I thought while B was out on strike (hopefully not for long) I would talk about what is going on and how we have been affected by it in the past week.
Week 15
I cannot believe I am still writing this. I thought maybe this post would last like six weeks. Now we are on Week 15. What is that about?
Still nothing happening. The union did try to make a little progress last week and submitted an offer to the company about the management rights. We haven’t heard anything back yet but they are planning on meeting this Tuesday.
I had to go pick-up the Strike Fund Relief check this week because B was on a job. We just happen to be on our way out to Maumee Bay so it was on the way. When I walked in to get the check it was around 2pm. There are around 20 guys hanging out at the union hall. No big deal, but I could not believe that the bar was open. A few were a little loud for 2 in the afternoon, but who am I to say. I just can’t believe the union has stopped doing Friday dinners for the families but can continue to keep the fridge stocked.
The union sent out a new strike schedule. It used to be that they wanted coverage 24/7. At the last meeting a lawyer was brought in and said that you did not have to have someone picketing the gates at all times. The union guys said that you had to always have someone picketing otherwise the company could say the strikers abandoned their job. Well the lawyer called bunk on that. Now there is a new picketing schedule that reduces the amount of time at the gates significantly. While I really don’t have much room to complain because B has never gone out to picket I am still complaining. B has been working non-stop and never had a chance to even think about walking the line (not that he would anyways). You would think the farther we get along in this stupid strike the more presence they would want at the gates so the company knows we are still here and have not given up. With less people at the gates it sounds like we are giving up and just waiting to have the company settle. Since we aren’t enthusiastic about walking the line 24/7 are we telling the company that we are going to take whatever they offer us? Are we telling the company that we have given up, and just make an offer? What are we trying to tell the company? I cannot figure it out; maybe someone else can give me the answer.