UPDATE:Letter from the Union GCC/IBT 432M

To: All Packaging Department Employees

The Company and the Union met for negotiations on February 25, 2008. The Company delivered a letter to the Union saying they were "withdrawing recognition" because the majorityof the employees no longer wished to be represented by the Union.

Local 432M is in process of filing unfair labor practice charges over this action by the Employer. As you all know, the Employer has drag its feet and made proposals for nothing but take away conditions since the Union was certified. We believe this is bad faith bargaining on the Company's part and are challenging Company's actions.

In addition the Union Tribune has from the inception of the Union's organizing efforts, made a major issue of impasse and what you could lose in impasse.

Recently the Employer threatened to post conditions that would substantially diminish the wages, hours and working conditions of each every Employee in the Packaging Department. After having communicated this to the employees is it any wonder that employees signed a petition saying that they no longer wish to be represented by the Union?

We will keep you updated on the board charges, In the interim, we suspect that the UT may institute changes in your working conditions. We don't know what areas these changes may occur in but they may be in things like discipline for attendance occurrences, sick leave and vacation. If you detect even the slightest change in how the employer applies any of these or its policies to you, please let one or more members of the bargaining committee know so that when we are succesfull with our NLRB charge we can straighten out these unilateral changes at the bargaining table.

Fraternally,
GCC/IBT Local 432M