Georgia-Pacific Union Conference newsletter :
/Documents/GP_Union_Conference_News_5-1-08.pdf
Northeast Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation
This is the March edition of the monthly Northeast ALF Report ENewsletter; serving the Lehigh Valley, Scranton, Schuylkill, Five County, Wilkes-Barre and Northern Tier Central Labor Councils and working families across Northeastern Pennsylvania.
I. News from the Northeast ALF:
II. News from around the Region:
III. Good and Welfare:
I. News from the Northeast ALF:
The Executive Board Meetings for the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation have now been set for 2008. The first meeting will be held on Thursday, March 13 at 6:30PM at The River Inn (off of PA Route 61) in Pottsville, Schuylkill County. Future meetings will occur on May 20 in the Northern Tier/Williamsport area (at a site/time to be determined) and July 10 in the Lehigh Valley at APWU Lehigh Valley Local 268 (time to be determined). Details of these future meetings (times and locations) will be forwarded once confirmed. The Northeast ALF Annual Meeting will take place on October 11 at a place/time to be determined in the Poconos.
Regional efforts continue to mobilize in support of legislation that impacts our sisters and brothers; Pennsylvania Senate Bill 835 (Ban Mandatory Overtime Act for direct care workers), proposed reforms to Pennsylvania ACT 47 (Financially Distressed Municipalities Act that impacts members in the public sector) and, on the federal level, the Employee Free Choice Act. The Northeast ALF is also continuing to distribute and hold training sessions with new activists and affiliates with our Delegate Training Guide; explaining the roles and responsibilities of both Delegates and Central Labor Councils.
II. News from around the Region:
Schuylkill: President Anne Kurtek (USW) and the Schuylkill CLC held their first quarterly meeting with elected officials in Schuylkill County. Aides to State Representatives Tim Seip and Neal Goodman were in attendance, among others. Issues discussed were the need to oppose the privatization of the State Stores (PLCB), organizing new shops and businesses within the County, public employee OSHA and the need to create more jobs in the County. The Schuylkill CLC will be holding their next quarterly meeting with local electeds in June as a forum to discuss labor's issues and hold the elected officials accountable. Several affiliates to the Central Labor Council were in attendance, including new affiliates from the 2007 Union Cities Project that elected a brother and sister Majority County Commissioners.
Lehigh Valley: President Gregg Potter (CWA) and the Lehigh Valley CLC had another highly successful year in participating in the annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake event. The Central Labor Council is currently working on an affiliation campaign, reaching out to low performing and non-affiliated unions within the Lehigh Valley. In addition, the CLC is preparing for their Annual Dinner and Labor Education Seminar, among other things.
Scranton: President Nancy Krake (IAM), IAFF Local 60 (Scranton Firefighters) and the Scranton Central Labor Union are preparing for upcoming meetings with State Representatives and local electeds within our region to inform them of their ongoing problems with Pennsylvania ACT 47 in the city of Scranton and in other municipalities across the State. The Scranton CLU is continuing to assist the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT) and their struggle to gain recognition as the representative of teachers within the Scranton Diocese.
On Friday, February 29, members of the Scranton Central Labor Union, Greater Wilkes-Barre Labor Council and UFCW Local 1776, among others, participated in informational pickets outside Catholic Schools in both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre; supporting the members of SDACT, in solidarity. To learn more about this ongoing struggle or to contact the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, visit their website at: www.sdact.com.
Wilkes-Barre: President Sam Bianco (UNITEHERE/UMWA) and the Wilkes-Barre CLC continue to meet with the Luzerne County Board of Commissioners over appointments and to move various Resolutions that benefit labor. Those Resolutions include support for Reforms to Pennsylvania ACT 47, support for the proposed Ban Mandatory Overtime Act (PA HB 834/SB 835) and support for HR 676 (Single Payer Health System) in Congress. The Wilkes-Barre CLC is also busy reaching out to non-affiliates to get them involved with their Council, the Area Labor Federation and the Labor 2008 Program.
Five County: President Pete Rickert (AFSCME) and the Five County CLC continue to mobilize in support of the proposed Ban on Mandatory Overtime for direct care workers in Pennsylvania. The Labor Council and affiliates are circulating form letters that call on local State Senator John Gordner (Northumberland/Montour/Columbia Counties), Chair of the Labor & Industry Committee, to move forward and enact this important legislation. The Five Council CLC continues to reach out to prospective affiliates to get involved with their re-established Council and the upcoming Labor 2008 Program.
Northern Tier: President Dean Reynolds (AFSCME) and the Northern Tier CLC successfully affiliated a new USW local with their Council as part of their affiliation campaign. Similar to the Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre CLCs, the Northern Tier Labor Council is reaching out to non-affiliated local unions to get involved with their CLC and programs; benefiting working families in Lycoming and Clinton Counties. The Northern Tier CLC is also busy moving on local Employee Free Choice Act Resolutions.
III. Good and Welfare:
Labor Rally: On Thursday, March 6, the Lehigh Valley Building and Construction Trades Council held a very successful labor rally at the Keystone Cement Plant, East Allen Township (Northampton County). The rally had a great turnout, and included speakers President Bill Newhard (IBEW 375) of the Lehigh Valley Building Trades, President Gregg Potter (CWA 13500) of the Lehigh Valley Labor Council and President Frank Sirianni of the Pennsylvania State Building Trades. Also in attendance and speaking were State Representative Karen Beyer (Allentown/Salisbury Township), former Lehigh County Commissioner Kurt Derr (for State Senator Lisa Boscola) and Bethlehem City Council member Bob Donchez (for State Representative Joe Brennan).
The Trades held the labor rally in support of their members, who were out of work locally as a result of the contracting policies of Keystone Cement Company. Keystone is a recipient of $10 million in tax subsidies, and are using non-union companies and workers from out of State for renovations and expansion at their East Allen Township facility. An Injury to One is an Injury to All!
Upcoming Informational Picket: On Thursday, March 13 at 9:30AM, the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT) will be conducting an informational picket outside of a meeting of the Scranton Diocese Employee Council; a company union established by the Diocese (the Catholic school teachers are not covered by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935). The informational pickets will take place at St. Mary's Center, 320 Mifflin Avenue, Scranton. For further details, contact SDACT President Mike Milz at 570-822-2660 (office). SDACT would greatly appreciate any help, in solidarity, in their struggle to regain recognition from the Diocese as the representative of the teachers within the Scranton Diocese school system.
Georgia-Pacific Union Conference newsletter
Shutdowns Upset Workers, Spotlights Need For Job Security
Union workers are increasingly concerned about the wave of shutdowns announced
by GP, and responding for now by fighting for the best deal possible for workers affected by the loss of jobs. More news has arrived about GP’s plan to shut down the plant in Franklin,
Mass. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, a union delegation visited state officials to nail down additional shutdown benefits, retraining and rehiring assistance for the 30 GP workers who have already been laid off and the remaining 60 workers who will be laid off in April. The Union negotiated
severance pay and family health insurance until at least June and more. At GP’s Suffolk, Va., saw mill, the temporary shutdown is to be made permanent, leaving approximately 15 workers
laid off. The USW is bargaining with the company over this action and what it will mean for workers there. A closing was also announced at the GP box plant in Batavia, Ohio. Union
negotiations over effects bargaining are completed. The plant is scheduled to be shut down April 7, 2008 Union workers are seeking a way to discourage this corporate sell off of assets.
It’s suspicious how the timing of these box plant closings coincides with hints that GP is buying Temple Inland, which has 2 box plants not far from Batavia (Middletown and Marion, Ohio) and
two box plants within 200 miles of the closing GP box plant in Franklin (Spotswood, N.J. and Scotia, N.Y.) In the meantime, the USW and the GP Union Conference have made it a
priority to assist those adversely affected to help them land on their feet. While the company goes through these business transformations, union workers want to have a seat at the table when decisions like this are being made. And while protecting workers rights in regards to seniority and other job security issues, we want to persuade the company into reinvesting
in GP facilities for long-term viability.
GP Fires Shift Worker for Safety Violation
A worker in Dubuque, Iowa, was fired a few weeks ago for his second violation of the lock out/tag out procedure over the previous 12 months. He was a second shift worker who worked a lot of 12 hour shifts during his tenure. According to company work rules in Dubuque, a one-year time frame is important because, “discipline steps become inactive after one year…” GP employees who are written up for safety violations must be especially cautious to follow the rules, especially during the 12 months following the infraction. While it may seem like a cloud hanging
over your head, representatives of Local 1861-5 warn that discharge may result and these cases can be difficult to overturn. In this case, the worker left without asking any help from the union in regaining his job. As all of our sites continue or go through “rapid transformation,” we need
to be aware that working long hours can subject us to being disciplined for committing
unintentional safety violations.
GP/Dixie Workers in Easton Accept 4-year Deal with Retro Pay
GP/Dixie Local 412 in Easton, Pa., ratified a 4-year contract by a 282 to 37 vote after walking a labor agreement that expired Aug. 2, 2007. The settlement improves wages and benefits while limiting employees’ cost for health care and dental benefits to 25% of the premiums. Workers are receiving a 2% wage increase retroactive back to Aug. 1, 2007 and three more 2% general wage increases each Aug. 1, through 2010. Employee life insurance is increased to $29,000 with the entire cost paid by the company. Additional supplemental employee life insurance up to $50,000 (in increments of $10,000) may be purchased by employees. Dependent term life insurance is also available for spouses and dependent children with costs paid by employees and premiums subject to change on an annual basis. This may be an important benefit for those unable to qualify for life insurance under general underwriting guidelines. Weekly S&A benefits are increased to 60% of the employee’s regular straight time rate times 40 hours. Pensions are increased to $25 per month per year of service, and increase $1 a year until the multiplier reaches $28 in the final year. The company also agreed to add 10% to the employer’s cost
of maintaining present pension levels that would have otherwise faced reductions. The safety shoe allowance is increased from $75 to $85 per calendar year, and smoking in the workplace ends Jan. 1, 2011.