Which Side Are You On?

“The Larkspur Ferry Terminal was blocked by a picket line of ironworkers, teamsters, electricians, boatmen and women, ferry captains, laborers, and mechanics. These workers, who run and maintain the Golden Gate Bridge, Buses and Ferries were protesting to defend their health benefits and conditions.

More than 380 union workers employed by the Golden Gate Bridge District have been negotiating more than one year without reaching an agreement, even though management admits the unions have granted monetary and benefit concessions that exceed the District’s demands. What is the holdup? Management, led by General Manager Denis Mulligan, is now on a campaign to force a form of health benefit premium sharing that will penalize employees with families. The workers are fighting to keep their health care affordable for families. Management is also demanding cuts in current retirees’ vested health care benefits.”

—A Film by Expert in a Box Video www.youtube.com/expertinaboxvideo

Photos, features, and more worker news at 
http://www.GoldenGateJustice.org

Update to Golden Gate Ferry Strike on May Day 2012

IJ video/Alan Dep

Protesters supported the Inlandboatmen’s Union strike at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal on May 1, 2012.

Related articles:

• Marin Independent Journal
• San Francisco Chronicle
• The Sacramento Bee
• Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation Department announcement

Photo credit: Allan G. Smorra

Strike at Golden Gate Ferry

Photo credit: Allan G. Smorra

Today was another day of action for Golden Gate Bridge, Bus, and Ferry workers as members of 19 Unions joined the Inland Boatmen’s Union as they had a one-day strike at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. At issue is a new contract and a fight to keep healthcare affordable for current employees and retirees.

The Union Coalition has offered concessions worth $2 million dollars and has been told by management that the District’s financial needs have been met. The District is insisting on principle, not on economic need, that Union members should be forced into a healthcare premium sharing plan that unfairly burdens families with the highest cost. The District is also insisting on reducing retiree vested healthcare benefits.

Last July non-union employees received a pay raise and union employees were told that they would not receive the raise or back pay if they did not accept the District offer by the end of June 2011.

Stay tuned for updates to this ongoing story.

Video Coverage of Bridgeworkers Picketing Janet Reilly’s House

“March 22, 2012 at the home of Board President Janet Reilly in San Francisco.
The upper class neighborhood of Sea Cliff, home to the “One Percent” and Janet Reilly, President of the Board of Directors of The Golden Gate Bridge & Transportation District, is seldom the scene of a workers demonstration. Reilly’s neighbors were shocked to see a picket line of ironworkers, teamsters, electricians, boatmen and women, ferry captains, laborers, mechanics and other hard working folk marching up and down at the iron gate leading to the Reilly mansion. These workers, who run and maintain the Golden Gate Bridge, Busses and Ferries were protesting to defend their health benefits and conditions.

More than 380 union workers employed by the Golden Gate Bridge Transportation District have been negotiating almost one year without reaching an agreement, even though management admits the unions have granted monetary and benefit concessions that exceed the District’s demands. What is the holdup? Management, led by Board President Janet Reilly, is now on a right wing ideological campaign to force a form of health benefit premium sharing that will penalize employees with families. The workers are fighting to keep their health care affordable for families. Management is also demanding cuts in current retirees’ vested health care benefits.”

—Film by Expert in a Box Video. www.youtube.com/expertinaboxvideo

Bridgeworkers Picket Janet Reilly’s House

 

Disclaimer: The following account is mine alone and is not meant to convey the views of the GGB Labor Coalition or its individual Unions/members. I was there and this is what I experienced.

—Allan G. Smorra

 

Picket sign outside Janet Reilly”s House

On the evening of March 22, 2012 members of the Golden Gate Bridge Labor Coalition gathered outside the home of Janet Reilly, President of the Board of Directors of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, to protest the lack of a contract after more than a year of negotiations.

The District Board of Directors is insisting that the workers give more in the form of cost-sharing and reforms on vested retiree benefits. The proposal is to put retirees into a plan where they can only access the ever-shrinking pool of Medicare-only doctors. The cost of this new plan is not available.

Janet Reilly interviewed during Informational Picket.
Photo by Allan G. Smorra

Currently, retirees have access to the same medical plans that active employees use. This enables the retiree to keep up their relationship with their current doctors/choose new ones within their respective plan if needed. This was part of the package that they agreed to when they came to work at the bridge.

At the table, unions have offered concessions and have been told by management that the District’s financial needs have been met. However, the District is insisting on principle, not need, that union members pay unaffordable health care premiums. The Golden Gate Bridge Board have insisted on concessions while giving non-union employees raises.

More than 380 employees have worked, in good faith, without a contract, since July 2011. They are asking to have the promises made to them honored. The District’s public “face” certainly does not match their actions.

Golden Gate Bridgeworkers Protest at 75th Anniversary Events

Without a contract, as many as 100 union workers held a protest last evening at Fort Mason during the first of many celebrations commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge.

All is not well at the Second-happiest-place-on-earth. After 38 meetings, over ten months of negotiations, GGB officials are unwilling to move past the first item on their agenda: Healthcare cuts to active and retired employees.

380 members of 19 unions make up a Coalition that has exceeded the District’s monetary target of budget savings. What is at stake is the District’s demand that the workers give more in the form of cost-sharing and reforms on vested retiree benefits. The proposal is to put retirees into a plan where they can only access the ever-shrinking pool of Medicare-only doctors. The cost of this new plan is not available.

Currently, retirees have access to the same medical plans that active employees use. This enables the retiree to keep up their relationship with their current doctors/choose new ones within their respective plan if needed. This was part of the package that they agreed to when they came to work at the bridge.