Sept. 07, 2004 - 20:18 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

BUNT

Contract negotiation time here in Denver between super-market employees and the Big Three. According to the article in the Rocky Mountain News today by Janet Forgrieve. In part:

Wage offer rejected

Safeway workers say no to two-tier pay system plan

"The companies and their workers are engaged in "coordinated bargaining," negotiating three separate contracts but working closely together. It's likely that wage proposals from King Soopers and Albertson's, expected this week, will look quite similar to the plan Safeway put on the table Monday."

"Safeway wage proposal"

"Would Create A NEW, LOWER pay schedule for workers hired or promoted after Sept. 11."

"OFFERS NO HOURLY wage increase for CURRENT workers."

"OFFERS CURRENT WORKERS a one time signing bonus of 25 cents per hour for every hour worked, plus vacation and holiday hours. Courtesy clerks would receive a one-time bonus of 15 cents for each hour."

"ALSO OFFERS an annual bonus of 25 cents per hour for current workers, execept courtesy clerks, who are at the top rate for their job classification."

"WOULD EXEMPT WORKERS hired after Sept. 11 from ALL BONUSES."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Same old song sung most recently by the airlines. But also sung when jobs go overseas. Quote from article, "The companies say they need the concessions to remain competitive, given ongoing rises in health care costs and increased competition from NON-UNION groceries. Those non-union shops include Wal-Mart, which has jumped to third place in Colorado market share, ahead of Albertson's and behind King Soopers and Safeway respectively." End Quote.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

While I was still a working stiff it came about that at each contract negotiation the corporation I worked for was trying to put in the contract that they could employ part time workers. No hours guaranteed, wages what the corporation wished to give and absolutely no benefits. Easy to see what could have happened there. Soon the corporation would be staffed by part timers who would be happy to work full time if they could. And it would be vastly advantageous to the corporation to have all employees as part timers. We were lucky enough to stand firm and refuse that bit.

I'm trying to put the words together that I have in my confused mind. As the workers age, new workers at less wages and benefits would fill the gap by natural progression. No increase in wages, no bonuses. People glad to be working at all, many of them not having the expertise to do their jobs properly. And, if allowed they would perhaps work all the hours they could get -- they would need them too because of their lower wages.

I can imagine the new hired people steaming because they were doing the same work but not drawing the pay that long time employees were. Makes for good diplomacy and labor relations, huh ?

And the present employees are being given the opportunity to pretty well keep their wages, bonuses and health benefits if they allow the new hires to be underpaid and without the prerogatives enjoyed by the older employees.

So, the present employees have the chance to do the reverse of the old ball game strategy. They can step up to the plate and play for the new hires before the newbies even go to work, stepping up to the plate they can bat for the newbies and BUNT . . . . . . .

Blog