Raytheon Workers on Strike

KOLD news 13 ^ | Nov 5

[onja]

This plant makes about a quarter of all the missiles we have. Hopefully the workers will form some sort of agreement.

BTW- Tommorow my dad, an engineer, will be driving fork lifts around. He seems kinda excited; he hasn't done that since he was in college.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

They should be very careful - as the CT Sikorsky workers have found out.

Most of their work is being "offloaded" now.

[centurion316]

Wonder what our troops in Iraq, who need these missles to fight this war think of the wonderful little union goons of Raytheon? Whom would you rather support, our soldiers or these union members?

[SauronOfMordor]

If Arizona is not a "right to work" state, then perhaps they should move production to a "right to work" state

[Randy in Arizona]

Well I hope he has the good judgment to go out in the parking lot and practice for a while!

Here is a link to a German language Forklift Video he might find instructive.

http://www.hugi.is/hahradi/bigboxes.php?box_id=51208&f_id=1000

Knowledge of German not needed, just watch!

[eleni121]

Good let these anachronistic bozos strike.

I hope Raytheon takes these jobs and offshores them or sends them to right to work states.

[kingu]

I see multiple issues and a single cause.

By making free healthcare for every union employee (and extending the union to every floor sweeper and telephone jockey), by making retirement benefits last for half of a person's expected lifespan, by raking the membership for dues to pad the union's employment and leadership, as well as their political contributions, they've created the problems that they complain about.

If the company wisely decided to say, "Hey, employees - here's all the money we're going to dump down the drain for your life insurance, your health insurance, your retirement benefits, your sick leave, your maternity leave, etc. Plus here's what you'd pay in union dues, least from our side. Now, you're empowered to do whatever the heck you want to do with all of that. Want to buy a new car rather than insure yourself and your family? Go for it. It's yours to do with as you please," I doubt there's an employee, once they saw the numbers involved, that wouldn't jump at the chance.

Every form of mandatory service that a company has to buy is inflated. It always will be. There's rarely any competitive bids for insurance contracts, and retirement programs are almost a black art at this point in time.

There was a time when unions were a critical need. That time ended more than fifty years ago, and unions should be banned for any public employee or government contractor.

[Cobra64]

Where does this figure into a national defense risk? Can the feds step in much as Ronnie did with the striking aircraft controllers back in the 1980s.

[Cobra64]

If Arizona is not a "right to work" state, then perhaps they should move production to a "right to work" state

Given that we're in a war, the timing couldn't be worse for such a move.

[TADSLOS]

Raytheon Missile Systems

[sdillard]

Arizona is a right to work state.

[onja]

The troops probably don't think much of them. Me either. In case you're wondering, I have little sympathy for the strikers especially since they're messing up such a vital industry.

[discostu]

AZ is a right to work state, but Raytheon is a multi-state organization, if they try to bust the union here there will be hell to pay. Pretty much the only way unions survive in AZ is in multi-state companies so they get the support of other union locals.

[muffaletaman]

http://www.hugi.is/hahradi/bigboxes.php?box_id=51208&f_id=1000

THAT is the wierdest - sickest - most disgusting safety training video I have every seen...

Yuck - but it makes its "point"...

[balch3]

striking a defense industry in time of war is an act of treason.

[11th_VA]

Sick, Sick, Sick - couldn't watch after the impaled worker ..

[cmsgop]

Poor Klaus, he must end up as the CEO in the end.......

[gas0linealley]

If Raytheon plays an important role in America's defense, then the strikers have had a hand in that. They have earned our gratitude and they deserve better from us than the majority here has given them.

[discostu]

What part of helping out the war effort makes extortion honorable? Because that's what a strike is, pure 100% extortion.

[gas0linealley]

When workers strike, some may call it extortion, but what do they call higher profits?