May 2006 Bedford, IN 47421 Phone# 279-1113 Home Page www.iue-cwalocal84907.com LOCAL IUE/CWA REPORTS UNION MEETING Our next regularly scheduled Union meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at the U.A.W. Hall, 1411 “H” Street, Bedford, IN. Meeting Times: Night Shift: 1:00 am (TUESDAY, after work) Day Shift: 4:00 pm Midnight shift may attend either of the above meetings. 3 YEAR TRUSTEE ELECTION RESULTS Ernie Hall was elected to the 3 year Trustee position in the election last month. Congratulations to Ernie and thank you to both candidates who took the time and effort to campaign and for their willingness to take on the duties and responsibilities of this important position. THANK YOU….. I would to say thanks to all of you who supported and believed in me and voted for me during the Trustee election. I really appreciate you all. It was a good experience for me. Thanks, again. Good Luck to Ernie. Kathy Ramey New I want to thank everyone who took the time to come out and vote in the Trustee election. I appreciate your electing me to this job and I will do my very best to fulfill my duties and responsibilities to you as members of our Local 84-907. Ernie Hall From the desk of Donna Daniels : The number to the Visteon Benefits Center is 1-800-242-2400. If you have trouble getting answers regarding your Explanation of Benefits, please bring that E.O.B. to me and I will do my best to get answers for you. It may take a day or two (sometimes it takes weeks), but I will follow up and stay with it until we figure it out. Thank you for allowing me to learn the policies, procedures and steps required in helping you to resolve your insurance issues. In addition, you should have received your new union cards in the mail by now. If you have not received one, please give me a call at 279-1175, and I will get one to you. Thank you and have a great month of May ! Donna Daniels Financial Secretary /Benefits Rep Local 907 Grievance Report Meetings for 2nd step grievances : Two were held in April with 10 remaining in 2nd step. Meetings for 3rd step grievances : One was held in April with 20 remaining in 3rd step. A Sneak Attack in the Dark of Night Six minutes before the deadline for filing amendments to all bills this legislative session, Representative Cindy Noe (R-Indianapolis) introduced an amendment which would have turned Indiana into the 23rd Right to Work state. Debate on this amendment to change a statute which has stood unchallenged for fifty plus years in Indiana began at nearly eleven p.m. Reversal of this long-standing law in Indiana would have thrust our state backward to a day when workers had no collective voice in their workplaces or the statehouse, where workers earn substantially less money, work in harsher, more unsafe conditions, have less insurance, less public education, and more infant mortality. The amendment was passionately debated, but was destined to fail. Its introduction and the vote was likely intended to attract campaign donations from large, out-of-state, anti-union corporations for the 2006 election cycle. As a movement, we need to be prepared to counter this influx of anti-union campaign funds with all of our energies—grassroots, get-out-the-vote, and funds of our own – this election cycle. In the end, sixty-three percent of all Republicans voting on the amendment voted for this attack on working families. The amendment was defeated with the full support of the Democratic caucus and some fair-minded Republicans who joined in opposition to this attempt to turn back Indiana’s clock. Note : Local Representatives Eric Koch and Jerry Denbo voted against this amendment. The voting record will be posted in the glass union cases for those members who reside in other counties. You may check and see how your representative voted. Fox in the Henhouse The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division is suppose to protect your most basic rights at work. Paul DeCamp, President Bush’s nominee to head up the agency, is a doozie ! These are some of the facts : · As a private practice lawyer, DeCamp represented Wal-Mart in trying to prevent a class of 1.5 million women – the largest emploment class action ever certified – from suing the company for discrimination in pay and promotions. · He has proposed taking overtime pay away from workers in ways that were even more extreme than what the administration actually has done – and suggested easy outs for bosses who misclassify workers as not eligible for overtime pay. · He has represented businesses opposing union organizing campaigns and fighting unfair labor practice charges. · He has represented an employer appealing a record $40 million dollar sexual harassment verdict. · He has fought on the bosses’ side on collective and individual actions involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage and hour laws. It’s right there in his bio from a previous gig at Gubson Dunn & Crutcher – one of Wal-Mart’s favorite law firms. What a perfect background to qualify someone for running the federal agency responsible for protecting workers from employer violations of the minimum wage, child labor laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act and prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act. No dates have been set yet for hearings on his nomination—but you can bet we’ll let you know when they’re coming. By Donna Jablonski http://blog.aflcio.org/?p=363 Bereavement pay reminder When you lose a qualifying family member the last thing you may be thinking of is money. However, when it is time to pick up your paycheck, it is a problem if your bereavement pay was not paid. To ensure that your pay is not interrupted, you must fill out a form requesting bereavement pay. You can get this form from your shop steward or your RA. The form must be turned in to Trena Bond by 9:00 am the following Monday. If it is turned in later than 9:00 am, your bereavement pay will be on your paycheck one week later. Medical Fax Reminder Don’t forget to always call and check with the medical department after you or your doctor has faxed in any medical information to verify it has been received and is complete. Will you have a job tomorrow? Don’t bet on it! The following was taken from an article written by Richard B. McPherson and was published in a Tampa newspaper. Ask the tens of thousands of American workers who have lost their jobs, health care and pensions if they ever thought this could happen to them. Their lives have been devastated. You may soon be one of the unfortunate ones who has had your wages drastically reduced, lost your pension, and are now paying high rates for medical insurance. Large corporations call this “concessions”. They say, “At least, you still have a job”. Corporate greed along with the Federal Government has, and is, destroying the American family with no remorse. Let’s first understand why politicians don’t really care what happens to your job. We’ve all witnessed dirty politics during election time. Who in their right mind would want to be put through such turmoil to get a Congressional or Senatorial seat in Washington? The answer: Every politician! Why? The main reason: Benefits They get free medical care at the nation’s best hospitals for themselves and their families. They get lucrative salaries, and when they retire they continue receiving the same salary, with cost of living raises, for the rest of their lives. They don’t pay into Social Security, nor do they receive it when they retire. With their salaries and benefits, they don’t need it, so why should they be concerned with what happens to your Social Security and benefits? Their expense accounts are larger than most American workers’ annual wages. They eat well, drink well, entertain well and are able to write off their expenses as though they are in a business. Corporate freebies. They all get them! Who determines what their salaries and benefits should be? They do! Who pays for their salaries and benefits? As taxpayers, we do! Now you know why they will promise you anything you want to hear to get your vote. They want these jobs and guaranteed benefits for the rest of their lives. Who controls the Federal government? Corporate moguls, banks, real estate corporations, oil giants, foreign investors, the American Medical Association, pharmaceutical companies, along with other wealthy companies control the decisions made in Washington that directly affect our lives. And they are not in our favor! If you or I could afford to spend $10,000 or more for a plate of food at their political fundraisers, or offer millions of dollars for their state to build a bridge or a park, they would listen to us also. Our Federal Government’s immigration requirements: Cross any border, jump off any boat, criminal or not, step onto American soil, and our government will feed you, house you, provide you with medical care, give you first priority on jobs and give you Social Security. Something is wrong with this picture. Our closest neighbor, Canada, will not allow an American citizen to live and work in their country without meeting 67 points out of a 100 point grading system. You are graded on your education and credit. You must meet financial requirements, pass a criminal background check, plus have 5 years or more of work experience in the related work field that you are going to be performing in their country. The reason: Job opportunities must go to Canadian workers first. Recent credit card and bankruptcy law changes: Lobbyists who work for these corporate moguls know that tens of thousands of American workers are losing their jobs, and more will follow. Those left will be taking huge pay cuts because of immigration laws, NAFTA and corporate corruption. Knowing this, the lobbyists have promised politicians large sums of money to be used in their perspective states in exchange for favors. They had the lawmakers change the bankruptcy laws so that you cannot discharge your debts anymore. If you are a union employee, the Federal government, working with Corporate America, will more than likely allow the bankruptcy courts to null and void your union contracts (wages, pensions, healthcare, etc.). The company can then hire low wage earning employees and offer no benefits. No one’s job is safe today because of the hand in hand policies of corporate lobbyists and our Federal government. What does the government say to employees with 10, 15, 20 years of seniority with a corporation that the government gives incentives to relocate to poor countries for poverty level wages? FIND ANOTHER JOB! The Federal government says the unemployment rate has dropped significantly. Don’t be fooled by their numbers. Tens of thousands of the workforce’s unemployment benefits have run out and they are still unemployed, but have been dropped off of the unemployment roles because they are no longer receiving benefits. The more workers that drop off the unemployment roles, the lower the unemployment rate looks. Our government’s way of doing business that affects our family traditions is failing badly. Tens of thousands of American workers are losing their jobs. Corporations and small businesses can’t afford to keep up with health care costs. Medicare is in horrible condition and seniors are suffering for it. Small businesses are being taxed to death by local and Federal governments, while immigrants are being favored by tax relief. It needs to be stopped! Primary elections are just around the corner. The only way to stop the corruption is to stand together and fight. The first step is to get out and vote. The next step is to hold those whom we elect accountable for their actions. Don’t forget to go vote on May 2nd!! MEMORIAL DAY Our plant will be celebrating Memorial Day on Monday, May 29, 2006. Take some time out of your wonderful recreation plans of bike riding, picnics, boat riding, swimming, ball playing and whatever else you plan on doing, to remember our deceased brothers and sisters, along with your own loved ones. Sadly, we have lost many wonderful friends and co-workers. We don’t want to forget them and their contributions to our plant and our lives. Have a wonderful holiday weekend ! Debbie Daughrity Judy Harrison

 

IUE-CWA Local 907