Provide your Home email address for surveys and direct communications from your negotiators by sending your email here

Update May 16th 2012

Added 5-9-12 Article worth reading

"If you lived in a run-down house and all of a sudden your family got a lot of money, what would you do? Most people would think about fixing up the rickety front steps, replacing the leaky shower, and painting the back bedroom, for starters." Read More...

Update 5-3-12
Your negotiating committee met with Hytek today. We discussed many different sections of the contract, and are close on quite a few of the language areas.

We are hopeful that there is going to be a contract proposal that you will be able to see and vote on in the near future. The company still has a ways to go to show that they properly value your contributions to their business - their future looks bright, and they can do better for you.

The IAM has heard your message: the medical coverage is inadequate the wages are too low the favoritism has got to go We made sure the company understood your needs today, and now it is up to them to decide if they care or not. The charges filed with the NLRB are continuing to move forward, and we expect to see decisions in the near future.

Don’t forget to be safe at work, and follow all the rules and policies – we still believe Hytek will look for opportunities to intimidate you, and use it to take away our momentum.

Today we received three new applications for membership – we appreciate this trust and commitment to each other. We will continue to fight for you, and need your support.

In Solidarity
Your Negotiating Team

Update 4-23-12

We just finished meeting with the company representatives, and although there was substantive discussion on your issues, there are still major concerns.  We are close on several articles of the contract, but the lack of respect that Hytek has for your efforts are still clouding any real progress.

Today, we discussed the wage research that the company uses to determine your wages.  In discussion, we discovered that your Human Resource department uses comparisons from toy, furniture and pottery painters, as well as people who use rollers to paint bridges, in order to come up with a value for the painters who perform under critical specifications of the aerospace industry.  Even under intense questioning, HR defended the position by saying “those jobs require the same level of detail that we use at Hytek”.

We couldn’t agree less! 

They might as well just survey their facebook friends to make their decisions.  If we are going to use actual data (from Washington State Employment Security Department, and other sources) we can’t mix groups that have nothing to do with your work – just because it helps lower your pay.

We know why HR wants to use those unrelated job codes, they pay roughly $5.00 per hour less – because they don’t require the skills that are used to deliver high quality parts to your customers.

There are five classifications listed on the Washington State Employment Security Department, that address those who paint.  One of those occupations is for fine art painters (portrait and art stuff), we are assuming that this classification does not apply to the work done at Hytek, so we are not including it in the matrix below.

Of the four other classifications, Hytek says they use three of them to average and come up with your pay.  Take a peek at the actual language on the state website – see if you can find three of these classifications that apply to the work you do.  To be honest, there is only one that is remotely close – see if you can spot it.

Click here to view Painters data

Join us Saturday, at the Holiday Inn in Kent for a group meeting.  We will begin at 10:00 AM, and expect to be done about noon.

In Solidarity
Your Negotiating Team

Update 4-18-12

We are scheduled for negotiations on April 23rd and we will continue to argue on your behalf and ask that you follow the rules, directives and be very safe in the workplace as the company's recent behaviors appears to be escalating.

On negotiations - We will continue to meet with the company. Although not as productive as we all would like, we are discussing economics and working conditions but there is a huge difference of opinion on your value and the level of risk you take every day.

During these frustrating times, you're still expected to do your job but we are concerned with what appears to be an increased level of discipline. As a reminder, please keep us informed of all discussions or documents you are given that could lead to any form of discipline or harassment. Also don't forget your Weingarten rights that any discussion with management that you feel could lead to discipline, gives you the right to insist on representation at the meeting. The company doesn't have to agree it can lead to discipline, the right is yours to invoke.

In Solidarity

Your Negotiating Team

Takeover rumor lifts Esterline shares 10 percent Friday

Shares of Bellevue-based Esterline, a conglomerate of aerospace and defense systems manufacturers, rose more than 10 percent Friday on reports in the British press that several large aerospace defense companies are preparing bids to acquire the company for as much as $95 a share.
By Dominic Gates

Seattle Times aerospace reporter
Read more...

print .pdf of article here

Update March 22nd 2012

Roughly 200 Machinists Union members from all over Puget Sound came to Kent on March 21 to stage an informational picket in support of their Union Brothers and Sisters at Hytek Finishes.

They did it to send two messages. To the company, they said “give your workers a fair contract, with better safety, wages and benefits.”

And to the new Machinists Union members working there, the message was direct: “We got your backs, and we ain’t leaving till we get this done, together.”

Hytek is a subsidiary of Esterline Corp., based in Bellevue, Wash. It markets itself as a high-skill, high-value supplier to aerospace industry customers like Boeing, Lockheed and Bell Helicopters. Hytek is an important supplier for the Pentagon’s Joint Strike Fighter program.

The work done by the Hytek Machinists is important. They finish and plate metal aircraft parts so that they perform better and last longer.

The work is also hazardous. The Machinists at Hytek routinely handle more than 100 toxic and/or cancer-causing materials, with only minimal protective equipment.

The work is profitable for Esterline, which says its on track for a record year in 2012. Yet the Hytek Machinists make little more than half the market rate for manufacturing workers in Washington state.

And despite the obvious health risks at Hytek, the company offers a substandard medical benefit that can cost up to $7,200 out of pocket each year – which is beyond the reach of many of Hytek’s low-wage workers.

Machinists Union members who work at Boeing and other aerospace companies think their Brothers and Sisters at Hytek deserve better. They want the Hytek workers to know that you’ve got 31,000 fellow union workers willing and able to help you, should push come to shove.

We’ve been here before, and we can help you through it. Stand strong, stand together and stand with us as we fight to improve the quality of life for you and your families.

Update March 12th

The average pay at Hytek is $16.67 an hour; that is roughly half the average pay for manufacturing workers in Washington state, which is $31.15.  It is also 72% of the average wage for people working in warehouses.  You deserve better!  When you consider the risks and safety hazards associated with your work, you should not be taken for granted the way you are.

The average pay at Hytek is also about 40 percent lower than the average pay for working people in King County, which is $28.35  Hytek can do better – especially at a time when Esterline profits are up, and they can find buckets of money to hire law firms to fight you.

The average Washington state worker makes $23.20 an hour- fifty percent more than the average worker at Hytek (and the average worker doesn’t deal with the hazards of your job).

So … clearly Hytek workers are underpaid by both industry and community standards.

Here’s a link to the data source. (It’s updated quarterly and this is the most-recent available)

https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata/docs/industry-reports/qcew-2011-q2.pdf

In solidarity,

Kevin Cummings
IAM Grand Lodge Representative
Alaska, Montana, Oregon and Washington

Update March 7th

Seattle Times
Machinists file labor complaint against Esterline's Hytek unit

The International Association of Machinists union said Tuesday it filed a federal labor law complaint last month against Hytek Finishes of Kent, a subsidiary of Bellevue-based aerospace conglomerate Esterline.
Read Article...

Update March 6th

Here is the latest news from the bargaining table. We just passed a proposal on economics to the company, and they said they are not budging – they are actually talking about regressing to their previous offer (which was pretty bad, about the same as the current offer).

The IAM made significant movement in our proposal today, and Hytek is refusing to respond. They are currently in a caucus, discussing what we handed them – but before they left the room, they said they were not inclined to adjust their economics.

In fact – Hytek said they “already pay the highest in the industry (a lie) and can’t compete with Boeing – or should I say, we won’t compete with Boeing!”

The facts are that Hytek is paying about 60% of what Boeing pays for the same work, and Boeing has better benefits and working conditions. Boeing outsourced most of this work because of the hazardous conditions required to do the processing. Hytek UPPER mgmt. has been heard to say that Hytek charges the most in the industry, because Hytek does the best work – that means that YOU do the best work. Now is the time for them to thank you.

It appears that the expensive lawyer at the table is determined for all the other lawyers to make money, instead of letting Hytek provide that money to you!

Update March 3rd

The IAM is very encouraged by the large number of spirited members that showed up to our meetings Thursday. Your energy and commitment are the key to getting Hytek to realize their arrogance isn't going to work.

"The meetings were fantastic. In total, the meetings were about nine hours of sharing and discussing next steps" said Kevin Cummings - lead negotiator for the IAM. "We talked about every section of the contract proposal, the charges filed with the NLRB, the concerns over the recent chemical incident, and the disrespect that Hytek continues to display."

The IAM meets with the company on Tuesday to continue negotiations. The strength of the members will determine whether they get a contract worthy of the risks they take on the job, and the dedication they show everyday.

Jesse Cote, lead organizer for IAM 751 said, "it was really good to feel the power and solidarity from each meeting. Hytek workers deserve better than they are getting, and all 31,000 DL 751 members, along with 700,000 across N America are standing with them".

"The message was loud and clear, the members are tired of the favoritism and disrespect" said Cummings. "We will keep fighting their total disrespect for those who work there".

The members were reminded to follow the workplace rules and policies, because there is concern that Hytek will try to make an example out of disciplining someone.

Everyone left the meetings with lifted hearts and renewed commitment.
Kevin Cummings
GLR Western Territory

Updated March 2nd with more comments click here

For You -

When you joined the Machinists Union, you joined a fellowship of more than 31,000 working people much like yourselves in District 751, and more than 700,000 workers across North America.  They have all been through difficult contract talks with Boeing and other employers. We asked a few of them what words of advice they’d have for you, and this is what they said:

TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTER AT HYTEK FINISHES:

NEGOTIATIONS FOR A GOOD CONTRACT ARE SELDOM EASYAND SOMETIMES PAINFUL. BUT YOU MUST REMEMBER IF YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING THEN IT IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR. YOU ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE IAM FIGHTING FOR YOUR CAUSE, YOU COULD OF HAD A WEAK PARTNER IN THIS BATTLE. SELDOM IS THERE A GOOD TIME TO WITHHOLD ONES WORK BUT YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE IAM STAND WITH YOU AND BESIDE YOU IN THIS...read more

For Previous Updates to this Web Site Archived March 2nd 2012 Click Here