GE Contract Campaign Update Overview, and Postcard Campaign Launch

What we Built in 2021, Where We Are Going in 2022

This year we built a coalition of 100 union, political, faith based, business, and community leaders and put GE on notice with a full page ad in the Boston Globe. 

We have commercials featuring our members and our Campaign to Bring Work Back running on TV Networks around the Country, which has drawn the attention of thousands.

Click here to see the Ad: GE Bring it Home to Lynn

Click here to see the new Ad: General Adams: "General Electric has the obligation to bring our jobs home"

Click here to see the new Ad: Union Veterans Speak Out: Bring it Home GE

We went one on one and door to door to local businesses who led a petition drive in support of our GE Campaign and hung signs from their stores.

At the beginning of last year our Brothers and Sisters at GE/Savant Bucyrus in Ohio were facing a massive transfer of work to China that local leaders warned was likely to lead to closure of their plant. Although the LED work could not be saved, all of the efforts did culminate in substantial victories.  Will Evens, Local 704’s President said, "I think we saved 180 jobs... Union members, their families and the public responded from around the country, New York, Massachusetts and in other states IUE-CWA members came out to protest Walmart... and it had an impact… I honestly do think it saved our plant. It prolonged what they want to do, it gives us more time to find avenues and keep fighting.”

 We protested outside of GE Headquarters before the GE Shareholders Meeting and organized with shareholders to vote down the excessive CEO pay package (The Company gave it to him anyway).

We protested the decision of a large transfer of work out of small engines to Romania when the CEO visited our plant. Although we suffered from this transfer of work, we ended up saving an estimated 9 jobs through decision bargaining and fighting back.

Our plant was the subject of a study by Cornell University and UMass that proves GE has deliberately disinvested and outsourced in Lynn while taking billions in government contracts and subsidies.

In September we held a National Day of Action "Sticker up!" in every Local union of the IUE-CWA GE Conference Board. Here are just a few of the over 100 pictures in Lynn.

Our voices were featured in many news articles including in Time Magazine "U.S. Taxpayers Bankrolled General Electric. Then It Moved Its Workforce Overseas", the Lynn Item "GE SHOULD INVEST IN WORKERS TO FIX BROKEN SUPPLY CHAIN", the Boston Globe "Union workers and community supporters step up efforts to spur GE to invest more in Lynn", Fortune Magazine "General Electric has tried everything, except investing in American workers" and more informing the public about our fight. 

Whats Up Next?  

Starting in January, applying political pressure and getting together for some more public actions.  We need our Senators to make this a priority, and make the U.S. government keep defense and energy work (all of which are funded with tax payer dollars) in our Union shops.  Talk with 3-5 people in your area about the campaign and help get everyone in our shop and community to sign a postcard to our Senators. 
Call the Hall (781)-598-2760 or talk to your board member/steward to get postcards now.  All stewards and safety reps will have them by Tuesday 1/11/22. 

We have conducted several briefings with congressional offices on the report, meeting with staff from Senators Schumer, Warren, Markey, and Brown’s offices as well as Representative Moulton’s office.  Congress Moulton was in the RiverWorks plant January 26th and met with workers in MPO, TEPM, and Plaitnum Cells that are under threat of a massive transfer of work affecting 82 people. The Transfer of Work Notice (issued January 14th, 2022) triggered 60 days of bargaining, and was covered in the Lynn Item and Boston Herald. While the company promises their will not be layoffs to the street, we all know once this work leaves we may never see it again. The 201 Legislative Committee continues to meet with our MA Congressional delegation to preassure GE to bring work back to the Riverworks. 

On February 1, 2022 the IUE-CWA released the first addition of the GE Worker Newsletter, available in the shop and online. The Newsletter hints at planned actions around the corner. Stay tuned.

As GE moves to split up the company for private equity we must unite and fight. And as we escalate and grow our campaign, we will keep you updated on this page.