General Cable Workers
Defeat Takeaways,
Secure Gains
SANGER, Calif.
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| Informational picketing on all three shifts demonstrated Local
1014’s unwillingness to accept health insurance takeaways and 13-day
on/1-day off work schedule. |
Members of UE Local 1014 ratified a new three-year agreement
with BICC/General (General Cable) on Dec. 8 that includes significant
improvements in a variety of areas, without the takeaways the company
demanded.
Highlights of the agreement include:
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A general wage increase of 11.5 percent over the term.
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Increased pension benefits — among the highest in the
corporate chain.
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Improved health and dental insurance, without takeaways, in
the face of significant increases in premiums.
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Increased bereavement and vacation time (additional days at
eight years).
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Increased life insurance.
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Improvements to the grievance procedure.
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Expanded seniority rights
Of equal significance is what the united and determined Local
1014 membership beat back. The company sought the right to use temporary
workers. The company wanted to weaken overtime provisions and the right to
impose forced overtime up to the maximum allowed by law (13 consecutive days).
The company sought to bypass seniority rights in shift transfers within
departments, among other takeaways.
UNITED AND DETERMINED
General Cable workers waged a formidable battle against these
threats and for their own demands.
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Workers took management parking spaces and decorated their
cars with pertinent messages. |
All shifts engaged in support activities. Homemade signs were
prominently displayed on vehicles in the parking lot, putting the union’s
message — "Don’t BICC us around," "13 and 1, I don’t
think so," and "No health, no wealth" — in management’s
face. Caravans paraded through and around company property; honking horns
attracted attention and revealed public support. Informational picketing on
all three shifts and press conferences received sympathetic coverage by local
television, radio and newspapers in Spanish and English.
The Local 1014 negotiating committee consisted of Joe
Chavez, David Combs, James Ritenour, Alex Coronado, Mark Falcon and Robert
Ordiway. They were assisted by Intl. Rep. Fernando Losada.
UE News - 01/01
