Posted on 03/09/2006 8:43:09 AM PST by Puppage
(Stratford-WTNH/AP, Mar. 9, 2006 Updated 7:55 AM) _ Today Teamsters President James Hoffa will lead a rally in support of the 3,600 striking Sikorsky workers where thousands are expected to be on hand.
The strike is now into its third week and there has been no sign of renewed contract talks.
Today's rally is expected to begin at noon right at the plant in Stratford.
Hoffa told the Connecticut Post he wants to bring national attention to the strike. He says it's wrong for Sikorsky's parent company, United Technologies to ask workers to contribute more for health insurance. Those increased costs are the main sticking point for the nearly 3,600 striking workers.
Workers say they are looking forward to today's rally.
Even with the strike in its third week Sikorsky officials have refused to budge on the health care proposal. They say workers in other UTC divisions have accepted similar packages.
The state Department of Transportation says two of the four lanes in front of the plant will be shut down. State police will be on the ramps of the Merritt Parkway which is right next to the plant.
Mounted police officers from Bridgeport are expected to help Stratford police and scores of officials from neighboring police departments are also ready to help.
Junior, I presume.
They finally found him?
Wait...
How'd he get out from under the NY GIANT's stadium?
Consequent to his activities, soon enough Hoffa will be impotently blustering about how terrible it was that these jobs were exported to a Third World country.
Houdini, eat your heart out...
As a salaried employee of one of Sikorsky's sister divisions within United Technologies, I am disgusted. A lot of those union workers make more money than I do!
Apparently what's good enough for thousands of salaried UTC workers isn't good enough for the Teamsters. Boo hoo, they have to pay part of the premiums and it's an 80/20 plan. I haven't seen the union explain exactly WHY the offerings on health insurance aren't reasonable - our choices are very comparable to what other major corporations offer their employees.
We have a choice of two or three different companies offering plans, and then a "cafeteria" option where you can choose a deductible level and prescription drug plan that suits your family's needs. Mr. Rubber Duckie and I have the cafeteria plan - through CIGNA - and have been quite happy with it. We may change that when we have children, but we have choices.
These union guys at Sikorsky are whiny little babies. I have ZERO sympathy for them.
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