New contract proposal and my thoughts...

It usually takes a lot to really set me of, but today is one of those days!!!
See, two years ago my bargaining union had to vote on a proposal to go from hourly employee with overtime benefits to salary. Back than some of the roughly 170 members of our bargaining union worked a lot of overtime having to go to night meetings and having crush times during budget time which required more than 14 + hours a day. The salary part was "sold" to us that although we no longer qualify for overtime we would have the professional freedom of working our own hours as long as the work gets done, f. ex. staying late for a few weeks and than taking a few hours here and there to make up for all the extra hours. In addition our team was given a performance bonus based on how you performed throughout the year but with them emphasis on working above and beyond your job duties. Although I was against the salary status and bonus, the majority of our bargaining union voted for it.
I somehow knew that there were problems arising that not everyone had thought of when the salary part was sold to us as follows: "You only have to account for full days (absent or present), and if you come in for 2 hours, you do not have to mark it on your time sheet. Most people already knew that that was not possible, since they had to be there for customer contact, or for meeting or simply to get the regular work done. However, that was the language used to sell us the contract.
One week ago we got a new proposal. The proposal is as follows:
* Each member gets an additional two non cashable days
* The following language will be added to our contract:
So far it reads: You only have to account for FULL days of absences
Contract proposal would read: You have to account for full days of absences if you are not showing up to work and for 1/2 days if you work less than 4.5 hours.

I don't think I remember one day in my entire work history that I have worked less than 4.5 hours, not to mention that I only use the flexibility benefit if I have a doctors appointment that I can not schedule during off time or after hours. So I most likely would not directly be affected by this contract change if voted for, but and here is the BIG BUT, I am stunned and it boggles my mind that members would seriously think of all of a sudden making changes to a language that was the selling point of our contract when going from hourly to salary. I don't abuse the contract, I don't leave before working my full 9 hours day, BUT I would currently have the freedom to leave early once I have my work done and in case I had an emergency or any situation that would require me to leave work after a few hours. In addition I know that if I am required to work longer hours, I no longer get overtime or accrue off time. So it just seems fair that you have the flexibility originally promised versus putting in long hours during crunsh times.
This new proposal appears to me as if we have a status between salary and hourly but dont get the flexibility that was originally promised and no longer get overtime that hourly employees get.
Now, I am a responsible worker... as I mentioned before...
The language was proposed to us since 10 out of 170 members apparently abuse the system. Quite frankly.... sounds more like a management problem than a bargaining union issue to me. If the work doesn't get done a manager should talk to the employee and if that doesn't help lower the performance bonus, etc.
But no! Instead of going back to the 10 who cause the problem this new proposal was given to us...
The feeling at the meeting was mixed.... some for it, others against it... not sure how the contract will be voted on....
But here are a few points from the people who are for this new proposal:
* Great, I dont work overtime, and I get two additional days, really dont care what was voted on 2 years ago
* I dont understand why you dont love the proposal... how could you vote down only having to work 25 hours weekly.
*
My take on it is as follows: First of all I do care what was voted on 2 years ago. It was the selling point and although I dont use it, it's what it is
Secondly, how could you possibly think that working 25 hours is going to be ok! It's not.. but this new proposal would restrict us in case of emergencies way more than the original contract.
See if I work 5 hours longer one evening due to a meeting or due to crunsh time and have a doctors appointment the next day that requires me to leave 5 hours earlier... you would think its all a wash... but with the new contract it's not any longer... with the new contract I would have to take 1/2 day vacation althought I did put in the hours required and even showed flexibility by staying longer!

The deal is, I have to account with 1/2 day vacation if I leave before having worked 4.5 hours. HOWEVER, I do not get 1/2 day back if I stay 4.5 hours longer or work in the evenings or on th weekends.
So how come people are only concerned about what best benefits them.... why don't they worry about some of the people who are required to work long hours or work on the weekend... why are they not worried about giving parts of a contract back that was the major selling point 2 years ago... because all of a sudden they get 2 additional days.... boggles my mind.
And YES, I WILL VOTE NOOOOOOOO on this proposal... not that I think it will help, but just because I strongly think that after we got sold the professional salary part with flexibility and only having to account for full days (although I dont really use it), it's the principle that after 2 years they want to take back what was the selling item. So what is next... going back to hourly but not getting overtime?
I am curious to see how this turns out... but for some reason I am having a real bad feeling!
And yes, some of you may roll their eyes since they do not have contracts or such, but just imagine you did have the privilege, wouldn't you want to keep what was originally promised? I don't abuse it, I put in my hours and more, and therefore I do not feel bad for saying this new proposal really stinks