May 2004 Labor Views

Service Awards to members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
for the month of May went to:

The Union would like to extend a welcome to the recent new hires.  We hope that, if you have any questions or need assistance, you will contact your area steward.  Senior members are encouraged to provide guidance to our new brothers and sisters.

Information:  As you well know, other trades are doing our carpentry work.  Contractually the Company is not to exceed the twelve week limit for versatility.  When the Union notified the Company that some trades people have indeed exceeded the twelve weeks, management chose to keep these people working anyway, knowing that this was in violation of the contract.  The Union filed a grievance.  Bartlett Services, the subcontracting company that was brought in to stage the 21 boat also exceeded their agreed upon time in the shipyard.  Management agreed to hire more carpenters at our insistence, but has only done so on a minimal basis while other trades have hired more extensively.  All we seem to get from Management are excuses, and things always seem to go their way.  I have suggested to Management on numerous occasions how we could make the staging issues better here at Electric Boat, but apparently they don't listen to their experienced people like they should.  I have explained the importance of proper staging techniques and how we need to pick a core group of carpenters who are exclusively responsible for staging like had been done in the past.  We have plenty of carpenters who are more than capable of building staging correctly and safely.  The subcontractor who was hired to install a covering on the 21 boat staging failed to address the flammability issues with that material, therefore making it potentially unsafe to use.  Our carpenters are taught that, before you construct any staging, fire retardant material that is safe for that area must be used.  The bottom line is that the Company used a subcontractor who cost EB thousands of wasted dollars.  Because members of management are unfamiliar with how our jobs are safely and properly completed, they assume that any subcontractor can complete our work.  These are some of the reasons we have a difficult time working with Management and building trust.  Isn't it time that Management be held accountable for their decisions?  We would be better served if they tried to work with us more cooperatively and not be so eager to give our work away. 

On April 28, 2004, Worker's Memorial Day was celebrated in Groton.  It is dedicated to our working brothers and sisters and their families who have made the supreme sacrifice at the workplace.  Our Union purchased stones in memory of our deceased brother, Eulalio Fontanez and previously deceased brothers and sisters of Local 1302. 

The following members of our Local participated in UCAN training sponsored by The United Way:  Steve Adams, Paul Brie, and Trisha Grimshaw.  These three Union members have been trained to assist employees with personal/family problems.  Feel free to seek their guidance if needed. 

The Company and the Union agreed to the following regarding the performance award program:  A performance award of $500 will only be paid to eligible employees if the Corporate-Wide actual Earned Actual Hours (EAC) meet or exceed their goal.  (The goal is 18.7 million hours.)  An additional $250 will be paid to eligible employees if the actual EAC's exceed the Operating Plan Goal and meet or exceed the stretch goal of 19.2 million hours.   Charts depicting EAC performance to date will be posted throughout the Company's facilities on a monthly basis so that employees will be kept informed as to the progress for the year end goal. 

In addition to the amounts described above, eligible employees will be paid a schedule incentive award of $250 if the 774 Boat (Virginia) and the 023 Boat (Jimmy Carter) are delivered on or before their scheduled delivery dates.  Both delivery dates must be met in order for eligible employees to be paid the schedule incentive award.

In order to be eligible to receive the performance bonus for the 2004 calendar year and/or the 2004 schedule incentive award, employees must actually work (excluding absences of any kind) a minimum of 1000 hours during the 2004 calendar year and must be on the payroll as of December 1,2004. 

Payment to eligible employees will be made on or after December 17, 2004, but no later than January 14, 2005. 

Prescriptions:  Members need to be reminded that our prescription plan is for a 100-day supply of medication.  The former plan was for a 90-day supply.  You may have to inform your doctor that by changing your prescription from a 90-day supply to a 100-day supply, you can take advantage of these added savings.  For a 100-day supply of a name-brand drug, our cost is $20.00, and for a generic 100-day supply, our cost is $7.00. 

Floating Holidays: Our remaining floating holidays will be Memorial Day (May 31), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (Sept. 6), Columbus Day (Oct. 11), and Veteran's Day (Nov. 11).  The purpose of floating holidays is to work four ten-hour days, take the holiday off, and earn a day off at a later time.  I highly recommend that new hires take advantage of the opportunity to float holidays. 

Shift change: If you are interested in changing to a different shift, you must fill out a shift change request.  

Road Job Lists should be posted on our area bulletin boards.

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, May 13, 2004, at 3:15pm.  Our meetings are held in the Union Hall at 171 Thames Street, Groton, CT.  All Union brothers and sisters are invited to attend.  

                                                                                    Fraternally Yours,

Mike Malone, President

Carpenters' Local 1302