Verizon striking

[lisaross]

I cannot tell you all how happy I am this strike is over! Now that DH has a job to go back to we can really enjoy the rest of our vacation! At WDW now & this was great news to get while here!

Lisa's husband again. See now that's Disney Magic. Now THAT'S what I'm talkin about. Congratulations. What a dynomite, load off the mind to get when you are in the fun place in the world. Have great time.

 

[lisaross]

I'm just commenting on the pension part - more companies are freezing pension plans because of the ongoing cost of the benefit. More and more companies are weeding out pension plans and moving toward 401k plans. Pension plans require companies to make contributions to them with no contribution from the employee, where 401k plans are a mutual contribution (EE payroll contributions and ER match) and fees can be paid out of forfiture accounts, so the cost is lower with a 401k plan then pension.

If your company hasn't frozen their pension plan yet, they will!

Lisa's husband again. I think that what a fair resolution might be is if they don't mess around with the planned retirements of the people who have planned their lives around the promised pention. Perhaps they should grandfather the employees who are already vested and then the more junior employees who are new, or have not yet been vested can go the new way.

 

[okeydokey]

Lisa's husband again. I think that what a fair resolution might be is if they don't mess around with the planned retirements of the people who have planned their lives around the promised pention. Perhaps they should grandfather the employees who are already vested and then the more junior employees who are new, or have not yet been vested can go the new way.

This is my feeling too. When you agree to accept a job as it is offered, it is not right for the terms to change years later. A promise is a promise and should be kept. If they want to change things for the future employees, those employees can decide if they want to accept those terms.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Not true. I contribute to my pension.

Me, too.

 

[melmar136]

I cannot tell you all how happy I am this strike is over! Now that DH has a job to go back to we can really enjoy the rest of our vacation! At WDW now & this was great news to get while here!

Isn't it the best?!!? I found out while at the airport today, leaving for WDW!
I was really worried about going on vacation, while not having a job to go back to, but hearing the news sure took a HUGE weight off my shoulders! Yours too, I'm sure!
Are you at AKV (looks like it from your ticker)? We are too! Have a great rest of your trip!!!

 

[Dominus]

I'm always amazed at the people who think no one should make a descent wage, have a pension, or health benefits, or whatever, if they don't. Just because the pool was cold when you jumped in doesn't mean it should be cold for everyone. Congrats on being able to keep the vacation! I just wish everyone would focus more on improving their working conditions and less about worsening the working conditions of others.

 

[lisaross]

I'm always amazed at the people who think no one should make a descent wage, have a pension, or health benefits, or whatever, if they don't. Just because the pool was cold when you jumped in doesn't mean it should be cold for everyone. Congrats on being able to keep the vacation! I just wish everyone would focus more on improving their working conditions and less about worsening the working conditions of others.

Well said. But to be completely honest, I am so done with this battle trying to defend us, and our somewhat modest way of life. The naysayers were far more stressful to me daily then the actual strike itself. On the picket line I did what I had to do, like it or not. When I came back to the board that's where the true stress was. In my life, I know plenty of people who are anti union or just felt that we were wrong. They would never say it because they respect me and have compassion that even though they might not agree, they know that this my battle for my livelihood. It was disheartening to see that the same compassion would be overlooked on a place like the Disney board.
But to all those of you who are in the union, great job, and thank g-d it's over.

 

[Desnik]

Lisa's husband again. See now that's Disney Magic. Now THAT'S what I'm talkin about. Congratulations. What a dynomite, load off the mind to get when you are in the fun place in the world. Have great time.

Thank you so much!!!

Isn't it the best?!!? I found out while at the airport today, leaving for WDW!
I was really worried about going on vacation, while not having a job to go back to, but hearing the news sure took a HUGE weight off my shoulders! Yours too, I'm sure!
Are you at AKV (looks like it from your ticker)? We are too! Have a great rest of your trip!!!

Yes we are at AKV Kidani Village till Wed. It is so beautiful here!!

 

[undertheradar]

Like I said yesterday, glad you are all returning to work and here's hoping that the sides get a contract worked out. As you all are returning, our SoCal grocery workers just authorized a strike vote. These picket lines should be up by the end of the week. Last time they were out 4 1/2 months, who knows this time. Biggest sticking point? Medical premiums. With all of the competition they face: Fresh and Easy, Trader Joes, Costco, Sams Club, Walmart, Target, Sprouts, Gelsons, Whole Foods, Stater Bros, Smart and Final just to name a few, this is the wrong path. The union workers face some of the same issues the Verizon workers face. Workers hired prior to 2004 receive fully paid medical premiums, those hired after pay $7.00 per week for single coverage, $15.00 for family. The stores are attempting to increase the costs to $9.00 per week single, $23.00 family. Will your clerks picket your stores in a show of solidarity, just as the Verizon stores were being picketed on the West Coast in support of your strike? Will you cross that picket line if it takes place? Crazy times for unions. The county I live in has an unemployment rate of 10.7%, with over 2000 more positions being eliminated before the end of the year. Just can't understand unskilled labor striking in this economy, where you live may be different.

 

[Dominus]

Well said. But to be completely honest, I am so done with this battle trying to defend us, and our somewhat modest way of life. The naysayers were far more stressful to me daily then the actual strike itself. On the picket line I did what I had to do, like it or not. When I came back to the board that's where the true stress was. In my life, I know plenty of people who are anti union or just felt that we were wrong. They would never say it because they respect me and have compassion that even though they might not agree, they know that this my battle for my livelihood. It was disheartening to see that the same compassion would be overlooked on a place like the Disney board.
But to all those of you who are in the union, great job, and thank g-d it's over.

I know exactly how you feel regarding the naysayers. I'm a postal worker, and we take a lot of abuse from folks who are, quite honestly, ignorant of what we do and what we get compensated. I've heard all the same stuff about "being happy to have a job" and all that. You would think people would be happy that there are good jobs out there that are obtainable by the average person (average meaning without a degree, or inside connections, or a relative, or family business). It's sad how many regular folks would just give away the rest of the decent jobs left in America.

 

[undertheradar]

I know exactly how you feel regarding the naysayers. I'm a postal worker, and we take a lot of abuse from folks who are, quite honestly, ignorant of what we do and what we get compensated. I've heard all the same stuff about "being happy to have a job" and all that. You would think people would be happy that there are good jobs out there that are obtainable by the average person (average meaning without a degree, or inside connections, or a relative, or family business). It's sad how many regular folks would just give away the rest of the decent jobs left in America.

There are more non-union well paying jobs, than there are well paying union jobs. Somehow the 7% of the American workforce who are union don't get that there are many higher compensating positions out there that do not require union representation. If unions were so relevant, why do they only comprise 7% of the American workforce? The other 93% can't all be earning less than the union members.

 

[dakcp2001]

There are more non-union well paying jobs, than there are well paying union jobs. Somehow the 7% of the American workforce who are union don't get that there are many higher compensating positions out there that do not require union representation. If unions were so relevant, why do they only comprise 7% of the American workforce? The other 93% can't all be earning less than the union members.

I am a nurse. In my field, union vs non union definately shows in your pay and benefits as a floor nurse, but more importantly in safety and patient ratios. I think you need to compare union vs nonunion in specific industries for your very vague argument to be valid. It is apples to apples not apples to oranges. Sure unions are less relevant now than they were years ago, but in some industries they are still going strong and very needed. I wish you could trust the higher ups to do the right thing for employees and patients, but that is often not the case. Instead it comes down to money.

 

[undertheradar]

Exactly what fields do you suggest? Nursing is completely mixed and I have never experienced a bad one, unionized or not.

 

[dakcp2001]

Healthcare. CNAs, Nurses, Technologists.....you know, hospital employees.

 

[luvestodizz]

I'm happy the workers are going back to work because being without a paycheck is stressful, no matter what the reason. Hopefully,the bargaining will be in good faith and progress will made with the workers maintaining all they are willing to fight and sacrifice for.

 

[undertheradar]

Healthcare. CNAs, Nurses, Technologists.....you know, hospital employees.

Would that include the billing and business areas? How about cleaning, laundry, security, food workers?

 

[okeydokey]

There are more non-union well paying jobs, than there are well paying union jobs. Somehow the 7% of the American workforce who are union don't get that there are many higher compensating positions out there that do not require union representation. If unions were so relevant, why do they only comprise 7% of the American workforce? The other 93% can't all be earning less than the union members.

Well of course there are, you just said yourself that there are many many more non union jobs out there so of course there are many more higher paying non union jobs.

Unions are becoming less relevant as our country goes from honoring and treating workers well, to honoring and treating big business well at the expense of the American worker.

 

[Dominus]

Well of course there are, you just said yourself that there are many many more non union jobs out there so of course there are many more higher paying non union jobs.

Unions are becoming less relevant as our country goes from honoring and treating workers well, to honoring and treating big business well at the expense of the American worker.

Bravo! I couldn't agree more. Not to mention the fact that business (through their political contributions and lobby's) have done an excellent job of squashing unions nation wide. There has been a far more organized and more effective campaign to curb unionization than to spread it. It's just sad that the american worker sides with the businesses over fellow employees. Everyone seems to dislike the upper management in their profession, but think they are fair and just in every other profession.

 

[lisaross]

Well of course there are, you just said yourself that there are many many more non union jobs out there so of course there are many more higher paying non union jobs.

Unions are becoming less relevant as our country goes from honoring and treating workers well, to honoring and treating big business well at the expense of the American worker.

Unfortunately, well said.

 

[undertheradar]

So you are saying that only union workers are honored? There are many fields that compensate workers very well without union workers involved. If the unions were such a needed commodity, wouldn't union membership be rising instead of falling?