August Labor Views  

This issue of Labor Views contains my August and September information to the membership.  August Labor Views was never published because at least one author didn’t have his article ready for publication.  The rest of us who had our articles ready were informed that they would not be published in August.  I apologize for the fact that this information is not getting to you in a timely fashion.  

Carpenters have recently been commended for the outstanding work they did at Todd Shipyard in Seattle. We are proud that this work was completed without management overseeing the job.  Now, in our own shipyard, the subcontractor which was brought in to do the staging for the 21 boat is being brought back in to correct their mistakes.  Obviously, the job wasn’t done correctly the first time.  When we learned that Barlett was coming back into the shipyard to rework that job, the Union went to the head of our department to suggest that we do this work ourselves.  Our position was that we could do this job correctly and in a timely manner.  After working the job for a couple of days, we demonstrated to the Company that we could correct the existing problems quickly and efficiently,  It wasn’t from lack of effort that we lost the work to Barlett.   The head of our department, said that we don’t have the workers or bosses who are competent to handle this job.  

Ever since I have been employed by Electric Boat, I have been informed that we are the #1 submarine builders in the world.  We’ve been doing this work for generations.  If we are such competent workers, why does management feel that subcontractors have to be awarded our work?   How much experience do they have building submarines?  Perhaps the problem is NOT with the hourly workers but with members of management who have admitted that they screwed up, but they continue to allow subcontractors to come in and do inferior work.  It’s obvious that they don’t care who completes the work or at what cost to the Company.  I will repeat a criticism you’ve heard me state before:  If we need more carpenters to complete work, then the Company needs to hire more full-time carpenters!  At this time of increased security concerns, is it in the Company’s (or the COUNTRY’S) best interest to have civilians off the street with no security clearance working in our shipyard on a regular basis?  I am aware of at least one instance where a civilian, whose clearance was pulled by EB when he was employed here, came back to the shipyard as an employee of a subcontractor.  Shouldn’t that raise concerns about increased security in our defense plant?  

ROAD JOB TO VIRGINIA:   The Company and the Union signed a memorandum of agreement to allow apprentices to go on this job in order to fill the necessary workforce.  Our department has enough members to fill these jobs.  The only problem that we have is that some members need to complete training to be linesmen, and we are trying to organize another class for this training so that we do not have to send our apprentices on road jobs.  

Complaints have been brought to the Company’s attention when inappropriate racial and sexual comments have been made by an employee. This kind of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.  Despite the fact that we work in a shipyard, it is still necessary to conduct ourselves in a professional manner.  My appeal is for members of our Union to bring these kinds of concerns to their Union stewards or Union officials so that they can be addressed properly.  It is in nobody’s best interest when this kind of behavior is brought to the attention of Human Resources because then it is out of our control.  

GOLF TOURNAMENT:  Carpenters’ Local 33 is sponsoring their first annual Drive for Cancer Research golf tournament.  It will be held at Stow Acres Country Club in Stow, Mass. on September 17, 2004.  The registration fee is $135.00 per person, $540 for a team of four golfers.  The registration fee includes green fees, cart, continental breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a jacket.  A driving range is available prior to the shotgun start.  Prizes will be awarded for the longest drive, closest to pin, and top three teams.  Foursomes for golf will be filled on a first come, first served basis.  

Please contact Mike Malone if you’re interested in playing. 

                                                                                    Fraternally Yours,

Mike Malone, President

Carpenters' Local 1302