UE Local 506 News

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS AND TIMES ARE:

Having just celebrated Labor Day we had a chance to reflect on Labors’ importance in the history of this country. Labor Unions took root in this country at a time when the average workday was 14 hours or longer and work conditions were deplorable.

As the movement grew, Labor fought and won seniority rights to protect workers from indiscriminant layoffs and other maladies of the "BAD" old days. They also won the shorter workweek and overtime pay for hours worked in excess of eight hours a day. Health Care benefits also became standard in union shops.

With a lot of blood, sweat, and bruises, our predecessors made the work place a lot safer and less stressful. That is the legacy their generations left. What will be our imprint on society? What legacy will we leave for our children and grandchildren? Since 2000, more than 3 million good paying manufacturing jobs have left this country, 45 million people no longer have health care coverage, many senior citizens are forced to choose between food, utilities, or prescription drugs. And the news only gets worse, the present administration now wants to repeal the overtime provisions for eight million low paid workers, and if successful, you can be assured these attacks will expand.

Despite the current administration’s all out assault on workers rights and their desire to expand job-eroding "Free Trade" policies, we do have time to change the end of this story, not a lot of time, but enough.

The " Winds of Change" have already started! Rallies and marches are taking place all over this country in an effort to shift the current destructive course we’re on. These types of events and demonstrations will build with intensity over the next 15 months leading up to the November 2004 Presidential Elections.

During that time your 506/618 LAC will be distributing leaflets to keep you up to date on current issues and activities planned locally. Please take the time to read them. The bottom line is only 35% of the population votes. If we want a better world for our children and grandchildren that number must become at least 80%. Get involved. Be informed, and Vote for the candidate that best represents how you feel on the issues.

Kitchen’s Kabinet September 2003

We have 121 grievances filed YTD compared to approximately 140 this time last year. Since last month, six additional grievances were submitted to the Hall. Several of those concern management working bargaining unit jobs. Some in particular grieved the company use of engineers to perform test development work in Bldg. 63. Grievances over the continuing use of frames manufactured in China were also submitted. We are trying to schedule a Step II Grievance meeting to continue to whittle down our caseload.

You may have noticed in last month’s paper, we have scheduled Stewards classes for October 21, 23, 28^th and the 30^th. There will be classes set for 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd shifts.

Shortly, the Chief Stewards will be distributing sign up forms and asking Stewards for suggestions on issues or topics of interest stewards would like to have covered in the classes. So far we will set time aside for new contract related items such as language and benefits. The classes will also cover the preparation and processing of grievances. Stewards are encouraged to sign up. The classes have been informative, educational and fun.

Your delegation recently returned from the Union’s National Convention held in Pittsburgh and it proved to be one of the more interesting conventions in memory. The atmosphere was one where workers, from all across the country, showed they were really ticked off because of the treatment they’ve been receiving at the hands of politicians and employers alike. Not that we’ve been treated all that well in the past, but because the attacks on workers have escalated, the new level of anger and the desire to do something to make a difference was clearly evident.

One of the speakers at the Convention was Leo Gerrard, president of the Steelworkers. Mr. Gerrard summed it up something like this " If you don’t go to work everyday and something going on in this world that affects you isn’t pissing you off, then you must not be alive". I for one could not agree more. Listening to the news cannot help but get your blood boiling. We have the highest unemployment rate in a decade due in part to the fact that we have lost the most manufacturing jobs in any one year since the 1950’s.

Our politicians have not addressed this. Instead they offer more free trade agreements as a resolution. We see gas prices ranging from $1.40 a gallon in Texas (surprise, surprise) to well over $2.00 a gallon in California - Prices they say will come down sometime in October, just in time to jack up the price for the heating season fuels.

The government wants to offer a drug plan for seniors but only if they opt out of Medicare and get into a private insurance plan of sort, all this in an effort to crumble Medicare. The president, by executive order, also wants to exclude upwards of 8 million workers from receiving overtime pay by rewriting the rules.

These are only a few of the bad things happening to us. Some of you may feel this has nothing to do with the day to day struggles in the shop, however what goes on outside eventually works its way inside and therefore we all need to take an interest.

Remember - Stewards’ classes October 21, 23, 28, and 30^th, sign-up sheets out soon.

FORMER OFFICER TOM BROWN DIES

Tom Brown, long time leader of Local 506, died on Friday August 8, 2003. Tom served as Chief Steward of Building 64 from 1955 until his retirement in 1981. Previously, he served as Financial Secretary of the Local for 17 years. Tom also chaired the UE Local 506 Political Action Committee. He was a Trustee of the National UE, and a member of the District Six Executive Board.

Tom also had an extraordinary record of community service and charitable work. Tom served as Chairman of the CSF for 21 years. In 1972, Tom was the recipient of the Gerald L. Phillppe Award for Distinguished Public Service, the GEs highest recognition of community activity by an employee. In 1977, Tom was elected to the Erie School Board

Tom played an important role in holding Local 506 together in the 1950’s, when hostile forces where making an all out effort to destroy our Union. Tom fought alongside Jim Kennedy, John Nelson and the other great UE leaders of those times, and beat back the union busters.

When Tom retired the LOCAL 506 NEWS said this about Tom, " For well over 30 years, Brother Tom Brown has stood on the front lines of the struggle for a better life for working people, and for justice for the disadvantaged. His contributions will never be forgotten by the members of UE 506".

Delegates attending the 68th UE National Convention are still speaking with excitement over the proceedings this year. The theme for the Convention, expressed with the above graphic, honored the contributions UE working women made to our organization. That theme was carried throughout the Convention as it was reflected in many of the speeches, resolutions and special presentations.

The highlight of the Convention was the Woman’s Leadership Roundtable discussion held for all delegates on Tuesday night during Convention week. UE Education Director, Carol Lambiase, moderated the panel that consisted of Helen Quirini, co-author of "The Story of Local 301", Kate Buczek, former UE Organizer and Amy Newell, former UE Secretary Treasurer.

Helen Quirini explained the difficulty women in the workplace had to experience in the 1940s and 1950’s and the struggle against discrimination. Helen spoke of the rallies she and other women organized in Lynn, MA to begin the fight for equal rights. Through their determination and resolve to organize the first conference on problems of the working women in the United States, came a wage boost for thousands of women workers in Lynn, Erie and Schenectady.

Kate Buszek, a long-time resident of Erie, was the first UE woman organizer. Kate told the audience some of the difficulties of breaking in to what had been traditionally a job held by men. Kate spent most of her time organizing and servicing in the New York region in the 40’s and 50’s. Originally a writer for a Labor Newspaper, Kate was recognized for her abilities and asked to join the UE staff by past UE President Albert Fitzgerald.

Former UE National General Secretary Amy Newell, related stories from her experiences not only as the 1st woman to hold a national union office, but also from her experiences as a UE organizer in the 70’s and 80’s, especially as she tried to organize in the South.

In the final segment of the roundtable discussion, moderator Carol was recognized for her accomplishments as a former organizer and current UE Education Director. Following Carol’s remarks the floor was open to hear from others on the current struggle to advance rights of working women and to talk about the future. A number of woman delegates talked about why they were involved in the Union and a number of male delegates noted the contributions women made in encouraging their involvement. Referring to our Local, Patte Dillen was recognized for her contributions and for becoming the first woman to hold a Divisional Chief Stewards office in 506.

OFFICERS REPORTS

RECALLS AND HIRING tops our reports this month. As we’ve been reporting, a good number of our laid off brothers and sisters have been able to return to work through job creation and the SERO Replacement feature. But better news is on the horizon as the Company has notified the Union they will be hiring an additional 150 workers to meet their late 2003 and 2004 employment needs. That 150 number is above and beyond any anticipated hiring due to the SERO or the openings created before the announcement.

As of September 8, 2003, 34.787 years of PBS was needed to retiree through the 2003 SERO WINDOW. Just above fifty Local 506 members, who had applied, were eligible to go at that time. The final numbers will be determined when the Company knows how many on the list, across the country, want to opt out.

68th CONVENTION AMENDMENTS, passed by a vote of delegates, will be discussed and voted on during our September meetings. The Amendments, printed on page three, refer to the UE National Constitution not the Local 506 Constitution. However, Amendments dealing with per capita increases (the amount we pay the National monthly for each member), will definitely have an impact on our Local dues requirements.

The majority of convention delegates felt that the changes in the Per Capita are necessary not only to maintain the vital resources offered by the National, but also to create a more equitable payment structure. The proposed Per Capita Amendments would establish monthly payments to the National based on average shop earnings. This will result in a graduated scale with those earning the most paying the most.

In considering the Amendments, and the alternatives, the Local 506 Officers and Executive Board voted in August to support the Amendments. The Local 506 representatives felt that the National has done everything possible to curb spending through strict budgeting and office and field staff reductions. The Board felt that to remain viable, to continue to have the ability to organize and build our Union and, most importantly, to maintain our democratic rank and file independence, the increases were necessary.

ODDS AND ENDS

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