Well as we told you last week Durham would try and slant the Boards's decision to their favor and boy did Durham pulled a work of fiction today. We told you that Durham would try and find someway to try and spin your desire to finish together what you started together and they attempted to do this today. Durham posted one of their many to come, annoying postings. In this "Important Announcement" they stated many things that Durham considers as are facts but normal human beings view them as fiction. They are as follows.
1.) Durham stated that having multiple sites vote in one unit is unique. I know Durham has a problem with honesty and respect but I didn't know they couldn't remember their own company election facts. They must have forgotten about Poughkeepsie/Rhinebeck, NY 2 yards 1 election. Elgin, Hampshire and Dundee, IL 3 yards 1 election. Jacksonville, FL 2 yards 1 election.
2.) Durham's view is you wanted to be seperate yards. This again is Durham forcing their ideas onto you. They have wanted to keep you all seperate and in the dark in the past and wanted to do so again in your election. It was you, the workforce that wanted to have one election for everyone together. The workers that went to the National Labor Relations Board hearing to represent the yards, when asked if they wanted to have a quick election and vote seperately or have Durham delay the election with the hearing but then vote as 1 voice they all stated "We started this together to have a single voice and we want to finish this together as one voice". Durham wanted you to stay seperated not you!
2.) An election date and time has not been set yet but they will keep you informed. This is ironic and again shows who's being honest. The Borad was contacted and given a date for the election of Feb. 28th and times that your Organizing Committee wanted for you and the Board relayed these to Durham. Durham didn't respond Monday - Durham didn't respond Tuesday. After the Labor Board was informed that this is what Durham does, not return phone calls to delay things further, the Labor Board renewed their efforts. Finally, Wednesday afternoon Durham's attorney made an offer of an election on March 11th. Again Durham shows their contempt for you and the system because they were told by the NLRB that an election would be scheduled within 30 days of the Decision made last week on Thursday Feb. 3rd. I know Durham can't spell Respect, Fairness, Seniority and Honesty but I didn't know they couldn't count either. Their requested date is well past the 30 days required.
3.) Choose to pay a third party to talk to you. I know Durham doesn't understand the concept of unity but they must really not have a clue what being a union member means. You will all vote to become Teamsters, you will all vote on your Stewards, you will all vote on your contract committee and you will all vote on your contract. You are the union no one else. You will have one voice they will have to listen to not a "third person's" but yiour voice. On the other hand Durham does hire/buy/pay for their third party attorneys to speak for them. They aren't Durham employees directly they are from a law firm that represents Durham's and other management's interests the areas of labor and employment law (right from their website mcmahonberger.com). They are Durham's true "third party" hired to represent Durham's main interests and goals - to stay non-union.
4.) In the next few weeks the company will share information. True meaning is that Durham wants the next few weeks and the extra time to hand out more misinformation or half truths through posters and literature purchased from companies like LRIonline,com. They also want to have the time to force you to come to mandatory meetings to scare and try and talk you out of organizing and having a voice. These might be one-on-one, small group or large group meetings. Durham doesn't respect you now so why would they respect your desire to form your union and just leave you alone. They will still try and force their ideals on you until vote day.
To wrap this up Durham will continue to be and act like Durham until on vote day you say enough is enough and vote "YES" to form your union. They act like they are on top of things when they give you information on you hearing decision that you all had the day it was decided from the Teamsters. I guess Durham considers old news as good news.
Just stay strong and understand that Durham only Durham's best interest in their minds and not your's. Durham wants to protect their total control of you and your working conditions by keeping you from forming and having a union. Durham has all the power now and Durham wants to keep it that way! Stand Together and Gain Together!
