Keep It Made By Those Who Built GE
We built this company. In GE towns like Erie, Schenectady, Lynn, Evendale, Louisville and others, generations of union members produced the locomotives, turbines, aircraft engines, and appliances that made this company hugely successful and profitable.
GE profits from manufacturing have soared to nearly $18 billion a year – a 25% increase since 2011. Jeff Immelt is telling Wall Street that the company is returning to its industrial roots and getting out of the banking business. But the workers who built GE are feeling less secure than ever. The Coordinated Bargaining Committee’s recent survey of GE union members shows that 77% feel their jobs are threatened by outsourcing, off-shoring, and relocation of work to new low-wage GE shops.
WHY JOB SECURITY IS A BIG ISSUE
In 2013 GE moved hundreds of Erie jobs to a
low-wage location in Ft. Worth.
In 2013 GE began closing the Ft. Edward capacitor plant when Local 332 said no to a 50% pay cut. GE is building a new low-wage plant in Clearwater, FL.
In 2014 GE closed the Akron appliance service
operation and ended repair services in that city while refusing to pay contractual plant closing
benefits.
In 2015 GE refused to notify UE about substantial locomotive subcontracting, claiming the work was transferred in 2013, although it had never left the Erie plant.
If Mr. Immelt wants to return to GE’s roots, he should agree to improve our job security.
KEY UE CONTRACT PROPOSALS ON JOB SECURITY
Eliminate the 60-day cut-off of bargaining to save union jobs. Negotiations should continue until agreement is reach or all efforts have been exhausted.
Require that transfer-of-work notices expire within six months and any work not moved be preserved for four years.
Subcontracting and farm-out to be treated as work transfers, requiring GE to give prior notice and bargain.
Improve plant closing language so GE must pay plant closing benefits when discontinuing service work in a location.
