There is no denying it…. the company is not going to GIVE you anything unless you fight for it. And the best leverage a worker has is being in a union.
Without a contract to back up Blackhawk’s promises, all you have are…EMPTY PROMISES
Recently Blackhawk management has been making a lot of promises about salary increases, and better working conditions,
but they won’t back their words up with a legally binding contract like UMWA miners work under.
NO UMWA CONTRACT | UMWA CONTRACT | |
| Job Security | The company has a unilateral right to hire and fire at its sole discretion. | The employer must retain the current workforce, and honor panels of laid-off miners. Employees have the right to file grievances for contract violations. |
| Seniority | The Company can lay off or award jobs to anyone regardless of seniority. | UMWA-represented miners enjoy seniority in accordance with the Agreement. |
| Contracting Out | Complete right to contract out any and all work at the mine. | Only permitted to do so in accordance with provisions outlined in the contract. |
| Wage Increases | The company can decrease wages at any time and for any reason. | ONLY a UMWA contract can guarantee a wage increase! They can take away a raise as quickly as they give it to you. |
| Overtime | Only required to pay overtime as required by law | Currently paid at time and one-half for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in the basic work week. Paid time off for holidays, bereavement, jury duty, military leave, and reporting pay will count in overtime calculations for purposes of a 40-hour work week. |
| Schedules | Unilateral right to modify schedules for individuals, crews, or the entire mine. | Defined schedules and new schedules must be voted on by the membership. |
| Health Insurance | Previously, you paid a $2,000 deductible AND $4,000 max out-of-pocket! | Because of your UMWA contract, you pay a $250 deductible and $800 max out-of-pocket for a single plan. |
| Extended Health Care Upon Layoff | You were offered NOTHING. If you were laid off then you lost your health care IMMEDIATELY. | You now have 90 Days of extended healthcare. |
| Grievances | No mechanism to file a grievance. | Employees have the right to file grievances for contract violations. Process for arbitration for unsettled grievances. |
Ask yourself a few things…
Why are they making all these promises now?
And why won’t they put their words into a written agreement that isn’t “subject to change”?
