from the people I work with, not many of you,and not to knock you people, but you would not surbive onthe outside, seriously! Bottom line, we make great money, decent benefits, and I dont care about the silence at yesterdays meeting, all I have spoken with want to get back to work, they are not worried about the extra cost of insurance, thats what happens when you are out for 4 weeks, reality sets in, and you know whats the rigth thing to do. Also, I have spoken to many salary friends, and no, not much is getting done, but why give the company more fuel to outsource more work, when we see it has been on going for 10 years, lets stop it, bargain for more job security, and keep the factory rite here in Ct....thank you, now lets see the responses, this was a sensible post, but i can take it, so lets see! P.S. to the salary people, I have nothing against you workers, we both need each other, no matter what the idoits on here say..union brothers and sisters, no matter what I say, or hear, trusst I shall never cross the line neither, as I voted against the 1st contract, and have an oath to live by...

I guess come the next election time, we'll have to make sure the Democrats aren't in power. That's how salary and everyone should unite!

Nice touch as we drove in the gates this morning - a guy holding a dead rat by the tail! What a bunch of ill behaved children.

And in response to Anonymous at 9:10 - considering CSC is being screamed at every day when they drive in - don't you think they would laugh in the face of any request!

I truly believe that if a Republican or Independent ran on the next election with part of his platform being to convert CT to a right-to-work state, he would win hands down. People are sick of paying twice as much for everything as in right-to-work states. Why is everything so expensive? Because unions force employers to pay artificially inflated wages, which then inflates the cost of everything for the rest of us.

As a blue collar worker in Stratford I want you to know the Mrs. John Q. Public does NOT speak for us all. I have watched all of this and though I do not like the expense I believe that the middle class is slowly being squashed by companies making huge profits and not taking care of their own workers' concerns as they slide down the financial ladder. When times are thin then everyone should hurt. When times are good then all should prosper. Remember there was a time when one (blue collar)worker in the household could buy a house and a car and get by. That level of financial accomplishment is no longer the norm. Times change. They become what we make them either by action or inaction. Do what you have to do - you have my support.

9:34 that was a good post. Too bad you're not one of the union leadership. You're talking to people who can't do a thing here. You need to organize those of you who feel the same way, and if you can't speak out in public, you need to write letters or start petitions or do something to take back your power. That, or your only other choices are resign and cross and keep on taking it until you lose more than you can ever get back.

9:38 - was that one of their "brothers" who tried to think for himself?

Thank you, 9:41, for helping me to make my point. No, I don't speak for everyone. No one speaks for everyone. We all have opinions and we all have a right to express them. We don't have to agree. My point was not that the anti-union folks are right and the union folks are wrong, just that everyone has the right to express their opinion and that, if someone makes a valid point, it doesn't matter which "side" they are on.

Everyone should write to the clowns who took advantage of the photo ops in jackets and let them know they'll pay come election time. I myself have voted for some of them and I will never vote for them again. I don't care who is running. How dare they take a stand with the union of one of the largest employers in this area and probably give SIK more ammo to move? VOTE REPUBLICAN!! make RIGHT TO WORK STATE a issue inthe next election.

Well, I agree with Mrs. John Q. Public and I wish everyone on this board did. If someone posts a good argument for or against something, shouldn't we overlook their identity and/or anonymity and evaluate their remark based on content alone?

The sun is hot... that's a fact. That is a true statement. Does it matter if a salaried person, a union person or some Joe Blow off the street made that statement? Does it change the fact that the sun, indeed, is hot? Nope, not a bit.

If more people opened their minds and really listened to others, wouldn't this world be a much better place? You can't negotiate a settlement to this strike if you are not willing to listen to the other side, whether you are company management or union leadership.

Correct, John Q. And what the union needs to HEAR is that the company is SAYING you will not get any other health plan. It's 80/20, take it or leave it.

There have been some posting for the salaried side on here that have been just as rude and offensive as some posting for the union, but there have also been some factual posts about what is happening on the inside. It would be suicide to ignore what is really happening. At least check it out personally before you discard the notion that the company cannot survive without you.

Jeez, anon at 9:41, if you don't believe in freedom of speech and the ability to make decisions based upon actual facts, which is all Mrs. John Q. Public was endorsing, maybe you should pack your blue collar into a nice little suitcase and head for Iraq or Afghanistan. I'm sure you won't find a pesky little thing like freedom of speech there.

How much longer do you think it will be before Sikorsky stops wasting its advertising budget on adds trying to get you freaks back and starts advertising for jobs in another state?

READ THE NEWSPAPER, FOR GOD'S SAKE! DOES IT GET ANY MORE CLEAR THAN THIS?!

"Sikorsky also said that, starting this week, it would accelerate plans to move work out of the state. The company has not specified where that work would go or whether the relocation would result in permanent job losses when the labor dispute is settled."

I did not vote to strike but yet I support my union by staying out. The problem that I am having after the latest offer is; why doesn't Rocco allow the membership to vote on any new contract offer presented? If the members vote to go back to work then at least we all walk in together. If they do not accept the offer and vote to stay out, that will send a stronger message to the company than that of the opinion of 1 member of our union leadership.

Again, the union is sitting around with its fingers in its ears, its eyes closed, singing "la la la la la - i can't hear you!!"

WELL I SAID WAIT TIL WEDNESDAYS MEETING. LETS SEE HOW MANY CROSS THE PICKET LINE NOW.
ROCCO IS PLAYING GAMES WITH ALL OF YOU.
SOMEONE YESTERDAY ASK "WILL EVERYONE HAVE THEIR JOBS BACK WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER?" I BELIEVE THE ANSWER WAS YES.
WILL THERE BE ANY LAYOFFS AS A RESULT OF THIS STRIKE?
AGAIN THE ANSWER WAS THERE IS PLENTY OF WORK AND A LOT OF OVERTIME.
THEY WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE BEFORE WE WERE ON STRIKE, THEY WILL STILL BE BEHIND WHEN WE GET BACK.
I SAID NUMEROUS TIMES ON THIS POST TO VOICE YOUR OPINIONS AND ROCCO GAVE EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. DID EVERYONE ASK THEIR QUESTION?
THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS. NOOOO
SO SUCK IT UP. CALL THE UNION HALL AND ASK FOR A DONATION TO PAY YOUR BILLS. EVERYONE WAS TOLD HOW MUCH MONEY WAS DONATED TO THE UNION TO HELP US OUT. NOW TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE YOU CROSS THE LINE.

if you don't acknowledge the reality of a situation, does that make it less real?

I see that many union people cant, or wont speak for themselves, and I saw that first hand at the meeting yesterday. I have been in the union 25 years myself, and have never used them, needed them twice, was never helped. I bet I could get more negotiations and headway made than the slate we have representing us, but as a Democratic society, union and all, I, and we have to stand by our leadership, which is not to say we have to agree with them. I just hope this gets resolved soon, as anything we have gained is lost already, and if you cant see that, then thats pretty sad. We all have opinions, ideas, etc, so why are all against each other, salary vs hourly, union vs non-union, thsi does nothing but drive a deeper wedge between sides, and then you have nothing to go on, just hatred. We have to step up to the plate here, maybe w etook our best swing, maybe time to get past our effort, as I say, its better to live to fight another day, than to be dead, then you have nothing!

Keystone Opens New State-of-the-Art Facilityvia PRNewswire

COATESVILLE, Penn., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- KeystoneHelicopter, a leader in the rotorcraft industry for more than 50 years, is preparing to move into the newest addition to The Heliplex(TM).

Keystone recently received its certificate of occupancy from Sadsbury Township, for the second phase of the The Heliplex. "It is so exciting to finally open the doors of this beautiful facility to our employees and our customers," said Bob Ferrucci, Vice President of Quality and Project Manager for expansion of the Heliplex. Nearly 250 employees occupy the existing 55,000 square feet. The new building is adding more than 75,000 square feet of hangar, office and shop space. The remaining 250 employees who currently occupy the West Chester, Penn., facility will move to the newly expanded facility in Coatesville over the next year.

"We designed the facility from the customers' perspective, investing heavily in new shop capabilities and making sure the layouts would be more conducive to efficient, timely work flows. Our ISO-9000 initiatives and Kaizen innovations have helped along the way. We have room on this new site to grow in place literally for decades to come," said Dave Ford, President of Keystone Helicopter.

Keystone Helicopter will break ground in late spring for the next phase of expansion that includes a 30,000-square-foot building that will house three new state-of-the-art paint booths.

About Keystone Helicopter

Keystone Helicopter is a full-service maintenance and completion center anchored by the Heliplex, a new, state-of-the-art technical services depot in Coatesville, Penn. Keystone is a factory-authorized service center for Bell, Eurocopter, MD Helicopter, Rolls Royce, Turbomeca, Pratt & Whitney, and Sikorsky products. Keystone was acquired by Sikorsky Aircraft in 2005.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacturing and service. Sikorsky Aircraft is asubsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), based in Hartford, Conn. UTC provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services tothe aerospace and building systems industries.

SOURCE Keystone Helicopter

News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Aircraft Maintenance Technology" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.

10:05 - "I and we have to stand by our leadership"
That's the thinking that keeps them in power and in control over you. If the people you pay to represent you and not representing what you think, then they need to be removed from power. To stand by and blindly follow them is what got you here to begin with. You have to control your own life. I can't imagine any circumstances where I would sit by and watch people who don't represent how I feel flush away my future and my family's future.

10:08 - not sure of your point.... was it that you think that SIK will be moving to the new digs?

Yes, there ARE plenty of jobs waiting. They are just not awaiting you in CT. There IS a backlog of work that needs to get done. It just will not be completed in Stratford. There will be a necessity for overtime, but YOU will not be the ones putting in those extra hours.

Sikorsky has said it verbally to Rocco and, through him, to all of you that they are moving jobs out of state. They have issued a press release making the same statement. It has been reported in the press that many operations will be leaving Connecticut. What more do you need? Do you need Jeff Pino and Tom Hutton to don tutus and lay it out for you in interpretive dance? (I admit, I wouldn't mind seeing that, myself.)

Maybe they should try sending you all letters in Braille, since you are all obviously BLIND.

10:10 , true to a point, as I have doubts and questions myself about whats going on. All I said is, I voted with my union, and I as a member, and those who are members have to stand behind them, just like I voted for Bush, I shall stand behind him all the way, even if I disagree with some of his policies. I myself, could NEVR look at myself with respect, knowing I decided to strike then crossed over the line, going back on what I stood for, thats all.Maybe that is hard to understand to some, but to me, a mans word is what makes the man, I hope you understand?

everyone that went to the meeting knows that the Union has money put aside from the other Locals to help members when in need so If you need meds for you or your loved ones there is help at the ahll all you have to do is call and stop listening to the fools that are tring to split us up.We are stronger then the company wants us to think. Screw the jerks.

The Keystone expansion is just that... a Keystone expansion. Part of Sikorsky, yes, but growing and expanding in and of itself. The Sik relocation will not be to another forced union state. Think further south. The closest right-to-work state is Virginia, which means closer proximity to DC, the Pentagon and the military contracts. If I had to pick a state where Sik would move, I would bet on either VA or NC. Lots of bases in NC, too, and it's still on the east coast.

I was at the union meeting. There was no intimidation present. If you lack the backbone to ask what you feel is an important question, THE FOOL IS YOU. The question was asked about HEALTH CARE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS; a.k.a. HSA or H.S.A. The company wants no part of it .WHY? Probably because the first time the heard about them was from the union in negotiations. There is a way out of this. It is not going to be had by Sikorsky offering subsequently less each time they meet with the union. I assure you it is no longer about money, as we will never replace the wages we lost. It is now about what you stand for. It's now personal. Don’t think that the rank & file salary is happy. Sure the ones that are making $90 -100k or more a year are happy. Not so with the lower level workers. They are living vicariously through us, knowing that Our Fight Is Their Fight.

Now to the people who speak of that dirty word sab*****. I have faith in all that they appreciate just what it is that we are building, & it will not happen. If you are stupid enough to do something like this I suggest first seek a new line of work. Second, you need to read your employee manual. I don’t have the manual, but as I recall there was a passage in there about the dirty little S word. I believe it ended with PUNISHABLE BY DEATH IN TIME OF WAR. These things are not toasters, & your 16-year-old son or daughter may fly in it tomorrow. Lets end that line of talk now!

10:15 - Even though I disagree with you, I can respect your conviction and the way you present yourself. Not the nonsense usually found here. Good luck

A legit question here - If there are funds available to help suffering strikers, are they a loan that will have to be paid back at the end? Do they come with interest?

If the company really wanted to end this strike all they need to do is sweeten the pot just enough to allow Rocco to authorize a re-vote. The membership would vote to accept and we would be back to work tomorrow. Maybe they don't want us back yet!

Again, to all you know it alls, jobs have been being outsourced for 10 years now, where were all of you when it started? I never heard a word then, but now, since we go on strike, we, the union are to blame for this? I just dont get you people, always quick to point the finger, but never know what you are really talking about, just what the press lets you know.Do any of you even know why alot of the jobs are going, probably not. Well for one, Sikorsky has been trying to eliminate environmental hazards for one, off load some of those jobs to other places, one to keep fines down here, and also enables them to have more floor space here. Also, the more les afforable jobs to keep here, the more people they can hire to do work once the new contracts kick in, cuz if you dont know, Sikorsky has a record total of contracts on the near horizon. So this was just a small insight to when you say jobs are going out, at least you know why!

Unfortunately, there have been instances of sabotage that have been caught. Problems in paint are one. Not exactly a safety issue, but definitely a monetary issue. Those were videotaped, by the way. And I got it firsthand from someone who works in AFO that there have, indeed, been lots of extra holes found in some of the aircraft. Those are being investigated. Vigorously. Those are just two examples that I was told about by my friend who works for Sikorsky. He said it was the "tip of the iceberg." So those of you who participated in sabotage prior to striking, you won't have to worry about losing your house, how you're going to pay for food, etc. You'll have a nice roof over your head, plenty to eat and lots of security at Leavenworth.

To REALISTIC who wrote: "If the company really wanted to end this strike all they need to do is sweeten the pot just enough to allow Rocco to authorize a re-vote. The membership would vote to accept and we would be back to work tomorrow. Maybe they don't want us back yet!"

They DID sweeten the pot by adding an extra $500 to the rat bonus, paying the bonus in such a way that you would get the larger chunk of it when the 80/20 goes into effect and also structuring the annual increases to help prevent the "sticker shock" of the new plan. How much sweeter do you need it to get?

BETTER SAID THAN HOW I HAD PUT IT 10:15 THANKS.
LETS STAY TOGETHER EVERYONE.
WE MAY NOT GET WHAT WE WANT. BUT COME ON SIKORSKY. DON'T INSULT YOUR WORKERS THE WAY YOU HAVE.
IF I MAY ADD ONE MORE THING.
ROCCO WHY DID YOU NOT POST YOUR PROPOSAL IN THE PAPER OR AT THE LEAST PRESENT IT TO YOU MEMBERS PRIOR TO TAKING APON YOURSELF TO REJECT SIKORSKY'S.
SIKORSKY POSTED THEIR PROPOSAL IN THE PAPER ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE COUNTER OFFERED THEIRS AND SAID TO DO SOMETHING BETTER WITH THE PERSCRIPTION PORTION AND COMPANY MATCH.

10:17 - I think taking it personally will be a big mistake in the long run. Once people start taking stands based on pride, your judgment is clouded and that's when the noses start getting chopped off to spite the faces!

Business is business and cool heads usually prevail. While some salary people may lose their cool here, the company is remaining calm and doesn't answer to them. The union, however, takes its direction (supposedly) from the membership, so there is no place for pride in business decisions.

If you think the company's offer is insulting and their treatment of you is bad, then why not get yourself another job?!

All UTC would have to do is lets say for example, take the 3rd year of the contract, suspned the rate increase for the insurance, keep it at the 2nd year rate, and we would accept it. Or, increase the 3rd year, and make it a 4 year contract, either way, its a good faith proposal. show the union members some respect at least. There are a number of other things the company can do to offset the insurance, and its probaly pretty easy to do, I think this goes beyond negotiating? Back to friends of mine inside, I have to lend some credence to the theory that this strike is an engineered plan by both the company, and the union. Sikorsky can catch up on their parts shortage, learn the SAP system, which is costing ALOT of money, and in the end, the company looks good, and the union will look good. Anybody remember the union lawyers speech,"6 days, weeks, months, I dont think it willbe 6 days, nor 6 months," so does the 6 week comment sound good to you? ya never know the whole truth whats going on..

It would be nice if the union web site posted just all factual information regarding the strike instead of making the "wall of shame" a priority.

To 10:17 - bravato - heard the same from other union members of other factories that are not here anymore. Every person has different financial responsibilities - every person has to make a decision for themselves. Bravato gets you nowhere - thinking does.

anon 10:26....yes the company did add $500, but in reality, we will get shortchanged $500, as the first offer was to be matched 50%($2000=$3000), with this new offer, there was no match, so it was actually a $500 loss! Another was the pension calculator, originally it was to be a 20 cents an hour increase, second offer was 10 cents an hour, another loss. I have said all along, I want to go back to work, and the original offer to me was okay, but when they slap you in the face with a lesser offer, thats just plain greed, and the execs thinking we are all stupid, dont ya think?

If that were the priority, wouldn't it be up to date. It's not that difficult to take the names off the resignation letters.

The thing is you should not expect the company to be watching out for you personally, because their job is to watch out for stockholders. But the union is another story. Their only job is to watch out for you and you pay them well to do so. They aren't doing it and should be replaced.

I for one am fed up with the "wall of shame", I hate that word scab too, and I am an 1150 memeber for a long tme! Instead of focusing on the line crossers, which I dont care for myself, I want to see something on the projector that says I have a contract to vote on, which helps us union members out! Enough of this show the bad side of things to negate what the lack of what were doing is, this is the typical Sikorsky way, dont elevate yourself, bring the other guy down, and I for one want to see progress, not promises!

exactly right 10:39, I couldn't agree more

10:35 - The union chose to strike. It was your exercised free will. The company has lost time, which is of the upmost importance to them. They may be losing some $ if contracts are withdrawn. They certainly has lost good PR and their reputation is suffering.

Who should pay for that? The company? NO. The contract offers will continue to get worse as you cause more damage to them.

If a child misbehaves, you don't reward that behavior. You have damaged the company image and that can't be rewarded. If they did, the union would take more advantage in the future and strikes would be more commonplace. If a company as the resorces (and UTC does) they have to win at all costs. The union leadership should have known all of this before. Its not like the old days, when a union could drive a small company out of business and held leverage over them. Now companies just outsource or move all together. Global Economy.

Heres a question I have asked about 1,000 times, and I do know the answer, but here goes....why when we were negotiating a contract, never ever is a member not affiliated with the E borad ever asked to sit in? We are all paying members, they always pass leaflets around asking input, then why cant we see for ourselves, maybe a few at a time sitting in during these talks?

The ratification meeting as well as yesterdays meeting were just pep rallies of negativity. Stop bashing people and get to work resolving the strike. Let the vote of the members decide!

Another question, a for thinking for ourselves, is there anywhere written, we as members of this union cant proceed with an offer, alegitimate offer, and present it to corporate, and see what their reponse is? Just asking here, any idea is worthwhile st this point, maybe UTC would deal more openly and fair with another side of this bargaining unit, and get us back to work..

To follw up on my idea above, we could get a lawyer for ourselves someone who would know all the legal ramifications you would need to know?

No, they don't think you are stupid. They know that the worse the deal they offer, the more likely it is you will stay out. They don't want you back. Can't you see that?

The union always seems to put alot of energy to use defending the low lifes of the union while the good people get nothing out of membership. Put some of that energy to work on ending this strike.

right-to-work state= screw worker

why does it not seem real gayboy, cuz you dont have your little friend saround today to keep up the stupid crap, go back to school already....gay boy, name does fit huh

Rocco keeps aying he wont hang us out to dry, but at what point do we hit that point, as I hear from some they are ready to cros the line, money is low. And to Rocco, Id sit and wacth you in a speedo, as long as you are at UTC headquarters or wherever to hammer out a deal! When do we as members ay enough is enough, corporate is playing hard ball, offers are getting worse and worse, lets all cross the line? In my opinion, lets get back soon, and go in together as the E borad keeps preaching, and keep our jobs, cuz a union as a whole that can accept defeat, is much prouder than a splintered, battered one with many that will make the "wall of shame".

know

Get to work fast Rocco and get us another offer to vote on, otherwise the wall of shame is bound to grow by leaps and bounds very soon. Our families come first!

gayboy will stop lying

I just dont know why Rocco is sitting back and waiting for an offer instead of being proactive and keep sending offer after offer to the mediator? If I was in charge, Id be at the mediators ear every 5 minutes, getting something done. How much of an ass kicking do we have to sit back and take? And no, I will NEVER cross the line, but I have just as much right as anyone to stand up and be counted as to my opinions.

lets face it, Health care is a government issue not a corporate one. Give us something else positive to vote on and we will be back

10:46 - I believe as long as you are members of a collective bargaining unit, the company cannot and will not deal with you directly. Those who have resigned could negotiate their positions for themselves, like salary, under normal circumstances, but I'm sure the company just had them come back under the old contract and wouldn't negotiate individually.

I wish people will stop spelling lose as loose. When you talk about losing something, you spell it as L-O-S-E not L-O-O-S-E!

Rocco, put the vote back into the hands of the members. Let us decide our own fate.

Here it is to all union faithfuls that think the union is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I havent crossed yet but I am suffering and on the verge because unlike most of you I have a brain of my own. I have worked other places before and I know for a fact and realize this benefit package is not that bad. Maybe to the people who have worked in the same place for 30 years it seems bad but guess what truth be told its a great deal. We will lose this strike if we wait any longer. Rocco is covering up for something that we are not being informed of. Just think back to the meeting when he said he realizes that the 80/20 thing is not going to go away so he is trying to balloon up the package. The very next question asked to Rocco was then why are we still on strike since Sikorsky's offer has increase in certain areas. His answer was Health care. I thought he was over that? Guess not! He has had 7 months to reach a better deal to make us happy. Guess what? Still at step one. There is something going on behind the scenes with Sikorsky and the Union. Think about it? The company knows they have a ton of dead what over paid lazy employees working here. Cant be denied although its not everyone but a significant number. What better way to get rid of these people. Let the union strike. The company will win this battle. This is not unfair labor practice. No judge will rule it that way. Not when we are comparable to every other company. This is economical on our behave and that is looked at as greed. Lets get over ourselves and make our true families happy. The union will go on with or without you but can you say the same for ourselves. Our lifes will not be the same without this job. Take if from me I am young but very experienced in major corporations and the common low paying jobs that are out there these days. Oh by the way they dont offer health care either. Do some research with all your spare time and use your brains. We all have them people. Also my personal view on all the people calling everyone scabs or losers or assholes get over it. Lets be adults but I guess thats hard for the union reps to be since crank calling is their way of resolving the issue. How embarrasing! I have not seen that behavior since the 7th grade on a friday night. Lets go back before its to late and the union destroys everyones jobs. There is truth behind all of this if been here before.

Just do something with the 3rd year of the contract, hold the rate increase to the 2nd year rate(stays the same for 6 weeks), and negotiate off the lower level. Or, take the 3rd year, hold that rate, and make a 4 year pact. From what I hear, EVERYONE would vote to accept that, thats how easy this can be done, I dont think UTC would think of that as a bad offer? All else was okay with the offer, but either keep the original 2000 dollar with 50% match, or take the 2500 dollar no match, buit get it up front, not over 2 years, and get the pension calculator upped maybe to 55?yr, hows that, sounds good to me?

The wall of shame ( I don't agree with) does not show hourly people that were NOT union members.
Also, one of the people who crossed the line has already been fired. That's how they will love you if you cross now.

Legit question here -
I understand that many of you have union pride and say you won't cross the picket line. Is that under the assumption that the strike will end and eventually you will get to go back to your jobs? I'm not being sarcastic. I'm just curious. You can't last without income for too long. Is your plan to seek other employment then? or collect welfare? How can you keep your homes if "you'll never cross"? I would be so scared at this point. I know I couldn't go a month without a paycheck. And even if you have some savings, that was prob. put away for retirement or college tuition for your kids or medical or whatever... and it all seems more worthwhile than this.

I'd be interested in sincere responses. At what point would you cross? There has to be a point at which the reality of your financial situation takes over.

The person that has been fired is probably an idiot. Do you know his or her name? There is a person that crossed who has been fired 3 times and the union got them their job back. Now do you see my point. The union is protecting idiots not the hard workers. That person should have been terminated years ago and working at dutchess.

Fed up, I hear you, and I have 25 years at Sikorsky, and apprecite my job too. I am not old, 43 years old, have some college, and have the same feeling you do about working other places. I have been laid off twice, and worked at some places that many of our co-workers would work 2 hours and quit! I want to get back to work, but wont cross a line, and yes I did hear that when Rocco alluded the loss on health care, then 2 mins later he said this is over health care, believe me, hes not fooling anyone anymore, and had better get us back to work, before he has no say in it!

roco is going to philly to talk with a senator or some big wig who works in getting sik contracts i don't know what this will do but he leaves tomarrow

11:12 - That shows the new attitude in SIK. If its true that it was the nail thrower, he obviously wasn't a quality person that would be an asset to the team. Maybe they found out what he had done. Maybe he was a deadbeat. Regardless of whether you go back to work now or later. They now want hard workers who are team players. If you go back with the old attitude it won't "fly". Perfect case in point.

There's an old saying with teachers...."you have to shoot one kid the first day of school to keep the others in line." SIK means business. Pay attention.

i think the 1st contract was fair the 2nd contract was a slap in the face.

man you sure can type lol

Didnt you hear rocco at the meeting? Government cant help in this dispute. Came straight from his mouth. Dont waste our time Rocco get us back to work

the guy that was fired should have been fired many times before but the union protected him. that is why the company is in the mess it is in. the union always protects the bad people. no one is held accountable for their actions anymore. if they screw up they come back with lost pay.

we will be back to work in less than 2 weeks

11:20 - When you were offered a fair contract and turned it down and then literally spit at and called names to your bosses, did you honestly expect a BETTER contract? You're lucky they are offering anything at all... and they will get progressively worse.

Not me next week is all the union gets. We are going to get the same contract that was just offered whether is this week or two weeks from now lets break this useless union and stand up for ourselves

who was fired ?

To 11:13, heres an honest response as you will get on here. I have 25 years At Sikorsky, I may be one of the lucky ones, I have been laid off 2 times so I decided I needed to do something to cover myself, not just make Sikorsky my life. I have a small side business, that I make out okay, not that I can leave Sikorsky behind, just a good supplement. I am one of the people that appreciate my job at Sikorsky, do my job with self pride, and yes, I walk the line but NEVER will I say anything to people working inside, either theyre salary and have to work, or if they cross the line, they have to live with themselves, not me. As for how long I, or we can hold out, thats up to the individual, as I for myself say I wont cross line, but how long is long enough, until our jobs are gone, and faced with THAT ultimatum, then not just myself, we all would cross the line, and any one who says they wont are lying or just plain stupid! I hope this helped you some.

last 11:23 are you hiring ?

to Fed up hourly employee:
The one that got fired was not the one that's been fired several times before. But I'm sure that guy only has a matter of time.

Thank you for your sincere comments, 11:23. That's an honest answer to a difficult situation. I think people like you would be worth having back. Those who can think and reason and are respectful. Good luck

Fed up, how do union members go about getting rid of the union leadership, as I believe I can get something done before Rocco, seriously, if a President can be impeached, there has to be some way to get leadership to do what we want, or get rid of them?

anyone want to lend me some money ?

How can you expect people to voice an opinion at a meeting where foul mouthed teamsters are being loud and obnoxious (and wasting time making prank phone calls, gosh I have not done that since I was 10!). I still don't understand why, if so many of you truly feel this way and want to get back to work, you don't all form a bond and do it!!?? What is wrong with all of you? Just walk in with your heads held high and if enough people do it what can happen. The strike will end, everyone gets paid, no more union. What better way of voiceing your opinion then to take a stand like this. You are all cowards!

I agree with you. I stand there with my mouth shut just doing my time. But this is going on for too long now and its time to start paying the bills and living life as I knew it. I give salary a lot of credit but they also need to get the sticks out of there asses and stop thinking they are better then the hard working hourly people. WE are all employees of the same company with different skills or desire. Just because they wear shirts and ties does not make them better then the jean or sweat pant wearing employee. We need to work together and make sure the work gets done here in stratford and not somewhere else. Think about it

sorry 11:26, I have 5 workers, me, myself,and I, and both kids, sorry..

the meeting was a joke . i think the union puts people in the crowd to support them dam it was like a cult following

hopefully the company takes a hard stand on those who try to intimidate the people who went back to work for their own personal reasons. if we can get rid of the people with that mentality we can become a strong company again.

As members we have rights to demand a revote. Why doesnt someone get one started?

So if Rocco is off to Philly, does that mean no more negotiations until he gets back? Will have lost 10k by the time this stupidity is over. All because our Leaders are hard heads

Fed up, most salary guys are okay, but there are a few who think they are above hourly, just like some hourly think the same way. I abide by the old saying, its not the suit a man wears that make a man, its the man inside the suit! We the members have to take our collective thoughts, maybe not in the open, cuz its hard to speak above the loud mouths, but we have to have some say in this, more than we do now.

Hes wasting time he told us the government cant help anymore at the meeting. What the hell is he going to philly for then

no we don't have a choice to revote . its in rocco's hands now we gave up that privilage

No he didnt thats when research helps. He said he works for us. WE have the right to overturn his decision. We just have to get it started.

to make it look like he is making progress. give us the right to vote, let the members decide

Enough with the salary vs. hourly. Just sounds like sour grapes. Salary is doing what they have to do, just like you strikers. The only difference is they are getting paid. You all need to figure out how to get yourselves back to work and leave salary out of it. This is not their fight!

good luck i'm behind you

If enough people came together we can get a revote. People need to speek up and be heard. I know its intimidating well surrounded by union thug wannabes but we have to do it somehow.

Someone HAS to know how a union DEMANDS action such as a re-vote, etc, please someone answer here! I shall look into it later, cuz I know alot of you guys in the union can do as good a job, and even better than we are getting. And why does Rocco have to go to Philly, talk to some guy who is on the armed service committee, what will he get this man to do, take contracts away from Sikorsky, so we are all definately done? We cant get Ct's delegation to do more than just talk, what do we expect a Penn politician to do, enough of this camera photo ops crap, we need some real negotiating done!

and salary and hourly need to stop with the negative comments. We all need to come together for our own good.

i'll give it two more weeks if nothing is done i for the sake of my family will have no choice but to cross the line and become a so called scab.

Its not about salary vs hourly. Im talking about getting back to work and when we do everyone needs to be excepting to that. No grudges! Im on salary's side, Im on the so called scabs side, I was againts the strike to begin with because I did the research and understood the proposal before just voting no and leaving. WE need to be strong as one company not a divided one

Contrary to popular belief there are other places to work making close to what we make now. I will demonstrate this buy submitting my resignation both to the company and the union. I want no part of this anymore. Good luck!!!

Dear Rocco and Harvey,

Good luck in Philly. You will certainly need it. Don't be surprised if Sikorsky has left a forwarding address in VA when you get back.

i agree i have friends whom are salary i do not begrudge them making a living thats nuts. when we gbet back we will be strong together and together we will make the best dam aircraft in the world

THats your choice but beleive me its a lot harder to find a place to work as good as sikorsky AC. You will pay more in health care then in this current proposal and you will make less money. Manufacturing in the usa is not the way it use to be

THats your choice but beleive me its a lot harder to find a place to work as good as sikorsky AC. You will pay more in health care then in this current proposal and you will make less money. Manufacturing in the usa is not the way it use to be

Belonging to a union or any other organization should not require you to check your brain at the door. I just can't see being a part of an organization where I have no voice.

I am not one one side or the other, Im on Igors side, he from what I have been told, and researched must be rolling in his grave by now. I really dont care if someone is hourly or salary, all are working for the same goal, and if someone is smart enough to be in a higher paying salary job, more power to them, and I know alot of those people, nothing against them at all.Im an hourly guy, half way to a degree, will I ever us eit, who knows, but either way, does having a degree or not make someone abad person, I say no it does not! I just want my union leaders to hear what most are saying, they want to have a deal done soon, cuz everyone is in a different financial situation, and some will be FORCED to cross the picket line, and I think if both sides wanted to get a ettlement, thye wwould of already,it seems there is more to this than 2 unwilling sides, maybe some sort of collaboration here?

ive been at sikorsky 22 years and its the best place to work by far . yes there are a few as3333es but you get them everywhere ive made good friends bolth hourly and salary.

People need to realize the union is a fraud. We have rights that protect us from unfair labor practice. We do not need them. They make 60 a month from everyone to do what? Sit on their butts and chat for 10hrs a day. Please tell me what they actually do all day long. Never mind the hourly people or salary people. What does the union do for the three years between contracts

they party with your money at conventions dude

I think they just spend their days beating off to pictures of little Jimmy.

Good comment Fed up, I wonder that myself, just like politicians, ask yourselves why men who are millionaires work for the so called "people" for relative peanuts compared to what they make and are worth? SAme thing here, these guys were workers just like us, why do they wnat to help us out, of course its to better themselves!

Im a fairly new employee at sikorsky and to give a prime example of the union and them actually doing nothing to help. I needed some information regarding the old and the new upcoming contract and because they did not know my name they told me to leave it up to them. They refused to give me a current booklet on the contract even though its my right to have one they refused. I went to HR for my information that I was seeking and found the answers. Sikorsky wins in that battle. The union cares for themselves and thats it. Sikorsky wants to get rid of the union. You dont think this is what they are doing here. Think people think. We are all doomed if we keep holding out. By the way people there is a job fair coming up and sikorsky is the main attraction. WHat do you think that means

time to go rake leaves gotta do what i can for a few bucks

I just don't get it. If you know you are being lied to or not being told the entire truth,if you feel these people are ruining your lives, HOW can you stand there and do Nothing? It's not that hard to resign from the union and get back to work. I don't understand how you caan let this happen to you, reguardless of any Stupid oath. You have rights too, not just the union

I'll tell u what the union does. ABSOULTELY NOTHING !!!

I just want to say god-bless you gayboy i could not have said what you said any better. this needs to come to a end.

Everyone should go to CNN News right now, look at the picture of 4-5 Black Hawks in the desert, we are launching a big offensive there, we should really be ashamed of ourselves, both parties involved, the union, and UTC, we make the best helicopters in the world, and okay, the insurance is a done deal, get on with fairness UTC, give the workers alittle more, wake up! And Rocco, concede the insurance thing, maybe tweak it some, 3rd year deal, the picture on CNN says it all, those guys NEED these helis, lets get them to them, repair the ones they have, and in case any of you dont know, if our military some day fails us, e wont have to worry about jobs, healthcare etc!

They post threats which can be scary but let it be said bring it. Its not the 40's or 50's anymore. Local authorities will eat it up. ANd inside the work place the so called scabs no need to worry. THe state will protect you if the union wont. You have rights that will keep these over confident mobsters away from you. If they dont they will be sitting in court with you and at the unemployment office. Stay strong stay united I will be joining with about 80 more people either on monday or tuesday.

WE'WE MADE A STAND. LET'S RECOGNIZE THAT WE WONT SOLVE THE NATIONAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS HERE, BUT THAT WE'VE AT LEAST SPOKEN. ACKNOWLEDGE,ALSO ,THAT WE ALL NEED THESE JOBS AND THAT THE PEOPLE WAITING TO STEP INTO OUR SHOES ARE ONLY THERE BECAUSE THERE AREN'T TOO MANY LIKE THEM LEFT IN THE NORTHEAST.

Bring it.

Excatly cake, good point, healthcare is bigger than all us combined, lets save face in the fact maybe we brought it into the light some more, and get our jobs back, cuz we ALL NEED them..

we will be back to work in two weeks hold strong

why do you think we will be back in 2 weeks cause rocco told you that. dont beleive it

no pressure from membership and sikorsky's needs will have us back to work in two weeks

2 more weeks, we lose a few thousand more, when do we make it up? Never, thats when!, And dont think we will get any better deal, is the corporation gonna reward us for stying out longer, lets get real!

we will get our vacation pay and sick pay as soon as we return

Unless we get a contract soon,like THIS WEEK. And I don't see that happening, the Only way to save this mess is to resign en masse and cross the line.Once the union is down to 30% i believe it is, you can then start the process to disolve it and bring in another union. If that's what you want

lets get together and have a few beers

to "fed up hourly'
Sure there are labor laws to protect workers, but if something unfair happens to you, how long do you think it will take you to fight it on your own and how much money will you spend for a lawyer with no paycheck coming in?
Unions were set up to protect workers.
If anyone wants to see just how good it was in the good old days , check out the "Labor Museum" in Waterbury , Ct.

in a big company like sikorsky's you have to have a union or else the managers will sheet all over you be a good worker or not

Your quote "Unions were set up to protect workers". That is true and almost all workers had it bad - but that is ancient history. Here in the northeast in the last 15-20 years, unions have cost jobs not protect workers. The union leaders got fat at the workers expense.

Good statement but these are not the good old days anymore. Its all about you the individual. If you want to be something or someone in your work place you better work for it. Nothing is handed to you anymore unless you are rich to start.

trust me i know many great workers in sikorsky's who do not get whats comming to them because of bad managers who are not people trained

unless you work there than you have no idea what goes on you haven't the slitest idea how misguided managment is

Look I know a way for all of us to get back to work. There are at least 1500 people who voted yes to the contract the 1st time around. If we all crossed the line together this strike would end. THink about we didnt agree with it to start with so why are we still out of work suffering for something we didnt agree with a month ago. We wont be scabs to anyone because that number is large enough to break this union. If the union does not settle we can choose to elect another union to represent us. We have power with numbers just like rocco the idiot is stating so why cant we be the ones with the power. Think about. Monday THe list will have grown and that when I make my decision to go back on Tuesday if not sooner. Enough is enough

there not going anywhere

chrisse hang in there i'm in the same boat as you give it a week more

You need to start that process today if you are serious about crossing. You need to call HR first. Then you can start the resignation process. DO NOT cross without resigning first

I know you need a certified letter to the union before crossing. THats why I am giving it the weekend to decide. Mondays line crossing numbers is my deciding factor. I can drop the letter off and return tuesday or wednesday. Well thought out already. SInce early this week

you've hung on this long i'm begging you to hang on another week

About jobs going out, they have been for awhile, we all know that. And any jobs that are leaving are non-critical, and really going to open floor spce for the next batch of work Sikorsky will have. If you think that a strike of this magnitude, small in comparison to other companies would make work go out, think again, this corporation does not jump to decisions, they are made in like 10 year increments. That means any jobs going, have been planned for years in advance, not just all of a sudden. Sikorsky has the resources to put pressure on us union people, we cant cave in, and eventually, they will get us back in. Why do you think you get letters and calls, cuz they want to get rid of us all? Ask any manager you know, and I know alot of these guys, NOTHING is being done inside, just some stuf getting finished up, sorelax, it should be soon.

I've talked to managers and foreman and the truth is that work is getting done just not as fast as it should be. Truth about who will have a job or not after this strike is only the strong and deserving will. Not everyone! Trust me! The process has begun and it started about 6mos ago with taking notes on the lazy and unmotivated employees who will not be hired back. Then what. Oh yeah forgot senority will no longer matter once this is over. It how you perform and how they for see you performing years from now and thats how you will keep your job. Rocco already said he can not guarentee your job will be there when this is over but we all left together we will all go back together. That is a lie and he knows it. What he fails to tell is we will all walk in together but some will be lead to the meeting hall and handed pink slips that very day. What a leader.

Fed up hourly:
You obviously aren't an hourly worker anywhere. Managers and companies still try to abuse people , if they think they can get away with it. It still happens every day, so a union is just as much needed now as it was years ago. I am female and still have to fight to be equal in a mostly male work enviroment.

good news Fellow Teamsters....heard from a Reputable source Legal signed off on 1000 Layoffs to happpen as soon as we get back......when does this madness end?.....final Assy. guys you may be lucky.....Backshops.....gone......Rocco....please end this soon......

what about the machine shop ?

gone

Sorry disgusted, ANY layoff of more than 55 people I think, HAS to be notifiable by 60 days I believe, so get back to work and show the company your real value, I bet there are some toilets to clean?

machine shop gone lol what a joke i know for a fact ther overloaded

Hungry Man or Manwiches?

spam and eggs

To: disgusted on March 16, 2006 12:30 PM

Rocco....please end this soon...... why beg rocco - all the people that keep there mouths closed at meetings need to stand up and end this. As long as members keep quiet rocco is not going to end this strike.

Notice has to be given if there is a contract in effect, which there is not in this case. Also, since this is an economic strike and not one of unfair labor practices, the company can lay off as needed for financial reasons. Study a little harder so you can stop passing misinformation.

ah ha this is an unfair labor gripe not economic thats why they can not hire perm.replacement workers

No one anywheres has proclaimed this an economic strike, so its you that should stop passing mis-information...and another fact, there does not have to be a contract, as many shops arent contracted and still have layoffs, so YOu go read up some!

Everyone should go watch the basketball tourney

No one anywheres has proclaimed this an economic strike, so its you that should stop passing mis-information...and another fact, there does not have to be a contract, as many shops arent contracted and still have layoffs, so YOu go read up some!

Sorry all, my comp messed up with that spam!!

What good is one more week going to do?
Honestly, and I put this to anyone that cares to give an honest answer.When do you think this strike will be over?

Perhaps when the plant moves, just as the Teamsters were willing to spend megabucks to get Hofffa, they will hire Bruce Springsteen to sing "My Hometown" outside.

Economic Strike
An economic strike is a work stoppage whose sole cause is a union’s unaccepted demands for higher wages, benefits or other improvements. During an economic strike, an employer can hire permanent replacements.

When the strike concludes, replacements may be retained in place of strikers. If replacements fill all jobs, strikers are placed on a preferential rehire list.

Unfair Labor Practice Strike
An unfair labor practice strike is a work stoppage wholly or partially caused by an employer’s violation of the National Labor Relations Act. An employer is not permitted to hire permanent replacements during a ULP strike. An economic strike is said to convert to a ULP strike if a ULP committed during the strike prolongs the stoppage.

When a union ends a ULP strike and makes an unconditional offer to return to work, the employer must reinstate strikers within five days (except for workers who committed serious misconduct during the strike). Replacements must be dismissed even if they were promised permanent employment. (These rules do not apply to workers replaced before the employer committed the violation that made the action a ULP strike.) If the employer fails to reinstate ULP strikers, the strikers are entitled to back pay from the date of their offer to return.

Why have the people who have nothing good to say staye around for 4weeks in this BLOG. Where are your jobs??? I know they are moving out right along with the union jobs. Ask some of the foreman who are doing research on these other states if they really want to leave their families behind to follow SIK. The foremen are in the toughest spots they have to go with the company because most do not have college degrees and have been with the company for 25 plus years which means close to retiring and to start over somewhere else would be a tragedy. The educated union workers are not the ones yelling at the foremen we feel what they are going through.

I can not speak for the rest but I thought this guy Pino would be more willing to get this resolved but I guess I was wrong he is in the same boat as Fingers and George David. All it takes at this point would be the same contract with a little tweaking to the pension and raises and we would be back to work tomorrow.

"No one anywheres has proclaimed this an economic strike"

In due time , it will be. Just remember, the union led you to believe unemployment comp. was coming, too!

People filed for that on their own the union had nothing to do with that.

DAVID AND GOLIATH;MIGHT VS. RIGHT ;WOULDN'T BE A STORY IF THE GOOD-GUYS ALWAYS WON...UNION BUSTERS TELL ME YOU HAVE NEVER BENIFITTED FROM THE SWEAT OF YOUR UNION WORKING MOTHERS AND FATHERS IN THISGREAT COUNTRY?

I would like to know if the union thought going into this strike that they would be able to collect unemployment. Thanks.

No they knew they could not collect and it has nothing to do with the union it is the individual who applied for it. Most thought they would get it because there was a sign on the company not allowing anybody other than salary to go in. Which agency guys should have been allowed in. And some like myself figured trying would not hurt.

I for one was NEVER told we would be eligible for un-employment, and have never looked forwards to receiving it. As for jobs leaving, this is propaganda thrown out by people and the company trying to bust the union, as I have said before, jobs have been going for years, dont be mislead into thinking they are just going now cuz of thsi strike. And being a 25 year employee, I havent spoken to any one salary worker who has been told to re-locate, so quit trying to anger or scare other union members into crosSng the line! And I for one want to get back to work, but will NEVER cross the line, and I wont fall into fearful thinking that all our jobs are gone forever, if that was the case, would we all be getting mail and calls to come back to work?

Alright the tourney has started I must go.....Til we meet again.

Anon 12:40 - just because your Union called it an unfair labor strike does not make it one. How do you still believe what your union says when they give you so little information, don't show up at your unemployment hearing, dont' put offers out for vote. How do you keep allowing yourself to be manipulated. I am not poking fun at you - I am so sad for all that you have all lost and what you are putting yourselves and others through. I drive through your picket line while I am paying over $50/week for a 2 person family for medical and know you are all paying with increases far less than that. How much does everyone have to lose before this ends?

The union is leading you down the garden path........and I have no interest either way.....just a neutral observer.....go back to work, you had it good before. Why not continue to work under the current contract while you negotiate...how does that not make the most sense for you? The company is not going to come down unless you make a good faith effort to go back to work. This strike is costing you jobs, money and your cozy work environment.

I think the point that most bloggers are trying to make is that, yes, the plans to outsource started a long time ago. That's the way the entire country is going. My friend's job was outsourced a few years back and he got a job with the outsourcing group to go back to the same desk and do the same job for money, so I'm not sure where the savings came for this company, but at any rate, SIK would save $$ by outsourcing jobs that can be done for less $$ elsewhere.
The point is that the union was in place and a contract was in place before, that prevented them from moving at this speed. yes, the jobs were going,but you probably could have held on to them for quite a while longer. Now its just been accelerated and you may be out of job faster than you thought.

Try to see whatever truth there may be in any statement regardless of who is delivering it. Some do contain truths. Paranoia does cloud judgment.

Before you go spewing insults and obscene gestures at people who have crossed the line, try thinking first and put yourself in their shoes. You don't know who has a sick spouse, or a sick child, these people need the medical coverage right now. Everyone has their reasons, try respecting that. God forbid, what if your wife had cancer and couldn't go for her chemo treatment because the insurance isn't there, wouldn't you cross? All I'm saying is everyone should fight for what they believe in without insults and threats.

IF ALL YOU SALARY WORKERS SITTING AT YOUR DESKS READING THIS BLOG CALLED IN SICK TOMORROW MAYBE THE COMPANY WOULD GET YUR COMPANIONS BACK TO WORK.

Per the NLRB: If the object of a strike is to obtain from the employer some economic concession such as higher wages, shorter hours, or better working conditions, the striking employees are called economic strikers. They retain their status as employees and cannot be discharged, but they can be replaced by their employer. If the employer has hired bona fide permanent replacements who are filling the jobs of the economic strikers when the strikers apply unconditionally to go back to work, the strikers are not entitled to reinstatement at that time. However, if the strikers do not obtain regular and substantially equivalent employment, they are entitled to be recalled to jobs for which they are qualified when openings in such jobs occur if they, or their bargaining representative, have made an unconditional request for their reinstatement.

Employees who strike to protest an unfair labor practice committed by their employer are called unfair labor practice strikers. Such strikers can be neither discharged nor permanently replaced. When the strike ends, unfair labor practice strikers, absent serious misconduct on their part, are entitled to have their jobs back even if employees hired to do their work have to be discharged.

This section does not limit an employer’s right to discharge, transfer, or layoff an employee for genuine economic reasons or for such good cause as disobedience or bad work. This right applies equally to employees who are active in support of a union and to those who are not.

_____

Alleging an "unfair labor practice" and proving one are two different things. You are striking for health care, which is a economic situation. Just because you call it something else does not mean that the NLRB will rule in your favor.

File this under OTHER LIES MY UNION TOLD ME.

Good luck with that one, SHOW SUPPORT. My husband doesn't even call in sick when he IS sick.

That's probably why 1:40's husband still has a job and YOU DON'T! LMAO

for sale honda goldwing good condition $1000.

now if you were a union member and you went in to work when he was sick he would get yelled at by the union for setting a bad example. Kinda like what happens when a union memeber actually works hard. "What are you trying to make the rest of us look bad"

i love my job and i want to back to work next week but i cannot allow myself to drop out of the union and cross i coach little league, and pop warner and i don't want enemies

at least you all get to watch the NCAA tourney today.....don't say this strike didn't get you anything !!!!!

north carolina will go all the way

two words for the union members...Ramen Pride....that is all you will be eating if you keep this stupid strike up much longer...

yes but pride it is

To those of you hourlies who claim to have set aside enough money to get by indefinitely, why don't you do your brothers and sisters a favor that could really help in this situation. Drive to Hartford to the NLRB office there, check their logs and see if an official complaint has actually been filed by the union. If it has, let us know. The company has not acknowledged receipt of any complaint, so I am wondering if the union ever really filed a charge.

where there is a will there is a way

1150 Strike Cookbook

101 Ways To Cook A Hotdog

if you can't last a month without hurting than your living above your means my friend

surely you must have gotten your income tax back

You know what, sometimes bad things happen to good people. We do not live beyond our means in any way, shape or form, but imagine one of your elderly parents having a massive stroke and having to assume total financial responsibility for them. I didn't plan for that and I didn't vote for this strike. I guess that makes me the bad guy, doesn't it?

but what does this month accomplish? ..... The answer: NOTHING.....you could have been working all this time and been in the exact place without losing all you've lost. Maybe you can last a month, but can you last two? three? four? six? a year? until hell freezes over? Because you will need to last that long if you ever hope of working at SIK for a better contract then the offer.....fools.....wake up and smell the roses.

Number one, we CANT work to the old contract while we work on a new one. Another point here, as Sikorsky has been trying to do for the lsst 10 years, outsourcing has come back to bite them. These other shops just can not keep up with the orders, all the work that comes back in has to be re-worked, so ask yourselves where does Sikorsky save money, they dont! Anyone with any inside info here knows Gene Buckley was brought back asa consultant and told Finger point blank,"you are killing this company". That said, dont think Finger was given a promotion, he was just shipped back to his old place where the corporation could save face with Finger' srotten job he did at Sikorsky. He will lose his jopb soon, from what I hear, and its just too bad he was around long enough to really screw this shop up! Okay, bottom line here, we all NEED our jobs, so lets go Rocco, get us what we want, and health care may be one thing, but JOBS is the first and foremost, so get to the job we elected you too, before we impeach you!

no it dosent and i'm sorry to hear about your parents. but you have to do what you have to do be it cross the line or not i hope your parents get better i really mean that

i'm sure the company would have agreed to extend you current contract for a month or two to allow a negotiating window....did the union ask for this or did they just pick up their ball and go home...

Why does everyone think this is Sikorsky we are trying to fight? I mean come on, Sikorsky is just governed by UTC, so its corporate our fight is with, so why not picket in Hartford? Up at the gold building, cuz Sikorsky has done nothing but good for me, its UTC that has been their ruler?

"if that was the case, would we all be getting mail and calls to come back to work?"

SAC had ever reason to do that. It insured they would not be liable for Unemployment claims. They offerred work, so claims denied. But you can bet, they, like all manufacturers, are looking to cut production costs (heads). So they were counting on very few people crossing.

Think outside the box. UTC does, and thats why they have a high profit ratio.

As for two weeks and it will be over, I hope so. But you can bet SACs' offers will keep becoming worse. They can get the work done, with or without those picketing. Can those picketing get wages and benefits as they have for years-with or without SAC?

The answer is obviously NO!

2:00, good question, can anyone answer that one?

Sikorsky has and will be trying to hire people, as their work schedule just increase for like the next 10 years! Thye do not want replacement people, nor do they want to lay off anyone. Use your heads, even with higher costs of production in Ct., Utc needs us, even though we make up roughly 8% of their work force. You dont see Otis laying off, Carrier, Pratt lately, why, cuz their profit margin is so high, even in CT.! Yes, Sikorsky needs to get their product out(which is not happening now), and will look to offset the strike, but I, and they certainly know, its the 1150 workers that made them what they are, and will keep them the company that they want. Besides these facts, there has to be SOME way of getting contract done, if Rocco cant do it, lets turn somewheres else I say?

you are middle class workers and you are forced to go to soup kitchens? This is not worth it...

Companies always lay off production workers unless volume is increasing..in which case, they seek to get increased volume with same headcount. Either way, what goes down is the ratio of workers to volume.

I was a Stratford resident a few years back, and after all the tax money I wasted, tough, you will pay for this! Another thing, all you peole telling us strikers if we dont like our job, get another one, well for you Stratford people, if you dont like your taxes, move!

Who in there right mind wants to use all their savings for a strike that will not be won! Do any of you have a clue! Yes i'm out because of this strike and yes i have a savings,but it seems so stupid to have to spend this money for a bunch of hitler followers. My God did anyone look at the members at that meeting yesterday i did not fit in. I never knew i worked with so many fools. You could be spending your savings on something meaningful for your family. Not thousands of dollars for what. A lost cause did'nt anyone hear rocco yesterday we are going to have to take the 80/20 Its here to stay! so why is he not getting us back to work. And don't be suprised if sikorsky's purposals just get worse. I urge all of you to start thinking i want to go back but i'm scared I work with a lot of bully's. I should have the courage and maybe soon i will have to find it.

To: grew up teamster..sorry but I dont believe one word you said!!

sad, do whay you think is right, thats all I can say, I am out too, and want to go back, and yes, alot of the union members are weirdos, but we ARE in it also, and either we stick together as we pledged when we took the oath, or you cross the line, and any repurcussions that may weild?

How long will the strike fund last at 700k/wk?? Really would like to know.

Well I have to agree with that. I didn't bust my butt saving for 25+ years to see it pissed away on lost idealism. This strike is lost. Can't anybody see that? We should have been allowed to vote on the last offer. Like it or not, it is not going to get any better and I don't blame Sik either. Rocco was told 6 mos ago this was the package. We should have been informed more and He should have tried to work with it more instead of digging in his heels and firing up the goon squad. Screw this union. And no this wasn't brought up at the meeting but I have said it before and it got nowhere then either

This is from sad. Yes i want to thank the last bloger for the threat. You are out and so i'm i but only for alittle longer i hope all union members who act in a childess manner can go to hell! my children come before any of you! and if you think this union will help you that's a joke the only way they will give you help is if you have lost everything and you have to prove it before they will give you help. Do you want to lose everything for a worthless stike that rocco already said we are not going to win. open your ears!

Amen sad 2:17

Sad, no where did I EVER threaten you, I just said repurcussions, if you take that as a threat, you really dont have a clue. I for one can care less what you do, strike, cross, whatever, I just want you to know if you cross, expect to be treated badly, thats all I said. As for this union, I too dont believe we will win, never did, but I will NEVER cross the line, as I myself would not want to face others I stood on line with, maybe they wouldnt have the balls to do stuff to your face, but behind your back, thats what Id watch for. As for Rocco, I wish there was a way to overvote him, whatever you may call it, cuz i, like yourself want my job back.

Rocco threw in the towel on the 80/20 at yesterday's meeting, so why do we wait for Sik to make offer, why doesn't the union make one first.

anon 2:33, thats exactly what i said earlier, if we sit back and wait, how long will it be? If I was Rocco, or had the power myself, I would be sending this so-called mediator proposal after proposal, to get this thing done.

SAD,
I know you've heard it before but there are laws to protect from bullies in the workplace. Also, supervision has been told that when this is over be on the look out for just such things. I tWILL NOT be tollerated.
I feel for you that these goons can get away with it but I do know what you are talking about
Stay strong do what you need to do for your family they are the ones that matter not the Jerks

In Responce to:

“Posted by: Anonymous on March 16, 2006 02:14 PM

I was a Stratford resident a few years back, and after all the tax money I wasted, tough, you will pay for this! Another thing, all you peole telling us strikers if we dont like our job, get another one, well for you Stratford people, if you dont like your taxes, move!�

I want SIKORSKY to move the hell out of Stratford I can find many other uses for that property so you need to MOVE YOURSELF,
MOVE BACK TO WORK OR THE HELL OUT OF STRATFORD.

STOP RAISING MY TAXES

You would need money from the worlds largest super fund to clean up that place. One reason SIK will never sell the Stfd plant.

for2:33 this is from sad sorry, I did take it wrong.

The wall of fame has GROWN to 75. Yea boyeeee

If they are showing 75, imagine how many have really gone back!

You know I said I was done with this blog, but I just can't help myself. I used to go on strike every three years, it was like a tradition, wether it was a day or six weeks. (The six weeks one wasn't a lot of fun I can tell you.) But I guess you all are starting to find that out. I haven't been on a picket line since the last time I got laid off, not for lack of a strike, but for lack of a company, remember AVCO. You guys haven't been on strike in what? 45 years. How many of you really knew what you were getting yourselves into? I not gonna bash the union or the company or the salary guys. All I'm gonna say again is you need to find out for yourselves what the laws are, what you are really entitled to under this thing. Find out who's lying or at least not telling the whole truth. Just like a lot of these posts are filled with obvious lies. How obvious? One of my favorites is about the company posting stuff on this blog or the salary guys doing it on working time/work computers. Look to the NLRB for answers on this one. Do you really think the high priced labor lawyers the company has are going to risk their licenses letting the company knowingly violate labor law regarding communications with unionized employees. Every union I was in the union was the SOLE BARGAINING representative. I signed my rights away when I signed on with the union. But then again my employment at those companies was contingent upon maintaining my union membership in good standing. Is that the way it is for you guys? I grew up withe this stuff. Dad grew up in Minersville Pennsyvania, I bet you can guess what they did there. Grandpa worked in the mines as well as my uncles. Dad got out but not before he and his three brothers went to WWII. At any rate I know a lot about the history of unions in this country from where they started and why all the way to where they are now. I think these are things you should know to help you make an informed decision whether to stay and fight or cut and run. Do what your convictions tell you, don't let anybody else tell you what your convictions are. But please, after reading some of these hate filled posts, or the stupid and infantile ones, the laughably out of touch ones, do yourselves a favor and find out the what the law says they (the union and the company) can or can not tell you, you owe it to your selves and your family. I can answer a lot of questions that I'm sure I lot of you would like to ask but I won't. I am not your bargaining representative and that's a line I'm not gonna cross. I think you need to find some of these answers for yourself. I can assure you the honchos in the union and at the company know the regs well, whether you trust them to really tell you the truth is another thing. Also be careful you really hear what they are saying to you instead of hearing what you want to hear instead of what they really said. Good luck, God speed to all, I think you are all going to need it when this is done. You may need to try to forgive yourselves more than any scab, company man, or union guy by the time this is done, I know I did a couple of times. The things we said or did for a cause don't always look so good after the smoke clears. Best of luck.

That's it I have to say it!! What does the Teamsters do with your money?????? They give you folks a sorry stipend to make ends meet. Do they spend it on a newsletter you throw out anyway? Give you a shiny teamster card or what? I just can't comprehend how you folks trust and believe that your going to get 90/10 healthcare. Wake up!!! Ask them to give you something to vote on or give you a more realistic stipend. God knows they've taken your money! As an American citizen I think its downright unAmerican not to support our troops overseas. And you, as Teamster's, in my opinion have purposely shown this lack of true rightousness.

To Stratford Resident complaining about taxes I have two words for you..."Shut up." Sikorsky has paid for more teachers and cops through taxes, and has put more food on the tables of residents through wages and salary than you can ever imagine. If Sikorksy ever left, the impact would be felt by the entire state. Maybe the town of Stratford should have had their own rainy day fund in case something like this happened?

If Sikorsky has said all along the 80/20 is non-negotible and Rocco has said we can't change 80/20 then what are we striking for? Even if we get another 1/2% raise or small adder to CBP we are all out a months wages and benefits when the two principles in this matter, Sikorsky and Rocco have both stated publicy 80/20 is it. I just don't understand our insanity. There are no face saving move for anyone, lets settle and move on with our lives.

I guess there is nothing new here. The kids are going to be on here soon, so I'll go. Please someone post any new info as it comes in. See you all later.

WE ARE SUPPORTING THEIR RIGHTS TO COME BACK TO A LIVING WAGE AND DECENT HEALTH CARE.

That's right, SIKORSKY has paid for all the teachers, taxes, cops etc. not you union losers. Sikorsky is NOT causing this strike, you are, so they are not responsible for all the money it is costing this town and all the taxes the poor stratford residents are going to have to pay! You union losers are responsible for that! That is probably a big part of the reason that MOST people in this town think you are all nuts and should end it NOW!!! No one, and I mean no one, sympathizes with any of you! It's the smart ones who crossed that line and are now going to have to be abused by all you whack jobs when and if you get your jobs back that we all feel sorry for!! You union nut jobs are the ones who should just SHUT UP and go back to work, if you still have jobs, that it!?

What's the matter 1:45, you afraid all those little leaguers might kick your butt on the field if you cross!?

Tomorrow's picket signs will read. "Kiss me. I'm on Strike!"

In reply to Stratford Resident at 3:11...

Local 1150 expenditures are none of your business. However, I can assure you that all funds are accounted for with the books being open to inspection at all times. I can also attest to the fact that moneys collected are used responsibly and with the approval of the entire membership.

You are way out of line in calling Teamsters "un-American". This strike was avoidable and can be resolved immediately if Sikorsky was willing to bargain in good faith instead of persisting in their attempt to break the union. Many of our members are veterans. We support our troops 100%.

The Blackhawk line was already more than 20 aircraft behind schedule BEFORE the strike due to overly aggressive outsourcing which resulted in widespread parts shortages. It is Sikorsky's poor business strategies with excessive emphasis on profit which has resulted in the inability to meet delivery obligations.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Blackhawks needed in Iraq had to instead be used for rescue operations in Louisiana as a direct result of the production delays which were no fault of the Teamsters.

Please put the blame where it belongs.

maybe if you teamsters didn't take 15 bathroom breaks an hour you wouldn't be behind on your orders....

THESE PEOPLE ARE HEROS GOD BLESS THEM FOR GOING BACK

Oh my goodness, someone had to go to a soup kitchen! That cannot be right! This has got to end if people have it that bad! Although I really cannot understand how if you work for Sikorsky you haven't got something put away!

look somebody posted a list of the only members with half a brain !!!! thanks...if you had any sense your name would be on that list too.....

VERY RAW

YA BUT TRUE

Your being led by a guy named Rocco.....does that tell you all you need to know or what? When it comes to high level legal / financial matters I's rather have a Winchester or Prescott or William working for me.....when it comes to installing a new toilet in my bathroom that is when you hire a Rocco.

d

Gayboy. are you Ted Harvey or Bob Garbian?

Rocco does not "lead" us. He represents us after being elected as Secretary-Treasurer of local 1150 by the membership. Teamsters Local 1150 is a collective entity comprised of 3600 individuals.

And, what does his name have to do with his ability to execute the duties of his position?

Because everyone pictures union leaders as mob Italian guys with names like Vinny, Tony, Rocco. And he absolutely does lead you or you would not all be out there right now!

lots of management relatives on the list, maybe they know something we don't

Hey Rocco,Remember you work for us we dont work for you.

I say we vote his lame ass out!!

Take yourself and all your thugs with you..this includes the clown stewards that TRY and represent this union.

Lets vote again and be done with this!!!

Would you vote for a president "Rocco"....if he was a serious intellectual he would have changed his name years ago. Nobody will ever take him serious with that name.

YOUR RIGHT HE'S THE TEAMSTERS SECRETARY MAYBE IF HE WORE A SKIRT TO THE BARGAINING TABLE YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE OF AN OFFER.

"""roco is going to philly to talk with a senator or some big wig who works in getting sik contracts i don't know what this will do but he leaves tomarrow"""

THE FIRST ROUND OF THE EASTERN REGIONAL NCAA'S ARE IN PHILLY ---- HOW COINCEDENTAL

To 4:22,

We are on strike as a result of the vote of the MEMBERSHIP.

The consensus of the MEMBERSHIP at yesterdays meeting was to stay out until a fair contract is presented.

The MEMBERSHIP fully supported Rocco's decision to reject the second offer.

HOPE HE DOSEN'T FORGET TO PACK HIS SKIRT.

no, the loudmouths supported roccos decision, put it to a vote and see what happens

I bet rocco bought some Uconn tickets with your dues...they are playing in Philly friday...what a coincidence !!!...he will take the senator to the game with your dues......the senator will do nothing for you.

Beg for your jobs back....that is your only hope.....

Revote with a secret ballot and let federal mediator tally the vote. I think a vote to return to work would win. But if that were to occur the union might as well close up shop because they would be done in everyone's eyes as having any legitimacy.

if you voted on either offer today you would go back to work and you know it. The vote was close the first time and 25-50% of the the no voters would vote yes this time. They didn;t say anything yesterday out of fear (how sad is that?). Why not let the membership vote again? What are Rocco and his thugs afraid off? That the union will crack and go back to jobs that they are paid too much for already?

the union called SIK's bluff and lost. Now it has lost everything. The union is done. The union is broken. You are wasting your time supporting it. Cross the line. The union is done at SIK. If you wait until the strike is over and come back you will be worked like a dog and the union will have no ability to protect you. No more breaks for the bathroom. No more cigs. No more coffee. No more half speed. It will be crack the whip time down there.

You idiots don't get it do you. Right now there is NOTHING to vote on. So you can yell Re-vote all you want. It just shows who you are. Not SAC employees or Union members.
No one was afraid to speak at the meetings yesterday. Again this shows who you people saying these things really are.

If Rocco won't let you vote until he decides its a contract he wants you to see and he'll tell you to ratify it, and you won't get rid of Rocco and you're too afraid to do what's best for your family and go back to work.... where does that leave you? He's really got you by the b***s, doesn't he? I bet that hurts, but you must like pain, because you're sitting still for it.

yeah! can't feel sorry for people who keep asking for more.

I've been watching this blog for 4 weeks. A lot of people have nothing good to say. But its been a long time without a paycheck and once I stopped to really think about things, I realized the truth. Rocco has been using us all. I can't look at my wife and kids the same way. I know I'm letting them down. Yeah, I'm afraid about what the goons are going to do to me later, but I'm now more afraid of that look that I get from my family. That look of fear in their eyes. The look that says I'm letting them down. I have a real family to take care of and I'm going back on Monday. I tried to support the union, but I can't trust them anymore. And I can't support people I don't trust who threaten me.

There are many of you union guys who are decent people who are true to your word and took your oath seriously....

Remember... Rocco is counting on that to maintain his power. He's using your loyalty against you.

FIRST, That Was NOT the entire membership at the meeting yesterday. In fact, I'll bet it wasn't even all those that voted on the 19th. So don't give me that crap it was a resounding no by the entire membership
Second, If it were offerd to the entire membership to vote on this most recent proposal from SIK that was turned down by the E Board I'll bet money it would pass.

For anyone who has never attended a Teamsters Union meeting….

The officers (Rocco and Jackson) put ringers (some prefer the term cronies) on the floor who have been coached on what to ask and what to say in support of the Teamsters half wit objectives. So if a member outside of the ringer network had a legitimate complaint or idea wanted to speak; it would never ever happen.….

And as far as the finances – the union trustees review the books and sign off indicating approval. Unfortunately they rarely look any further than the line where they sign their name never mind actually conduct a review. (They are just thrilled to be part of the union eboard and have aspirations of becoming one of the thugs who actually gets to spend the money on anything they want.) Before someone responds remember the Jack Powers issues!

Yeah, that credit finaly got paid off last year didn't it?

Hope Rocco doesn't tell them to jump off the bridge, it could get messy. Rocco Rocco you da man.

I think it's freakin' hilarious how you all can comment ad nauseum on this blog about how you are standing up for what you believe in and yet not a single one of you will stand up in front of the union executive board and fellow members and ask the really tough questions. SPARE ME.

scoop234
Ringers??? Come on. I was at the meeting yesterday (4:00)I saw a few older ladies get up and ask questions and I saw people who are worried about the future get up and ask questions too.
People, don't believe 95% of what is on here.

1. Engine shop has been outsorced.
2. They are working on outsorcing the servo room.
3. 4 aircraft out of the hangar and signed off to the military.

an old lady can't be a ringer? You are naive my friend.

Yeah, they make the best ones. No one would ever suspect!

So the grand total for the 1st quarter is about what...10-12 aircraft?

What happened to getting 211 helicopters thru the door?

See, exactly what I mean about not believing 95%.
There were no ringers at the meeting. You see , "I" was there , you weren't.

You are right about that...I was not at the 4:00 meeting.

The noon meeting was a joke. That's the one I attended.

MAC UPDATE

We continue to move aircraft through the assembly process in the Military Aircraft Center . Another BLACK HAWK has completed the company flight program yesterday and is in Government flight acceptance. A BLACK HAWK derivative has completed final assembly and is now in water test.

TOP

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WCS "SPARES UPDATE"

Spares Shipping volume continues to run above the original March business plan with more than 3,000 shipments made month-to-date. All Spares packaging and shipping processes including government acceptance are now fully operational at offload facilities.

TOP

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PRECISION OPS UPDATE

We are focusing on our customer's critical spare needs such as BLACK HAWK main housings, gear boxes and pilot assist modules. We have already set a record for the most pilot assist modules delivered in one month with two weeks to go. For our commercial customers, we have delivered a spare S-92 main housing and have delivered critical S-76 spindles. From a transformation perspective, all of our game-changer activities are on schedule.

Buried in the MONEY section of the CT Post again today. It's not front page news anymore, folks.

To anyone who might want to go back to work but not alone. I think if we can get the 1,100 plus workers who want to go back to work. we can go togeather on the same day even meet in the commutor parking lot and drive in as a team. and blow this strike out of the water. there is power in numbers and i think the number of people that want to go back will out weigh the strikers. This would end the strike anyone game. we have to stick togeather

hang in there guys and girls i hear were gonna get a great contract from sikorsky's monday according to a friend in higher up

God I hope not... I would hate to see them reward the behavior that we have all had to tolerate. And reward all that greed. That would really be opening a Pandora's Box.

who cares what you think asswipe

Think about this, Rocco Calo is the only striker who has nothing to lose. In fact, he is in a win/win situation, look at these two scenarios:

1) We finally agree to a less than stellar offer and go back to work. He'll sell himself as the "David" that went against the greedy "Goliath", BS everyone with the "we fought the good fight" crap, and carry on with his usual union hijinks.

2) The strike drags on and the replacement workers are firmly entrenched. We finally get so fed up that we toss the union. By this time most of us will be hurting real bad and trying to find a job that pays close to what we were making is impossible. Not Rocco, a guy like Rocco is an opportunist and with all his connections he'll land a job somewhere, probably a good one with the Teamsters. He'll give us a "better luck next time" and head off into the sunset.

We are not getting paychecks ($232.00, ha) and he is. I think he said he wouldn't accept them in solidarity with us, but the're waiting for him in a neat little pile, our last 5 paychecks are gone forever. He has no idea what some of us are going through, nor does he care. He's just out to make a name for himself, he's no better than these self serving politicians he sucks up to.

I sure feel like we are jugglng hand grenades

Very mature... that's our union for you! If anyone dares to have a different opinion, knock them to the ground. I am sooo proud.

as long as we get back to work i'm happy i don't know what these college jerks are going to do with themselves maybe get on the case of otis in 2007

I saw the Sikorsky "Big Wigs" fly out of U.S. Helicopter at Stratford Airport on their way to attempt to make the customer understand how they are operating at full capacity and yet are blowing every delivery schedule! I'll bet they could sell sand to the Arabs!

I'm not kidding anyone game on getting alot of members together on the same day go back drive in together and end this strike if 1000 members go back we won!!

Let me predict the headlines in September.

"Massive Layoff at Sikorsky"

500 or more of you poor unfortunate hourly soles will layed off. Don't any knuckle head suggest the salary jobs will be affected too. We'll be managing the supply base that took your jobs while you were out striking for a cause you couldn't win. Wake up & get back to work.

hang in there union friends don't listen to these jerks who bash us we know whats happining they don't have a cdlue and are jealous we make the money we do

Don't listen to 5:54, he/she is just trying to get things wound up. Beth Amato said in her speech yesterday that each successive offer will be just a little worse than the previous one.

they will go back to there 10 dollar jobs and we will get back to buying toys

September? You're a little optimistic. Try April/May timeframe.

propaganda thats whats on here for the company and jealous people or kids

Dear Duke at 5:57,

ROCCO IS NOT BEING PAID DURING THE STRIKE.

NO MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IS BEING PAID DURING THE STRIKE.

NO STEWARD OR LINE CAPTAIN IS BEING PAID DURING THE STRIKE.

The above is a metter of public record and can be very easily confirmed. Local 1150 books are open to inspection at all times. You have no idea what you are talking about.

we will be back to work in two weeks tops

'scuse me... matter

we are the best working force in new england and we know it

it would take a new trainee 6 months to learn my job and tricks of the trade

best machinists best assemblers we are the best baby

sikorsky is hurting big time and we know it oif they want us back and they do there going to pay us baby

just think bloggers we will be back and your sorry butts won't have anything to do but jerkoff

"The above is a metter of public record and can be very easily confirmed. Local 1150 books are open to inspection at all times. You have no idea what you are talking about.

Really public record!

Union records are not public - they should be available for the memberships viewing but the public at large.

Do you understand what you are even writing?

you may hate the unions you may hate us for striking but you are not in our shoes so mind your own buiosness

WHO YOU CALLING AN OLD LADY?

""""it would take a new trainee 6 months to learn my job and tricks of the trade"""

YEA RIGHT---- JUST LIKE MY LANDSCAPER WHEN HE WAS TRAINING CARLOS TO LAY SOD>>> "GREEN SIDE UP, GREEN SIDE UP"

Yeah, that's right, the company is so friggin' desperate to get you back that they offered you an even worse contract the second time! LMFAO

And the second contract will still be better than the 3rd , 4th, ad infinim. You can also bet UTC will wait longer b/w each offer, as a shrewd management team would when they have another negotiation to come (P & W), and they want to tame the future opponent pre-emptively.

I am very aware of what I am writing Scoop234.

My point was that if there is a question of Rocco's integrity, members of the Executive Board would be happy to produce documentation to the contrary to ANYONE. Any Local 1150 member would be willing to allow YOU to view the books in defense of Rocco.

If you post a comment that is incorrect and slanderous, you will be afforded every oportunity to prove it.

The members of Local 1150 have confidence in Rocco's character.

Perhaps it would be better for all concerned if you were to keep your ignorant, misinformed mouth shut about business you have no clue about.

"The members of Local 1150 have confidence in Rocco's character. "

Good to hear. I was afraid they valued his ability to forsee his opponents' future moves. (Since he has proven he can't!)

Once again I must ask you if you understand what you are communicating? The release of the Union's financial records is by eboard decision alone.

Any member cannot release these records. I highly suggest you rethink your posts because you are part of the problem not the solution.

You have confidence in Rocco's character?! That explains EVERYTHING!

If everyone was serious about ending the strike lets all meet at big y. all 1000 members who voted yes on the 1st contract write our letters meet at big y in the morning and drive in together what unity that would be. It would end this strike again i ask anyone with me?

If you wait a few more weeks, while SAC outsources more jobs, you might want to apply at Big Y.

Meet at big y march27th that will be one more week. we can do it! how cool would it be! all the good workers with some brains would be back to work. I'm not kidding this could work! we can take our life's back. we do not need a dumb union we can make our own. we are the smart one's .Who's with me?

UNITED TECHNOLOGIE, a large-cap value company in the capital goods sector, is expected to outperform the market over the next six months with very low risk.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/srs/srsmain.asp?Symbol=UTX

By the way, stock trading almost exactly where it was one month ago.

sad--06:57 PM----Finally a courageous voice. Why are you letting these union bosses do this to you? Enough is Enough stand up for your lives and families. Just look back in history to how this great country of ours was eastablished. Our fore fathers had the courage to band together and defeat those who would intimdate the will of free people.

If Rocco & Harvey are in Philadelphia for the weekend,then you can bet there are no proposals being given to the mediator on our behalf.That means another week with no end in sight.What a fuc**** joke this strike has become...I say we tell Rocco, you have until the end of the month to get a decent offer,let us vote on it & get back to work or we're voting his fat ass out of office ..That fuc* cost us about $5000 each already...

Noone wants to come back with me? power in numbers. Big y march 27 th we can all meet before that. talk about a time and date.

At the risk of sounding like I'm over simplifying this incredibly complex situation, I just have one comment to offer. If, once this strike is over and the differences between the two factions are finally resolved, or at least put to rest for three years, you can look at yourself in the mirror, you'll know that you've done the right thing. But, please, don't think of that after the fact, think of it now, at this moment, and act accordingly.

My comments are directed at both the "Company" and the employees who have been left out in the "cold". DO THE RIGHT THING. That's all you have to remember. DO THE RIGHT THING.

6:57 I'm in

the jobs that are outsourced will not come back after the strike is over. They are gone forever. As soon as the strike is over there will be a good sized layoff. Some people will not be needed. The longer this goes on the fewer jobs there will be for all of us when we return.

March 27th big y at noon. lets get our lifes back. I will be there. parked by the street near B&L. I hope a large number of smart members will join me. This is not a joke. if we have the number of members who want to go back to work now without fear from the union. we will be the winners. Join Me. all 1000 members we will be the winner.

Where's the big Y

Big y ansonia ct.

7:23 is correct, everyone. I know that from being on the other side at other plants (other industries, too). Management at UTC will, more than anything else, want to send a message before negotiating with P & W. The message is "Don't mess with us"; our offer will be at a competitive wage with normal to slightly above average fringe benefits, but the days of "The sky is the limit" contract are over.

The union members will decide, based on how long they "hold out", how many return. But the number declines with each passing day. After spending thousnads of dollars in Engineering OT to outsource, and enormous management time, UTC has no reason to "insource it" ever again. And not insourcing sends the message they want to P & W.

BLAAH BLAAH BLAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BBBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FREAKIN BLAAH

Okay, I've been reading this blog and it seems a whole lot of you want to go back to work and to stand up to the Union...I realize it's hard to be one voice in a crowd of rowdy outspoken bull-headed blow-hards - BUT...you all seem like the people in the commercial where everyone stops and sees a piece of garbage laying on the ground next to the garbage can saying "why doesn't anyone do something about this"...WHO of you is going to step up and throw that trash into the dumpster?

It take an action to creat re-action. You cannot keep posting calling for action, you need to take action to get the ball rolling.

Instead of spending all your time blogging and commisurating with the others who feel the same as you, you need to get together IN PERSON - not online - and prepare a plan of action then ACT ON IT!!!

I feel for you all, those of you who truly feel intimidated want back-up from others - so get together, call each other on the phone and bring those that you trust together to act and RISE UP against the union. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO IT...don't wait for others to do it...

Talk the talk - it's time for you to WALK THE WALK - together if need be...but do something!!!

We're rooting for you!

-A concerned outsider

Finally, the blog entries today are worthwhile; minus a few, always those few who must go with the name calling, etc. I assume it's easier than thinking of other descriptive words. If one doesn't respect your peers (whatever level) what's left for the youth of the U.S.?

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote, “What seems to us more important, more painful, and more unendurable is really not what is more important, more painful and more unendurable, but merely that which is closer to home. Everything distant which for all its moans and muffled cries, its ruined lives and millions of victims, that does not threaten to come rolling up to our threshold today, we consider endurable and of tolerable dimensions.�

It was even better having "Twisted Sisters" song "Were Not going to Take It" playing for an hour.

Get REAL you are not good at this game at all.
I hate being played for a fool!!!!!!!!!!

Save your breath Pee Wee your no good at any of it!!!

Come On Lets boot this disgrace of a UNION LEADER out now while we can.

"we are the best working force in new england and we know it"

At the moment, you're the best Special Olympics clown show in New England.

Isn't it a coincidence that Roccos going to Phillie and UCONN is playing there this weekend? Hmmmmm.... Just an observation

I'm in

Replying to "sad",

Ingenious plan! There's only one problem. You'll be waiting with your hands on your ass all day when no one else shows up. Oh well... Maybe they'll be having a buy 1 get 2 free sale, so it won't be a total loss. Be sure you get reward coin at the check-out!

After logging into site everyday since the strike started----Do you strikers of teamsters union local 1150 still belive that your strike is against Sikorsky Aircraft? How many time does it have to be repeated-----Your job action has nothing to do with Sikorsky. Your combined powers should be directed at the root causes of this dispute. Contact your freely elected government representatives and demand that the price gouging health care industries be brought to task to end this never ending escalation of health care costs. And oh by the way when your union brothers and sisters from the health care industries join you on the picket line-----all they and you are doing is increase the cost of health care even more,

I have spent some time reading todays entries and it is repetitive and mean spirited with little substance. Anyone else agree?

I want reward coin...lol

Actually, todays are better than average. Far more fact-based, without the idiotic name-calling or mindless pro or anti-union rants.

Joe Friday-ish. Just the facts.

Wide eye. you think its about that but it is about out of pocket $$... person by person at the grass roots level. Not at all a government level fight.

Just from an insider :
I am willing to bet that approx 600-800 of you will loose your jobs 90 days after the international sponsered strike is over.
Your comfortable EGO chiars will be on sale at P&W store and East Hartford. If you have time to sit you can't be making product.
Your boom boxes are gone your microwaves are gone along with your refrigerators.
This will be a totally different place for all of you guys. I am soorry for some of you guys.
I hope that you all loose your seniority and you all have to start with none then we yes we can pick and choose who we want. The trouble makers will be gone and along with your stewards. They can all be with Rocco.
I cannot wait until the day that that the company gets even with all of the slackers <40 man hours to do water test that is 360 man hours less than you sluggs. Yes DCMA was in looking for leaks.
Stay away a little longer we are finding out what you all have been doing.
It is called dicking the dog..................

It is my understanding that most of the membership has accepted the fact that we will have to accept the CIGNA healthcare plan.

If a more attractive contract was offered which partially offset the cost of the plan, I think it could get a ratification vote.

I don't think this is an unreasonable compromise. Any thoughts?

Most of your jobs for the 6-800 of you will be gone exactly 90 days after this farce of a strike is over. Rocco and his band of Merry men are in bed with us. Did he not say this will last 6 weeks ?
He did and it will be after 6 weeks.
Just enough time to clean up the Horseshit form the teamsters Horses.
No what Jimmy Jr. stepped in was what you guys have been doing to Igor Sikorsky good name since the last strike.
39 hour work week coming back.
Good by big Overtime chacks.

Insider, what is wrong with you?

I have to say that I'm not happy about the way this blog was designed. The format makes it seem that the name of the author of a particular comment resides within the box that contains the comment. Not true! The author of a given comment is the "name" that appears after the solid line below the comment.

I also don't like the fact that the Connecticut Post allows the software to add editorial comment at the heading of each post by "naming" a post such as "sad", which he did in my case. That's not a word I used in my initial comments. This blog is disjointed as well as disengenuous. Too bad. Apparently it was created and is being used to sell newspapers. I'm not surprised or sad, just dissapointed. DO THE RIGHT THING!.

Where is the guy saying wait til Friday, you'll see on Friday. He posted a few times the other day. I guess we'll see tomorrow, or not.

Also, is there anything the salary and union guys can agree on? I'm salary, and I don't like the Health Care plan, but it's the same everywhere else. Keystone's better HC plan will be changed in the near future. Let's find some common ground so that if the union is let back in, there is less BS than is being threatened by the union boys. I don't understand the logic behind the union members saying the salary boys are cut off from help, we won't talk to them, etc. If you are allowed back, things have changed, and if you decide not to be a part of the team, then you won't be a part of the team anymore, i.e. unemployed. Let's work together, and the guys that want to work and our proud of their work, come back. To all others, keep walkin, you'll get a better deal.

Nothing just stating the facts
You would have to be there to see what is going on.
But you can't

anon7:53 I am in your corner

Insider, Thats where you are wrong. I also see that you cant spell. You are just starting sh#t. Have your last drink and go to bed.

Mike Bogeslowski, glad to see your back involved in the CT issues. BTW, are you alive?

I am willing to bet that approx 600-800 of you will loose your jobs 90 days after the international sponsered strike is over.
Your comfortable EGO chiars will be on sale at P&W store and East Hartford. If you have time to sit you can't be making product.
Your boom boxes are gone your microwaves are gone along with your refrigerators.
This will be a totally different place for all of you guys. I am soorry for some of you guys.
I hope that you all loose your seniority and you all have to start with none then we yes we can pick and choose who we want. The trouble makers will be gone and along with your stewards. They can all be with Rocco.
I cannot wait until the day that that the company gets even with all of the slackers <40 man hours to do water test that is 360 man hours less than you sluggs. Yes DCMA was in looking for leaks.
Stay away a little longer we are finding out what you all have been doing.
It is called dicking the dog..................

I must admit...and I will probably burn in hell for it..but as the hourly are trickling back in, the tone of the shop is changing...not for the better I might add. Most start back with some gusto, and quickly revert back to slugs who came back for the paycheck. Just goes to show ya...you can take the employee out of the union, but you can't take the union out of the employee.

I would rather work with all salary!!!

I totally agree with Insider.
This is what I have heard and What I have been seeing.

Bummed Out is exactly right.

What alarms me the most is the union members, for the most part, are oblivious to the changes all over the area. Few alternative employment sources; not many plants making copters in Ct besides SAC, and other employers will not hire strikers anyway. (Even if they don't admit that).

The Register reported Winchester is dead (finalized today); Stop & Shop distrib. center is reconciling severence arrangements. Yes, you learned how to build copters; thats nice, but its useless in Ct if SAC doesn't offer you continuous employment.

Georgia just agreed to pay Kia $250 MILLION to create 1,500 jobs! So beware, if SAC wants to move, they will get offerred far more!

And unless you move to a SAC competitors' region, and get them to hire you despite knowing you struck, you'll be competing in Cts' declining mfg. labor sector.

I never left!! I am still selling cars and making a fair living. Hope the Union continues to stand their ground. I'm in YOUR corner!

I agree that in return for accepting the UTC health plan that perhaps the general increase or signing bonus could be "sweetened up" as a compromise.

I don't blame the Teamsters for rejecting the second contract if it was no better, or worse than the first.

If the Union members are willing to bend on the healthcare issue, why isn't Sikorsky willing to give a little in the other direction? It just sounds one-sided and uncooperative to me.

I just found out today, from a salary friend, that my job is not there anymore. How will the union help me.....

"why isn't Sikorsky willing to give a little in the other direction?"

No reason to, they want ot reduce headcount and labor costs, not INCREASE them. Just supply and demand interacting with automation/outsourcing reducing need for internal labor content.

Watdhing events, Your point is how it has been for the last 7 months. UTC has played like a bully the whole way.

Engine Shop Gone
Drive shaft next
Cabin Joining gone
Most of NDI gone
Next will be the gear room
You can't make $44,000,000.00 in scap a year in Lester's area w/o being OUTSOUSCED..............

"UTC has played like a bully the whole way."

Rule #1: Know your opponent-its strength and its weaknesses before you act.

8:01 Liar

Most of NDI gone
It will be a whopping total of 6 people left there.
And you can take it to the bank......

The good news is, the SAC site would be a good future home for a casino. Water makes for a nice view.

Thank you for your responses!

But, wouldn't be more practical to settle the strike and then lay off the surplus employees if the labor requirement is less than the current work force?

The strike must be counterproductive overall.

Just curious here.

"But, wouldn't be more practical to settle the strike and then lay off the surplus employees if the labor requirement is less than the current work force?"

Not if you are UTC. The unemployment arte for the employer goes up based on claims. Unless the union gets an unfair labor practice judgement, the strikers would nevere be eligible to collect against SAC.

Casino I'm in

Sure are lots of cars in the parking lot with all those shops being sent out.

Guess those are the riggers huh?

8:11 wrong again

Insider -

I'll bet that, if we put any of the ships you water tested back in the rig, we'll find at least 5 overheads and 20 side crabs, not counting such things as gunner's windows and doors, per ship. On the Romeo, you can bet the farm that both side E bays will be leaking. Some times you get lucky and get a good ship, but, with the processes that are used (that you guys instituted from WAY back) to assemble the airframe, it is a lead pipe cinch you did not find all the leaks in that amount of time. 40 manhours? Not a chance, especially if you had a couple of good sta. 247, sta. 295, sta. 398 or sta. 465 leaks.

Just one more comment before I retire from posting on this obviously bogus site. I can't believe the amount of company planted comments as my salaried/management wife pointed out to me. I know for a fact that the vast majority of the hourly employees would absolutely welcome the so called 80/20 healthcare plan that "all" of the other UTC/Sikorsky employees have, providing they are also offered the same pension and 401k plans. Seems reasonable enough to me, no?

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ACCEPTING THE 80/20 HEALTHCARE PLAN ALONG WITH THE SALARY PLANS FOR PENSION AND 401K. Oh, by the way, I'm not holding my breath.

Im sorry 8:09 wrong again

To address the union workers who "inflate" the time it takes to complete a task,

Since you've been gone, Insiders have been running time studies and have determined actual times it takes to complete certain operations.

ACTUAL times, not the time it takes a union worker who chooses to work at a snail's pace, in order to mazimize overtime. The reality is, many operations that have had time studies done in the past had been calculated by timing "highly trained,"the best in the industry" Teamster 1150 workers' ability to complete a task...the new studies reflect the time it takes to complete the SAME tasks done by efficient, hard-working, conscientious workers to complete the job.

The difference is AMAZING...one example is the water test that once took union employees 400 hours now only takes 40 hours. Many other operations are also being timed.

Management is taking notice and have performed the tests in real time and are completely aware of exactly how much time was wasted in the past.

AMAZING...and the union slackers say they don't slow down in order to get overtime???

NOTE: the union workers who take pride in their work and don't abuse the system should not be offended. YOU are the highly trained, highly respected workers that SIK wants back to work.

The rest that use the union to cover their lazy butts can stay out by the fire bucket and eat doughnuts for as long as they want!

Insider -

Did you manage to find out where a "cargo door center rollers leaking" crab actually originates? Those of us who have done the job know exactly where to look.

I think that there are people all over the country using this blog as a college study or project. Putting info in to see what reaction comes out.

Time trials Please tell you're not joking.It sounds too good to be true. Work being done in the time it should be done?

Knighthawk, if you know EXACTLY where to look why does it take you 400 hours to find a leak???

Who's the retard with the bull horn outside Gate 2?

Time trials, a little over stated but true. The REAL workers inside have complained for years about the slugs. Thanks for the compliment

no joke, and the GOv't was there to see the results as well.

pretty unbelievable, but true

That CH-53E taking off today and circling around had to be just a little disheartening to the folks out on the line...

"Work being done in the time it should be done?"

Grievence to follow, for sure.

Maybe some good will come out of this mess afterall. I can think of a few slugs that could use a little salt poured on them

CH-53E taking off: Why disheartening?

OHHH yea with the salt. Not everyone though. I think there has been plenty of salt already

8:31 p.m. Because it refutes the "We are irreplaceable theme".

Are there are any real hourly works who can honestly answer these simply no or yes questions:

1. Do you feel that sticking out for this long; you will get something positive out of the strike?
2. Sikorsky will be a better place once the strike is over and I’m able to come back to work.
3. Only a handful of hard core, die-heart union members are give everyone a bad name. Most of hourly guys don’t hate Sikorsky.

I'm not an SAC employee, but Pulse, in every strike I have seen, what you say is true. Like anyone believing in dogma without thinking, those who feel a knee-jerk reaction to back up every union remark are the ones who give all 3,600 a black eye.

08:13 PM-----You nailed it-----Well done.

8:31 p.m. Because it refutes the "We are irreplaceable theme".
Dude, The 53 shows up from time to time for military officials visiting. Or maybe to pick up parts, but they are not ,and have not been for a long time , in production. Jerk

Pulse on Sikorsky: Why the questions? easy answers

True they aren't. However, by now, you expected a better offer.feeling SAC could not get by without you.

And now what is your alternative plan? How do you forsee getting even any offer comparable to those turned down?

Anyone who failed to see the inevitably bad situation the union is in , and followed Local 1050 blindly, was the real jerk.

I feel bad for the 1,000 who ratified the contract, but are still in equally bad financial shape.

"Who's the retard with the bull horn outside Gate 2?".....

He blows anything.

"Who's the retard with the bull horn outside Gate 2?".....

He blows anything.

He hears you do too and that is his mating call which you have obviously recognized. Stop for a good time there jerky!

pulse
I don't answer surveys and don't call me at dinner time again Give me your number and I'll call YOU at dinner time
PS I'm on the National Don't Call List

Knighthawk,
Yes we found where the major problems are coming from. As we speak, design changes are in place. Had you the consciencious, highly skilled, safety minded expert skills you suggest you possess, you might have shared your information with the designers/ME's to remedy this situation earlier. However, that might have interferred with the overtime you so richly deserve?!?!

Oh, I forgot, it's not in your job write-up to inform the designers of any flaws in order to perfect the heli/aircraft that our servicemen so desperately rely on.

Don't think DCMA is not taking note of this.

Just a thought - If you want to continue to blog/tell the insiders how irreplacable you are, do it by working with them as a team to provide better aircraft for out military.

I also want to know who was the loud mouth with the bull horn. Gives a bad name to everyone.

"Just a thought - If you want to continue to blog/tell the insiders how irreplacable you are, do it by working with them as a team to provide better aircraft for out military."

Excellent! It also tells them you are worth the high price of your contract!

Friday is coming. Not long now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Need to get feed back per special request without identifying the source(s). This may not work on this blog without talking with people face to face and who consider themselves as less vocal members of the union.

no
no
yes

I cannot believe that no none will join me? Big y at noon March27th this is not a joke. we can meet without the bully's of the union. write our letters and go back together. We get the numbers we can end this strike we the smart union members can win this. this is not a joke.

whats up with friday

sad I'm in

Lots of migrant factory workers in the plant. They are skilled and work conscientiously. For many they will be a hard act to follow when the strike is over.

ST. PATTY'S DAY! Thats what is up with Friday

livinginlascruces.com hacking is against the law

I'm i wrong. do most members want to stay out? I'm i the only one who wants to get back to work? We can start our own rally! The go back to work rally! March 27th at big y. for all the members who want to go back to work!

Ides of March: You are a colon polup!

The biggest air strikes in Iraq, and the company won't come to the table to talk. The teamsters have already accepted the 80/20, they need us now more than ever. SAC don't let our men and women fighting there not have the aircraft they need to do the job. Get back to the table and finish this. They need your help. Stop worrying about the bottom line and send them the quality parts and aircraft they need,made by the people who have been making them for years. they have a proven track record no matter what is said period.

sad: Who are you? I am in if you are for real

sad
I'm already back. join us

I’ll be in the local area for about a week seeking opinions from Sikorsky hourly works on the strike. I do not approach people at the plant, but instead in stores, gas stations, churches, and other natural places for views on a cross section of people. Question will occur every friendly and casually.

livinginlascruces.com hacking is against the law

Pulse on Sikorsky: Bio Please

Friday is coming and it ain't just St. Patricks Day.

Friday is coming and it ain't just St. Patricks Day.; Are you going to do something bad?

yes i'm for real. I want to go back to work and with large numbers we could go back all together without the hassel of bully union members. If we could get 1000 to cross. the strikers would lose. we go back to a happy work place. I'm for real and want to make a stand with my other smart union members join me i will be there.

bmc reporting

Losts of questions there 9:01 but they are not new ones. Why can you NOT see that there are many who ARE willing to fight for something. Have you ever had to fight for something? I mean really fight?

Sorry bio not possible at this time, but results will be known after March 26th. Identity may effect responses.

Wizard of Goz clean up this blog PLEASE.Thank You.

Sorry bio not possible at this time, but results will be known after March 26th. Identity may effect responses.

Posted by: Pulse on Sikorsky on March 16, 2006 09:10 PM

You sound like a terrorist. Are you?

Wizard of Goz clean up this blog PLEASE.Thank You.

Change the chanel

Just to let you know, I'm with you on the 27th. Grow some balls people! I'm tired of my life being on hold.Aren't you? The meeting was a big joke! I'm a female who felt intimidated by a bunch of loud mouth a-holes. Yeah right, speak up. The phone call was a big joke. I'm sure it sent the right message for negotiations with the company! I tried to stand by this union, even though I did not vote for this strike. But when is enough, enough? I want my job back. Guess I'll have to drop out of the union and go back. Let's go back in numbers, count me in!

Female What DPT do you work in?

May the Goz be with you.

Knighthawk,

You were all fire and brimstone a while back and when the tough questions got asked you flew the coop...

Guess you really are UNION all the way - they don't like to answer the tough questions either!

Answer a question with a question, seems you're applying the Rocco technique here. Or, when you can't intimidate the individual, take flight and avoid everything...typical union bs.

Just to let everyone know, The gathering at big y in ansonia at noon is real. It is for anyone who feels they need to go back to work. The more people we can get the stronger we will be. please come. March 27th at noon

Why at Big Y?

Big y is a local store where we can meet. talk. we can drive to the post office and send our letters together. there is comfort in numbers so lets meet and go back to work together!

As previous stated; this approach to obtain honest opinions from less vocal members is proven to be an unreliable source. I will try other approaches as stated and will be logging off.

to sad at 8:55 i do a rally at gate 3 every other day to get my job back that the way

Just wondering,

Does anyone know who this Pulse dude is? Why is he so interested in what the union people thinks? Is he working for the Union? Mob? UTC? Newspaper?

I'm wondering why he's so interested in gathering information while keeping his identity secret?

What's he gathering information for? Or, who is he gathering information for?

Anyone know?

March 27th big y at noon. lets get our lifes back. I will be there. parked by the street near B&L. I hope a large number of smart members will join me. This is not a joke. if we have the number of members who want to go back to work now without fear from the union. we will be the winners. Join Me. all 1000 members we will be the winner.

Hell yea!
Finally!!
I am with you sad,,, Big Y ansonia!!!
But why the 27th?
I have lost enough allready
I am in...
Lets show these blockheads,

Which Big Y?

by the way a bunch of yellow badge replacement workers were on the floor today, alot of them ap certified. SIK is dismantling the fab shop & the sheet metal shop near the p60N wharehouse, so you guy sould be out of a job shortly.

BTW, after 21 days SIK can dicide if they want a union shop and after 90 days yall will have to reapply for you job sounds like the union thing is a winner

Time trials is on drugs...

400 hours to do a water test...thats BS...down to 40hours ehh...More BS...

s92 norsk aircraft almost ready for delivery, we got replacement workers outta keystone... another local union job lost

I would have to suggest to anyone considering coming back to just do it. Right, there is strength in numbers. Just drive straight through the line and do not look at anyone. Do not be intimidated. I have been back for a week and it is a good work enviroment. Salary and hourly are acting like equals. I often get to tell my supervisor what to do. Everyone helps everyone. Upper management is also spending some time on the floor working also.

Stop thinking and just do it. From what I have heard on the inside is if this most recent contract isn't accepted, the next will be worse and you will be waiting a long time for it.

Now look at the wall of fame. I'm sure many of you reconize many management last names. Get the hint and get back before it isn't an option.

I also wouldn't wait to the 27th. Call HR right away and discuss the situation. Then take a couple of days to consider it. Then mail your letter. Make sure you speak to HR before mmailing in your letter because it is getting to the point only the people wanted are let back in. Soon, not everyone will be allowed to come back, only one's approved by their supervisors. Better think quick and do what is best for you and your families.

I was wondering too…who is this pulse dude??? Could be G-men or worse….muscle.

953..you got it absolutly correct .... im inside the fence also.... its a good team like atmosphere

Union members earn better wages and benefits than workers who aren’t union members. On average, union workers’ wages are 28 percent higher than their nonunion counterparts. While only 15 percent of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions, fully 69 percent of union workers do. Four out of five union workers get health insurance benefits, but only half of nonunion workers do. Unions help employers create a more stable, productive workforce—where workers have a say in improving their jobs.

p64n is fully staffed, so is p60n & p41n....lots of good help

I have never enjoyed work as much as I have this past week. I never would work 10 hours a day, but this week I was so motivated and happy it just flew by. A part of me wants it to stay like this. I like being able to actually WORK with salary. Imagine grievances if a salary guy picked up a tool a month ago. We dont need or want that crap back.

on drugs??? uh no, never touch the crap. The 400 hours was actual time clocked against the job. ACTUAL..documented...during UNION workers time studies.

And the 40 hr. time just reported is actual time clocked against the job minus UNION slackage...

On drugs??? no, working and earning a paycheck...without the mighty mighty TEAMSTERS to back me up. Don't need the self-serving Teamster 1150 Rocco types, I've got the DCMA to verify the time trials.

So keep your smack talk to your Fantasy league...just posting real verifiable facts here.

From 8:06
Most of NDI gone
It will be a whopping total of 6 people left there.
And you can take it to the bank......

Can you say "outsourced"?

not true everyone will be allowed back do not listen to this idot

they are shipping the replacements in from everywhere we got a bunch from tennesse this morning.... they aint bitchin just enjoying the norteast economy

they cannot hre perm replacement workers we are on strike for unfair labor not economics check it out if you do not belive me

they can hire the temps after 2 weeks of service & BTW you guys walked out the friday before the stick so its a walkout not a lockout

10:00 post you think it going to stay that way even if we do not come back. I got a bridge to sell you

"SIKORSKY ENDS TALKS WITH UNION
Job Fair Scheduled to Hire Replacement Workers"

Oh no...not these guys! They're irreplaceable (NOT!).

Yup, 400 hours IN THE PAST to do the test...yup, now 40 hours. Face the facts people you've been milking it all along and now your secrets out.

you are clueless don't listen to these people on here i know for a fact nothing is getting done these are sikorsky bashers on here don't even go here if you are a union member trust me there all idiots

I can not understand how they convinced you to go on strike and deprive your family of it's wages.

I can not understand how they convinced you that you could win this thing.

Next membership meeting, Whatever you do, DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL-AID!

which anon 10:00 there's 3 of them?

these replacement workers are better than the union guys because they are not afraid to "MULTITASK"

The trouble here "9:50" is that I deal in fact...seems that the mighty 1150 prefers to deal in smoke and mirrors...misleading and BS

As Jack Nicholson said in "A Few Good Men" you can't HANDLE the truth!

10:03, For it to be considered an unfair labor practice strike the company must break a labor law. If charges have really been filed with the NLRB, their decision will decide if it is unfair labor or an economic strike.

Just because Rocco makes signs saying unfair labor practices does not make it so. I am sure Sikorsky's attorneys are making sure no laws are broken. In the end it probably be ruled an economic strike, but only the NLRB will make that decision.

Now read a little more please. Thank you.

these are college kids who are asked to put there 2 cents in do not listen to them

that what is different about us we knew when to take a stand for what is right. you never get it

It hasn't been ruled on that the strike is against unfair labor practices OR is economic. Based on the NLRB definition, it falls under the category of economic. Will have to wait for the ruling. If it's ruled an economic strike, that's the final nail in the union's (and your) coffin.

this blog is a joke if you are a uniopn member do not log onto this site its just a scam

The thing that kills me is that the strikers HAVE to be hearing the good thing that are going on inside.

NO HOW BOUT ME A BUYER, THAT NOW HELPS OUT ON THE FLOOR....THATS ME NO BS

hey dirtbag my friend is a foreman in there and he tells me everything

Free Kool-Aide at Union Hall

get a life you jerk

FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anon 10:09 (FIRST POST) What is right? Right is giving a hard days work for GOOD pay. Not sleeping, bitching about "it's not my job", taking extended breaks. IF you don't fit into this category, then I apologize.

MEALS ON WHEELS WILL BE @ GATE 2 AT 9AM

THEY CAN HIRE 2 WEEKS AFTER BECOMING A YELLOW BADGE

Smoke on the Water, a Fire in the Sky.

That's nice 10:10. My husband's a supervisor there and he tells me that work is getting done, morale is great, he hasn't heard "not my job" or "grievance" in, oh, about 25 days.

Who's your husband?

10:15 FIRST POST IS ABSOLUTLY CORRECT

While he's working what are you doing on the side? Need a little action.

He's a great guy, who takes care of his family. But his name, at least on this blog, isn't available. He takes enough crap everyday driving through the line.

LOL. In your dreams.

10.01-----Oh yeah you're in for a couple days and then tossed out. Get serious they do what they want. The whole thing goes to the lawyers and all the legal teams will tie it for months. Months that you are still without of a job.

I can't wait to come back so I can go see Harry.

Now THERE'S a guy who will always have a job!!! HARRY!!!

And the line is going to be long. I think I'm going to call him for a appointment.

What happened to Anon 9:50? No facts to back up your claim that the time studies were all BS?

Hmmmm....who's on drugs now?

You see, the intimidators can't answer to the real questions nor can they refute the real facts.. so they hurl insults and try to undermine the individuals that are giving the real scoop here. And when they can't intimdate us into silence they run for the hills, or try to make the rest of the blog readers believe we're just "college kids" out to get a rise out of you...

PLEASE - college kids have MUCH better things to do than post on strike blogs...there's a whole world of education, fun, drinking, sporting events and the like that they're WAY more interested in that an obviously no-win situation strike that adults are involved in.

So ignore those posts that say "oooh these are alla bunch of college kids..." College kids are more educated and professional than many of the posters here...

Overall, remember the serious and dedicated union workers are valuable, the rest are just goons. If you're a hard worker and take pride in what you do you wouldn't bother to hurl insults at other bloggers in vain attempts to avoid the real facts.

Here is the URL for the list of strikers.

http://www.teamsters1150.org/PICKET%20ROSTER.pdf

The list still has the names of those that got smart and crossed the line.

We can thank the remaining ones for the extra tax burden on the town of Stratford.

Lots of people that work for the Town have been laid-off so Stratford can pay for the Cops. They are also considering having trash pick-up every other week and the large item pick-up may not be done this year. They are going to start charging people to use the Dump too.

Thank you Mighty Mighty Teamsters!

In the words of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog...
"POOP ON YOU!"

I have been watching this for a while. I want to work at SAC. I want a job. Can anyone tell me when the job fair will be held? Where will it be, I expect offsite?

It's no surprise that Chris Lacko has crossed; where else is he going to get his money to buy beer and get drunk everynight. Nice going Chris, don't get too drunk!

ANY PLACEMENT SERVICE THAT HAS A TIE TO SIK CAN GET YOU A JOB INSIDE THE CHAINLINK...... UNLIKE BEFORE THE PREREQ. HAVE GONE UP YOU JUST CANT GET IN WITH A PULSE AND BLOODPRESSURE, YOU NOW NEED A BRAIN & SOME SORT OF EDUCATION ...... PREFERABLLY AT LEAST AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE

guess what guys i had almost $500 dollars in taxes taken outta my pAy this week that more than 2 weeks of union pay ohhhhhhhh less my union dues

here is some news the 92 is being completely outsourced production,kitting everything some much for that billion dollar contract in stratford! layoffs on both sides this sucks

1056 that is almost true we have guys from keystone here to do the work

too bad I enjoyed working for sikorsky I voted for the contract but I am part of a union so I need to find another job!!

Someone mentioned Jack Powers earlier - what did he do? He was a war hero.

I know for a fact on how long water test takes to do a full aircraft.

3 hours to do the corrosion sheet
2 hours to prep for water
3 hours for the aircraft to be under water for the whole process
5 hours to fix the leaks

Now, if the engineers ever worked the crabs, and see what the major problems were, were the problems originate, and develope a fix for the problems before they even get water on them...then the hours would be cut to half of that.

I know where all the problems for each aircraft are, and they are always the same problems, and I know what needs to be done to fix them, but I may never have a chance again to even do them if this strike continues.

But since now the Blackhawk line has their water test guru's, and they seem to now have a labor grade of a 2 because they do it, but yet all the mechanics in the hanger that was ever involved with water test were labor grade 3's...I really don't see a point in helping anymore. I guess that could be a small case for an unfair labor practice.

Water test people get labor grade 2's

on the other side of the door,

Crew Cheifs get labor grade 0-1
Aircraft service mech A gets 2
Aircraft service mech B gets 3

How come water test guys gets a higher pay rate than the guys humping to get the aircraft ready to fly?

any new developments today?

Hey Goz'

This blog was a great idea, but has now become a waste of time. Happy Friday all. I'm outta here.

to those who thought the strike would not last a month, ask Rocco how long his directed strike at Pratt lasted and what the outcome was?
called HR today - crossing Monday
why? poor and misrepresented leadership. I feel so used. time to feed the family, and let my kid play Little League.
I know things will be different on Monday, already talked with a few who have returned already. They are cranking out parts but need help on the line, they are getting it and will have a few dozen more on Monday

At the meeting they talked about a 70k fund to help us out if were in real need to get in contact..

I emailed them twice today and no response???guess they really want to help me on my bills that are backed up

I think im going to cross had enough of lies sorry union cause i think a bunch more are to follow my footsteps through that weak line!!

hey anonymous 12:15 - I'll buy you lunch on Monday

make it teusday!!!thanx..
i thought lunch was free now?

do any of you mighty ones have a job to come back to? I dont think many of you do. did you see all the trucks that went out today.. the union screwed you

all the happy happy teamsters are not so happy anymore. its really to LATE for most of you to even try to come back.. your jobs are gone.

all this was what over the union lies and 31 cents. man thats sad

question. why did security and the fire dept take the same contract and voted YES and you did not????? they want there jobs.. and to go in and yell boo... what was that all about?? my child would not even do that. Looks like the company might be moving but non of you will be

I guess all the paid union blogger cant afford the net now

your fired.

the meeting on wed was well planed out. What did that really do for us? I felt good when I left there and then ,thought about it. I asked myself what did they do. I came up with nothing. I am no longer a brother,need to do what I have to. I am back to work and it feels great. I am just an honest person that needs to do what is right for me and my job. When will I make the wall of Fame? and to my brothers and sisters I did what was right for my family.

all of you that think for a second your jobs are waiting for you are wrong. Did you not notice all the vans that come in day after day and did you see all the truck leaving?? Most if not all the jobs are gone. you did not open your eyes enough to see what was going on.I would have voted yes.. and the new contract your big union said NO. what are they thinking? Open your eyes.. your jobs are gone.. how stupid of you to say I HAVE THE UNION.. they know you are not working and want your dues. that would tell me a lot....OPEN YOUR EYES

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO is what we all were told to say.. childlike for sure

Not that it REALLY matters, but it's been bothering me to see people writing that the 4%/3.5%/3% offer is the same as 3.5%/3.5%/3.5%.

Take someone making $50,000 / year for example.
Year 1 4.0% = $52000 ..... Year 1 3.5% = $51750
Year 2 3.5% = $53820 ..... Year 2 3.5% = $53561
Year 3 3.0% = $55435 ..... Year 3 3.5% = $55436

The final salary is essentially the same, but:
$52000 + $53820 + $55435 = $161255
$51750 + $53561 + $55436 = $160747

So the person making $50000 would receive about $500 more with the front-loaded raises.

To fellow union members who are crying for increased wages to offset the cost of healthcare: it's not going to happen. The problem with that theory is that we're in a collective. A well-performing worker might deserve 6% increases, but he's being lumped in with a poorly-performing worker who deserves 0%.

Enjoy our union!!

P.S. I liked the Americal Idol feel of yesterday's noon time strike activity. Adding Yale union members (Whiffenpoofs?) was a nice touch.

Thanks, Math Minder. I was also surprised that people considered the two raise scenarios to be equal. For the person who invests a portion of his salary, the difference is even greater for the second offer.

Hope all you sisters in the union read this, GO BACK TO WORK! before it's too late.So far they've told you nothing worthwhile. How long is it going to take to realize that we are going to lose a great job.More weeks will pass, more hope is lost. Isn't enough, enough? I'm having nightmares about this bull. I miss going to work and feeling worthwhile. How are you girls feeling? Are you going to let these bullies ruin your life? Be strong, do what your own mind tells you to do! Yeah, it's scary, but sometimes you have to take that chance. Rocco, how come we are not allowed to take a revote on this new offer. Are you afraid we would vote it in? You KNOW we would. We are tired and broke. Your union will be dissolved. Can't say it was nice doing business with you!!!

Rocco, how many people do you have picketing anymore? Does that send a message to you? Oh, I forgot, you are on your way to Philly. Is it true Hoffa got a check for $45 thousand for talking at your rally? Gee $45,000 and we get $232, Oh, don't forget to pay your $58 to stay in good standing Wake Up!!!! . We are paying this fight dearly... and we've lost!!

The bottom line is unions breed mediocrity or worse. My daugther is a teacher. Its just like any other union. When they first start they are very energetic and enthusiastic. Right away, the old timers start telling them, don't volunteer to stay late or come early, its not in our contract. Don't come in for an extra open house unless we get paid for it.

Its hard to buck that all the time. Thankfully, my daughter was not raised with that mentality and continues to work hard and do what's best for the kids, but it gets increasingly hard to deal with the pressure. I'm proud of her and hope she never gives in and lowers her standards.

Those of you who want to work need to have the conviction of this young girl. They can't really hurt you if you go back. They are living in the past. You are protected now. Who cares if you don't have the respect of people who would threaten you to control you? Would you want to have their respect? What good is the respect from people you don't respect? All you need is self respect and your family's respect. That you achieve by doing the right thing.

Lies,all lies !!

I'll make this short and sweet to help stir the brainwaves of some of you numbnuts out there.
Let's think about a few topics before blasting off some e-mail about ANYTHING.
1)Global economy
2)Unions are a dead product. Product life cycle is over
3)Innovation moves mountains. Where is the union's innovation, and where has the innovation been in becoming more productive during the last ten years on the job? You are a disgrace to the American worker and represent everything that is wrong with America right now. Thank God for Generation X saving your butts and this company.
4) How come 1200 workers are more productive than 3500? Education and a sense of togetherness is the answer. This has been a huge Kaizan event for Sikorsky. Your lies have caught up to you about your job and the amount of time it takes to "not" do it.
5) In case you forgot, Sikorsky is now global. (Read #1 again, because you probably forgot it by now) Who needs the 3500 people on stike?

We now have Keystone and CTI to do all the jobs that Sikorsky does and we are proactively looking for more aquisitions. Let's face it...all we do anymore is make blades and drivetrain components. Pino is a commercial guy, so we will be moving even further towards treating the military customers as commercial operators. The slow, old company is dead. Sure, we install the avionics packages, etc,etc., but the company is overpaying all of you for that service. They could move that to Aero Vodochody tomorrow for half the cost and AeroV. would probably reduce their hourly rate to Sikorsky for the business. Ever heard of Kaman Ind...you will shortly Kudos to you guys.
I feel for you guys, as the union has become a complete joke. Do you notice that the news has subsided? It's because people now know the facts and realize the union dropped the ball. Come back to work now. Cross the line and save your job and your future!! Where will the union leaders be in 7 days when you are no longer employed by UTC? Do you think they will care about you and your family then? Get back to work and cut your losses now.

http://sikorskystrike.blogspot.com/

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Are you sure 22615 about this?!?

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We now have Keystone and CTI to do all the jobs that Sikorsky does and we are proactively looking for more aquisitions. Let's face it...all we do anymore is make blades and drivetrain components. Pino is a commercial guy, so we will be moving even further towards treating the military customers as commercial operators. The slow, old company is dead. Sure, we install the avionics packages, etc,etc., but the company is overpaying all of you for that service. They could move that to Aero Vodochody tomorrow for half the cost and AeroV. would probably reduce their hourly rate to Sikorsky for the business. Ever heard of Kaman Ind...you will shortly Kudos to you guys.

See, exactly what I mean about not believing 95%.
There were no ringers at the meeting. You see , "I" was there , you weren't.

Good job guys! Very nice site!
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