Read for yourself what The Unity Team does not want you to know. The following is an exchange of testimony by Judge Haigh and President Thomassen on April 12, 2005. Here we learn for the first time —that the Unity Team “bargained away” the job referral rules and gave the contractor what they wanted—The unfettered right to “request” anyone they want from the out-of-work list!
QUESTION THE COURT: I take it by what you intend to convey by your last answer, that in the most recent negotiation with the association of contractors with whom you negotiate a collective bargaining agreement, you relaxed or gave something up. Did you give something up on the 50-50 rule? Did you grant them greater liberty than they otherwise had had in the past with respect to their ability to request individual carpenters? Is that what was going on?
ANSWER MR.THOMASSEN: Yes, your Honor, with the associations, it used to be that if an employee was going to be requested, he had to show that he worked for the contractor in the past six months. We took that away and said you could request a carpenter. He didn't have to work for you in the last six months.
To read the full transcript click here.
The Unity Team sold-out the carpenters in the 2001 contract negotiations when they "bargained away" the job referral rules and gave the contractor what they wanted—The unfettered right to "request" anyone they want from the out-of-work list! The Unity Team negotiated this shocking contract change without notifying or seeking the approval of the 15-member negotiating team, the 88-member elected delegate body, the rank-and-file who were expressly opposed to the "contractor request" and the federal government who has oversight supervision.
The Unity Team clearly violated their oath of office and more importantly the trust of the membership they claim to represent. The NYCDC Bylaws plainly state, the "delegate body" has final approval on all contracts. Yet The Unity Team failed to seek consent and failed to disclose this disastrous contract change, to the elected delegates.
The theft of decision-making power from the elected delegate body that is charged with approving all contracts is unconscionable!
This contract change has rendered the 50/50 rule meaningless and has turned the out-of-work list into an absurd paperwork dance, where "non requested" carpenters languish on a phony out-of-work-list!
This is why you cannot trust anything The Unity Team says!
THE REAL UNITY TEAM RECORD
- SOLD-OUT THE CARPENTERS WITH THE 2001 CONTRACT
- VIOLATED NYCDC BYLAWS
- OBSTRUCTED AN INVESTIGATION
- FOUND GUILTY OF CONTEMPT
- DEMONSTRATED THEY CANNOT COMBAT CORRUPTION
- TRIPLED YOUR ASSESSMENTS
- SPENT MILLIONS OF YOUR DOLLARS ON LAWYER FEES
- CUT YOUR PENSION BENEFIT BY 28 PERCENT
- DECEIVED YOU WITH A SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION FUND
- THE CHOICE IS CLEAR
