(IBEW Local One and NECA) Unions accept first pay cuts since the Great Depression

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.kmox.com/Unions-accept-first-pay-cuts-since-the-Great-Depre/7350258

KMOX News Reporting
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Saying they want to help make the St. Louis area more competitive, and spur construction in the region, two local electrical unions are accepting pay and benefit cuts.

IBEW Local One and NECA members have agreed to a new three year contract that includes immediate 8 and a quarter percent across-the-board cuts, which escalate to eight and three quarters percent on January first.

Union officials say it's only the second time in the IBEW's 119-year history that it's taken a cut, the other was a 19.6 percent reduction during the Great Depression.

The IBEW represents 3,100 electricians. The NECA represents 147 electrical contractors.

Union officials say unemployment in the local construction industry tops 30%.

The new contract takes effect June 1.

[aquart]

1. And we still refuse to tax the rich.

[nosmokes]

2. unreal, ain't it?

[mynameiswhat]

3. This is a start to helping this country rebound.

[nosmokes]

5. Cutting wages is not a start to a rebound,

it's simply a last ditch attempt to keep your head above water. And the only people having trouble doing that these days are the worker bees. The wealthy are doing fine, as usual, and the really wealthy are doing better than usual.The poor are well and truly fucked, only more so than usual and their ranks are growing by leaps and bounds.

So just how in the hell do you figure a give back in wages for a decent union job is some sort of fucking *rebound*?

[electricD]

4. DAMN

DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!! if local 1 does it....I know that every local downwind will have contractors whinning for cuts across the boards