Anonymous left a very astute post (see it quoted below).
He (or she) said:
"I called the Mass Labor Board. Our one-year contracts expire June 30, 2007. So we needed to get 50 percent of our fellow members to sign cards/petitions to get out of NAGE and file them at the Mass Labor Board by January 31st. Since we didn't do that, we couldn't file again until after the contract is signed.
So we need to get another union, collect 50 percent of the cards/signatures and we need to NOT vote if they come out with another crappy deal to shove down our throats. Anyone else in?"
He (or she) is right on the money. This is precisely the problem.
Here's how NAGE will play it when the low ball piece of bleep contract proposal comes out as a result of the SHAM NEGOTIATIONS that are now taking place........
NAGE/Holway, after painting a gloomy a budgetary picture (ever notice how it's ALWAYS terrible for state employees whether its a state revenues feast or famine?), including that perennial threat that "unless you accept a below-the-rate-of-inflation contract, with no retro, witches and goblins be loosed on the world" (you know, the usual threats, you MAY be subject to layoff.... blah, blah, blah....)
NAGE WILL LIE TO YOU about this because if the piece of crap contract, (that they will no doubt put before the members) is REJECTED!, then they will drop back into that very short period of vulnerability when the members actually have a slim chance of voting their greedy behinds out of their uncontested right to steal your dues money (thanks to weak state laws).
HOLWAY is scared to death that enough of you might wake up, and take away the easy money ($250k graft/salary) that he sucks out of your dues.... while giving you no fair representation of YOUR interests in return
Without even seeing it, I can tell you folks to VOTE NO, on the piece of crap contract that will inevitably be put before you.... if nothing else it will send a message to Holway and the Burgin Parkway bandits that their days are numbered.....
Members, we have it be in it for the long haul.... if we're not able to prevail this time, we'll be ready the next time.... these thieving scum must go! ( I call it thievery when they take your dues, vote themselves obscene undeserved salaries, and party- hardy from Cambridge to Vegas, all the while ducking their constitutional duty to hold regular membership meetings to serve YOU ! )
Consider me IN anonymous!.... spread the word members....
..... VOTE NO .... on the insulting contract proposal you'll soon find in your mail box, with no prior opportunity for debate or discussion.....).... stop making it so easy for these cowardly scum to give you the shaft whilst picking your pockets..... you can do better!.... the Legislature has been signaling us that we should get rid of these bums.... voting NO is the 1st step....
You can file the cards (more then 50%)with the LRC after July 1, 2007. If NAGE gets us a contract and gets us to sign it, we need to wait until 180 to 150 day prior to the expiration date of the contract. If we are going to leave we need to start to get the cards signed NOW. I see NAGE has there season Red Sox tickets again on our dues money and lost of 2 million dollars last year according to the LM-2. WE need to get out.
ReplyDeleteMarch 22, 2007 – The presidential season is upon us and the proverbial FLIP-FLOP of positions has officially begun or perhaps “Capt Chaos” Holway has finally awoken from his self-induced coma. Whatever the case, the clown prince of labor spoke in opposition of his own legislation, which was doomed for failure from the start. The legislation he proposed was to eliminate the current regional and city retirement boards, thus allowing the state system to take over these boards. But, a funny thing happened on the way to the Statehouse as Holway decided to “change his position”.
ReplyDeleteAs we DEMANDED in an earlier article and as other labor unions agreed, Holway’s ill-advised plan simply made no financial sense. In fact, most regional and city retirement systems far out perform the state system in terms of their rate of return for its members. Yet, as the Joint Committee on Public Service listened to the testimony of “Captain Chaos” and watched his two-step flip-flop, others were amazed at his attempted stab at humor which fell upon deaf ears, especially to the other labor leaders in the hearing room. His reference to his idol “John Kerry” was marred by the fact that although he and Senator Kerry have similar political ultra-liberal characteristics – “You sir are no John Kerry!”
Surprisingly, the man who made a living as the former lobbyist for the Middlesex Retirement Board, which lost over 50 Million Dollars under the leadership of his good friend and Executive Director Jim Fahey, now wanted to file legislation to abolish the board. Yes, the same Jim Fahey who just recently left the employ of the Middlesex Retirement System and who has two daughter’s working at NAGE, one of whom is a member of the State Retirement Board. If you are starting to think things look a little shady…Rest assured we will continue to monitor the legislative process and work to defeat any more foolhardy legislation proposed by those who have their own personal agenda.
We would like to thank New England PBA, AFL-CIO Legislative Director Paul Larkham, President Robert McCarthy of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, AFL-CIO and President Mary Mahoney of OPEIU, Local 6, AFL-CIO for all their hard work and effort on behalf of our members.
Winston, I would post this from NEPBA and why are state of MA employees paying more than firefighters in NJ or cops in FL? It looks like NAGE have givin up on representing cops. Plus have you seen the LM-2's for NAGE? How long before our dues go up again. Keep up the good work and maybe some day we will have a real Union!
ReplyDeleteIBPO WITHDRAWS BEFORE ANOTHER KNOCK-OUT
April 11, 2007 – As the bell sounded for the final round of the championship fight in Somerset, MA, the former police union powerhouse threw in the towel. The International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO) obviously had taken too many head shots in the previous fights against the New England PBA, I.U.P.A. Local 9000, AFL-CIO and decided it had enough. The IBPO Director of Massachusetts David Bernard should be given a lot of credit for having the “guts” to put a stop to the pounding his organization has endured for the last 15 months, under the tutelage of IBPO National Vice President Paul Birks.
As the Rope-A-Dope President David J. Holway continues his stall tactics, those around him are falling faster than Don Imus. Last week, the best and brightest IBPO Attorney they had abruptly resigned after more than 30 years of outstanding service. Attorney Richard K. Sullivan called it quits and rumors of his defection have sent shock waves across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Yet, President Rope-A-Dope still hasn’t figured out that cops require quality representation – Richard K. Sullivan was a quality representative for the IBPO and those of us at the New England PBA have an enormous amount of respect for him both professionally and personally. We wish him well and congratulate him on a job well done!
But, the hits just keep coming as the SEIU released their LM2’s this past month and low and behold the financial picture of NAGE/IBPO/IBCO is worse than WE even thought. Since 2002, President Rope-A-Dope has not only whistled through the $13 Million dollars NAGE had under the founder and former President Kenneth Lyons – He has borrowed an additional $ 4.8 Million Dollars from SEIU. Not to mention an additional $3.5 Million Dollars due in legal judgments and attorney’s fees.
SEIU feeble attempt to save this sinking ship by giving them 5,000 firefighters and EMT’s in New Jersey is the best shell game of all time. Enrolled members may be up – but look at the numbers…How much are they paying in dues???…NOT the same $11.25 the Massachusetts State Workers are paying!!!
WHY IS THE MASSACHUSETTS TRIAL COURT PAYING MORE IN WEEKLY DUES THAN SOME FIREFIGHTER OR EMT IN NEW JERSEY???
The former heavyweight champion of law enforcement labor was unable to answer the bell for this fight, but the question remains how much longer before they get knocked out – AGAIN!
EDITOR’S NOTE:
* Dear Mr. Bernard;
Would you please release ALL of those dedicated and hardworking police and correctional officers who simply wish to join a real law enforcement union, not a union which looks more like the FLAVOR OF THE MONTH CLUB. We would hope you would contact the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission and withdraw ALL of your petitions from the multitude of decertification’s awaiting action at the LRC. Besides, representing firefighters actually seems to be a better fit – because it certainly does appear your organization is going up in FLAMES!
NEXT ELECTION DATE: MIDDLESEX SHERIFF’S – APRIL 18th.
Rumor has it NAGE lost the 4/18 election, too. More members fleeing -- are we going to be the only ones left?
ReplyDelete