IBEW OK on Pay-cuts

Wow, this is great for America! Rumor from the IBEW hall of fame is sounding out that the members have authorized a pay-cut, as was requested by acting Anchorage Mayor Claman. Just last week Mayor Claman requested such for union contracts that were most recently re-negotiated and saw a 3% increase in pay, with the request for reductions in efforts to forgo a possible deficit due the economic slowdown. Up north, many of the oil field workers have already endured a pay cut. They have no say in the matter as they have chosen not to have representation but realized that a pay-cut meant the work projects would continue. Now I was down on the IBEW’s ways and means of disenfranchising members from a previous engagement. I was once a member in good standing, which means a dues paying member. This was until the IBEW sold out on a bunch of union workers in efforts to allow another more lucrative IBEW contract to take over the work efforts. This was OK for the workers on the lucrative contract but meant unemployment for the displaced contract workers. See, one contract was of lower value on the hourly pay scale, so the more lucrative contract allowed more money to be collected as dues. It was the ML&P contract over the EAFB contract, for providing electricity to the military base. So a bunch of workers - IBEW members - were forced to get on the "out of work book" when all the time their jobs were taken over by other IBEW workers, an this seems not so fair when seniority is a governing factor. Now this was all against the IBEW "Brotherhood" rules and regulations. But when money talks… And it is true that you cannot fight city hall! So it is good to see that the IBEW leadership - namely Ma Bell - has convinced the IBEW workers under the ML&P contract to take a 7% pay cut. And it is my understanding from a little bird down Juneau way that the IBEW leadership is taking a 10% cut in pay! Wow. So for an ML&P worker, it may signal a $12,000.00 reduction in pay. For the leadership, more like $17,000.00! So it seems that when times get tough, everybody comes forward to help out his fellowman, now this is true brotherly love. So maybe Dan Fagan was wrong about unions in a recent Daily Stool column in which Ma Bell was allowed to make a counterpoint. At first I was in agreement with Dan, until this pay-cut thing made the news! This should rest Dan’s negative opinion upon the IBEW. I hope the other unions around town follow suit. My sentiment is this. If everybody does their fair share to help get the economy back in check, things will get back sooner then later and everybody will once again enjoy the fruits of their labors. So thanks IBEW members, for placing greed on hold and lending a helping hand upon the American dream for all of us. I hope others take note of your sacrifices.