The NLRB in Atlanta ruled in favor of the NPUA in regards to the recent core tech representation election at Vogtle/Farley/Hatch. As a result the election results were overturned and Bartlett received an unfair labor charge from the NLRB.
While the NLRB ordered a re-vote due to the timing of Bartlett’s announcement about previously approved wage increases, the NLRB agreed that the actual wage increases were “not objectionable.” In fact, the Board stated that “it is therefore clear that the enhanced wages and benefits are the fruit of the Employer’s extended negotiations with Southern Nuclear, negotiations which pre-date and were unrelated to the Union’s campaign.” The union had nothing to do with it. Which once again shows how the propaganda machine rolls and spreads the half truths and falsehoods such as the following statement pulled off their propaganda site…
“…Let me be clear, neither DZ Atlantic nor Bartlett have been willing to negotiate higher wages without involviing the NLRB….best regards NPUA leadership”
Now they want you to believe that we, as a contractor, don’t champion higher wages for the work force, that we, in their words, “low ball” contracts. There could be nothing further from the truth. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we don’t decide how much we can pay, the market does. Our mark-ups are such that we make next to nothing on a single technician, there is no wiggle room. We make money by staffing whole outages, and it isn’t a whole hell of a lot of money after the dust from overhead settles. We want to pay as much as we can, more often more than our clients approve.
It’s a simple equation…The more we can pay, the more likely you the technician can make a living and stay in the business. The more we can pay the more it attracts new blood into the business. The more people in the business the better chances we have of staffing our contracts. Now for the icing, the more we can pay, the more we can bill – who would have thunk? So ask yourselves, why, for what perverse reason would we not want to renegotiate to increase wages with all of our clients? Why would we not want to pay as much as we possibly can? There is no legitimate reason, so the propaganda machine churns out falsehoods and half truths. They promise if you side with them you’ll get $35/hr…guess what, not unless they can reach an agreed upon CBA and the client agrees.
Have any of you that have questioned what this union will do for you been treated like a person or were you just yelled at, demeaned, and pushed aside as if your thoughts, opinions and concerns don’t matter. Do you realize this union has no benefits, has no strike fund, and cannot legitimately promise you what they have been promising. I of all people know how this industry has changed, how it’s gotten tighter and harder to earn a living. I’ve worked it for 21 years now. I’ve seen it change first hand. Do you really think it will be easier if they should take over – think about it. Do you honestly think it will be better for all, or just the self appointed officers of the union that stand to make upwards of 140K or more. Bring them in and you can add another layer to the equation, a bureaucracy that will tell you where you have to go to work and when or lose your standing in line.
Right now y’all have a choice. Right now you can apply for any site you want. Decline any job you don’t want. Work for any vendor you want. Let them into your life and that won’t be the case anymore. While you are being told where and when you have to go to work, or risk falling to the bottom of the list, the self appointed officers will be kicking back making 140+k per year. Of course that’s not what they want to advertise. $35/hr and a chicken in every pot! Not unless they can reach a CBA and the client agrees. Amazing isn’t it? That they don’t tell you that part is no wonder, after all why tell you the truth when they don’t have to whereas I am bound by labor laws to tell you the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Anyways, believe what you will. Their lies and half truths or the facts as I present them, it’s your choice, your prerogative. As always I will stand up to the falsehoods, half-truths and propaganda that anyone throws our way. Take it or leave it, it’s your CHOICE. The operative word here is CHOICE. Keep your right to choose or give it away, you decide. Do some research, read up on this group and see how much it will cost you for no legitimate guarantee in return. All I ask is that y’all think long and hard before you make a decision. It’s a lot easier to vote them in than it is to vote them out.
