I can’t tell you to strike - yet.  I can’t encourage you to strike - yet.  I can tell you that I don’t want to strike - but I will; if we don’t get a good offer from the state.

Why would I strike?  Money.  Pure and simple.

My buying power is down 20% because the state wouldn’t give me a full COLA in the last 14 years.

My wages are 13% below where they should be according to what the Governor of Washington told his people (and our wages are closely tied to theirs).

Health Care.  I am paying for a benefit the state used to provide.  I am paying more and more.  I know that at one time we had something like 26 million dollars in reserves (more than enough to pay for increases in premiums) and the state spent it.  I know there is no end in sight, the state will want me to pay more and more and more - forever.

I know the Governor is considering taxes.  How am I going to pay for taxes when I am having trouble paying for health care?

I simply cannot afford not to strike.

Now one nice lady at the last GGU meeting pointed out that some people make more than she did and that they could afford to take another bad contract.  She couldn’t.  If push came to shove - I probably could take another bad contract and no pay raise and no COLA and pay more for Health Care - but why should I.

I have been with the state for fourteen years.  I have seen the downward spiral in benefits and wages.  I have seen oil prices boom - and still they cut my pay and “bennies”.  I have seen the PFD checks grow and grow - and still they cut my pay and “bennies”.  I know that the money is there and that they could afford to pay me and restore my benefits - but they are choosing not to.

I have seen the state cut the work force at the bottom - we, the workers that serve the people.  I have seen the extra work dumped on those of us who are left.  I have seen us having to do more and more and more with less people.  I am doing so much more than what I was hired for - than what my job description calls for - and do I get any more money for the extra work and extra effort?  Yeah, right!

If I’m doing the work of three people - why not pay me for three people?  Heck, I’ll give em a bargain - only pay me for two of the three jobs I’m doing.

I can see that the only way it may change is a strike - why can’t they see what they are forcing us to do? ……Larry Rabideau.
 

MORE ON THE ISSUE OF A STRIKE

As contract talks continue, it seems we can only look forward to more of the same – giveaway contracts, lower staffing levels, higher insurance costs, and less take-home pay. In my opinion the only remedy to reverse this erosion is to strike. We can accomplish our goals just as the Anchorage teachers, their aides, UPS drivers, Bell South workers, GM assemblers, and Northwest pilots have achieved theirs; to mention only a few of the success stories.

To prepare to strike we need to accomplish at least three things:

1. Get over any aversion to striking – The strike has been a successful labor tool for a hundred years, and each generation must fight to win their own battles. There is nothing to lose. The public and the legislature will blame us for their bloated budgets anyway…whether we strike or not.
2. Save up at least one month’s income – This will alleviate the financial worry of no paycheck. Also, keep in mind that any other financial losses such as uncovered medical expenses are generally made whole as part of the strike settlement. Everyone should have a little dough put aside anyway.
3. Join together in solidarity – Forget all your petty peeves with the union and/or co-workers and understand that a rising tide lifts all vessels. Wake up and see that Alaska’s per capita income is below the national average and will continue to fall unless we draw the line in the sand sometime.

STRAIGHT AND SIMPLE
 
Let me give it to you straight.  There will likely be a strike against the State. It will be a short one and we will win.  By a short one, less than two weeks.

Why will we strike?  Because they are - at this time, and probably forever – not offering anything for the financial end of the contract.  No new raises.  No new COLA.  No change in Health Care.  No restoration of our lost days off.  No personal leave conversion.  Nothing that would cost them money.

That means this contract will be a step back again.  Something the membership said was unacceptable.

Why will we win?  Because the State simply cannot function without us.  The bills don’t get paid, your job goes undone, yahdy yahdy yah  - you’ve heard it all before.  Facts are, we will win because they cannot do the business of government without us.

What do you have to do to prepare for a strike.  Set aside one or two week’s leave and cash it in in May.  Hold on to the money because you will need it July 1st.

We will go out on Strike after a Strike Vote is called and we get a majority in favor of a Strike. We will stay out a short time and the state will come back to the table to negotiate our issues.

We will then - likely - have a decent fair contract.  Everyone will vote on its ratification and it will pass by a huge majority.  We will cheer ourselves and pat ourselves on the back and drink to our bravery.  Then we will look ahead to the final battle.

Funding.  The legislature has to fund the contract.  This is where the real battle will be fought.  This is where you will have to do more than wear a button.  You will have to write letters to each of your legislators and tell them to fund the contract.  You will have to write letters to the editor to tell the public that you haven’t had a raise in 14 years.  You will have to tell your friends and neighbors that you work hard, just like they do, and you deserve to be paid for the job you do.

In the end, due to your lobbying of the legislature and possibly another strike, we will win.  It will not be pretty and it will be long… but you will have won.  The downward spiral will be stopped and the cycle of giving away your benefits will stop.

Will I be replaced when I strike?  The State of Alaska cannot replace strikers if they are striking for at least one non-economic issue. If you strike only on money issues, you can be replaced. This union is not stupid, we will have non-economic issues.

A strike cannot happen until 1) the Labor Board declares the negotiations at impasse and 2) a strike vote of the membership. After a majority vote of the membership for strike is received, we can schedule a time when we have the greatest impact on shutting down the entire state. If we are forced to strike, we will all strike together. We cannot strike before July 1st because that is when the old contract expires.

Even if the state were to try and replace us with temporary workers while we were on strike, we would stay out on strike until everyone had their job back. We are all in this together, no one group will be sacrificed. When we win, we all win…….Larry Rabideau.
 

   

---