Submitted comment and questions about a union timeline & promises

Submitted comment: “Let’s talk about timeline, there is a pile of rumors going around that kupuark is prime to sell to Hilcorp. There’s nothing any of us can do to stop that! But being a prior Hilcorp employee I can share what will happen if the rumors are true, they will come in and cut everyone’s pay 10-15% hmm sound familiar, they will introduce a pay for performance program……… then they will make you apply for your very own job and then interview for it. So my question is what kind of ETA can you provide for all of us living in this sea of uncertainty. Additionally if the vote passes and then we get sold what kind of protection will that provide for our pay. How long of a contract would we be bargaining for. I truly thank you for all the work the team is putting in for this but some context of what a union would look like will help ALOT in making people change their minds if they are on the fence. It great hearing blood bath Monday would not have happened if we were represented but please provide some specifics of what we will be getting or fighting for. Stability, stable pay, stable pay “steps”, locked in 401k match? There is no help in saying well we should have. The time is now and some people need numbers and real tangible goals to know what decision is to be made.”

Answers to your questions-  What kind of ETA can you provide for all of us living in this sea of uncertainty?     

Once we get a solid list of nearly everyone’s phone numbers/email addresses we’ll push out an E-Card form. We’re hoping that happens within a week or two- but we need your help- get us in contact with those small outlying groups.  If you REALLY want to help, send us an email and we’ll verify who you are, we’ll give you access to the list so you can help us fill in the blanks– sorry, but we’re not going to give you access without knowing you, you’ll know us at that point too.  Remember you can always anonymously email us info@UnionOnTheNorthSlope.org if you want to send a list of your work group.

The timeline between the E-cards and the vote will depend on how quickly we get the number of returns we need- I’d like to think that would happen quickly but the reality is a huge number of people ‘check out’ when we’re at home on time off, which lends to delays- this is exactly what crushed the effort last year. Once we get the numbers we need, the NLRB will approach our employer and request information- basically a full list of employees and addresses, they only have a few days to respond to this.  Then ballots will get mailed out, then we wait for the ballots to return, these don’t go to the company, the company doesn’t see how you voted. Ever.  This ballot return is sloooow because of our schedules– once the ballots have passed 50% ‘yes’ the company legally has to recognize our union.  Then we elect officers, get our lists of priorities hashed out and voted on, then begins the long process of getting a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) established with the company.  Once we have that- we vote to ratify the CBA, if we don’t ratify it, it goes back to the bargaining table to be renegotiated. We can’t be forced to accept an agreement, we either vote to approve it, or we keep negotiating. Once we’ve got the contract we want, we ratify the CBA and it goes into affect. Then life is good for about 3 years until it's time to re-negotiate the contract.  

That's a long road to walk, isn’t it? Are you tired yet?  I am.  But the alternative is sooo much worse-  the company fucks us, we complain, the company shrugs and tells us to deal with it, then fucks us again-  then the cycle repeats.  If you don’t like it you can quit; or take the pay cuts and whine about-  and maybe get fired for objecting to it “job underperformance”— after all, you’re an overpaid lazy piece of shit, and there’s 20 contingent workers waiting in the wings for your job… oh and BTW, you’re an ‘at will employee’, which means the company can fire you whenever they want, for whatever reason they want- they won’t be able to do that once we’re union….but we’ll talk about that in another post.

I know, that wasn’t the timeline you were hoping for, but I’m not one to lie to you and make empty promises, I’ll leave that to our management.

Next question: Additionally if the vote passes and then we get sold what kind of protection will that provide for our pay? 

Once we have formed a union, we bargain-  part of the bargaining can be for a ‘successorship clause', WOA had one-  which basically said that whatever company assumes ownership of the asset also assumes the collective bargaining agreement. The agreement stays in place with the new owners until its original expiration date, then it gets renegotiated with the new company.

Next question: How long of a contract would we be bargaining for?   

3 years is typical but this would be part of the negotiation.

As far as pay, pay steps, 401K, bonus— every aspect of these would be part of the negotiations.  Again, I’m not going to guess about the outcomes, but let me give you two things to consider— If collective bargaining ended in a worse deal for us than what we’re walking into right now- why would the company fight against it? And if a CBA created a worse deal than what we have now, why would you, me, or our coworkers vote to ratify it?  And the second thing I’d like everyone to do is reach out to WOA guys, or other Hilcorp guys.  Ask them how the WOA and their union are doing compared to the EOA.  If that doesn’t convince you that unions work as protection against getting steamrolled and benefits hacked to shreds then nothing will. You know people over there, or from there- reach out!  

Here let me help you: cut and paste this into a text-  “Hey [insert name here], It’s been a while, how’s life?  Are you still at CGF1? I was just curious how work has been for you since Hilcorp took over.  How have you guys held up in pay and benefits compared to the EOA guys? PS- The Broncos still suck, and only win by paying-off refs. Don’t argue; you know it’s true.  Give me a call sometime, I’d love to catch up.”

The “real tangible goal” you’re asking about is a voice and a seat at the table.  That is our tangible goal, we get a seat at the table and get to bargain with management about what our time, labor and blood is worth.  Right now, your pay is dictated by a guy that’s never picked up an impact gun or multimeter nor hitched up a heater in a phase 2.  You have an HR lady that’s never worked a nightshift in her life or missed a single holiday deciding your benefits… are you ok with that?  Do you trust them to give you a fair deal? These are the very people that just told you you’re overpaid.  Who do you think knows your worth better? Them or you? A union is us, we are the union, and a union is YOUR voice.