http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/index/ Hear about what's happening here at West Michigan Works. en info@westmichiganworks.org Copyright 2010 2010-07-09T17:50:11-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/join_us_for_the_6th_annual_labor_day_truck_parade/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/join_us_for_the_6th_annual_labor_day_truck_parade/#When:17:50:11Z To demonstrate their appreciation for their employees’ hard work and dedication, Holland-Zeeland area employers are once again hosting a celebration honoring the local workforce on Labor Day.  This event is the Labor Day Truck Parade and Ice Cream Social on Monday, September 6.  About 50 big rigs representing lakeshore-area companies will rumble down Zeeland’s Main Street at 9:15 am and 8th Street in Holland at 9:30, horns blasting and polished to high gleam, in the largest non-military convoy in the U.S.  After-parade festivities continue in the Holland Civic Center parking lot, where free hot dogs, ice cream and an up-close look at the semi-trucks that carry locally-made goods across the nation and around the world are available to the community until noon. This fun-for-the-whole-family experience is delightful in sight and sound and is a great way to recognize the work ethic and mutual respect our area employees and employers enjoy. For photos of past parades, click here. West Michigan News 2010-07-09T17:50:11-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/federal_labor_poster_requirement/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/federal_labor_poster_requirement/#When:15:06:45Z Beginning June 21, 2010, businesses that contract and subcontract with the Federal government are required to display a notice that outlines employee’s rights under the National Labor Relations Act to unionize and collectively bargain with their employer. This requirement is just the most recent outcome of the current administration’s actions involving employer-employee relations and third party representation. Included on this poster is a list of unlawful employer activities and contact information for the National Labor Relations Board.  In West Michigan, we recognize the hard work of our employees and their contributions that make our companies successful.  We pride ourselves in the mutual respect between employers and employees, and this includes open communication between the two with no need for third party intervention.  This poster requirement, under Executive Order 13496 signed by President Obama, seems to disregard this respect and encourage employees to seek representation by bringing grievances to the NLRB, not their supervisors. According to the Department of Labor, Executive Order 13496 “ . . . advances the Administration’s goal of promoting economy and efficiency of Federal government procurement by ensuring that workers employed in the private sector and engaged in activity related to the performance of Federal government contracts are informed of their rights to form, join, or assist a union and bargain collectively with their employer. Knowledge of such basic statutory rights promotes stable labor-management relations, thus reducing costs to the Federal government.” The Department of Labor states that the notice must be posted both physically and electronically, if the Federal contractor or subcontractor posts notices electronically.  Noncompliance could include suspension of the current federal contract and future federal contract work.  The tone of the poster seems to invite third-party representation, and it is unfortunate that the government is requiring its contractors to post such a message.  We should keep in mind that the key to a successful relationship between employers and employees is to understand workforce needs and to build strong relationships between employees and supervisors.  This may include some internal training on what third-party representation really means to an organization, and how to really listen to employee needs.  Good two-way communication between management and employees has always been part of the formula that makes West Michigan Work.  Click here to see the poster. Click here to read Executive Order 13496:  Notification of Employee Rights under Federal Labor Laws. West Michigan News 2010-06-17T15:06:45-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/what_makes_west_michigan_work/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/what_makes_west_michigan_work/#When:18:10:50Z In West Michigan, our employers and employees enjoy work relationships based on mutual respect.  Employees participate in their company’s successes.  The “Us vs. Them” mentality is contrary to the fabric of our West Michigan culture and how we work.  Our community and businesses have a responsibility to maintain this type of collaborative work environment that fosters innovation, pride in ownership, positive relationships and open communications among all employees.  This is the type of business environment we choose, and it makes West Michigan work.  For more on this, read West Michigan Works’ executive director Randy Boileau’s letter to the editor that appeared in the Holland Sentinel on April 8, 2010 here. West Michigan News 2010-04-19T18:10:50-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/congressman_speaks/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/congressman_speaks/#When:13:43:27Z We have had great response so far to the guest speaker planned for our October 19 membership update meeting, U.S Representative Tom Price of Georgia. As many of you may know, Rep. Price is chair of the House Republican Study Committee and is the ranking Republican on the House Labor Subcommittee. He is coming to talk with us about the view of labor issues from Washington, and provide insight into what we might expect from Congress this fall on matters of labor and employment, including the controversial EFCA legislation. If you already have called or emailed to reserve a space, thanks, no need to do anything else. If you have not yet reserved your space please do so as soon as possible. Rep. Price’s talk is sure to be informative and we want to make sure that as many West Michigan Works members as possible have an opportunity to hear it. If you’re interested in attending the meeting or you have questions about the event, please email us at rboileau@westmichiganworks.org or call us at 616.786.4461. West Michigan News 2009-09-28T13:43:27-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/labor_day_09/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/labor_day_09/#When:13:08:39Z Join West Michigan Works for this fun-for-the-whole family event, showcasing area employers and honoring employees who make the Lakeshore area a great place to live and work. West Michigan News 2009-07-31T13:08:39-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/letters_to_senators/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/letters_to_senators/#When:17:46:26Z Randy Boileau, Executive Director of West Michigan Works, last week sent letters regarding the poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) to Michigan Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. Attached to each letter was a column published in Politico from Florida Republican Senator Mel Martinez. You can read the letter below and you can read Senator Martinez’s column here. West Michigan News 2009-05-26T17:46:26-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/wmw_ad_community/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/wmw_ad_community/#When:15:29:58Z People from all across the Holland/Zeeland Community this week signed their names to a full page advertisement in the Holland Sentinel, affirming the privacy and democratic values of our community. To view the ad in pdf form, click here. West Michigan News 2009-01-13T15:29:58-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/randy_boileau_in_business_review_west_michigan/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/randy_boileau_in_business_review_west_michigan/#When:18:01:52Z Business Review West Michigan has published an opinion piece by West Michigan Works Executive Director Randy Boileau on the undemocratic nature of neutrality agreements and card check in union organizing. West Michigan News 2008-12-04T18:01:52-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/neutrality_rears_its_undemocratic_head/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/neutrality_rears_its_undemocratic_head/#When:18:14:06Z It’s disappointing to learn that the United Autoworkers Union may be demanding that Johnson Controls turn over the names, addresses and telephone numbers of employees at the company’s Southview joint venture operation. The reason the UAW wants that information, we’ve read, is so the union can organize employees at the plant using card check, under the terms of a so-called “neutrality agreement” the union had with the bankrupt former operator of the Southview plant. When neutrality agreements and card check first came to light five years ago, West Michigan Works took the position that they were wrong for employees and wrong for the Holland/Zeeland community. Our position has not changed. West Michigan News 2008-11-25T18:14:06-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/uaw_attempts_neutrality/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/uaw_attempts_neutrality/#When:16:59:26Z In a paid advertisement published last week in the Holland Sentinel, the National Right To Work Foundation contends that the United Autoworkers Union is attempting to organize employees at Johnson Controls’ Southview joint venture plant under the terms of a pre-existing “neutrality agreement.” The ad warns that the union is pressuring the company to release employee names, addresses and telephone numbers so that union organizers can carry out home visits and other “card-check” tactics to push union organization at the plant. To see the full ad, click here. West Michigan News 2008-11-24T16:59:26-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/employees_right_to_vote/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/employees_right_to_vote/#When:15:40:54Z America’s greatness derives from our democratic ideals.  In a democracy, everyone has the right to vote for what they think is best for their family, community and country. Because these democratic principles are so central to us as a nation and a community, West Michigan Works firmly opposes the misleadingly-named “Employee Free Choice Act.” This bill (EFCA, H.R. 800) remains under consideration in Washington, and political observers believe it is highly likely the bill could be enacted early next year. The bill would fundamentally change the union organizing process in America and would strip workers of their fundamental right to vote for or against union representation in a secret ballot election. West Michigan News 2008-10-19T15:40:54-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/truck_parade_2008/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/truck_parade_2008/#When:18:37:49Z The fourth annual Labor Day Truck Parade was the biggest ever, with over 50 trucks from local businesses rumbling through downtown Zeeland and Holland.  Over 1,500 spectators turned out to watch the parade and participate in the ice cream social and prize giveaways that followed at the Holland Civic Center.  The parade, quickly becoming a West Michigan Labor Day tradition, was covered by television, newspapers and radio media.  West Michigan Works created this event to celebrate the great companies and hard-working employees who make our community so successful and the collaborative relationships they enjoy.  Labor Day is the perfect holiday for this recognition.  The trucks represent the products and services that area businesses send out locally, nationally and all over the world, everyday. See pictures of the event in our new photo gallery. West Michigan News 2008-10-15T18:37:49-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/real_choice_for_employees/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/real_choice_for_employees/#When:13:29:08Z Anti-democratic union-backed proposal in Congress would end secret ballots for organizing workers. Union leaders, concerned about their diminishing ranks, are pushing for a new federal law that would give them unfair advantage in recruiting members. The bill, misnamed the Employee Free Choice Act, is stalled in the Senate and, thank goodness, will not likely come up again this election year. That’s the right fate for it. The proposed law would do away with employee secret ballots in union organizing drives, a fundamental anti-democratic step for a supposedly democratic country. However, this year’s legislative delay likely will not be the last word, especially since union leader have made the bill a top priority. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the soon-to-be Democratic presidential nominee, is a co-sponsor the legislation. Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee opposes it. West Michigan News 2008-08-24T13:29:08-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/magna_inernational_agreement/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/magna_inernational_agreement/#When:14:10:07Z Magna International, the Canadian-based which owns locally based Magna Donnelly, announced recently that it has reached an agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) that will allow the union to quickly and easily unionize Magna operations throughout Canada. West Michigan News 2007-10-13T14:10:07-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/truck_parade_07/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/truck_parade_07/#When:14:07:14Z The third annual West Michigan Works Labor Day Parade again drew hundreds of people as nearly 50 trucks from area employers made their way through downtown Zeeland and Holland and ended up at the Holland Civic Center parking lot. The event celebrated West Michigan’s great employers, their workforce, and the collaborative relationships they enjoy. View photos of the event in our photo gallery. West Michigan News 2007-09-14T14:07:14-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/truck_parade_06/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/truck_parade_06/#When:14:04:55Z The second West Michigan Works Labor Day Truck Parade featured nearly 50 trucks from area employers, crowds of people lining the streets in downtown Zeeland and Holland, and more than 500 people enjoying free food and prizes at the end-of-parade celebration. Many thanks to the companies who participated in the event. View event photos in our photo gallery, and read the press release below West Michigan News 2006-09-12T14:04:55-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/employee_ownership_programs/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/employee_ownership_programs/#When:16:53:18Z Holland, MI. - West Michigan Works applauds two Holland companies - Fleetwood Group, Inc., and Trendway Corporation - for their employee ownership programs. Both members of West Michigan Works, the companies have made headlines recently for their efforts to allow employees to share in the growth and success of their respective companies - a principle West Michigan Works strongly supports. West Michigan News 2006-06-27T16:53:18-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/shoreline_container_trucks/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/shoreline_container_trucks/#When:14:05:44Z Thanks to the initiative and generosity of West Michigan Works member company Shoreline Container, the new West Michigan Works logo can now be spotted traveling the highways of West Michigan and beyond. Shoreline Container printed the logo on the trailers of their fleet of trucks to spread the word about West Michigan Works. View photos here.  West Michigan News 2005-09-24T14:05:44-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/tiara_yachts/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/tiara_yachts/#When:16:44:46Z The business section of the Holland Sentinel on August 17, 2005 featured a full-page West Michigan Works advertisement thanking Tiara Yachts for the company’s decision to bring more than 400 new jobs to our community. View the ad. West Michigan News 2005-08-17T16:44:46-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/posters/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/news/posters/#When:18:38:43Z West Michigan Works is one of the sponsors of an important Holland-area initiative to encourage parents to become more involved in their children’s schools. A group of local parents and volunteers are leading the initiative, and the Holland Area Chamber, Lakeshore Advantage and the Ottawa County Workforce Development Board have joined West Michigan Works as sponsors. An important first step in the initiative is the workplace display of two attractive posters bearing a simple, powerful message: Everyone benefits when parents get involved. West Michigan News 2005-03-01T18:38:43-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/mel_martinez_in_politico/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/mel_martinez_in_politico/#When:17:36:21Z Some ideas that come before Congress are better than others. But once in a while, even I am surprised by what is considered in the nation’s capital. That is certainly true of the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act. This legislation would have the exact opposite effect of its title. EFCA aims to eliminate a worker’s fundamental freedoms of speech and association. What’s more, the EFCA would have a devastating effect on Florida’s and the nation’s economies. It is important to understand what this legislation actually does. It effectively eliminates the secret ballot from workplace elections. Today, when workers cast a vote to unionize their shop, they can do so privately—by secret ballot. EFCA would put in place a “card check” mechanism that would force workers to declare publicly whether they support a union—creating a scenario rife with opportunities for coercion and intimidation. Read the whole article in Politico. West Michigan News 2009-05-26T17:36:21-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/wwj_on_labor_bill/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/wwj_on_labor_bill/#When:13:28:13Z “It’s conceivable under the proposed legislation that a business owner could leave a non-union workplace on Friday and come back to a union workplace Monday morning.” WWJ, a news radio station broadcasting out of Detroit, published today an article that quotes Marc Freedman, the director of labor law policy at the US Chamber of Commerce, ‘Right now, it’s not very cost-effective for unions to organize small businesses, he said. But if this legislation passes, it will require so few resources on the part of the unions that “it’ll put those small businesses in the cross-hairs.”’ He continued, ‘So if a business has 25 workers, it would only take 13 signed cards to organize a union. It’s conceivable under the proposed legislation that a business owner could leave a non-union workplace on Friday and come back to a union workplace Monday morning.’ For the full article at the WWJ website click here. West Michigan News 2008-10-22T13:28:13-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/here_comes_the_convoy/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/here_comes_the_convoy/#When:16:22:37Z Holland, MI - The fourth annual West Michigan Works Labor Day Parade featured a convoy of 48 vehicles representing at least 42 area employers, culminating in a celebration at Eighth Street Market Place in downtown Holland. The celebration included free hot dogs served up by Boar’s Head Provisions of Holland Township and giveaways by many of the participating companies. “We had a really great turnout - it just keeps growing,” said Cindy Franco of West Michigan Works. Participating trucks began gathering at Herman Miller in Zeeland at 8 a.m. to line up. The process of taking a tractor-trailer down a mile-long parade route through downtown Zeeland and Holland goes something like this: West Michigan News 2008-09-01T16:22:37-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/real_choice_for_employees/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/real_choice_for_employees/#When:15:49:48Z Anti-democratic union-backed proposal in Congress would end secret ballots for organizing workers. Union leaders, concerned about their diminishing ranks, are pushing for a new federal law that would give them unfair advantage in recruiting members. The bill, misnamed the Employee Free Choice Act, is stalled in the Senate and, thank goodness, will not likely come up again this election year. That’s the right fate for it. The proposed law would do away with employee secret ballots in union organizing drives, a fundamental anti-democratic step for a supposedly democratic country. However, this year’s legislative delay likely will not be the last word, especially since union leader have made the bill a top priority. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the soon-to-be Democratic presidential nominee, is a co-sponsor the legislation. Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee opposes it. West Michigan News 2008-08-24T15:49:48-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/mcgovern_op_ed/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/mcgovern_op_ed/#When:16:16:12Z the presidency, I’ve participated in my share of vigorous public debates over issues of great consequence. And the public has been free to accept or reject the decisions I made when they walked into a ballot booth, drew the curtain and cast their vote. I didn’t always win, but I always respected the process. Voting is an immense privilege. That is why I am concerned about a new development that could deny this freedom to many Americans. As a longtime friend of labor unions, I must raise my voice against pending legislation I see as a disturbing and undemocratic overreach not in the interest of either management or labor. West Michigan News 2008-08-08T16:16:12-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/tough_labor_climate/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/tough_labor_climate/#When:12:45:04Z BATTLE CREEK—From May 6-8, about 30 high-powered people from around the world, all involved in the secretive Project Polar Bear, gathered at the Yarrow Golf and Conference Resort. Their mission: To hear and analyze the state of Michigan’s pitch for why German auto giant Volkswagen AG should locate a new auto assembly plant and 2,000 jobs in Marshall, a small town near Battle Creek. Michigan had been competing against six southern states for the VW plant, code-named Project Polar Bear, and had made the cut as one of three finalists, along with Alabama and Tennessee. For the critical pitch in early May, Michigan had assembled a platoon of state experts on workforce, roads, education and environment. They included economic development chiefs from Lansing, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo; and David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research and dean of the nation’s auto industry experts. West Michigan News 2008-08-03T12:45:04-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/secret_ballots_may_end/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/secret_ballots_may_end/#When:16:07:07Z How would you like elections without secret ballots? To most people, the notion of getting rid of secret ballots is absurd. This is modern-day America. Such an idea could not be seriously considered, right? People support secret balloting for very obvious reasons. Politics frequently generates hot tempers. People can put up yard signs or wear political buttons if they want. But not everyone feels comfortable making his or her political positions public. Many would rather vote without fearing that their choice will offend or anger someone else. West Michigan News 2008-05-19T16:07:07-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/disenfranchise_105_million/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/disenfranchise_105_million/#When:12:46:43Z [See the article with graphics in PDF format] In the presidential primaries, Americans vote in secret ballot elections for who they want to be the Democratic and Republican nominees. Voters can publicly urge their friends, neighbors, and co-workers to support their favored candidate; but on Election Day, they cast votes in private. American workers decide whether to join a union by the same method. However, Congress is now considering a little-known bill that would strip millions of workers of this fundamental right. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would disenfranchise 105 million American workers. For union organizing elections, the legislation would replace the secret ballot with a system of “card checks,” where union organizers pressure workers to publicly sign a card stating they want to join a union. Workers would never have the option of voting against union membership, and millions of workers could be forced into a union without ever getting the chance to vote on the matter. Congress should preserve a worker’s right to vote in privacy on union membership. West Michigan News 2008-01-07T12:46:43-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/bloomberg_magna_unions/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/bloomberg_magna_unions/#When:17:36:05Z Magna International Inc., the car-parts maker considering a bid for Chrysler, is in talks with Canadian and U.S. auto unions that may add as many as 30,000 members to their ranks, the Canadian union’s leader said. The negotiations would make the Canadian Auto Workers and the United Auto Workers sole bargaining agents for Magna hourly employees in those countries, CAW President Buzz Hargrove said in an interview. The talks “are a distinct and separate issue” from Magna’s bid for the DaimlerChrysler AG unit, he said. The talks represent a change in thinking for Frank Stronach, Aurora, Ontario-based Magna’s founder and chairman, who said in a 1999 interview that unions wanting a role in the business should buy a plant “and run it exactly as they wish.” Hargrove said Stronach, 74, initiated the negotiations about six months ago. West Michigan News 2007-05-01T17:36:05-05:00 http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/grand_rapids_press_labor_day_2005/ http://www.westmichiganworks.org/index.php/media/grand_rapids_press_labor_day_2005/#When:17:49:55Z HOLLAND—Thanks to the hard work and dedication of West Michigan’s unique work force, the local economy continues rolling along despite stiff global competition. That is why West Michigan Works decided to celebrate Labor Day with a truck parade that began in Zeeland, then continued in a convoy along Chicago Drive to Eighth Street in Holland, ending in the parking lot of the Holland Civic Center. Seventeen companies had registered vehicles for the first-ever event, but 30 showed up. This presented a staging challenge for organizers, but generated a more powerful symbol of how the local economy connects through products to places far and wide. West Michigan News 2005-09-06T17:49:55-05:00