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IUE-CWA UE Shut 64 GE Plants in Health Care Strike
In the first national strike against General Electric in more than three decades, 14,000 IUE-CWA members and another 4,000 represented by the United Electrical Workers shut down 64 GE facilities in 23 states Jan. 14 and 15 to protest an increase in health care co-payments and to fire a warning shot in advance of full contract negotiations this coming May.
GE is shifting $40 million in health care costs to 150,000 employees and retirees and has signaled that it may be demanding further cost shifting in contract talks. Other GE unions are affected and will bargain in coordination with IUE-CWA this year, but only IUE-CWA and UE were allowed by the contract to strike over the recent increases.
The two-day strike began tragically as a striker was killed walking outside of GE's manufacturing plant in Louisville, Ky. IUE-CWA Local 83761 member Kjeston Michelle Rodgers, a single mother of three teenage daughters, was struck by a police car from nearby Hollow Creek at about 5 a.m. as she carried a picket sign in the dimly lit area and died at the scene. The incident is under investigation by Louisville Metro Police.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to Michelle's family and to her union brothers and sisters," said CWA President Morton Bahr, recalling a similar incident in 1989 when CWA member Gerry Horgan was struck and killed by a scab driver while on strike against Nynex.
CWA will get immediate assistance to the family and will establish a national fund to assist with their further needs, Bahr assured IUE-CWA local leaders on a national conference call.
Bahr and IUE-CWA Division President Ed Fire urged locals and individuals wishing to assist the family to make checks payable to: IUE-CWA fbo Rodgers Children Benefit Funds and send them to CWA Headquarters, 501 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, attn: Janine Brown.
IUE-CWA GE Conference Board Chairman Art Smith called upon all strikers to put black tape on their signs and badges. The Louisville local vacated the picket line from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 15 to hold a memorial service for Rodgers at its union hall.
"Our hearts and prayers are with the family," Smith said. "We lost a sister and a member and we ought to respect her memory."
Cost-Shifting Chill
Provoked by increases imposed by GE on Jan. 1 of as much as $400 in co-payments for health benefits and prescription drugs, thousands of IUE-CWA members in the Northeast and Midwest braved subfreezing temperatures to take the union's message to the public, to the media and to the company.
Both Fire and Smith spoke at a news conference at Local 83761's union hall on Jan. 11 and at several other locations January 14 and 15, during the two-day strike.
IUE-CWA members in Ohio from GE Lighting plants in East Cleveland, Euclid, Willoughby and a warehouse in Ravenna rallied Jan. 14 at GE's Nela Park, outside the company's Cleveland facility. CWA Locals 4309 and 4340, NABET-CWA Local 54042, other local unions and Jobs with Justice, the CWA-backed coalition of union, student, community and religious activists, all sent contingents to support their IUE-CWA Local 84707 and 84715 brothers and sisters. District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach also was on hand.
"GE should take another look at why they are increasing costs," said Loretta Heard, a shipping and receiving clerk from the East Cleveland facility, employed 35 years with the company, in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Every year, GE has record profits. There's just no logic to it."
Fire noted that GE is expected to post a record $16 billion in profits for 2002 as he urged the workers to stand strong now and when bargaining begins in May. IUE-CWA's three-year contract with GE expires June 15. "There comes a time when we need to fight. Fight on, fight on, fight on," he stressed with a raised fist.
Also at the Cleveland rally, JwJ released a study that indicates that, nationwide, health insurance costs are soaring at unsustainable rates.
"Instead of working to control overall health care costs, many employers have adopted a 'slash-and-burn' strategy, attempting to reduce their costs by cutting benefits and shifting additional costs onto workers," the study notes.
It points out that GE's profits have risen 63 percent over the past five years and that the company predicts double-digit profits next year, yet its managed care costs last year rose only 9.7 percent compared to a 12 percent national average.
GE has raised employee co-pays for visits to specialists from $15 to $25, emergency room co-pays from $30 to $50 and imposed a $150 co-pay for hospital admission. In addition the company has increased co-pays for retail prescription drugs by 33 percent and mail order prescriptions by 80 percent.
"These cost shifts will create the greatest burden for those who have the greatest medical needs," the study emphasizes. "The company's new co-pays could create a barrier to needed care and possibly drive up costs if more serious treatment is required."
JwJ made a symbolic presentation to GE of its 2002 "Grinch of the Year" Award. Voters in an online election Dec. 3-18 determined that the company did the most harm to working families in the past year. Of candidates nominated for the award, GE garnered more than 37 percent of 1,700 votes. President Bush took second with 30 percent and Wal-Mart, third, with 22 percent.
Local 84707 President Jim Ledford said there is no doubt that the strike will have an impact on GE management. "We're getting our message across whether they want to admit it or not. They were taken by surprise that our members would support this strike and come out like they did. As long as we stay on the course we're on, it will make a difference."
Earlier in the day Fire joined Local 84734 and Local 84722 members picketing GE in Austintown and Warren, Ohio.
Other Strike Actions
Local 81301 strikers in Schenectady, N.Y., picketed in near-zero temperatures outside GE Power Systems main gate for a national audience on CNN and Good Morning America.
Joined by Executive Vice President Larry Cohen along with Fire, hundreds waving bright red signs walked in a circle in front of one of the entrances, while passing truckers honked their horns in support. Business Agent Carmen DePoalo said more than 90 percent of the workers walked the line. "Not one person crossed."
About 2,500 Local 81201 members struck GE's aircraft engine plant in Lynn, Mass. The local coordinated a "town hall meeting" at a local restaurant, cosponsored by JwJ, the Lynn Health Care Task Force, Massachusetts Senior Action, MassCare, Massachusetts Nurses Association, Service Employees Local 285, Health Care for All, and the Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Health Care.
"We're making a statement, but we understand it's not just us going through this," Local 81201 Executive Board Member Alex Brown told Daily Item reporter Pete Daly. "There are lots of people out there who work with no insurance. There's something broken when a company as rich as GE tries to pass on costs and asks those who can least afford to pay."
GE is shifting $40 million in health care costs to 150,000 employees and retirees and has signaled that it may be demanding further cost shifting in contract talks. Other GE unions are affected and will bargain in coordination with IUE-CWA this year, but only IUE-CWA and UE were allowed by the contract to strike over the recent increases.
The two-day strike began tragically as a striker was killed walking outside of GE's manufacturing plant in Louisville, Ky. IUE-CWA Local 83761 member Kjeston Michelle Rodgers, a single mother of three teenage daughters, was struck by a police car from nearby Hollow Creek at about 5 a.m. as she carried a picket sign in the dimly lit area and died at the scene. The incident is under investigation by Louisville Metro Police.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to Michelle's family and to her union brothers and sisters," said CWA President Morton Bahr, recalling a similar incident in 1989 when CWA member Gerry Horgan was struck and killed by a scab driver while on strike against Nynex.
CWA will get immediate assistance to the family and will establish a national fund to assist with their further needs, Bahr assured IUE-CWA local leaders on a national conference call.
Bahr and IUE-CWA Division President Ed Fire urged locals and individuals wishing to assist the family to make checks payable to: IUE-CWA fbo Rodgers Children Benefit Funds and send them to CWA Headquarters, 501 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, attn: Janine Brown.
IUE-CWA GE Conference Board Chairman Art Smith called upon all strikers to put black tape on their signs and badges. The Louisville local vacated the picket line from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 15 to hold a memorial service for Rodgers at its union hall.
"Our hearts and prayers are with the family," Smith said. "We lost a sister and a member and we ought to respect her memory."
Cost-Shifting Chill
Provoked by increases imposed by GE on Jan. 1 of as much as $400 in co-payments for health benefits and prescription drugs, thousands of IUE-CWA members in the Northeast and Midwest braved subfreezing temperatures to take the union's message to the public, to the media and to the company.
Both Fire and Smith spoke at a news conference at Local 83761's union hall on Jan. 11 and at several other locations January 14 and 15, during the two-day strike.
IUE-CWA members in Ohio from GE Lighting plants in East Cleveland, Euclid, Willoughby and a warehouse in Ravenna rallied Jan. 14 at GE's Nela Park, outside the company's Cleveland facility. CWA Locals 4309 and 4340, NABET-CWA Local 54042, other local unions and Jobs with Justice, the CWA-backed coalition of union, student, community and religious activists, all sent contingents to support their IUE-CWA Local 84707 and 84715 brothers and sisters. District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach also was on hand.
"GE should take another look at why they are increasing costs," said Loretta Heard, a shipping and receiving clerk from the East Cleveland facility, employed 35 years with the company, in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Every year, GE has record profits. There's just no logic to it."
Fire noted that GE is expected to post a record $16 billion in profits for 2002 as he urged the workers to stand strong now and when bargaining begins in May. IUE-CWA's three-year contract with GE expires June 15. "There comes a time when we need to fight. Fight on, fight on, fight on," he stressed with a raised fist.
Also at the Cleveland rally, JwJ released a study that indicates that, nationwide, health insurance costs are soaring at unsustainable rates.
"Instead of working to control overall health care costs, many employers have adopted a 'slash-and-burn' strategy, attempting to reduce their costs by cutting benefits and shifting additional costs onto workers," the study notes.
It points out that GE's profits have risen 63 percent over the past five years and that the company predicts double-digit profits next year, yet its managed care costs last year rose only 9.7 percent compared to a 12 percent national average.
GE has raised employee co-pays for visits to specialists from $15 to $25, emergency room co-pays from $30 to $50 and imposed a $150 co-pay for hospital admission. In addition the company has increased co-pays for retail prescription drugs by 33 percent and mail order prescriptions by 80 percent.
"These cost shifts will create the greatest burden for those who have the greatest medical needs," the study emphasizes. "The company's new co-pays could create a barrier to needed care and possibly drive up costs if more serious treatment is required."
JwJ made a symbolic presentation to GE of its 2002 "Grinch of the Year" Award. Voters in an online election Dec. 3-18 determined that the company did the most harm to working families in the past year. Of candidates nominated for the award, GE garnered more than 37 percent of 1,700 votes. President Bush took second with 30 percent and Wal-Mart, third, with 22 percent.
Local 84707 President Jim Ledford said there is no doubt that the strike will have an impact on GE management. "We're getting our message across whether they want to admit it or not. They were taken by surprise that our members would support this strike and come out like they did. As long as we stay on the course we're on, it will make a difference."
Earlier in the day Fire joined Local 84734 and Local 84722 members picketing GE in Austintown and Warren, Ohio.
Other Strike Actions
Local 81301 strikers in Schenectady, N.Y., picketed in near-zero temperatures outside GE Power Systems main gate for a national audience on CNN and Good Morning America.
Joined by Executive Vice President Larry Cohen along with Fire, hundreds waving bright red signs walked in a circle in front of one of the entrances, while passing truckers honked their horns in support. Business Agent Carmen DePoalo said more than 90 percent of the workers walked the line. "Not one person crossed."
About 2,500 Local 81201 members struck GE's aircraft engine plant in Lynn, Mass. The local coordinated a "town hall meeting" at a local restaurant, cosponsored by JwJ, the Lynn Health Care Task Force, Massachusetts Senior Action, MassCare, Massachusetts Nurses Association, Service Employees Local 285, Health Care for All, and the Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Health Care.
"We're making a statement, but we understand it's not just us going through this," Local 81201 Executive Board Member Alex Brown told Daily Item reporter Pete Daly. "There are lots of people out there who work with no insurance. There's something broken when a company as rich as GE tries to pass on costs and asks those who can least afford to pay."