The Merck axe has hit the union at WP!!

[Anonymous]

Individuals of the USW have been given their notice of lay off on Wednesday at the West Point facility, with many more to come. This is bad news, since many of the affected areas are in "Big Money" buildings. There is no single person or group you can blame for this lay off (IMO), so when u see the people that make these great drugs getting booted to the street, you KNOW there is a bigger problem. Merck Corporate loves to bash the union for all sorts of things, but never-the-less.... they make good stuff. The resentment is high even within the ranks as well.... For example, You see new fresh eager faces off the street with 4-yr degrees placed on a sat-wed 3rd shift at 33% less than their counterparts and when the axe comes swinging they are the first to go. Why are you chopping off the educated, cheaper, eager workers? And throw on top that many of the premium shifts and highest paid biotechs DO NOT have any degrees (most of them were service workers... toilet scrubbers usually out on FMLA). So what should Mother Merck do? Simple, you can still follow all seniority starting with the older techs with 4yr science degrees and you have the FDA set a mandate stating that anyone who works with the product needs a 4 yr science degree (which is now a great requirement to become a biotech)... PERIOD! Kick out the 6-classers, sluggs and FMLA Hoggs and set new standards. The 6 classers weezled through a loop hole anyway. Send the Pain in the butts back to waxing floors and then welcome in the new union folks with new fresh ideas that will take their places. That will save mother Merck a lot of money, get rid of some fat and then the company can go chase its tail in circles somewhere else. You see.... in a few minutes I saved Merck a ton of Money and hassle and stuck to the guidelines of the contract!

 

[Anonymous]

It's funny when someone criticizes someone else's education when they can barely read and write.

 

[Anonymous]

In some areas, the union workers were very hard to manage. My friend was a union supervisor in the sterile unit and literally had a stroke because of the stress.

Also remember that WP did not manufacture the greatest stuff when then have been issued numerous warning letters and 483's. Just for comparison, the manufacturing plant in Wilson, NC has not had a single warning letter!

I have heard stories that would curl your stomach, so I think it may be best for a fresh start.

 

[Anonymous]

It's the union's own rule that allows senior people to pass down their layoff to less experienced workers. You must not have been there long or read your own rules. How else do you think these lazy POS long timers keep outrunning the ax? They have it in the contract - they're like roaches and will the very last to go.

 

[Anonymous]

Individuals of the USW have been given their notice of lay off on Wednesday at the West Point facility, with many more to come. This is bad news, since many of the affected areas are in "Big Money" buildings. There is no single person or group you can blame for this lay off (IMO), so when u see the people that make these great drugs getting booted to the street, you KNOW there is a bigger problem. Merck Corporate loves to bash the union for all sorts of things, but never-the-less.... they make good stuff. The resentment is high even within the ranks as well.... For example, You see new fresh eager faces off the street with 4-yr degrees placed on a sat-wed 3rd shift at 33% less than their counterparts and when the axe comes swinging they are the first to go. Why are you chopping off the educated, cheaper, eager workers? And throw on top that many of the premium shifts and highest paid biotechs DO NOT have any degrees (most of them were service workers... toilet scrubbers usually out on FMLA). So what should Mother Merck do? Simple, you can still follow all seniority starting with the older techs with 4yr science degrees and you have the FDA set a mandate stating that anyone who works with the product needs a 4 yr science degree (which is now a great requirement to become a biotech)... PERIOD! Kick out the 6-classers, sluggs and FMLA Hoggs and set new standards. The 6 classers weezled through a loop hole anyway. Send the Pain in the butts back to waxing floors and then welcome in the new union folks with new fresh ideas that will take their places. That will save mother Merck a lot of money, get rid of some fat and then the company can go chase its tail in circles somewhere else. You see.... in a few minutes I saved Merck a ton of Money and hassle and stuck to the guidelines of the contract!

WP is 10% of the global workforce. The union is 1% of WP. You think this great idea is going to save the company, or your own arse?

 

[Anonymous]

In some areas, the union workers were very hard to manage. My friend was a union supervisor in the sterile unit and literally had a stroke because of the stress.

Also remember that WP did not manufacture the greatest stuff when then have been issued numerous warning letters and 483's. Just for comparison, the manufacturing plant in Wilson, NC has not had a single warning letter!

I have heard stories that would curl your stomach, so I think it may be best for a fresh start.

That's because they are not making anything yet.

 

[Anonymous]

My limited experiences were:

1. Touring the vaccine plant where several younger workers were busily packing and carrying boxes around while the supervisor say, legs crossed, reading magazines. All of a sudden he realized we were all staring at him.

2. All the silly rules like you cannot move a table 6" to the right or left and a work order is to be issued. If you move a table they will file a grievance/complaint.

3. Younger guy delivering interoffice and outside mail with a dolly while supervised by a senior guy. Reminds me of a Merck manager doing nothing, contribute nothing, and getting in your way.

 

[Anonymous]

Individuals of the USW have been given their notice of lay off on Wednesday at the West Point facility, with many more to come. This is bad news, since many of the affected areas are in "Big Money" buildings. There is no single person or group you can blame for this lay off (IMO), so when u see the people that make these great drugs getting booted to the street, you KNOW there is a bigger problem. Merck Corporate loves to bash the union for all sorts of things, but never-the-less.... they make good stuff. The resentment is high even within the ranks as well.... For example, You see new fresh eager faces off the street with 4-yr degrees placed on a sat-wed 3rd shift at 33% less than their counterparts and when the axe comes swinging they are the first to go. Why are you chopping off the educated, cheaper, eager workers? And throw on top that many of the premium shifts and highest paid biotechs DO NOT have any degrees (most of them were service workers... toilet scrubbers usually out on FMLA). So what should Mother Merck do? Simple, you can still follow all seniority starting with the older techs with 4yr science degrees and you have the FDA set a mandate stating that anyone who works with the product needs a 4 yr science degree (which is now a great requirement to become a biotech)... PERIOD! Kick out the 6-classers, sluggs and FMLA Hoggs and set new standards. The 6 classers weezled through a loop hole anyway. Send the Pain in the butts back to waxing floors and then welcome in the new union folks with new fresh ideas that will take their places. That will save mother Merck a lot of money, get rid of some fat and then the company can go chase its tail in circles somewhere else. You see.... in a few minutes I saved Merck a ton of Money and hassle and stuck to the guidelines of the contract!

The 6 class thing was not a loophole - Merck made a conscious decision to lower the standards for their workforce.

If you're a brilliant degreed tech and you have great ideas to change things, leave the union.

 

[Anonymous]

The union has been a pain in the side of WP management for years. Mommie dearest is going to fix the problem by shifting all vaccine production to union-free NC and other non-union sites and close WP in the next few years. No WP -no union. ta da!

 

[Anonymous]

The union has been a pain in the side of WP management for years. Mommie dearest is going to fix the problem by shifting all vaccine production to union-free NC and other non-union sites and close WP in the next few years. No WP -no union. ta da!

Yes, but Durham is a bigger disaster than WP.

 

[Anonymous]

My limited experiences were:

1. Touring the vaccine plant where several younger workers were busily packing and carrying boxes around while the supervisor say, legs crossed, reading magazines. All of a sudden he realized we were all staring at him.

2. All the silly rules like you cannot move a table 6" to the right or left and a work order is to be issued. If you move a table they will file a grievance/complaint.

3. Younger guy delivering interoffice and outside mail with a dolly while supervised by a senior guy. Reminds me of a Merck manager doing nothing, contribute nothing, and getting in your way.

Your Draconian points of view are inaccurate:
Interoffice mail was outsourced to non union contractors.
Your second point is absurd. Maybe that is how things were in the 80's and early 90's, but not now.

 

[Anonymous]

The union has been a pain in the side of WP management for years. Mommie dearest is going to fix the problem by shifting all vaccine production to union-free NC and other non-union sites and close WP in the next few years. No WP -no union. ta da!

The union runs production. Not unqualified right out of school overpaid pencil pushers.

 

[Anonymous]

The union has been a pain in the side of WP management for years. Mommie dearest is going to fix the problem by shifting all vaccine production to union-free NC and other non-union sites and close WP in the next few years. No WP -no union. ta da!

NC is to increase capacity and production. Stop your lying fear and mongering.

 

[Anonymous]

WP is 10% of the global workforce. The union is 1% of WP. You think this great idea is going to save the company, or your own arse?

That sounds like the biggest piece of bs I ever heard - 1% of WP is union. It is higher than that jumbo.

I hope you dont work in stats or accounting.

 

[Anonymous]

NC is to increase capacity and production. Stop your lying fear and mongering.

I meant "Stop your lying and fear mongering". Just beating you to the punch.

 

[Anonymous]

That sounds like the biggest piece of bs I ever heard - 1% of WP is union. It is higher than that jumbo.

I hope you dont work in stats or accounting.

Around 12,000 currently at WP. The union the OP is referencing has about 1600. These numbers are accurate (for now). YOU don't know your facts!

 

[Anonymous]

It's the union's own rule that allows senior people to pass down their layoff to less experienced workers. You must not have been there long or read your own rules. How else do you think these lazy POS long timers keep outrunning the ax? They have it in the contract - they're like roaches and will the very last to go.

Seniority rules! Plain and simple.

 

[Anonymous]

WP is 10% of the global workforce. The union is 1% of WP. You think this great idea is going to save the company, or your own arse?

If you knew the materials/batches wasted because of poor workmanship and the fines from the warning letters and 483's, it is A LOT more than just salary. This is destroying company property--raw and active materials.

 

[Anonymous]

That's because they are not making anything yet.

They're not allowed. Think McNeil.

 

[Anonymous]

The union has been a pain in the side of WP management for years. Mommie dearest is going to fix the problem by shifting all vaccine production to union-free NC and other non-union sites and close WP in the next few years. No WP -no union. ta da!

Yep...just like Wilson. Can you blame them?