We've said for weeks now that we are ready, willing and able to meet Sikorsky at the negotiating table and work out a fair contract that gets our people back to work and lets them maintain affordable health care benefits. What I do want is for both sides to fully understand the wide-ranging effects this situation is having on individuals, families, communities and the state as a whole.
Quotes about sikorsky (15 Quotes)
I don't think that the outcome at Sikorsky is some sort of signal to employers that they can just go ahead and reduce benefits. The next time, it's going to be a whole different set of circumstances, and it will happen the way it happens.
Like many Connecticut residents, they are worried about how they are going to meet rising health-care costs for their families. I urge management at Sikorsky to resume negotiations and do everything possible to reach an equitable settlement with the people who are the lifeblood of this company. This isn't about bashing anyone it's about trying to find reasonable ways to address what I think are understandable concerns.
Why do the rich get even richer, while regular working Americans can't even hold onto their basic health care benefits. The head of United Technologies raked in 13.4 million in total compensation and cashed out 83.6 million in stock options and he wants to ax health care for the 3,600 teamsters on strike at Sikorsky.
Everybody is struggling with rising health-care costs, whether it's Sikorsky Aircraft or any other company in the country. We're simply not immune to that. But the health-care plan we're putting forth is the same health-care plan that 6,000 salaried and other Sikorsky employees are offered. It's a good health-care plan.
Negotiators were prepared to discuss that issue today, but Sikorsky would rather play games than engage in good-faith bargaining that would get people back to work.
I think that the teamwork shown by the program office, the Commander Navy Air Reserve Forces, VFC-13, Sikorsky and Northrop Grumman paints a really good picture and created a great partnership. A lot of people said there was no way that we were going to be able to pull this off and we did it. I don't take the credit, it was the team that accomplished this and it's a real success story.
A prolonged shut down of spare parts production potentially endangers Army readiness. There's no way Sikorsky can maintain a high rate of production without the Teamsters on the line.
Operations continue and we're open for business. We hope that the Teamsters-represented workers will come back to work, but if the strike continues, our contingency plan will bring Sikorsky to full capacity.
There is a huge demand for spare parts that only Sikorsky can meet. Without the Teamsters, the company can't maintain a coherent production schedule.
The arrogance of Sikorsky has been astounding. As one of our country's major defense contractors, Sikorsky throughout this ordeal showed its disdain for workers, our elected officials and ultimately, the American taxpayers. This company is the poster child for bad behavior and corporate greed. We will continue our fight against this company and against the growing, unchecked power of all of big business in America.
Sikorsky officials erroneously believe that negotiations mean we must accept their inferior and unacceptable contract offer. What is missing from the company's position is the normal give and take that occurs during good-faith bargaining.
Everybody's wrestling with rising health care costs and so are we. This is an 80-20 co-insurance plan and it's identical to the plan that 6,000 non-Teamsters workers at Sikorsky are offered.
This isn't about money because Sikorsky has plenty. The company has said it wants to cut our health care to teach us a financial lesson. That's not right and it won't fly.
Right after World War II my grandfather, Gus Anderson, started this company because he felt there was a need for this kind of manufacturing and that there were a lot of companies to play off of, especially in Bridgeport. My grandfather met Igor Sikorsky a long time ago and got the idea that Sikorsky Aircraft would be a great place to do business.