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FELLOW ASSOCIATES |
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VOICES
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August 17, 2003 Fellow Associates: We at VOICES believe the only bad decision is an uninformed decision. We encourage all associates to become informed. To become informed we need to ask questions, be persistent, and pay attention to what is going on around us. Also associates can visit their web site to find out what is happening, leave feedback about what is going on in their area and find out what other associates have to say on issues that affect all of us. This website is operated by fellow associates who believe it is time we have a VOICE in our future, http//www.geocities.com/panther82062/VOICES.html. Over the years we have lost many of our benefits that were part of our wages. Every time we lose or have a benefit limited we have lost some of our wages. Even during the extremely profitable years we did not gain what we should have. As if losing our benefits were not enough, management continues to change policies and procedures that affect all of us in an adverse way. How long has it been since we received a benefit that merits what we have worked for? Management will have us believe that they listen to what we need, deserve and want. Management will also have us believe that they act on our concerns and that what they do is best for us. Ask yourself if you requested to have your sick days taken away, or if you asked to lose your care program, or if you asked to have your pension plan changed and renamed, or if you asked to have you work load increased, or if you asked to have your co-pays increased. Now is the time to be heard. Currently management only hears what they want to hear and can easily dismiss what they do not want to hear. For example, our pension, for years they told us they were investigating the issue. Then, after the opinion survey, they announced a pension was not in our best interest. They gave us an example of one company whose pension plan failed but they did not tell us the details of its failure or of the hundreds of companies whose pension plans provides their workers a means to retire with the dignity they have earned for their years of hard work. That answer could have been given to us years ago but they wanted to drag it along and pacify us to make us think they were seriously considering returning one of the benefits that they had taken away. Now is the time to let management know that our pension and other ISSUES are not DEAD ISSUES. January is just around the corner and every year management announces new rules, policies and procedures along with changes to current rules, policies and procedures. Currently management is looking for a way to limit your ability to use your unavoidables, they are seeking associate input so they can say that this is what associates wanted. Also management is discussing making you pay a portion of your insurance. Can you afford to let management again make changes that affect your pocketbook without having a VOICE? Bring a friend and join us on Wednesday August 20, 2003 at the Local 2317 Union Hall, located at 3107 Olympia Drive from 2pm to 5pm (Olympia Drive is located off of Concord Rd). We will stay after 5pm for those associates who will be working late. Find directions on our web site, VOICES. Become informed, find out your rights, find out what we have been missing and what we can do if we UNITE AND BARGAIN FOR A LEGAL AND BINDING CONTRACT.
Sincerely
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