Unions and community groups show solidarity with Gillette workers

From the June 27, 2006 IUE-CWA Local 201 Electrical Union News, By Rand Wilson, Local 201 Organizing Director

Gillette recently announced that in October it is closing part of its razorblade packaging center affecting more than a hundred jobs. The decision is the latest in a series of job cuts by Gillette's new owner, the giant multi-national conglomerate Procter & Gamble based in Cincinnati, OH.

The labor-backed Merrimack Valley Project (MVP) sponsored a march and rally on June 17 demanding that Gillette provide a fair severance for workers and compensation to the community for the economic and social costs of the plant closure. There was an impressive showing of support for the workers from many local unions including IUE-CWA, SEIU, Teachers', UNITE-HERE and the Merrimack Valley Labor Council. MVP is a regional organization of religious congregations, labor unions and community groups.

The Gillette "pack center" is located at Devens Industrial Park (on the grounds of the old Army base near Ayer). Devens is managed by a quasi-public agency, MassDevelopment, which aggressively pursues companies to locate business in the park using a mix of development subsidies, tax breaks and streamlined permitting.

Gillette took advantage of these deals to set up its razorblade packaging center. Many other companies including General Electric, American Superconductor, Netstal Machinery, Nichols Aircraft, UPS and Xinetics have also set up facilities at Devens.

Gillette has also not renewed its lease on the larger remaining pack center operation employing 350 full-time and as many as 700 temp employees. A social impact study showed that if Gillette closes both plants, it could affect as many as 1,825 jobs in the area and cost taxpayers at least $26 million.

MVP has been organizing workers at the packaging center for several years to pressure Gillette to create more permanent full time jobs and stop discrimination against the largely immigrant work force hired by its subcontractors.

Although Gillette has more than 3,000 employees at its South Boston, Andover and Devens facilities, none are united in a union. Now that it's owned by P&G, local Gillette workers have no voice in decisions about their future that are being made by managers in Cincinnati.

A survey of P&G's operations shows that many of its 110,000 workers in the U.S. and around the world are members of unions. Thousands of P&G's employees at its Clairol, Folgers, Sundor and pharmaceutical subsidiaries are union members. So are hundreds of Gillette workers in St. Paul, MN and Janesville, WI. If Gillette workers in Massachusetts are ready to stand up and fight back, they can count on help from Local 201 and the support of other unions to gain a voice with this giant company.

For a copy of MVP's Economic Impact Analysis and an overview of unions at P&G, contact Rand Wilson at the union hall (781) 598-2760 or by email at rwilson@local201iuecwa.org.

Hooksett and Lynn GE workers urge Rep. Bradley to maintain funding for good full time jobs

From the June 6, 2006 IUE-CWA Local 201 Electrical Union News

GE workers from the Hooksett and Lynn plants who live in southern New Hampshire met with Representative Jeb Bradley seeking his support to "dual source" the contract for the advanced Joint Strike Fighter aircraft engine. Bradley serves on the House Armed Services Committee and is a member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. The Bush Administration has opposed dual sourcing the JSF, cutting out the GE/Rolls JSF engine.

"We make high quality aircraft engine parts," said Beverly Murdough who helped spearhead a petition drive supporting the "dual source" contract in the Hooksett plant. "We're proud of what we do and hope Congress will allow us to keep doing the work."

After listening carefully to brief presentation from the lobbying group, Bradley indicated his strong support for continuing GE's role in the Joint Strike Fighter. He said he would closely monitor the pending Defense Authorization and Defense Appropriations bills to make sure the provisions for dual sourcing are maintained. Congress is expected to send the final bills to Pres. Bush for his signature sometime this summer.

Working together for a more secure future
The delegation to Rep. Bradley also sought his support for a new "Strategic Materials Protection Board" that is included in the House version of the FY '07 Defense Authorization bill. The proposed board is charged with drawing up a list of materials critical to national security and then requires the Pentagon to buy only U.S. made items from the list. This provision, and similar "build America" measures are generally opposed by the Bush Administration.

"The Strategic Materials Protection Board and Build America programs are good for national security and common sense for the economy," said Local 201 Bldg. 40 Steward Randy Hodson. "I hope Congress and the President do the right thing."

Employee Free Choice Act
Local 201 President Jeff Crosby concluded the meeting with a presentation to Bradley about the importance of reforming America's labor laws so that more people can unite at work for the good jobs that America's communities need.
"Recently, many Hooksett GE workers have contacted us about forming a new WAGE chapter for a stronger voice in their future," said Crosby. "They should be allowed to do that free from management intimidation or retaliation."

The proposed Employee Free Choice Act would allow faster certification when a majority of employees sign up to authorize a union. The bill would also establish stronger penalties for employers that violate U.S. labor laws. The legislation (S. 842 and H.R. 1696) currently has 215 co-sponsors in the House and 42 in Senate. Rep. Bradley said he would get more information about the bill and consider it.

Together we get results
When GE workers are united in IUE-CWA, it gives employees added strength in the community and with our elected officials. That's why GE managers in Lynn have actively sought union assistance in the campaign to secure duel source funding for the Joint Strike Fighter. And it shows how effectively GE management and its unions can work together towards common goals.

Yet, the Hooksett "employee handbook" clearly spells out management's views on employees having a united voice at work. "Hooksett employees have chosen to operate without union representation. We have been very successful operating Hooksett this way…we should never have the need for a union."
What the handbook doesn't say is that the decision about unions and a voice at work isn't up to Hooksett management. By law, only the employees can make that decision.

The meeting with Bradley was an example of how Local 201 members can work cooperatively with Hooksett GE workers on our common issues and concerns. Much more cooperation is needed to break down old stereotypes about "Lynn union people" and provide opportunities for people from both plants to get to know one another better. An excellent opportunity for joint activity is on the horizon when bargaining begins for a new national contract next year.

For additional information about Build America, the Employee Free Choice Act and WAGE, please contact me at (781) 598-2760 or by email at rwilson@local201iuecwa.org.

(Photo caption)
Political Action
Hooksett's Bev Murdough gives Rep. Bradley copies of petitions for President Bush signed by over 70 workers from the Hooksett plant. Many other workers from Hooksett also contacted Bradley individually. Nearly 1,000 Local 201 members from Lynn signed similar petitions that were sent to Pres. Bush on May 11.

(Photo caption for front page)
New Hampshire GE workers lobby for Joint Strike Fighter
Pictured above with Rep. Jeb Bradley are (l-r) Hooksett's William Doucette and Beverly Murdough who were joined by Local 201 members Randy Hodson (steward in Building 40) and Steve Gauthier (Health and Safety Committee, Gear Plant). The group met with Bradley on May 30 at his office in Manchester, NH to talk about the JSF and securing good jobs for the future at both Lynn and Hooksett. Also attending the meeting were Legislative Committee member Fuzzy Herrick (Bldg. 74) and Local 201 President Jeff Crosby.

GE workers urge Rep. Bradley to maintain funding for good full time jobs

Workers from GE’s facilities in Hooksett, NH and Lynn, MA met with Representative Jeb Bradley in Manchester seeking his support to reverse the Pentagon’s decision to “single source” its next contract for the advanced Joint Strike Fighter aircraft engine. The single source decision backed by President Bush and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld would kill the engine made by a partnership between GE and British-based Rolls Royce.

The Bush Administration has asserted that a single contract from Pratt and Whitney for the Joint Strike Fighter could save $1.8 billion next year. However, over the long term, dual sourcing of the jet fighter aircraft engines could save taxpayers as much as $12 billion.

At the May 30 meeting, the GE workers who live in southern New Hampshire gave Rep. Bradley petitions to President George Bush signed by over 70 workers from the Hooksett plant. Bradley serves on the House Armed Services Committee and is a member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee.

“We make high quality aircraft engine parts,” said Beverly Murdough, a GE employee from Alton, NH who spearheaded the petition drive in the Hooksett plant. “We’re proud of what we do and hope Congress will allow us to keep doing the work.”

Nearly 1,000 workers from Lynn have signed similar petitions to Pres. Bush. The defense contract could represent about 10 percent of future employment at the Hooksett and Lynn aircraft engine plants.

Rep. Bradley indicated his strong support for continuing GE’s role in the Joint Strike Fighter. He said he would closely monitor the pending Defense Authorization and Defense Appropriations bills to make sure the provisions for duel sourcing are maintained. Congress is expected to send the final bills to Pres. Bush for his signature sometime this summer.

GE workers also pressed Rep. Bradley to support funding for a new "Strategic Materials Protection Board" that is included in the House version of the FY07 Defense Authorization bill. The proposed board is charged with drawing up a list of materials critical to national security and then requires the Pentagon to buy only U.S. made items from the list. This provision, and similar “build America” measures are strongly opposed by the Bush Administration.

“The Strategic Materials Protection Board and Build America programs are good for national security and common sense for the economy,” said Randy Hodson, who lives in Derry and works for GE in Lynn. “I hope Congress and the President do the right thing.”

After a freewheeling discussion about the significance of the defense industry to maintaining high skill, good quality jobs in the New England region, the meeting concluded with a presentation to Rep. Bradley about the importance of reforming America’s labor laws so that more workers can unite at work for the good jobs that America’s communities need.

“Many of the workers at Hooksett GE have expressed an interest in forming a union for a stronger voice in their future,” said IUE-CWA Local 201 president Jeff Crosby. “They should be allowed to do that free from management intimidation or retaliation.”

Crosby outlined the provisions of the proposed Employee Free Choice Act that would allow faster certification of unions when a majority of employees sign for its authorization. The bill would also establish stronger penalties for employers that violate U.S. labor laws. It currently has 215 co-sponsors in the House and 42 in Senate. Rep. Bradley said he would get more information about the bill and consider it.

Additional information about the meeting with Bradley, Build America and Employee Free Choice Act can be obtained from Local 201 by contacting Rand Wilson at rwilson@local201iuecwa.org.