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When Your Boss Locks You Out for Nearly 6 Months and Cuts Off Your Healthcare
Sainato, Michael
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/21655/national-grid-gas-workers-massachusetts-lockout-healthcare-cancerDate Written: 2019-01-03 Publisher: In These Times Year Published: 2019 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX23275 When energy company National Grid locked out its workers during contract negotiations, workers workers had to struggle with loss of income and health insurance. Workers as well as legislators see this as an unfair bargaining tactic. Abstract: -- Excerpt: Lockouts are work stoppages increasingly used by corporations as leverage against labor unions over contract negotiations. Lockouts represented under 4 percent of all work stoppages in 1990 but gradually grew to more than 10 percent by 2015, while labor strikes have experienced declines. The Boston Globe reported that when a work stoppage occurs, it is now twice as likely to be a lockout than a strike compared to just a decade ago. The unions say National Grid was pushing a new labor contract that removes several benefits for new hires, including revoking medical for retirees and switching to non-traditional, less supportive pension plans. According to the union, the company was also trying to cut employee life insurance, sick time, disability pension and bidding rights for different positions within National Grid. Subject Headings |