OPEIU Local 320 to Protest on Friday, February 18 at Harvard Law School Against Proposed Subcontracting of Boilermakers National Funds' Kansas City Union Jobs

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO Local 320 will protest against the Boilermakers National Funds' proposed decision to subcontract union jobs to CIGNA Healthcare, a mostly non-union company.  The Local 320 Save Our Jobs protest will be held on Friday, February 18, 2011 between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Harvard Law School, where Boilermakers' President Newton Jones will be addressing the Harvard Trade Union Program 100th Session Class of 2011 Graduation.  

Local 320 represents approximately 120 employees who process Health and Welfare, Pension and Annuity Claims for the Boilermakers National Funds in their Kansas City, Missouri office.  The Boilermakers plan to subcontract these union jobs to CIGNA in Moosic, Pennsylvania.

"OPEIU is shocked and appalled that a labor union with such a rich history in the struggle to preserve jobs for union members would ever consider such a thing," said OPEIU International President Michael Goodwin.  "All of us in the labor movement are in the social justice business.  Unfortunately, Trustees, which includes employers, look at the administration of the funds solely from a capitalistic point of view – with saving money always their top priority."

Local 320 is asking the Union trustees on the Board to step up and say no to this proposal, and realize there are other considerations besides money.  "These funds are negotiated by the Union as part of an economic package of benefits that members of the Boilermakers Union receive," said Goodwin.  "I am sure they would be as appalled as we are to learn that monies diverted from their economic package, which they work so hard for, are being placed into the hands of a Board of Trustees that cares more about money than they do about people.  We're asking the trustees to come up with a different solution."

SOURCE Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, CLC

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