Safety First

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increase i cause and become ad of enorer a read braum aye Westinghouse is enjoying record profits. According to Business Week (3/28/88), West"in 1987 produced its fourth straight year of record profits -- $739 million on $10.7 billion in sales." This year, in just the first quarter, Westinghouse had a net income of $168,500,000. That, according to the company's official First Quarter Report, is an inHow do they make all this money? Off of Westinghouse workers, of course!

This increase in profits for Westinghouse is directly related to the increase in the output of Westinghouse workers. "In fact, net income per employee has more than doubled, to $6,600 in 1987 from $3,100 in 1982." (Business Week 3/28/88)

It's high time for the workers' skills and productivity to be compensated adequately.

This is our time. It's no time for "cost-sharing" swindles. It's Union Time!

This is the year Westinghouse must anticipate that its employees are expecting a submoney back that you made for them, in the form of more sick and personal days, more "We don't want to strike — but we will."

SOCIALIST ACȚION, DEÇEMBER 1988 7 Wage Scale Ist person Lump Sum -$949.42 (dollars per hour)

Profit crease of 13.8% over the same period last year. vacations, better benefits and improved pensions.

shot off a letter to Local 565 President Bill Leumer demanding retractions.

Instead, Poulin received a reply from Leumer, which emphasized: "We think the central point is that Brother Bywater's policy resulted in a setback, despite his claim that the settlement was 'solid.' "We are convinced that his policy will continue to result in setbacks, since it essentially amounts to subordinating the membership's wages and working conditions to the company's drive for ever-increasing profits and giving up without a fight." Poulin never responded to this letter.

As a result of all these leaflets and of the picnic and rally, a record number of members turned out for the strike sanction vote just two weeks before the contract's expiration date of Aug. 29.

Negotiations begin

Negotiations had begun on July 20. Five members from Local 565 were elected to serve on the Negotiating Committee and were joined by the Business Agent.

The Directing Business Representative, LUMP SUM - THE $24,000 RIP-OFF Wage Scale Ind person Yearly difference in wages 3% Ist year increase between ist and Ind persons (dollars per hour) (dollars total)

Protits Wage Increase Labor Donated June 1988 who has ultimate authority over these questions, insisted that the Business Agent play the role of spokesperson. He also requested that a Grand Lodge Representative be sent in from the international. The hope was that these officials would hold the Local 565 Negotiating Committee in check.

Not until the last week did Westinghouse finally put its proposal on the table. Noting that the previous contract's concessions were given without a struggle, the company concluded that the union was weak. Like a shark that had tasted blood, it went for more.

A two-tier wage system that had been inaugurated two contracts ago was further expanded. Workers would be required to make higher payments into their health coverage. And "bonuses" again were substituted for wage increases.

Furthermore, even though the national contract stipulated a 10-percent differential for swing and graveyard shifts, the workers at the Marine Division in Sunnyvale were told they would have to settle for 5 percent.

This last maneuver reveals one of the

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Part I: The Historical Background death and destruction.

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IAM LOCAL 565 Negotiating Committee Report #3

IAM LOCAL 565 Negotiating Committee Report #5

Profits: the company wants us to share costs!