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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2005 AT 8AM UE LOCAL 506 HALL VOTE ON NEW RATE PROPOSAL 6AM TO 12 Noon The Local 506
Election Committee will conduct a vote on a proposal that would change
selected major assembly areas from I-20 piecework to R-22 daywork, to
facilitate "One Piece Flow", Lean Projects
(See proposal on page five,
sample ballot on page 2). *Please have your membership card with you to vote. |
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SERO UPDATE As of September 6, 2005, after the August 31st deadline, a total of 3,619 SERO (Union) applications had been received. The cut-off Pension Benefit Service (PBS) for the top 420 applicants was 35.641 years. As we have experienced in the past, some of the top applicants will decline, so we expect the PBS years to be something lower than 35.641 in the end. If you are in the top 420, and are being asked for your final decision, we encourage you to make up your mind in a reasonable time. If you have any questions that you need answered to make up your mind, call the Hall (899-3108). |
ADAM A. FIORVANTI 1977 to 1989
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Piecework to Daywork Rate Proposal The officers and executive board have tentatively agreed to the
following proposal to convert the listed major assembly areas from piecework
to daywork, to facilitate "One Piece Flow" Lean Projects. A special meeting
will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2005, at 8am, at the Local 506 Hall
to explain the proposal. The following sets forth our agreement concerning the implementation of Lean Manufacturing including One Piece Flow in the Locomotive COE Assembly Areas: The areas affected by this Agreement include Radiator Cab and Main Cab assembly in Bldg. 12; Station 1, Station 3, and Station 4 in Bldg. 10; Platform in Bldg. 5. The method of payment in the above areas will be changed from Incentive to Daywork. The rate of payment is established at R-22. It is understood that this R-22 rate is a Negotiated rate intended to protect the earnings of employees performing work in the above described areas and will not be used for comparison when evaluating other jobs in the Erie Plant. Employees in the above described areas earning more than the R-22 rate will be "Grandfathered" at their higher rate until such time as they leave their current assignment except that, an employee who is realigned for any reason, within his Business Leader’s area, will carry the "Grandfathered" rate with him. Employees in the above described areas earning less than the R-22 rate will be increased to the R-22 rate. The R-22 rate and "Grandfather" condition will be effective as of the Monday of the fiscal week this Agreement is signed for employees in the Radiator Cab Area. The R-22 rate and "Grandfather" condition will be effective for employees in the other areas described above when the Company advises the Union of it’s decision to implement one piece flow manufacturing in the area. Employees entering the above described areas after the R-22 job rate is effective will start at rates in accordance with the provisions of Article VI, Section 6 or Article X of the National Agreement, as applicable. Two new R-22 categories will be established. Assemblers in the above described areas holding the Class I incentive assembly classification (800020) will reclassified to the daywork lean assembly classification (000022-No category # applied yet). Similarly, employees holding the Class I incentive weld classification (700020) will be reclassified to the daywork lean weld classification (000022 – no category # applied yet). These new categories will be considered "crossover" codes for lack of work and recall purposes. For example, an employee carrying the daywork lean weld classification could "crossover" and displace into the incentive weld classification and vice versa. However, an employee carrying the daywork lean assembly classification could not "crossover" and displace into the daywork lean weld classification. The Job Preservation Committees within the COE’s will be re-vitalized to explore opportunities for job preservation and job creation as described in Article XXIII, Section 6 (b) of the National Agreement. |
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Frankly Speaking Lean Manufacturing - After 7 months of negotiations, the membership will have the opportunity to vote on the company’s proposal to switch major assembly areas from piecework to dayrate. The vote will be held at Local 506 Union Hall on Saturday, September 17th, the same day as the September Membership meeting, which begins at 8am. The lean proposal and UE National Constitutional Amendments (See below) will be the only items of business on the agenda. The full rate proposal is printed on page five of this paper. Regarding the proposal, basically, the I-20 assemblers and welders in the affected areas will be converted to an R-22. Anyone making more than the R-22 rate will have their average "grandfathered" for as long as they remain on the job, those employees making less than the R-22 will be brought up to that rate. "Bumping" and "recall" rights have been established; for instance, the Class I assembler (800020) can bump into the R-22 assembly code and vice versa, likewise the Class I welder (700020) can bump into the R-22 weld code. Kit Work - The Company has announced the addition of 25-30 jobs in Building 63. These stock keeper jobs will be responsible for compiling the kits that the assembly areas for Buildings 12 & 10 use.The new hire orientations continue. Over the past two years we have talked to over 900 new employees. Most of these folks are coming from non-union jobs where they had no benefits. As we have welcomed each new member into our Union, we encourage you to extend the welcome to any new member working in your area. |
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GRIEVANCE activity so far this year stands at 86 cases. They have ranged from ART. XXIII, Job and Income Security issues TO MANAGEMENT DOING HOURLY WORK. One issue regarding management doing hourly work came out of Bldg. 10. It seems we have a B.L. that likes to drive the bobcat on Saturdays and Sundays. We hope Union Relations will take a look at this and explain to the B.L. that this is bargaining unit work and inform him he’s not to tell the steward, " I WILL DO WHAT I WANT, I AM THE BIG B.L. [Sounds like a M.T.A. in Bldg. 6] Note to stewards on the importance of reporting back. As kids we learned about the 3 R’s in school, as stewards
there are also 3 R’s that are important. While the first R seems obvious, the second R is often neglected. As a result, great opportunities for strengthening our unions are passed up by not having issues documented. Reporting back simply means keeping members informed about the progress of situations that affect them. REPORTING back at every level of the union is very important, and every union should have a structure in place to make sure it happens. A steward should keep careful track of every grievance, and make sure to regularly tell the members about any developments -- good or bad. ONE last thing, by no means have we as leaders forgotten about Bldg. 18C Aux. Cab, Tool room, Test and Inspection workers or for that matter any of the support workers in the Plant during the "Lean" negotiations. |
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LOCAL 506 MOURNS THE LOSS OF A GREAT LEADER FORMER BUSINESS AGENT ADAM FIORAVANTI DIES
A friend to all who knew him, Adam A. Fioravanti, Jr. passed away at his
residence on Wednesday, August 31, 2005. Adam served as Local 506 Business
Agent from 1977 to 1989 when he retired from GE. He served as Building 17
Chief Steward prior to becoming the B.A. UE International Representative Al Hart, who at one time worked close to
Adam, really captured what Adam stood for when he wrote, "Adam was a friend,
mentor, and almost a second father to me. I was a young union activist and
executive board member during the years he was Business Agent of Local 506.
He was such a sweet man, full of enthusiasm, humor, warmth and passion for
the things he believed in, in particular the well being of our Union and all
its members. He did so much to make UE Local 506 stronger, more democratic,
and more responsive to its members. Adam despised any trace of corruption in
the labor movement and was relentless in his efforts to root out any trace
of corruption in our own beloved union. "It's the workers' money!" he'd
exclaim when going after anyone whom he thought was even slightly misusing
the resources of the Union." |
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