NOVEMBER 2005 LABOR VIEWS

A service award to a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners for the month of November was presented to David Comery for 25 years of service. Congratulations!

FAMILY DAY: Family Day was a big success. The Company estimated that over 9,000 people attended. Nine hundred retirees attended. The Carpenters had the largest number of exhibits out of all of the trades. We should be pleased with the effort that these individuals devoted to showing off our work. I just want to remind members of the reason why we decided to get on-board for Family Day. We wanted to show upper management how diversified our department is, and I think we succeeded in doing that. I’d like to thank all members who participated. 

EBAC softball: The Mystic Coastal Flooring division B softball team recently won their league championship. All members of the team are our carpenters: Dave Banno, Scott Clohecy, Chris Evers, Wayland Hedding, Nate Kneeland, Mike Laffey, Craig Loson, Dan Madore, Jim Marsh, Ernie Mendonca, Jim Mioduszewski, Rob Nuckles, Steve Porter, Jerry Renaud, Jim Scully, Bob VanZandt, Jason Vaz, and Leo Wilson. We congratulate them on an excellent season. This is an example of how carpenters can work together during the day and continue to be a team after hours. 

Christmas Turkeys: The Company was considering giving us books instead of turkeys for Christmas because they said that a lot of people don’t pick up the turkeys for use by their families. What they may not realize is that those vouchers are often donated to needy families. The Company should be proud of their employees for providing this service to the community. Our Christmas turkeys have been donated to area soup kitchens or food pantries like Killingly’s Friends of Assisi Food Pantry. If the Company were to give us something other than food, that would not help us in our efforts to feed the needy in Eastern Connecticut.

Electric Boat employees collected a grand total of $20,010 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Out of that total, $15,800 will be matched dollar for dollar from EB. 

Polling for the NSSF job at the sub-base: Everybody who is at the sub-base will be staying. We polled all people who are senior to those at the sub-base and none wanted to go. Two positions were open at the sub-base, and when we polled our people by seniority, Mike Gomes was the senior person to take the carpenter position. The second was an upholsters’ position, and that was filled by Pat Roark.


Shift Change: Recently the Company started new hires on first shift. Contractually, people with more than five years’ seniority have preference. Two people on the back shifts with more than five years’ seniority were moved to first shift. The Company has the right to keep the other employees who have less than five years’ seniority on any shift they choose. There are ten people who want to come on first shift but do not have the seniority. Management has informed us that they are willing to bring a few more shift change applicants to first shift, and therefore, new hiring will be for back shifts only.

Don’t forget: Annual enrollment for changes in your medical and vision insurance will be accepted from Nov. 7 to Nov. 18, 2005. If you have no changes, don’t fill out any forms. 
Also, as of Jan. 1, 2006, early retirement medical insurance will have an 11% increase making the monthly premium $1,108 for retiree and spouse. Isn’t THAT something to look forward to?

BY-LAWS: At the October Union meeting, volunteers were selected for an annual by-law committee. They are Steve Adams, Bob Tardif, Katherine Marceau, and Steve St. Onge.
If anybody has any by-law changes to propose, those proposals will be accepted at December’s monthly meeting. 

PARKING AT THE SUB BASE: The Company met with Ken DelaCruz and the Teamsters to discuss the problems of parking at the sub base. It was suggested that employees may clock in and out in Building 105 so that they would be closer to the parking lots. No permanent resolution has been decided upon. I will keep you informed. 

SAFETY BONUS: Lost work days for the month of September were 5.9% while the bonus goal is 3.5%. We are not off to a very good start. It will be difficult to recover from this higher rate of lost work days between now and the end of the year if we expect to receive that bonus. 

Speaking of the safety bonus: It has been brought to my attention that some of the 43 other trades that are versatized in our department plus bosses have been erecting or dismantling staging. If anyone notices a person who is not a qualified stage builder doing this work, it is very important that you inform a steward immediately. If something is built that is unsafe, the result could be a serious injury or worse. 

REMINDER: For those members who haven’t used their shoe voucher for this year, it expires at the end of the year, or you will lose it. It is recommended that we all take advantage of this negotiated benefit.

VETERAN’S DAY: I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the many veterans with whom we work on a daily basis. I think I speak for all of our members when I say that we appreciate the personal sacrifices they have made to protect the liberties that we all enjoy. At this time of conflict in other countries, we should stop to appreciate that we have peace at home, and that many of our fellow countrymen have sacrificed their lives for that. It is important that we keep these people in our thoughts not only on Veteran’s Day but everyday.

  Fraternally Yours,

Mike Malone, President

Carpenters' Local 1302