Memorial Day

Dear fellow handlers, 

On Monday May 27th, we pause as a nation to honor and remember the heroic men and women who served bravely to protect our freedom and lost their lives in service to our country. We are all eternally in their debt for the sacrifice they've made.

Negotiations have begun to move forward with MSA. Earlier this month, we spent several hours with MSA's representatives and attorneys discussing proposals to improve working conditions for the handlers. The proposals included $35 an hour for all handlers, the reinstatement of the expense stipend with an eventual increase to $1000 a month, and guaranteed shelter and breaks for EDC teams at every post. We are fighting hard to make management realize that you are the face of MSA, you are the ones keeping MSA's contracts alive, and you are the ones keeping them in business!

In addition, we've been getting reports across the countries of field supervisors inventing new policies and rules and disciplining handlers for violating them. When your MSA supervisors invent mysterious unwritten rules, always ask where it is written, when it was enacted, and who enacted it? Then call us! These imaginary rules and policies do nothing but demoralize the men and women who work so proudly next to their EDCs and the only way to stop it is to hold those doing it accountable.

In closing, I would like to extend my appreciation to each and every MSA employee who has served or currently served in the United States Armed Forces. God bless you and God bless America.

Bill Beaury and your Union team.