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From the Presidents Desk
Hugh Bowen
I would like to welcome all our new stewards and take this opportunity to thank all the stewards from this past year for all their hard work and dedication. It was great to see so many stewards at the December membership meeting. Please continue to attend these monthly meetings. Your attendance is important and part of your job as steward.
We have been very busy here at the union hall in preparation for the December arbitration cases. I know that some of you have been frustrated at being unable to talk to John or I when you need help, but the work involved on preparing for these cases has been very time consuming. We are working on a record number of grievances and I don t see that decreasing in the near future. It is something different to get used to as we are accustomed to being able to handle problems right in the plant or on a local level in the past. With different management now, we can look forward to continuing with record numbers of grievances and arbitration cases.
The bargaining committee also has on their agenda the upcoming negotiations for the re-opener. The local level of negotiations is scheduled to begin on January 3,2000. In addition to these negotiations, the company has asked that we consider changes in the Hose department and the current language regarding a seven-day
operation. They have also asked that they be allowed to waive the seven-day language that requires a return to a five-day operation in the event of a ticket reduction if they were to go to seven-day operation in the Banbury. In Short-V s, they are experiencing a product reduction, but they insist that nothing has been moved to Mexico yet. We are trying to understand where those orders went.
At the GDC, we have been approached by management for changes in the current agreement. Because this newsletter is not read by just our members, we cannot go into those requests specifically. I would just like to remind everyone again, that any change involving our current agreement or contract language would require a vote by the entire membership. Any change to the work schedule or work agreements must be voted on by you.
The sub-fund continues to climb upward. The number of people collecting sub pay in Gadsden has decreased greatly. While we hope that this improvement is a trend, it is important to remember that it could change at any time. Our International has requested that corporate continue to monitor the fund on a weekly basis through the holidays. Normally a sub-fund over 10% is monitored monthly. Because of its past unstable behavior, they agreed to continue weekly reports for the time being.
Many areas of the plant are planning short workweeks until the end of the year plus scheduled out days for some of our members. Enjoy the extra time off during the holidays.I would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year.
Thoughts from the Vice President
John Shotkoski
On November 27th, I went to Seattle, Washington, to attend a rally to oppose the World Trade Organization (WTO). While traveling, a few thoughts were going through my mind: 1) What can the small percentage of union people in the United States do to
influence the WTO? And , 2.) What will a small number of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) members be able to say to change the public's mind? And 3.) Are union workers being selfish only to protect decent paying jobs?
We arrived in Tacoma the day before the conference started. I took a cab ride to look at some sites in Tacoma. During the ride, I saw a tremendous amount of logs to be processed into lumber. My comment to the cab driver was, Wow, it looks like they are processing lumber for the people who were hit by the hurricanes earlier this year.
The driver informed me that most of the mills were shut down and they are shipping the logs overseas to be processed. There were loads and loads of logs and the driver said that there is shipload after shipload leaving the ports. Further down the street, I saw a parking lot as big as downtown Havelock filled with foreign cars being shipped in on a daily basis. This is where my blood began to boil. Not only are they shutting down our jobs here in the USA, they are shipping in products to eliminate our jobs.
Early Sunday morning, the USWA held an all day conference and told us of some of the things that go on in Mexico and other countries. For example, in Mexico, if you even hint that you may want to have your pay or working conditions improved by starting a union or any other means, you are fired and put on a blackball list for all companies to use. In the Third World countries, they hire mainly females between the ages of 16 to 25 and have them live onsite, with no privacy, very low pay and work them 16 hours a day. These people are only given two drinks of water and two bathroom breaks in a twelve or sixteen hour day. After they turn around twenty-five years of age, they are terminated because they are considered too old. This reminded me of what corporate business did to our people in the early 1900's.
When we went to Seattle early Monday morning, we had more people talk to us about what the WTO is trying to do to the world. We had representative Maxine Waters from California and Paul Wellstone from Minnesota, who were also overwhelmed at what is happening. The WTO made a statement that they will make laws or rules that overrule our federal, stale and local laws or rules.
We then marched past the headquarters where the WTO was supposed to meet. It was encouraging to see all the different interest groups who joined our march.
Tuesday, when we assembled for our big march, I was really enthused to see the religious people, the environmentalists, the
farmers and the foreign groups that joined the rally. There were over 50,000 of us walking the streets of Seattle. It was a special sight to see retirees who could hardly walk join our march.
I am hopeful that the feeling we all felt of coming together at the rally and march in Seattle spreads throughout the USA, Canada and all Countries. We are tired of the corporate world treating labor, farmers, teachers, etc., like second-class citizens - all for the almighty dollar today - not thinking of the future in any way, shape or form.
I would like to ask everyone to always ask for American-Made products in the places you shop. I did that at Gateway Western and the clerk said with a smile, oh you must be one of those union workers. It made me feel good for the fact that other people must have already asked.
We need to also boycott some of the places and products that violate some of the things that we preach about. A couple of these places and products could be Wal-Mart and Sam's Club - the biggest offenders of paying their employees a fair wage. They grew their franchise on the slogan, we sell American made items." A check was made by experts that show only 10-12 percent of their clothes are Made in the USA" and around 16 percent of their other lines are manufactured here. Nike has well under $10 in costs in their shoes when they are put on the shelf. Kathy Lee Gifford items are made both in sweatshops and in the USA, and are selling for the same price in the stores. Is labor the big item - or is it greed?
What we need to do is to let our leaders know that we are tired of being put further behind in our ability to raise a family, educate our children and have a decent retirement in our old age. Voice your opinions by phone calls, letters or in person.
In closing, I want to thank the union for the opportunity to attend this conference. I hope it is the beginning of history being made.Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
News from your Secretary and P&I Rep.
Sally Edwards
From the Pension and Insurance Office
Accident and Sickness Benefits
Eligibility
Benefits are payable if you are disabled due to a pregnancy, non-occupational accident or sickness and are under the personal care of a doctor licensed to practice medicine.
If disability is due to an accident, benefits will be payable from the first day of disability.
If disability is due to a sickness or pregnancy, benefits will be payable from the eighth day of disability.
Benefits will also be payable from the first day of hospital confinement if occurring prior to the eighth day of disability or on the first day of surgery for which a benefit is payable under the Program, providing the employee has not worked on the day of the surgery.
Benefits will also be payable from the day of Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) if occurring prior to the eighth day, providing surgery is performed not later than the fourth day following the day of PAT as long as the employee is disabled on the day prior to PAT. Should the results of PAT indicate that surgery is not necessary or that surgery must be postponed beyond the fourth day following the day of PAT for medical reasons, benefits will be paid beginning with the day of PAT.
Benefits will be paid for the duration of the disability up to a maximum of 52 weeks for each period of disability.I wish you Peace and Happiness at Christmas time and always.
Sally Edwards
Pension & Insurance Representative
In The Editors Opinion
Ucinda Sims
Just what is in that big box under your Christmas tree? Is it just what you wanted? Is it just what you needed? Is it just what you asked for?
It is actually amazing that we still possess the ability to find such joy in presents and garland and decorated trees and tinsel and jolly fat men in red suits. We receive so many gifts on a daily basis that is seems it would be really easy to become accustomed to getting.
Our family and our friends are gifts. Our health is a gift. Our ability to pick ourselves up and carry on is a gift. The joy we find in a small accomplishment or a great success is a valuable gift. Our willingness to give is a gift. The lessons learned from each life experience should be valued as a great gift. And our ability to love and be loved may be the greatest gift of all.
So go now and enjoy this holiday with your family and friends. ~e happy, safe and warm. Celebrate your joys. Celebrate your gifts.Happy and Joyous Holidays
Ucinda Sims, Editor
Community Services Committee
Milt Schmidt
Tis the Season... For Thank you
I would like to thank each volunteer for their help with ringing bells at Hy-Vee on December 11 Also many thanks to those of you able to help with the Lincoln Action Program/Santa Cop gift distribution. Your help insures that everything possible is done to see that all Lincoln kids get at least one gift this Christmas.
Giving seems easier at this time of year, but thank you is still appreciated, so I would like to share some thank you notes with you. I received a thank you note from the Malone Center in gratitude for the trucks and people we sent to help with their Thanksgiving Basket Program.
I also received a thank you letter from the ARC of Lincoln/Lancaster County. The Honey Bears raise $15,000 for them. The personal note attached recognized us as their champion honey seller.
All of you make these things possible.Thank you to all of you.
Mill Schmidt
Community Services Committee
Retiree’s Corner
Officers of the Retiree's Club
President Jerry Teichmeir, Vice Pres. William Ellsworth, Secretary Marge Lahodny Tresurer Jim Landstrom
HAPPY HOLiDAYS
FROM THE LOCAL 286 RETIREES CLUBStarting the New Millennium Out Right..Retired
The following members retired in 1999. We wish them all good luck,
good times, and great success. Congratulations on a job well done.
Dorothy Flackman Richard Olson
Allen Cramer Robert Martin
Margie Smolik Stan Fraley
Charles Dickinson Aulden Stewart
Helmut Reiss Clift Sturdy
Jerald Joura John Vlcek
Alvin Kreldl Gilbert Phillips
Marge Stubbendeck Charles Robinson
Henry Rappl Ken Hawthorne
Joyce Neemafl Joan Miers
Jerry Rapp Dale Baker
Wayne Kubitz Ralph Snell
Margaret Wurtz Robert Grant
Waneta Bales BarbaraJean Smith
Sylvan BalesIf anyone has been omitted from this list, we apologize.
And know that our well wishes are for you too.
Get Cookin’The new Goodyear Cookbooks are now available. If you would like to have one, they are for sale at the Union Hall. They make great Christmas gifts, too. Price is $12.00 each. Come in today and get yours.
Start the New Century with a Win!
The 2000 Nebraska State AFL-CIO Calendars are available now at the Union Hall. Monies generated by the sale of these calendars are used to support the educational/scholarship fund. If you would like to purchase one and get your name in the drawing for next year, please stop by and get one today.
Congratulations to the December winners from Local 286 in the Nebraska AFL-CIO Calendar raffle. This months winners are and last one's for 1999 !
Bruce Baker, Gary Floyd, Sharon Sarringer, Phil Snook, Reggie Bloebaum, Larry Laws
There are only a few days left and a few calendars left for 2000. Get your chance to win for next year now.