I'm not in the East, I am in the Central Region and our Article 4 "Maintenance Of Standards" language reads as follows.
ARTICLE 4 - MAINTENANCE OF STANDARDS
The Employer agrees that all conditions of employment in his/her individual operation relating to wages, hours of work, overtime differentials and general working conditions shall be maintained at not less than the highest standards in effect at the time of the signing of this Agreement, and the conditions of employment shall be improved wherever specific provisions for improvement are made elsewhere in this Agreement. It is agreed that the provisions of this
Section shall not apply to inadvertent or bonafide errors made by the Employer or the Union in applying the terms and conditions of this Agreement
if such error is corrected within ninety (90) days from the date of error. Any disagreement between the local union and the Employer, with respect to this matter, shall be subject to the grievance procedure. This provision does not give the Employer the right to impose or continue wages,hours and working condition less than those contained in this Agreement.
Sound familiar???
It should, because it is word for word the same as your Western Region, Article 23, Maintenance Of Standards language.
So do you want to try and tell me again how the West was able to "carve out" of the H&W language contained in the National Master, when we in the Central Region were told it was not possible?
Btw, you did get one thing right out of all of that. I am mad, on several levels. I just don't let it define me. Thanks for trying to explain.
Your diatribe begs the question "Why didn't you ask these questions 4 friend---ing years ago when this was all being negotiated???" Did your Local have any meetings on this significant change that was happening to your Healthcare? Did you bother to attend? WHY, 4 friend---ing years later, are you hashing his out on BC as if it was some huge conspiracy? Anyone who had questions in 104 had multiple opportunities, 3 separate meetings, one at another local's large meeting hall that is more than triple the capacity or ours, to have every question answered by Andy M himself. Instead of throwing stones at MY Secretary/Treasurer who had the stones to Stand Up for all of us in the WEST along with the help of our new best friends in Local 177 WHY DON'T YOU DEVOTE YOUR ENERGY TO HOLDING YOUR OWN REGION ACCOUNTABLE
From my notes, 4 friend---ing years ago, from our local meetings with Andy M:
- Company proposal on HC, Hall breaks off negotiations
- if Co does not drop demands will delay until July
-HC is now about $1500/mo
- 2200-2400 retirees in SW
-letter to retirees for HC to go from $50 to $750 per family 8/1/13 non-negotiable
- can only negotiate for future retirees, legally prohibited from bargaining for those already retired
-we will not vote on a contact that doesn't take care of our retirees
- company proposed $50-750 raise just before we voted on contacts last time, we refused to vote until they backed off
- company wants to slash 20/40% of benefits - deductibles, vision, dental
$7500 out of pocket, no major medical
-Company has never come after HC like this before
- We are in Co. HC plan, 85% on Teamster plans
-Maintenance of Benefits, already signed off on West Level- NATL WOULD SUPERSEDE
-we are not going to pay 1 cent, NON STARTER
-Company made 4.3 billion
-will not open that door
-we have best contract anywhere, at some point we will have to pay part of HC but not now
-Co did typical arrogant "you are indebted to us" proposal
-Retiree $50 now- will go up but going to hold it down
-Teamster plans- South $800/mo for family coverage (retirees)
- MOA saying Co cannot even talk about leaving WCT for 10 years from date signed, would be 4 years contract so that letter would hold out til next contract
-1 of every $3 is paid to HC in the Country. ACA put 4,000,000 people who didn't have HC on the rolls but no $ to pay for it
-Co says 97% of Americans pay for their HC
-Can move money to subsidize retiree HC to keep down to $100-$150/mo
NM was voted on and passed. Supplements failed
-NM is done 5000... retiree plan + dependents
-SPD $1250 copays retiree pays mo/.... actual cost $9220 yr
-2012 $56million shortage existing & future post 65 and surviving spouse
-$1/yr for H&W and Pension
-was going to take 20 cents from general wage increase to pay for retiree HC
-Co cannot afford the liability FASB statute 106 fair accounting standards board
-$22B liability in Jan 2013 20% current cap 30% 5K retirees now + Dependents
-projected $10-12B in 5 years... all driven by UPS being public
-way to reduce was to charge retirees
- Co calculated to make Natl proposal to put everyone on CS H&W took it out of SW & WEST- so we couldn't negotiate our own destiny
-Picked CS because only fund large enough to take on influx of 140k people
-CS= South, Midwest, Eastern Seaboard most
-Co put $629M in enhancements to SW & NJ to make more attractive
-Carve Out came about on last day,- best we could get
-17 Supplements down- 2 not to do with HC
-Cannot reopen National Contract- but we have Carve Out
-Chairman of CS only had 4 YES 100 NO
-w/in constraints of $ paid to CS for Enhanced plan- no reserves to start with
-#s change, Andy thinks $2.2B is understated $2.4B over 5 years
-$.20 ou of Gen WI to buy 52 for retiree coverage/ restored Post 65 coverage with $.05
-Retiree- anyone before 1/1/14 stuck in Co plan (you and spouse)
-Changing from 90/10 to 80/20 across the board (and prescriptions) + deductible & more per month
-.... prior to 12/31 under CO plan- with no Teamcare after after CS or SW carve out
- also get our portion of $629M of Enhancements + dental, disability...
-getting cash up front 50/50 of $1 to HW& Pension can move Pension to H&W- change allows us to vote to move wages to pension
-Plan: Year 1,2,3 use money we have, 3&4 may vote
-Extended UPS agreement indefinitely w/30 day notice
-any increases will be retroactive & no increase in Retiree HC
-900 eligible to retire in next 5 years
-NO way to go back & return H&W to SW & West
-Another $1.25 going into Pension 1st 3 years- improved, nothing changed
-HC not going to be exactly the same, will be better plan than CS w/retiree & dependent coverage
-$9.60/$7.60/hr to Pension .45,.65,.65 1st next 5 years $.25 to $.50 to restore Post 65 so $9.85
- 2yr $.50 3yr $.50 4th and 5th year open
-will carve out a plan so that we can control our own destiny not going to say it can't be done and dumped into CS--- minimum will be CS-Enhanced
-ACA no one knows the effect, it it allows "opt out" it will destroy every Union HC plan
-Same provider- AETNA and Express Scripts/Medco
-$0 premium
-No network change, no deductible Yr 1-4. $100/$200 in Year 5
<notes on details of our plan coverages, this was to sell us on the plan for a "Yes" vote>
-Consequences of 2nd No Vote: National takes over our Negotiations (Andy or Committee)
-We are outnumbered 3 or 4 to 1- rest wanted us to go to CS H&W
-Taft Hartley Trust- 2 years- 2.... already trustees (names)
-Retirees in CO plan will stay in CO plan they are in now ...
-No carry over on FSA (company wouldn't do it)
-If Jan 1st not done will still have HC through Co.