This first year of the new millennium has seen many victories that members of Local 853 can celebrate and be thankful for. These victories include a few great contracts, many good contracts, and several important grievance wins. With nearly 6,000 members, our union is bigger and stronger than ever before. This is in part thanks to the good economy. But it's also because our investment in organizing is starting to pay off.

This year our staff negotiated two to five contracts each month for a total of 42. As members at those companies, you had decisions to make about how to split your increases between pension, health and welfare, and wages. In most contracts, we were able to negotiate enough money to spread around. But I want you to know how that was possible.

Telling it like it is

Our increasing strength is also a product of how we operate as a union. Local 853 has a long-standing reputation of honest, tell-it-like-it-is representation. Employers know that when we say something, we mean it. Our goal is to prepare our members by telling them everything to expect. While this is not necessarily what they want to hear, we give members the information they need to make informed, intelligent decisions.

At times some members mistake this tell-it-like-it-is representation as a lack of support or enthusiasm by the Local's leadership. However, the members who have participated on bargaining committees and who have watched our Local operate, know better! By giving all of the pros and cons of members' proposals, by discussing the issues openly and honestly, the membership gains insight into the obstacles we confront in negotiations.

Always be armed

I insist that our Business Agents are fully armed-with research when they enter negotiations. They know the company's financials, what's happening in the industry, and most importantly, what's important to the membership. For example, in our most recent Berkeley Farms negotiations, we were dealing with a giant national company, Dean Foods, rather than the regional, privately owned company of the past. Before we got to the bargaining table, we discussed the company's tactics with local unions around the country; we researched the company's projections and we looked for their vulnerabilities. Having this knowledge gave us a distinct advantage at the bargaining table.

A large dose of militancy doesn't hurt either! We prepared for a strike and informed the company that we'd strike if we had to. Beyond picket plans, our preparation also involves looking at the big picture. As a union, we are part of a larger community. Local 853 is deeply involved in community organizations and political action not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it strengthens our hand. It comes down to one word -- power. If we're there for others, they'll be there for us.

While the Berkeley Farms contract didn't meet everyone's goals, the bargaining committee is convinced that we squeezed everything the company would give. Fortunately, we got a settlement that the members overwhelmingly ratified before anyone lost a minute of pay.

In the coming year we'll be negotiating more than 30 contracts at small, mid-size and large companies including Ready Mix and Gillig Corporation. Our goals, as always, are to maximize the positives in the negotiations, and to make sure the members fully understand the issues and realities that we confront. We are prepared to fight if need be, but hope that our preparations and our ability to negotiate do the job for us.

Happy holidays

Fraternally,
Rome A. Aloise, Secretary-Treasurer

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