from LABORNET.ORG:
Subject: Bechtel-Becon
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007
I JUST READ AN "interesting" news clip regarding the construction of the new Trimble County Power Plant. I have attached the pdf file and it is the lead article.
It appears that several Unions have signed an agreement with Bechtel agreeing to give up a portion of their work and allowing it to be done non-union. At the same time the Union leaders signed side letters with Bechtel that prohibits their members from being involved in, or attempting to organize the contractor's non-union construction workers.
The Leaders who came to this agreement believe that if the employer witnesses the skills and abilities of their members that they will magically agree to allow their workers to join a union and collectively bargain on some future project that hasn't been convieved of at this point in time.
It appears that national building trades leaders have collectively came to the conclusion that the organizations that they lead are little more than a temporary labor agency and if they can simply lower their members expectations and understanding of what's fair and just that they will be able to maintain their leadership positions.
I believe this is the first time in the history of the Building and Construction Trades that Unions have given up their jurisdiction lines and ordered their members not to organize and signed an agreement with an employer that prohibits workers from organizing. All of the Unions involved in this fiasco have the duty to organize as a priority in their constitutions.
Jeff Kelley
IUPAT DC5
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