INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS
LOCAL UNION 1288
4000 CLEARPOOL CR. ●
MEMPHIS, TN 38118
PHONE (901) 363-1563 ● FAX
(901) 363-3289
March, 2003
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Business Manager
.................................................................... Rick
Thompson
Financial Secretary/Asst. Business Manager
........................... Jonnie Dawson
Asst. Business Manager
........................................................... Chuck
Laminack
President
.................................................................................. J.
D. Cox
Vice-President
........................................................................... Steve
Hendren
Treasurer
.................................................................................. Sandra
Henderson
Recording Secretary
.................................................................. Thelma
Boyd
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Bill Hawkins ..... Electric Marcellus
Pruitt......... Gas
James Moon...........
Electric Scheryl
Williams....... Gas
Trent
Ward............. General Services Paul
Lundy................ Water
John
Moore.............. General Services Reginald
Randolph....... Water
IBEW
LOCAL 1288 ON THE MOVE
From Rick Thompson, Business
Manger
We welcome our members to the
Union’s new informational highway, NEWS DELIVERY SYSTEM. There is nothing more dangerous than an
“uninformed Union Member.” That is why
we have taken this measure to insure our members that they will receive the
most up-to-date information regarding Union issues, false accusations and other
pertinent Union related activity. We
can not and will not allow false statements or misleading comments to
infiltrate this Union membership!
Many issues that threaten your
job security, including outside contractors, are being fought on a daily basis,
to protect you. Remember, KNOWLEDGE
IS POWER and we must stand together AS ONE to survive.
YOUR UNION OFFICE HAS CHANGED
– TO SERVE YOU BETTER
·
WEB SITE – IBEWLOCAL1288.COM has become a highly used web site. The site appears to average a little over 1
member per month logging on. There is
no way to determine if some members are logging on more than once a month, or
if some of our traffic is MLGW, City Council or the general public. However, the traffic level shows that we are a very
active site. To date, we have had
17,355 hits.
·
AUTOMATIC PHONE SYSTEM - We hope you are using our automatic
phone system to keep up with future membership meetings and other meetings that
affect you, as an MLGW Employee. To find out about upcoming events and/or Union
News; call the Union Hall (363-1563) after 5 p.m. and you will be instructed to
press
6 for a schedule of upcoming meetings or press 7 for Union news.
·
COMPUTERIZED AUTO PHONE
DIALING SYSTEM – We now have the capability of dialing your home with a
pre-recorded message. We are able to
keep you abreast of any pertinent information.
This system is only as good as the telephone number we have on file at
the Union office. If we don’t have a current telephone number on you,
or if you are not sure, please call the Union office, 363-1563 and leave your
correct phone number.
·
RESEARCH CENTER – Our new Research Center for IBEW Members is
open during normal business hours, Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. til 5 p.m. and on
the General Membership and Stewards meeting nights. The Research Center is
available to you to do any
research, whether it is schooling, grievances or logging on-to the internet.
Please stop by and visit this new Research
Center the next time you are at the Union Hall.
·
OPEN DOOR POLICY - The Union Leadership has
had good success with its Open Door
Policy. We meet with individual
members or groups, in the evenings or weekends. We hope that you or your area
has been included. If you have not, and would like to meet with us, please call
the Union Hall and we will be glad to arrange a meeting with you or your area,
at your convenience. We are striving to
become more accessible to you, so that we may be able to serve you better.
·
GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENTS - We have been successful in
settling grievances with MLGW. Employees are taking personal
responsibility for their actions. I encourage each member to continue to take
Company Policies and the Memorandum of Understanding seriously.
·
RENOVATION OF THE UNION HALL
- The Meeting Hall has a brand
new look. This is something you must
see for yourself.
We are in the process of adding “Group Wise”
to our communication system. We will be
able to communicate via e-mail. Please
make sure we have your e-mail address.
We can not communicate with you unless we have correct addresses and
numbers. When you submit a change to
MLGW, we do not automatically get that information. YOU MUST
contact the Union office with any change.
Please contact Brenda at 363-1563 or Ibewbrenda@bellsouth.net,
or fax us at 3633289.
We truly appreciate all member participation,
and we are pleased with the increase in Union membership. If you know of any non-union members, please encourage them to sign up
and become an active member of YOUR UNION – IBEW LOCAL 1288!
COPE
“Committee On Political Education”
The IBEW, thru COPE, seeks to involve Union Members and their families in the Democratic process to elect officials, at all levels of Government, who understands the needs of working people.
This
Local Union is encouraging all our members to participate in the COPE Fund, through Payroll Deduction. YOU,
as an IBEW Local 1288 Member and MLGW Employee, need to understand just how
important it is to support those candidates that have this Union’s best
interest at heart.
You
need to know how important the Memphis City Council is to MLGW employees. This
is what the Memphis City Council APPROVES for MLGW:
1. Memphis City Council would have to approve the sale of
Memphis Light, Gas
& Water
2.
The President of Memphis Light Gas and Water
3.
Memphis Light Gas and Water Board of Commissioners
4.
Sr. Vice President, CFO & Secretary-Treasurer
5.
Any changes to our Pension System
6.
The Memphis Light Gas and Water Budget
7.
Rate Changes in our Utility Bills
8.
Let us emphasize that The Memphis Council MUST approve this Union’s
Contract! (Memorandum of Understanding)
9.
They also oversee the Impasse Procedure
(if we cannot reach agreement in
negotiations)
*Note:
This is why we must make an impact where it counts! We must make sure we have FRIENDS in Office. WE
MUST VOTE!
Contracting/Retirees! This is a serious issue facing all of us
here at MLGW.
Folks,
this is serious business and we need your support, if we are to stop this INTERNAL
BUYOUT (Contractors) from taking our jobs. We must band together as Union Brothers and Sisters to fight this
injustice. I think we all feel that Memphis
Light Gas and Water is the Best Company in America to work for.
But, just as this Union fought the External Buyout of MLGW as a
whole, we must also fight Contracting/Retirees!
The membership has constantly communicated to us that excessive
contracting and MLGW Retirees are taking
our Union jobs. Show us your
support, that you are willing to stand up against this alarming agenda. www.ibewlocal1288.com
UNION WORKERS HAVE BETTER BENEFITS
Union workers are more likely than their
nonunion counterparts to receive health care and pension benefits, according to
the U.S. Department of Labor. In 1999, 73 percent of union workers in medium
and large establishments had medical care benefits, compared with only 51
percent of nonunion workers. Union workers are also more likely to have
retirement and short-term disability benefits.
UNION WORKERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE
HEALTH AND PENSION BENEFITS, 1999
As the chart illustrates, 79% of union workers
have pension plans versus 44 percent of nonunion workers. Seventy percent of
union workers have defined-benefit retirement coverage, compared with 16
percent of nonunion workers. Defined-benefit plans are federally insured and
provide a guaranteed monthly pension amount. They are better for workers than
defined-contribution plans, in which the benefit amount depends on how well the
underlying investments perform.
Note: Defined benefit
pensions are a subset of all pensions. Disability refers to short-term
disability benefits.
Source: Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Employee Benefits in Private Industry, 1999, USDL:01-473, December
19, 2001.
UNION WORKERS HAVE GREATER JOB STABILITY
Although
50 percent of union workers have been with their current employers for at least
10 years, only 32 percent of nonunion workers can make the same claim. Union
workers have greater job stability, in part because they are more satisfied
with their jobs, receive better pay, have better benefits and have access to
fair grievance procedures. Even more important, most collective bargaining
agreements protect union members from unjust discharge. Nonunion workers are
"employees at will" who can be fired at any time for any reason - or
for no reason.
Percentage of Workers
with the Same Employer for 10 Years or More, 1998
Source: AFL-CIO analysis of
the Current Population Survey
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LG & W CREDIT
UNION BOARD
It’s
time for us to elect three (3) IBEW
members to the MLGW Credit Union Board. This Local Union endorsed, J. D. Cox, Warren Gaines, and Michael
Jones. These young men have
seniority ranging from 13 to 18 years of service. Each one of them is still serving this Union untiringly, as
stewards and Union officials. They
bring fresh ideas to the table, and they have proven themselves worthy. These individuals are capable of absorbing
the wealth of knowledge that is at their disposal.
As Business Manager,
I personally solicit your vote for J.
D. Cox, Warren Gaines and Michael Jones. The Credit Union election will be held Sunday, May 4, 2003 at
Ridgeway High School at 2:00 p.m.
YOU MUST BE PRESENT
TO VOTE and TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ONE OF THE MANY CASH PRIZES TO BE GIVEN AWAY.
Thelma Boyd
The GILLESPIE-ARMMER AWARD was established, "...
for the sole purpose of recognizing those individuals who have given
unselfishly of themselves toward the betterment of the Local Union....",
Sister Thelma R. Boyd, is unquestionably a worthy recipient!
Thelma came to work at MLGW in December 1968, and she joined
the Union in January, 1970. She has
never been just a "dues paying" member, she has served this Local
Union diligently, from day one.
Thelma was elected to the position of Recording Secretary in
1990, a position she still holds. She has served on practically every committee
that required Union representation. She has represented this Union on both a
Local and National level. Anything that is asked of her, for the good of the
Union, her response is always, okay! Her reputation as an individual as well as
a Union member is impeccable. Her reputation speaks not only for her, most
importantly, it speaks for IBEW Local 1288.
This prestigious
Award was established in recognition of two great pioneers, Lonzola Armmer and Harold K.
Gillespie, Jr.
Two individuals who
stood on principles that served and continue to serve as the foundation of IBEW Local 1288.