HBC Machinist Vote to Strike

[SB Shock]

http://www.kansas.com/news/updates/story/482076.html

They were offered 4%, 4% and 4% increases for the 3 year contract.

Pension goes from $44 to $50

Company gave an additional option of either participating in an insurance plan with Via Christy or Wesley, but insurance premiums increased by $11 a month.

[WuDrWu]

Stupidty has no bounds.

[t7017s]

And they wonder why their jobs are been sent elsewhere to boot.

[WuDrWu]

And they wonder why their jobs are been sent elsewhere to boot.

I know....it's simply stunning.


They'll be the first ones to scream that American planes are being built in Mexico.


Yet another in a long line of examples of lack of common sense.

[SubGod22]

This is why I pretty much hate unions. They served a real purpose once; now they're just abused to and over used to try and take as much as possible. These workers have some of the better pay and insurance in Wichita. I wish I had the deal that they have.

It makes me sick.

[ShockBand]

When will they figure out that an $11 per month increase in insurance premiums is NOTHING. They should try on some of the increased annual health insurance costs to the tune of several hundred to a few thousand dollars. I've had premiums go up by as much as $100 per month with no appreciable change in coverage - well change for the positive anyways. I've had premiums go up in the same year deductibles and copays went up.

[DUShock]

Unless there's more than what's been reported, one label comes to mind "Spolied Brats". There may be more than meets the eye but then the union folks should clean house on their leadership because the message is utterly lacking and the local is getting a black-eye.

[SubGod22]

When you consider what many are going through with jobs and pay with prices going up, it's nearly impossible to feel any sympathy for these people. The money they're paid, the constant raises they get and the insurance offered continues to be better than most. I'm basically repeating myself I know, but this stuff just irritates me and makes the workers and union look horrible.

[Snapshot9]

Unions are a two edged sword, and like sub said, they just keeping pushing and pushing.

It is my opinion, that companies will eventually reevaluate all jobs in their company and decide just how much that particular job is worth to the company vs. their products. The problems exists today where some jobs are being paid more than the job's value is because of automatic increases, union pushes, etc. I mean, is a deburring job really worth $12-16 an hour for the work produced or not?

I have heard of skilled workers in Detroit on the line making over $68 an hour, and to me, no skilled worker's job is worth $68 an hour.

[rrshock]

I used to dislike unions, but have changed my tune a little. I work a job where I am required to be in a union. So, since I had no choice in the matter, I joined.

Unions are both good and bad. The way they are acting at HBC makes them look bad. The way they go about striking makes them look bad too.

But they also have a point about their pay compared to Cessna's. If that is true, then I can see where they are coming from about a $4 an hour difference or whatever it is.

At least the aircraft companies seem to deal with their contracts quickly. Where I work, one of the unions contract had been up for 3 years before a new one was hashed out. And it's a 4 yr contract, so they might as well go back to the drawing board now.

Unions are good in they help protect workers from some of these super large corporations that are out for nothing but profit. I know that all companies are out for profit, but the large ones don't give a rats behind about its employees, no matter what they say. If they cared, they wouldn't treat employees like they do.

For HBC to want mandatory Sundays is also BS. 7 days a week of working, just because they don't want to hire new workers? That in itself is worth striking over. There is no excuse to make individuals spend every day of their lives on an assembly line, or at any job for that matter.

Anyone guess where those employees would be right now if there wasn't a union out there? They'd be working 12 hour days, 7 days a week, for $8 an hour.

Unions were formed to prevent companies from abusing employees and to make working environments safer. Forcing these employees to work 7 days a week is far from safe, no matter what anyone out there thinks.

[ISASO]

I'm wondering how many of the Senior Leadership Team will be reporting to work AIC (A$$ In Chair) at 7am and are preparing to forgo a real lunch break for weeks until this gets settled.

On the other hand, I'm wondering how many of the hourly folks will be crying in a few years when escalating overhead costs force massive layoffs, aka Ford and GM.

[kcshocker11]

This is why I pretty much hate unions. They served a real purpose once; now they're just abused to and over used to try and take as much as possible. These workers have some of the better pay and insurance in Wichita. I wish I had the deal that they have.

It makes me sick.

They are a necessary part of business.

[InWuWeTrust]

if i wasn't impressed with the company that i worked for and thought that they were treating me unfairly, i would find another job....i mean cessna is hiring.

nobody is forcing these people to work there.

[richardj43]

I, for one feel that the Union & Company should base their contract on the performance of the company - Cessna has nothing to do with HBC other than an option to go to work for "if" they have openings that the HBC employee is qualified for - As far as Sunday's are concerned, HBC in all likelihood just wants Sunday a part of the work week without automatic time and a half or double time for work scheduled. Most companies and I think that includes HBC don't really want time and a half pay unless it's entirely necessary so for the most part employees would still be working approximately 40 hr. weeks . As far as 12 hr workdays, with the cost of transportation many progressive companies already allow their employees to work 10 or 12 hr days to shorten the number of days they have to go to work and their employees are pretty happy. These guys think that they have the company over a barrel because of current demand and will no doubt quickly find that's not the case - Can't blame them for trying tho but in all likelihood it's all just posturing with the Union Leaders and HBC already agreed in principle to what the final outcome will be - they just need to "justify" the process and the worker is the one who will get left out with lost wages equalling or being greater than the benefits they eventually receive. Ya gotta feed the dupes!!

[SB Shock]

But they also have a point about their pay compared to Cessna's. If that is true, then I can see where they are coming from about a $4 an hour difference or whatever it is.

Why does it matter what Cessna paying? Cessna has mores sales and more profits. HBC only leads in part scrappage.

Unions are good in they help protect workers from some of these super large corporations that are out for nothing but profit.

I worked in a job where I was represented by a union (I didn't join). The union was pretty much worthless except when the company tried to fire non-performers. Then the union would throw up all kinds of road blocks.

There was a guy who went into a stall every day about 2pm, you would hear snoring come out of the stall. Finally enough people got fed up and reported it to security - it was a union steward.

For HBC to want mandatory Sundays is also BS. 7 days a week of working, just because they don't want to hire new workers?

Please show me where the company in the contract is mandating 7 day workweeks?

Contract is here:

http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/2008_negotiations/files/2008_proposed_settlement_agreement_all_articles.pdf