A Message from Business Manager Chris Erikson
As you should be aware, signatory Supply Division company WESCO has forced our members out on strike. After months of attempting to negotiate a new agreement, WESCO presented their final offer to the Union and negotiating committee late last week. At a tense meeting last night, the Union and the negotiating committee presented that final offer, with the recommendation that the bargaining unit reject it. After much discussion and debate, an overwhelming majority of the members voted to indeed reject the company’s final offer, leading to the strike, which began early this morning at one location in Long Island and one in Queens.
A strike is an unfortunate breakdown of the collective bargaining process. Every attempt was made by the Union to come to a fair agreement, with the necessary adjustments to the ESF pension and medical contributions and a wage adjustment. WESCO is a multi-billion-dollar, multinational Fortune 500 company that made $346 million in operating profit in the first quarter of 2023 alone! To underfund and undermine these members’ pension and medical contributions and to demand cuts to overtime pay by changing how overtime is calculated are despicable.
These Local 3 sisters and brothers are courageously standing up to their employer. They are standing up for their hard-earned pension and their critical medical coverage. Join me in supporting them by adding your voice to demand that WESCO come back to the bargaining table, to fully fund the ESF pension and medical, and to overturn the proposed overtime pay cuts, and we will continue to work hard toward an acceptable outcome to this dispute.
I would be remiss to not recognize Juneteenth yesterday. This is an increasingly important day in our country, as it formally recognizes and commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in our country. I hope everyone, like I did, took time to reflect on the impact and importance of Juneteenth and it’s place in America’s history.
ICYMI: Informational Bulletin Regarding Dispute with WESCO
Support our brothers and sisters employed at WESCO! Call the company to demand they come back to the bargaining table, agree to fully fund the ESF pension and medical plan, and overturn the proposed overtime cuts!
