Valley Power
The Members Story - What we want is what we had!
August 2005
Stewart and Stevenson sold their heavy duty repair shop to Valley Power Systems. The International Union of Operating Engineers had been representing workers at this location for over 30 years. The members there were highly skilled and made a good wage that allowed them to live comfortably in Alameda County. The Union Trust Funds provided excellent retirement and medical benefits for its members and their families working at Stewart and Stevenson. The Union and its members also provided pension and medical benefits that would last them into their retirement years. In conjunction with the Operating Engineers, Stewart and Stevenson provided the sort of middle class jobs with good medical and pension benefits that every hard working American deserves.
Video update
Tragically when Valley Power Systems acquired Stewart and Stevenson they refused to recognize the union contract that had been in place for decades. Valley Power told their workers that they were losing the union Medical Coverage. Valley Power told their workers they were losing their pension and could instead contribute to a 401 (k). Valley Power told their workers that they would not have a guaranteed retirement or guaranteed retirement medical. Dozens of people had to find work elsewhere if they wanted to continue their benefits. Hundreds of people have been affected by Valley Power's decision to refuse to honor their contract. All we want at Valley Power is to honor a contract that has been in place for over a generation.
Since 2005...
In the two years since Valley Powers acquisition of Stewart and Stevenson the company has still refused to recognize the contract. The dozens of employees have been forced by choice to look for employment elsewhere. The company was forced to recognize to the Operating Engineers as the workers representatives but has ground out negotiations for two years and has continually refused to recognize their employees' contract. The company is set against a pension, pensioned healthcare and even the union's health plan. Over the years Local 3 members have chosen to contribute to these funds but the company now has and is determined to continue to block access for their workers to these life enhancing fringes benefits. The company has refused to implement the scheduled wage increases that were in the Stewart and Stevenson contract. They have frozen all wage increases and refuse to grant any interim increases while still at the table.
What We Want
What we want is what we had - the Stewart and Stevenson Agreement that was in place when Valley Power bought this company. Valley Power should know that what we had was a livable wage for the Bay Area, benefits that would carry us into our retirement and a group of people working that was second to none. Give us what we had.
