Don't know if a lot of people drive by or live by Byant Ave. - Hill area, but that place looks like they're testing missiles over there.
Anyway -now I see laborers striking -now what? is everything at a standstill? There are several streets torn up, by the way...

Went through the same thing last year with the morons that the village hired for our area. No strike, just incompetence. Job took 6-8 weeks longer than expected. We survived . . . and if it's any comfort, so will you. Think of it this way, you don't need to wash the car this summer.

If it's anything like the Parkside-Maiden reconstruction, your plants will not like this construction. And keep the windows closed.

When our streets were re-done, we got a gift cert for a basic wash at Leslie when it was all over. A nice touch. Are they still doing that?

Six weeks after they were done repaving our street, our driveway was finally completed. We had every engineer from the village and the construction company rubbing their chins on our parkway. They finally came up with a plan, started working and hit the gas line under the apron of our driveway. There is nothing that Glen Ellyn can't screw up.

quote:

There is nothing that Glen Ellyn can't screw up.

I doubt that anyone from GE did that. They sub those jobs out. The guys that did our job hit the trifecta, IIRC. Gas line, water main, and cable line.

I don't blame GE for the gas line hit...but we were out of our driveway for six weeks past the completion of the rest of the project because they didn't realize that dropping the street would put our already steep driveway further past the accepted angle. My husband spoke with the village representatives at the meeting that took place before the construction and was told that the street level wouldn't be dropped, although apparently that was their plan the entire time. When we pointed out that they couldn't further lower our driveway to meet the lowered street level, they took four weeks to devise a solution and two more weeks to complete it.

Their solution has resulted in soil erosion and a huge dip of the sidewalk at our driveway. They originally wanted to leave the sidewalk and put in the driveway from sidewalk to halfway up in a different pitch than the driveway the rest of the way to the garage. Instead we have an amusement park attraction for the neighborhood kids because the sidewalk dips down and shoots back up to meet with the old sidewalk level just past our house. Fine engineering.

I don't get the strike...I thought we were 'putting America to work' ?

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Originally posted by DTM:
I don't get the strike...I thought we were 'putting America to work' ?

We are... for the right price.

Exactly, Cannes! I don't know about some of the other unions, but I work in a union shop with members in the Chicago Regional Carpenter's Union....they're discussing striking because they want a $2/hour annual raise written into their members' contracts....in this economy?? Are ya' kidding me? If they do end up going on strike, I can assure you that I'll be out of a job because my company cannot survive that kinda of pay raise....I'm going on three years here without one at all and they want $2 more?!

I handle the accounting at my company and we're currently barely making our monthly costs and weekly payroll as it is!

Oh I know... no pay raise for the last three years? I understand. My pay and benefits have been cut over the last three years.

After a record breaking year in 2008 and coming in first in the region, we were rewarded with a 40% pay cut. I used to have 2 weeks paid vacation. Now... I have none! No vacation pay at all. Being 100% commission makes it nearly impossible to justify taking time off.

My blood boils when I hear about poor union workers crying about pay raises not being high enough and threatening to strike. Strike? Fine. Then lets hire some non union workers to go in there and finish the job in less time and for less money.

All these contracts for construction projects should have time lines built into them. You finish on time? Great, you get paid. You finish behind schedule, and we deduct $$ from final payment. You finish early?? Not that it would happen... but if it did, we pay a bonus.

I think you will find that most road projects are finished ahead of schedule, due to the bonus.

I think too many people watch DIY shows and think they can do these jobs. Yes you can. Not efficiently, and not effectively (cost accounting terms for you GESM2).

You should see some of the crap that was built in the remodeling boom of the last 10 years by people who can't speak English, but know their vodka. Atrocious.

The money from the stimulus gets paid to the company. They hire the workers. The workers have a contract. What's different? These are not federal employees. They are not cops.

Apparently, these guys are asking 5% a year for three years. I'm a state worker -- AFSCME -- so I get it -- but even AFSCME deferred our next cost of living.

Fact is, 5% a year for three years runnings seems -- to me at least -- a bit excessive. I don't know the details, and -- as I say -- I'm a union guy, too -- so I get it -- but. still...

Finish my fricking street, dudes. Don't leave sink holes in every yard. And once school starts on Bryant -- yikes. What a mess.

What, the January snow plows are coming down our street when it looks like a battle zone? We're screwed now, and we're screwed for the winter. SOmeone's gonna get hurt with all the holes, pipes, and heavy machinery out and about, and it's the village -- I suspect -- that's gonna be paying for it.

On the other hand, these guys earn every dollar of it.

From what I understand from my laid-off union neighbor most operators are lucky to get work a couple months out of the year due to the poor economy, and the union is offering to pick up 100% of the increase in health costs and is asking the employers for cost of living only. Seems pretty reasonable if you believe the economy will recover- It's a multi-year contract after all. You can bet the employers won't be restoring anything back to the workers when the economy recovers- they'll just be pocketing it as profit.

quote:

Originally posted by Cannes:
... I have none! No vacation pay at all. Being 100% commission makes it nearly impossible to justify taking time off.

I hear ya'....I get no PTO either, though I'm not commission even taking a few hours off here and there without making it up makes it difficult to pay the rent.

The problem with non-union workers is that a lot of companies (mine included) do TONS of work in the city, and most (if not all) buildings down there require all work to be done by union employees....I think Daly had something to do with that.

As for the bonuses if finished early, that brings in a slew of other problems (i.e. shoddy work to get done faster and get more money....hello GE library anyone?).

RMK: You're right (as much as it pains me to admit this, lol). It does take a certain skill set to do these kinds of jobs....however, it takes a certain skill set to do most jobs in existence, many of said skills can be learned. Sometimes it just takes a while.

farber

quote:

Fact is, 5% a year for three years runnings seems -- to me at least -- a bit excessive. I don't know the details, and -- as I say -- I'm a union guy, too -- so I get it -- but. still...

A BIT excessive? Are you serious?? a 3% annual increase was the average rate when the economy was BOOMING! 5% is ridiculous with the way things are currently going! There's no way. I get the union thing, I do....I grew up with a mom who's (still) very active in her union, and sometimes (often, when management sucks at their job) they are still necessary....but it reaches a point where the unions want all of the control and fail to see the big picture in asking for it.

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and the union is offering to pick up 100% of the increase in health costs and is asking the employers for cost of living only.

really? My union here has it written into their contract that the company pays 100% of the employees' health insurance benefits....and HAS to provide them. 5% increase isn't cost of living only, either....if I had a 5% annual pay increase, I'd absolutely be increasing my socio-economic status. I realize these guys only work a few months out of the year, but that's why their hourly seems so high....just like teachers and others who don't get paid bi-weekly or more, they have to budget and find side jobs to offset the difference. As for the economy recovering, I truly believe that it will....IF firms are given the opportunity to re-invest their profits to increase their businesses rather than paying all of it to the employees off the bat. If there are concerns about restoration of funds once the economy does recover, shouldn't that be addressed if/when it occurs? Why are we negotiating for potential future funds? IIRC, that's what got Enron in trouble....

P.S. to Bio....

If you're really interested in it, I would ask your neighbor to view the actual proposal being submitted by the union. A lot of times, these agreements are misunderstood and fueled by rumor....guys and gals walk around quoting what they think they're fighting for and when they turn around once everything's done and overwith, they find there was more to it....there usually is more to it, whatever "it" may be.

BIO

Cost of living if you use the governments formula would be around one to two percent.

Not the five or so they're asking. Maybe the reason your neighbor is out of work is partly because of the economy which by the way looks to get worse not better. And the fact that they have priced themselves out of the market.

Maybe I misunderstand but it seems the union is saying that they provide health insurance to union members which they predict will rise 10-12% a year (which seems low to me) and they are asking employers for 5% a year which results in a pay cut of 5-7% for members?

Plus they're averaging 1000 or so hours a year of actual employment?

Where the money is

I think it's time for that top 1% to give back a bit. Note that it was busting unions and republican tax breaks that greatly increased the top 1% total wealth. Depending on who you care to cite it's at 30-40% of the wealth of the entire nation. Greater than the combined wealth of the bottom 90%.

Well I am in complete agreement with you on the top 1% thing, that's for sure....but the problem is much deeper than that, too. And I'll tell you, from seeing our small company's health insurance invoices and the 3% of dues our guys pay....there's NO way that could cover the health insurance costs. As for the hours of employment....again, side jobs and budgeting. I've seen it done....works wonders.