a:26:{s:9:"weblog_id";s:1:"4";s:8:"entry_id";s:3:"913";s:6:"sticky";s:1:"n";s:14:"allow_comments";s:1:"n";s:16:"allow_trackbacks";s:1:"n";s:10:"entry_date";s:19:"2010-06-02 05:18 AM";s:15:"expiration_date";s:0:"";s:23:"comment_expiration_date";s:0:"";s:8:"category";a:1:{i:0;s:1:"4";}s:9:"author_id";s:1:"4";s:10:"new_weblog";s:1:"4";s:6:"status";s:4:"open";s:14:"trackback_urls";s:0:"";s:18:"versioning_enabled";s:1:"y";s:5:"title";s:31:"IBEW/NECA Hone Competitive Edge";s:9:"url_title";s:31:"ibew_neca_hone_competitive_edge";s:6:"submit";s:6:"Update";s:11:"field_id_26";s:31:"IBEW/NECA Hone Competitive Edge";s:11:"field_ft_26";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_31";s:0:"";s:11:"field_id_44";s:311:"A new agreement signed by IBEW Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter NECA takes a proactive approach with  major wage and benefit cuts and work rule changes to conteract the loss of market share inflicted by the double whammy of the recession and a new electricians union formed by the Carpenters District Council. ";s:11:"field_ft_44";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_28";s:20:"NECA, IBEW, contract";s:11:"field_ft_28";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_29";s:1306:"<p>A new agreement signed by IBEW Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter NECA takes a proactive approach with&nbsp; major wage and benefit cuts and work rule changes to conteract the loss of market share inflicted by the double whammy of the recession and a new electricians union formed by the Carpenters District Council.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Doug Martin, executive director of NECA, said that his 147 NECA members and signatory contractors have seen almost a 40 percent cut in the hours worked by the 3,100 electricians they employ.</p>
<p>Martin said that the new agreement, which went into effect June 1,&nbsp; includes an 8.2 percent cut in wages for the rest of this year, increasing to 8.8 percent in January. With decreases in benefits said the total package represents as much as a 10 percent reduction in the hourly rate paid by IBEW/NECA customers on some projects. The agreement can be reopened in a year.</p>
<p>On top of the decreases, the union/contractor team has revised work rules in recognition of the additional competition mounted by nonunion contractors and the entry into the market of Local 57 of the Carpenters union.</p>
<p>\"Our goal is to allow our contractors to compete in this environment and going forward, and to get our trained electricians back to full employment,\" Martin said.</p>";s:10:"category_0";s:1:"4";}