 |
| IAM representatives met in Fort Lauderdale, FL to prepare for upcoming contract talks in June with General Electric. Front row, from left, Matt Jackson, Local 78, Milwaukee, WI; Fred Parr, Eric Kratzer, Matt Louiso, Greg Hensley, John Pelle, Lloyd Friend, Local 912, Evendale, OH; and David Day, Local 78. Back row, from left, Steve Wolbers, John Hodge, Danny Crabtree, Ron McKeehan, Suzanne Dunham, Paul Cooper, Local 912; Larry Nunley, Local 1916, Milwaukee, WI; Headquarters General Vice President Robert Martinez, Jr.; IAM Strategic Resources Dept. Director Neil Gladstein and IAM Collective Bargaining Dept. Director Tom O’Heron. |
IAM members of the Coordinated Bargaining Committee (CBC) at General Electric met to prepare for joint negotiations with General Electric for a new contract covering 15,000 workers at the company. The IAM represents approximately 1,500 workers at five locations and is one of the 11 unions of the CBC.
Representatives from the IAM locations and IAM Headquarters General Vice President Robert Martinez, Jr., IAM Director of Collective Bargaining Tom O’Heron and Director of Strategic Resources Neil Gladstein met in Fort Lauderdale, FL to discuss proposals from members at each location in advance of the larger joint CBC negotiations that will open in June 2015.
“We brought IAM leaders from the GE locations to review the proposals from members at every location,” said O’Heron. “Among the issues we discussed were health care, new hire benefits, wages, pensions, protecting retiree medical coverage, job and income security, SERO window and plant closings. Our members’ issues will be well-represented at the negotiations in June.”
To help prepare for successful joint negations in June, CBC representatives from all 11 unions are urging their membership to be vocal, vigilant and involved in the upcoming contract talks.
“Corporations like General Electric have made billions in profits over the years by going after the wages and benefits of their workers, and they aren’t stopping,” said Martinez. “We must stand together, make our voices heard and keep multinational corporations like GE from lowering the standard of living for workers everywhere.”
