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Las Vegas Sun
Jasmine Cady, 4, peeks over a sign as she attends a protest rally with her father, an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union member, outside NV Energy headquarters on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010. Retired NV Energy employees from northern Nevada were joined by local IBEW and Culinary Union members for the rally. At issue are health benefits for retired workers and possible cuts to the current workforce.
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
Sun coverage
Northern Nevada electrical workers brought a bitter contract fight with NV Energy to Las Vegas this week, picketing the utility’s corporate headquarters to draw attention to the protracted negotiations.
The powerful Culinary Union lent weight to the demonstration, with hundreds of casino workers marching alongside electrical workers in the rain, demanding that the utility share its profits with employees.
At issue is NV Energy’s decision last year to set a ceiling for retirees’ medical benefits, a change that labor leaders say will result in sharp increases for current and future retirees as health care costs spike.
The picket line was a rare show of solidarity for Nevada’s fractious labor movement, underscoring its larger fight for relevance in the Great Recession that has stripped workers of health care and retirement benefits — core promises of union membership.
An NV Energy spokesman declined to comment, citing ongoing negotiations.
Nationally, labor leaders have sought to refashion unions as the vehicle for rebuilding the middle class, a counterweight to corporate power. Labor’s high-profile fight on health care reform, for instance, was part of the makeover, intended to convince workers that unions are interested in bettering the lives of all workers, not just dues-paying members.
But with that battle stalled in Washington, experts say unions feel even greater pressure to preserve the bread-and-butter elements of collective bargaining.
“Right now, most labor unions in the United States are in a defensive mode trying to protect past gains,” said Gary Chaison, a professor of labor relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. “All across the country, unions are concerned the door will shut closed on pension plans, that health care benefits will be whittled down. The unions are trying to protect the issues they know resonate with unorganized workers.”
For labor, reasserting relevance is crucial. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country’s unionization rate slid to 12.3 percent last year.
For the first time, a majority of American union members are government workers rather than private-sector employees. Just 7.2 percent of private-sector workers are in unions, the lowest percentage since 1900.
Private-sector union membership fell precipitously last year to 7.4 million from 8.2 million in 2008. The implications for unions are dire, experts said.
“If unions can’t protect health care and pension funds, workers will ask, ‘What do I need a union for?’ ” Chaison said. “The unions have to deliver on their past promises.”
Nevada labor leaders understand the urgency, fearing a loss at NV Energy will wound the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, which represents about 800 workers, and embolden other employers in the state. The union has argued its case in a statewide ad campaign, highlighting service cuts and executive compensation.
Unions across the country have made contract concessions to preserve generous retirement benefits. Last year, the Culinary struck an agreement with the major casino companies, postponing a wage increase in part to keep company contributions to health care and pension funds flowing.
On Tuesday, Danny Thompson, head of the Nevada AFL-CIO, spoke to protesters from the back of a utility pickup truck, telling them “this town is a union town ... an injury to one is an injury to all.”
“We’re under attack on all fronts,” Thompson said in an interview. “There are those who are trying to blame the recession on people making decent money with decent benefits. Clearly that’s not the problem. We’re standing with those people who are potentially on the chopping block. The message is: Anyone who wants to take advantage of the situation now is going to be called out.”
Elaine Bernard, executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, said the battered economy is forcing rival unions to put down arms and work together. “It’s that feeling that if you can do it to one group, you can do it to all,” she said of the cap on retiree benefits. “Labor leaders are asking themselves, ‘Where does it stop?’ ”
NV Energy had been paying 80 percent of its retirees’ health insurance premiums, but capped those expenditures Jan. 1, according to union officials.
Neither side would discuss details of the contract negotiations, which began in August. But a company spokesman told a Northern Nevada newspaper last year that the utility is asking retirees to contribute more to their health care coverage because of the rising costs of medical premiums.
“NV Energy is simply asking retirees to share in the costs of future increases to medical benefit plans,” the spokesman said. “Nothing is being cut or eliminated.”
D. Taylor, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary, said curbing workers’ benefits is unfair, given that NV Energy reported $182 million in net profits last year, bolstered by a rate increase, and is set to receive millions in federal stimulus dollars for development projects.
“It’s about standing up,” he said. “No one is counting on any politicians. We’re counting on each other. This company has made so much money, charges the highest rates in the Intermountain West and they want to jam these workers. People are tired of that kind of stuff. I think workers are in the mood to fight back.”
This is exactly why we need a public system, we need to rethink health care, I just read this article speaks to the reason why we republicans are on the wrong side of this health care debate. We need to stop listening and start thinking for ourselves and take a look at history. See why I changed my thoughts on heath care
http://bit.ly/brAKLJ
The unions should pay for their Members health insurance thats what they pay dues for.
The sign the little girl is holding here should read : Broken Unions...Sorry folks, there is no money to overpay you all...
It's good to see the two unions get together to fight for a fair wage and benefits. It must be hard for the non union folks that have to take the pay cuts and reduced benefits and not being able to do anything about it. It must be hard to know that your employer is living high on the hog laughing all the way to the bank while you are struggling to make ends meet.
Unions demanding that the utility share its profits with employees.
---------------------------
Did the Unions give up anything back when the company was losing money? Did the Union take any risk?
Why don't the Unions just buy ALL the stock then as stock holders they could get ALL the profits
Stockholders put their money at risk as such should get the reward. If the Union want to own stock more power to them.
Why would people pay someone each week to have a job.Look at all the money you gave the Unions.What do you get in return,nothing.
Future you don't seem to understand, the union lineman is hired from the union hall to work for Nevada Power. The union lineman works under an agreement that Nevada Power must uphold to and the union lineman must uphold to. Nevada Power after a year ago of raising their charges to customers for kilowatt hours are now not paying into retirement benefits as per their agreement. I feel sorry for you non-union people simply because every time something comes up about unions some of you people twist everything out of proportion.
Blame and cuss the union worker for wanting to lead a better life, what have you done lately to better yours?
Blame and cuss the union locals themselves for providing union jobs with better wages, medical insurance and a retirement. I think this is something every United States citizens is looking for.
Instead of blaming and cussing union workers for wanting to provide a better life for themselves and their families, you should be looking at your lives and jobs and asking, " Am I getting a fair package from my employer or do I need union representation to better what I have"?
As I have said many times you people are showing your ignorance and your jealousy when you make these uneducated comments.
SHARE THE PROFITS! DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM! SOUNDS MORE LIKE A SOCIALIST REPUBLIC.
Why northern Nevada IBEW, is this just for them or statewide?
"Labor's high-profile fight on health care reform, for instance, was part of the makeover, intended to convince workers that unions are interested in bettering the lives of all workers, not just dues-paying members."
Obama's health care reform sweatheart deal with the unions really shows how unions are "interested" in bettering the lives of ALL workers, not just those in unions. NOT!
Unions once served a purpose but no longer today. They are part of the problem in this country, certainly not the solution.
Sorry, union morons. You aren't going to be paid $30 an hour anymore for a 6th grade education.
Unions are in existance to help those who are intellectually challenged and incapable of looking out for themselves.
Any time I hire a contractor to do work around my house I always ask if they are unionized. If they are, I hire someone else.
If the unions and thier employees want to participate in the profits of the utility - they should buy stock in it - just like the rest of us would have to do.
In my experience, unions reward laziness and discourage innovation and hard work. When you get paid more simply because you've been in a job for a certain amount of time, and not due to the quality of your work, our workforce doesn't get any better. When you can't fire someone for doing a poor job and hire someone else that deserves a chance, things don't improve. When everyone gets the same (or similar) % raise, regardless of what they've accomplished, it's very discouraging to ambitious workers that want to get ahead.
Again, that's just based on my experience working in both union and non-union jobs, and the difference between the two was very clear. I just think we should evaluate employees as individuals and not apply the same terms to everyone.
The unions are a nessary evil...we all need them to keep corp. america in check with wages,benifits and work place conditions but the union needs to step up back to where they started like providing trained help that isn't intrenched in nepatisism and providing value to the employer's bottom line with out making them feel like they are being strong armed.
Obama's back room union deals! Obama wanting to appoint a UNION lawyer for a Labor relations board is proof enough! Now add in union cadillac health care plan exemptions and bammmmm we offer more proof. The unions must be stopped! SEIU touts their illegal immigrant membership! Another bammmmmm!! Keep paying those dues to the union fatcats.
Ah, yes, I remember the first sage words I heard from a union labor supervisor on a construction job in the 60's.
"Slow down, kid, you're killing the job".
Now they are lucky to be working on a job at all. Good, unions are dying, except for the public ones.
"Speed up, union loafers, the end is coming".
Health care for life of retiree and spouse = UAW
Job Banks that provide 95% of your wages if you are laid off and could be paid for years = UAW
Unions demanding NO TAXES on their health care plans and got it from Reid = UAW, AFL-CIO and SEIU
Illegal immigrants membership touted by = SEIU
"that's not in my union contract" = last words hundreds of companies heard as they left the country for China and beyond.
Federal, state and local government employee should not be unionized. By sadly they are and now out number the private sector union membership. Ever wonder why you see six or more workers standing around watching one guy work?
Each one of them has a union job title and can not do anything but what is in that job title description. Nothing! So we pay taxes for obsene amount of wasted dollars on these workers wasting time.
My my unions, keep accepting the pandering by the parties and eventually there will be no more unions. I am sick and tired of seeing Obama everywhere in posts. He is no president. He never went through the qualification process like all candidates such as McCain had to go through. This man has not released any of his records. For him to be considered a president like me the first one of this nation is preposterous. Has everyone forgotten there is still a legal challenge to his qualifications currently pending? This has not been dismissed with prejudice yet. Yet he is still in office spending more of your money then Bush and his congress ever spent in 8 years. Each one of you has a share of 99k in debt.. I remember when there was no debt when I was running things..
Say it is not so,,I have been saying this all along and finally its for everyone to see...It is good to see that some have the same view on how unions operate as I do... Anyways,, where in the hell is teamster,, mr. iamunionperfect,, hiding at and not here to defend the comments made about his union brothers...Typical union way,, when it all comes down to nothing,, they are first in line...
Anti Union= Anti America! I bet all of the non-union folks above are hiring illegal immigrants, way to go boys!
The unions are in place to insure that the workers get their fair share.
Stop dragging along your brats to these picket lines/protest rallies. God that's annoying.
hey goingbust
get it right if youre going to try and belittle me
"Sorry, union morons. You aren't going to be paid $30 an hour anymore for a 6th grade education."
I make 46.33 an hour,and with some mandatory overtime made about 60.00 an hour,with 1 hour lunches,and plenty of breaks
jealous puke
peace out
See what 8 years of union bustin' under Dubya got America? The rich got richer and everybody else got f*cked!
Unions in Chicago refused, though the City, to allow WalMart to put in a second store. WalMart said it would put a store in a depressed Black area. In fact, NO ONE WANTED ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE AREA!!
So the union stores were asked if they would open in this space. THE ANSWER WAS NO!
That's what unions are about. Take the case of the Boy Scout who cleared out some brush on a trail for a merit badge, and the union boss wanted him charged with a crime!
Reminds me of what happened to workfare. The unions objected to the city--Columbus--for example, letting the reciprocates work at city hall and the jail to clean up. They, after all, were not paid union wages.
THEY HAVE DONE THIS COUNTLESS TIMES. And are a big reason why,I think, construction projects are not started with stimulus money.
Ah, yes, I remember the first sage words I heard from a union labor supervisor on a construction job in the 60's.
"Slow down, kid, you're killing the job".
Frankly, I guess that's about the first thing I heard at Republic Steel when I was still in HIgh School. Can't say I heard it from a union person though.
Actually the workers at the cutter, who had to put both hands on the machine before snapping the steel, were normally drunk or drinking. True it was a very hot place and the cutter was very noisy, but I guess as part of their benefits of union representation they were protected against the bosses, and it would be very difficult to get them out of a job--especially just for drinking.
I have been a union member for 25 years and the words " its not in my contract " have never passed my lips. I show up to work everyday to put in a full honest days work along with hundreds of other union brothers and sisters who are exceptionally skilled and committed to their jobs. In addtion to their regular work schedule these people have went above and beyond at inopportune times to keep the lights on in our state. I guess doing a skilled safe job in a professional manner appears lazy to some. I feel sorry for these people.
Hmmmm Unions are supporting Obama and Obama supports illegals. Illegals are in most of the unions today thanks to a Fed Judge. Google it!
Can't wait to see your post when Pelosi, Reid and Obama tout their immigration reform bill they are NOW working on to grant Green Cards to illegals. Note I said Green Cards "right to work here" not citizenship. Clever ploy! Unions are no longer needed in this century! You have bankrupt almost every company you organized.
Little wonder why goods and services cost so much. You can not appease unions and shareholders at the same time. Note that GM screwed all the bondholders and share holders out of tems of millions of dollars and investment. Yet, the UAW wants more in the form of tax exemptions for their Cadillac Healthcare Plans and Reid gave it to them.