NOVEMBER LABOR’S VIEWS 

     A service award to a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners for the month of October was presented to Ronald Difilippo for 30 years of service.   

Congratulations, Ron! 

We extend our condolences to the family of Donald C. Beeny, Sr., who recently passed away.  I remember giving him his fifty year service pin in December 2005.   Don Sr. was President of our Union from 1954 until 1991.  What an incredible tenure.  He will be fondly remembered for the significant impact he had on Local 1302. 

BY-LAW COMMITTEE:  At October’s Union meeting, a by-law committee was chosen to address any future by-law changes.  The committee consists of Steve Adams, Adam Hunt, Don Kniss, and Bill Newsom.   The Local is required to notify members by mail that we will be addressing possible by-law changes.  For that reason, by-law changes will not be on the agenda until December’s meeting.   At that time we will also be taking any proposed changes from the floor. 

REMINDER:  If you need to make any changes to your insurance, you have until November 16 to do that.  Changes can be made on line at www.gdbenefits.com  or at the Electric Boat benefits office. 

POSTINGS:   The two openings for premium title of joiner have been filled -  one on first shift, and the other on second shift.  The Union is also pursuing additional jobs in the upholstery shop.  Currently we only have one person in this title, and the Union feels that, if anything happens to that person like illness, vacation, or even retirement, no one will have any knowledge of the trade to take over that work.  For that reason the Company should post at least one position for that trade.  It would only entail moving one person from the carpenters to the upholstery shop.  No one new would have to be hired. 

Road job lists have been updated on the bulletin boards.  Please check to make sure you are on the list if you want to travel.   The Company presently has three road jobs coming up.  They are in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Puget Sound. 

Since this issue will be published around Veteran’s Day, I want to acknowledge and  thank the many veterans who serve our country, especially those with whom we work on a daily basis.  I ask our membership to also remember 1^st Lt. Keith N. Heidtman, Union brother Arthur Robidoux’s step-son, who died on May 28, 2007, defending our country.

It is important that we keep veterans in our thoughts not only on this holiday but everyday. 

Our next Union meeting will be held on November 8, 2007, at 2:45 in the Union Hall at 171 Thames St., in Groton.