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Business
Manager's Report
February 3,
2012
1. With
negotiations on Saipan completed, we are currently following
up with IT&E on some open item issues:
·
Management doing
hourly work
·
Continuation of
Life Insurance plans
·
FML interpretation
·
Vacation blackouts
·
Positioning for
the 2014 bargaining
·
Bringing back the
Local Common Interest Forums
·
etc.
If anything, what the
tough bargaining session did for our Unit 10 members was to
galvanize them. Members stepped up to fill the vacancies on
the Unit’s Executive Committee, as well as on the Executive
Board; interest was shown in the shop steward position;
members were very vocal about their frustrations and
concerns with the Company, etc. Our administration is
committed to providing more training for the Unit, as well
as getting our members access to technical support. Now,
current members must assist us with recruiting new members
so that when negotiations come around again in 2014, we will
not be in a difficult position when it comes to bargaining.
2. The
staff recently completed several Hawaiian Telcom baseyard
and Company visits to follow up on the current bargaining
situation. We communicated to the membership last year that
the Company at some point would most likely declare impasse
and our next course of action would be to file charges
against them (both of which were done last month). Both the
Company and the Union agree that litigation does no one any
good and we are trying to exhaust other possible
alternatives. The Union has asked the Company to consider
Binding Arbitration.
Many members expressed
feelings of abandonment and were frustrated with both the
Company and the Union. A lot of the problems that are
causing the frustrations stem from the HT administration:
· Nextgen
still in its infancy stage (the build costs continue to
rise)
·
Legacy problems
continue to grow (neglect of the network, as well as other
resources now starting to have huge costs)
·
Cuts too
deep (unable to find replacements; techs working 7-10;
systems still deficient; management as well as hourly lack
training and support, etc.)
· Morale
at an all-time low (benefit cuts; longer hours/less family
time; changes tied to a new administration; continuation of
doing more with less; Company values not being exemplified
at all levels of this Administration, as well as no
consequences; customers yelling at our techs either because
of contractor issues or due dates out until March, etc.)
· In
a time of fiscal austerity, the Administration is still
using consultants to help run the Company. There’s also an
appearance of cronyism tied to the hiring of new managers as
well as consultants.
· The
disparity in compensation between the top 1% of Hawaiian
Telcom and the rest of the Company continues to widen.
Our Local Union has
exhausted all resources in trying to position our membership
to be successful. We laid out a strategy that the
membership could point to from pre-bargaining to now. And
while we litigate and try to resolve our labor issues, we
ask our members to continue to be good, responsible members.
Help your fellow Sisters and Brothers out; make sure you
learn as much as you can about your job and the Company; and
do the best job you can everyday while continuing to be
safe.
3.
We continue to urge those members who have not yet paid
their December 2010 dues to get them in ASAP. We will be
reaching out to you personally within the next few days.
4.
Finally, we see two Companies struggling with Leadership
problems and the effects leadership has on the membership.
With nominations for Local Union and Unit offices being
held this December, the time for our membership to step up
and help this Union move into the future is now. President
Furukado and the Executive Board, as well as our
Administration, have positioned IBEW 1357 for the future.
Now, it is time for more members to get involved. We thank
God for His blessings over the past year and look to Him for
continued guidance in 2012. |
