USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

Representing  employees at Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Strattec Security Corp. in Milwaukee, WI

Membership Meeting 

Sunday July 25th, 2010

USW Local 2-232 Office

8500 W. Capital Dr.  LL 101  Milwaukee 

9:30a.m.

Election for Trustee at Large 

will take place during this meeting.

  Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.

PRESIDENT GORECKI’S REPORT

“Thank you, I won’t forget you.”

            This month we received some very disturbing news from the Milwaukee County Labor Council regarding the United Way. We were told that the Labor Liaisons are going to be dropped off the United Way staff. Julian Jasper, a long time Labor advocate for the United way retired and has not been replaced. The reason we are hearing that is because they have participated in a couple of Union rallies. If the United Way is only looking for our donations but not willing to stand behind its struggles in the community, maybe we have been fooling ourselves as far as working hard for the United Way. If that is the final decision to let our Labor people go from the United Way, I would hope that all the Unions drop their participation and focus their money and energies to other good causes in the community. I would also hope the person responsible for starting the riff with the United Way be held accountable to the community for his or her actions.

BRIGGS

            On March 26th, the Company told the Union of their plans for the Die Cast division. What it boiled down to was, Briggs plans to terminate their contracts with all outside customers. This was communicated to us on March 27th through departmental meetings. They also told our members that there are other “pockets of jobs” that they would be looking to outsource. The job loss in Die Cast will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 250. The different pockets they refer to could add up to at least 50 more jobs. We are getting mixed messages from the Company. Depending on who you talk to, we are either going to get rid of the small pockets of jobs around the plant, like counterweights, aluminum machining in M3 and some carburetor work. On the contrary, we have a couple managers that are trying to find ways to stop the bleeding, try to stabilize our work force and bring these little pockets of jobs in. So far the latter of the two has not been real successful. The Union has tried to schedule a meeting with the Company to see if there is some possible way to keep some of these pockets here, without cutting our own throat. To this date we have not received a reply in almost a month.

            Right after the Die Cast announcement, the Union did receive a W.A.R.N. notice for (8) eight jobs in Die Cast, mainly set up helpers that would be tested, and moved up if they pass or bumped down if they are not far enough along in their training.

            Shortly after receiving that W.A.R.N. notice, the Company followed up with another notice that would encompass the other 240+ jobs in the Die Cast division. I spoke to the Company about this, and I was told that the additional notice was to cover themselves in case their customers would find replacement suppliers immediately.

            On 4-28-03, the Union met with the Company and a HIRE CENTER representative to discuss schooling and retraining for the many workers who will lose their jobs due to the Die Cast reduction. The Company has agreed to allow the DISLOCATED Worker group including Unemployment to have the seminar on company premises. The details have not been worked out for a time and date.

            Prior to that meeting, the Union and the Company did discuss movement of personnel from the Die Cast Division under the job elimination language. The meeting ended with both sides agreeing to reconvene on May 7th. The Union is asking the Company to be a little more flexible with our members options being so few, due to the constant job loss. The Bargaining Committee officials did send a letter to the top company officials asking for 3 additional years to be added on to people’s seniority who retire between May 31, 2003 and October 31, 2003. This would widen the scope of people eligible to retire and hopefully significantly reduce the number of our members on layoff.

The Company also talked about the possibility of moving the Service Division from the Falls to the Burleigh Plant. The Union met with the Falls management and asked them what the chances were of keeping the division here in Milwaukee. They wouldn’t commit to one way or the other but I was encouraged after meeting with them. They lauded the praise of productivity since the change to measured Daywork. This was one thing the Union had hoped for when they approached us about adopting the system. We are still putting pressure on them to adopt an incentive based system out there. So far their only response has been that they are exploring different methods. We also looked at a way to adjust the vacation to try to make it possible for everyone to get at least one full week of vacation during the late spring and summer months. We presented the final offer to those employees and it was turned down handily. So vacation scheduling will proceed as it has in the past.

STRATTEC

            Our relationship with Strattec management has really declined. We are seeing more job complaints, less cooperation and an attitude of do it and if you don’t like it, grieve it. The Committee has attempted to resolve some issues that might be deep seeded. The Company insists that they are just going about handling business as usual. Things that they used to let go by are now becoming written complaints to lay the ground work for further discipline.

The Union did 3 third stage grievances that were job complaints. This is the result of the Company moving backwards and falling back into what they call “a more traditional relationship”. That’s fine by the Union’s feelings, but then don’t come running to the Union for help or advice when difficult issues arise, such as layoffs, recalls and insurance issues. Karl and the Committee have spent countless hours trying to resolve potential grievance situations before they happen, only to find that when things slow down the Company starts encouraging grievances. The Company always talks about working with the Union. The Union’s position has always been, we’re willing to work together and cooperate, but the cooperation has to be a TWO WAY STREET. This Union has demonstrated in the past that we have been very versatile. When the Company worked with us, we cooperated with them, and when they chose the confrontational approach, we could also be confrontational. I guess the point is it should be one way or the other, and not teetering back and forth.

In the Service Department, the Work Group Leader has been trying to intimidate the workers there, telling them that they should go to her before going to the Union with a problem. When Karl became aware of this, he addressed the issue immediately. Karl and I did go into the department to make ourselves accessible and see if the Work Group Leader would question us. Either she didn’t see us or chose not to confront us. Karl will keep an eye on that situation. If anyone is denied their right to talk to their Union Rep. or are being harassed or intimidated for making the request, we want to know about it right away.

The Company has agreed to mediation on a grievance that was third staged some time ago. We have selected an agreeable mediator from the C.N.C. and the case is scheduled to be heard on May 20th. This process is not a binding situation. On the subject of pending grievances, we are still waiting for a decision on a discharge grievance that was heard in early November. Briefs were submitted to the arbitrator over 4 months ago. Both sides are hesitant to call the arbitrator though, fearing the contacting side could offend the arbitrator and influence his opinion in a negative way. Our attorney was in the process of contacting Strattec’s attorney to submit a joint letter to the arbitrator. Our attorney did advise us that some cases can take up to 6 months for an arbitrator to decide.

PERSONAL

I want to thank all of you responsible for allowing me to serve as your President for the past 3+ years. Given the times and conditions over the past 3 years, I’m proud of the things that we have accomplished as a Joint Board.

•There are more of our members walking around wearing our Local Union t-shirts, displaying their pride in our Local.

•We were able to get decent contracts at both companies during some poor economic times. At Briggs, we’ve had almost 600 people take advantage of the increased pension since the contract less than 2 years ago. At Strattec, we’ve had a better increase in the minimum pension in the last contract, better than I’ve seen in 25 years.

•I believe we did a fine job of supporting our Union brothers and sisters that were in need, like Midwest flight attendants at several rallies, the asbestos workers and the Kramer foundry workers.

•We helped in the political process by working the phone banks as a group. We leafleted, did the knock and drops for labor candidates and participated in several rallies supporting candidates that help working people.

•We volunteered at the labor booth for 3 years to help educate people about Unions.

•We tripled our participation in the Labor Fest parade.

•We sent more rank and file members to conferences than in the past.

•Our participation and attendance at the Milwaukee County Labor Council meeting and being represented on the Milwaukee County Labor Council and the Region X Executive Board.

•We have volunteered over 175 labor hours at the Hunger Task Force to help feed hungry people in our community.

•We selected a very knowledgeable and dedicated time study person in Tom Bishanell. He adjusted to the job so quickly, he was on his own in a few months, which was a great relief to me. He has done a great job during a very rough time.

      I would ask that you show the support for my successor and Joint Board that you have shown in the past. I may not be here physically anymore, but my spirit will - with our members and the Labor movement forever.