On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 16:34:55 GMT, "Wayne Lundberg"
wrote:
snip
Thus in one fell swoop our great labor union mentality, avarice and
self-indulgence is about to put us into bankruptcy. They have done it to
almost 80% of all manufacturing jobs already by sending them to Mexico and
China. Now they are giving the EU the golden eggs and killing the goose
itself that used to live and thrive in this nation.
snip
Problem is there is always a "rest of the story."

While it is true that there appears to be very large signing
bonuses up from for every union member, it is the
Esau/Jacob/Isaac story all over again.

The worm in this apple is the revision of the contract that
allows Boeing to curtail medical coverage for existing employees
and retirees by both increasing premium sharing and co-payments.
This is to end in the total elimination of medical coverage for
both current and retired union employees.

Thus, current union members are being asked to not only
compromise their own long-term best self interests for a not
inconsiderable immediate up front cash payment, but to also "sell
out" their retired members that relied on company medical
insurance when making their retirement plans.

If this latest birthright for pottage swap is accepted, it will
be only a matter of time before the existing Boeing defined
benefit pension plans are terminated and ceded to the PBGC, to be
replaced with fraudulent 401k plans at best or more likely
nothing for the hourly employees. This process has already begun
with the sale of most of the actual manufacturing operation to a
shadowy Canadian conglomerate with little to no knowledge about
building aircraft but considerable expertise in rendering dead
and dyeing corporations, especially those suffering from
self-inflicted wounds, to recover assets such as "excess" pension
funds.

The "Jacobs/suits" have well insulated their
deferred-compensation and benefit funds in a series of
judgment/bankruptcy proof "trust funds," and will prosper no
matter what happens.

Make no mistake about it - you are involved, even if do not work
for Boeing, own no Boeing stock and do no Boeing subcontracting.
People do not stop getting sick or injured just because they have
no medical coverage, and Americans do not allow other Americans
to die in the streets. Your taxes will go up, and the
quality/quantity of medical care available to you will go down as
Boeing reduces and then ends medical coverage of their current
and retired employees. As Boeing pensions are terminated, your
taxes will increase and/or your pension will decrease to cover
the soaring PBGC costs.

The obvious solution to this current difficulty is to again move
corporate headquarters. Just as management solved the last crisis
by moving to Chicago, they can solve this one by moving to New
Orleans….