News
Newsletter Articles
Last Updated on Friday, 05 March 2010 13:41 Written by Administrator Friday, 04 September 2009 11:42
March 1, 2010
Hometown Heroes Bowling Tournament Donates to Women Veterans Program
March 1, 2010 – The 8th annual Hometown Heroes Bowling Tournament, sponsored by the UE Local 506 Sports Committee, raised $7,454 for Erie VA’s Women Veterans Program on Sunday, February 28, 2010.
The proceeds went to benefit local women Veterans by providing funding for care that goes above and beyond health care needs including a Celebration of Women Veterans event, baby gift baskets for local pregnant women Veterans, health education materials, and outreaches as well as support of homeless women Veterans.
More than 145 bowlers, a record number of participants, came out to Eastway Lanes on Buffalo Road for a little competition to support this cause.
“We love to bowl and it is even better when we are doing it to help local Veterans,” says Mike Callaghan, a local fire fighter and Veteran who bowled with a team from the fire station. “They’re Veterans. Period. Men and women, they all deserve community support for their service.”
Matt McCracken, Chairman of the UE local 506 Sports Committee at General Electric, believes supporting our Veterans is a community-wide effort that he says is a noble cause to support.
“Today’s military has changed and women Veterans are a growing population in the military and we are proud to support local women Veterans,” said Mccracken. “Partnering with Erie VA for the past eight years to make a difference in the lives of Veterans has been very rewarding.”
The UE Local 506 Sports Committee already signed up to host this event again next year. This committee also hosts a golf tournament each summer to raise money for Veterans. Last year’s golf tournament benefited Erie VA’s annual Welcome Home event held for local Veterans.
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December 14, 2009
Specter, Casey, Dahlkemper Advocate for Manufacturing Jobs in Upcoming Jobs Bill
Letter to Reid, Pelosi touts benefits of investing in domestic rail industry, including the retention of good-paying manufacturing jobs
WASHINGTON, DC- Today, U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, and Representative Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3) urged congressional leaders to support Amtrak’s request for $300 million in the upcoming job creation legislation for acquisition of next-generation, diesel-electric locomotives. The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, states that the funding will help to sustain the domestic rail industry during the current economic downturn as well as help to establish a stronger, greener passenger rail system.
“Amtrak is well positioned to play a major role in the ongoing effort to create jobs, bolster the domestic rail manufacturing industry, and strengthen our country's passenger rail service,” they wrote. “The replacement of older locomotives will meet national goals for securing the domestic manufacturing industry, as well as improving passenger rail safety, on-time reliability, fuel savings, and emissions reduction.”
The letter notes that the manufacturing industry continues to be one of the hardest hit by the economic downturn. The letter specifically references GE Transportation, an Erie-based company that announced layoffs of more than 1,600 employees in September. Should Congress allocate this funding for acquisition of locomotives, Amtrak will establish a competitive bid process through which funding will be awarded.
Full text of the letter follows.
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The Honorable Nancy Pelosi |
The Honorable Harry Reid Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
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Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid:
We write to support Amtrak’s request for $300 million in job creation legislation for the acquisition of new long haul, diesel-electric locomotives that will create and maintain nearly 2,000 green, good-paying, manufacturing jobs. This funding will also help sustain our domestic rail manufacturing industry during the current economic downturn and develop a more robust, reliable, and environmentally-friendly passenger rail system.
This initiative has great potential to create jobs through expanded opportunities for the manufacturing industry. The manufacturing industry continues to be one of the hardest hit by the economic downturn with a total of 2.1 million manufacturing jobs lost since 2007, including 41,000 jobs lost in December. Domestic rail manufacturing has had significant layoffs, which also threatens our ability to maintain this vital manufacturing base in the United States. For example, in September, GE Transportation announced layoffs of more than 1,600 employees, and we understand it faces further cuts should the industry continue to suffer.
Amtrak is well positioned to play a major role in the ongoing effort to create jobs, bolster the domestic rail manufacturing industry, and strengthen our country's passenger rail service. The replacement of older locomotives will meet national goals for securing the domestic manufacturing industry, as well as improving passenger rail safety, on-time reliability, fuel savings, and emissions reduction.
Given the importance of job creation to the manufacturing industry, we respectfully request inclusion of a specific set aside for Amtrak to procure long haul, diesel-electric locomotives.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Arlen Specter Robert P. Casey, Jr. Kathy Dahlkemper
U.S. Senator U.S. Senator Member of Congress
cc: The Honorable Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader
The Honorable Richard Durbin
The Honorable Byron Dorgan
The Honorable David Obey
UELOCAL 506 NEWS SUPPLEMENT
With all that’s going on in the Local, there wasn’t enough time to complete the UE Local 506 NEWS prior to the December 17, 2009 Membership meetings. We decided instead to have this leaflet serve as a reminder of the upcoming meetings. The next UE Local 506 NEWS will be distributed in January of 2010.
Chief Stewards Elections To Be Held In January
Nominations for Divisional Chief Stewards will be held during the first three (3) regularly scheduled working days in January. Any member who has been a steward or alternate steward for at least one (1) year may be nominated and elected to this position. Refer to the Constitution and By-Laws of Local 506 for further Qualifications.
Special Election To Be Held
During the November Membership meetings, we learned that Denny McLaughlin and Bob Plonski have decided to move on and experience life after G.E. Denny served as our Vice Pres./Recording Sec. and Bob served as an E-Board Mem. At-Large. Because of these decisions, we will have nominations for these two positions during the December Membership Meetings and vote sometime in January. Those elected will serve until the next election in 2011. More details to come.
Eastern Regional Delegates Elected
During the November Membership Meetings, Matt McCracken, Roger Zaczyk, Cyndy Casey and Scott Duke were elected to serve as the (2010) Eastern Regional Delegates. Three members, Dave Chadwell Sr., Willie McDonald and John Milliron will serve as alternate delegates.
Confusion, Confusion And More Confusion
Due to the many situations that we are facing, there is bound to be some kind of confusion and some mistakes being made as we go through this difficult period. Please understand, that as we hear about some of these issues, we try to address them as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, for some, that is not fast enough. You must contact your Stewards or Chief Steward if you feel something is not proper. They have been keeping a very watchful eye and it will take the effort of all of us to make sure that situations are handled correctly.
Just a Reminder
Because of the number of employees who retired, we are back-logged here at the Union hall and we are doing our very best to issue your Strike Defense Fund Refund Checks. We are just completing the month of October and they should have arrived by now. Calling or showing up at the Union Hall will not expedite this process any faster. We must receive your official paperwork from the company.
LAC Meeting will be held on January 6th at 3:15 P.M.
Printed By Local 506 December 10th, 2009