Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Permit No. 1296
Seattle, WA
IAM & AW District 160
9135 15th Place South
Seattle, WA 98108
The Voice of I.A.M. & A.W. District 160 in Western Washington and Alaska
Vol. No. 55
Directing Business
Representative’s Report
Meetings via the Internet?
The 39th Grand Lodge Convention of the
International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers held in Chicago and attended by over 1200 delegates is now complete. Our Union holds a convention once
every four years where changes are made
to the Union’s constitution. This convention
saw more than 20 proposals to modify the
constitution and the delegates heard and debated more than 40 resolutions.
One of the issues
debated at this, and the
past several conventions
was the conducting of
Local and District meetings via the internet. The
proponents have valid
reasoning behind such
Dan Morgan
a proposal for internet
or electronic meetings.
Work schedules, family commitments and
distance to meeting locations are just a sampling of reasons to consider allowing electronic meetings. One of the major goals of
electronic meetings is increased participation by the membership.
Opponents of the proposal for electronic
meetings point to concerns regarding security and control of who has access to our
meetings. While most of the content of
union meetings is not a concern, there are
items not intended for public disbursement.
Security regarding internet broadcasts has
improved in recent years, however as demonstrated by hacking of supposedly secure
systems reported almost daily in the news
there is still valid concern regarding security
of internet broadcasts.
A compelling argument against electronic
broadcast of meetings was the further erosion
of in-person interactions of the membership.
Social media continues to expand in popularity. One of the unintended consequences of
social media is the reduction in personal interaction. The implementation of electronic
meetings could result in the membership becoming disconnected. Our Union is a family
and as such our connections with each other
is more than contract, grievances and working conditions. Therefore electronic meetings will not be part of our immediate future.
Although I believe the issues will return in
future conventions.
It was a very busy week debating the remaining 40 plus issues. In the end the delegates have made our Union a better place
and I thank each of them for their dedication
and efforts to improve the Machinists Union.
The 39th quadrennial convention is complete, summer is winding down and the kids
are heading back to school and local lodges
that suspended meeting for the summer are
now meeting again. I look forward to seeing
everyone at the Union meetings.
September 2016
39th Grand Lodge Convention Convenes
The 39th Grand Lodge Convention of the IAMAW was
held in Chicago and attended
by more than 1,200 delegates
from around the country.
District 160 had a number
of business reps attend the
convention, including Directing Business Rep Dan Morgan,
who addressed the convention.
A large sign greets attendees to the convention.
Dan Morgan, District 160 DBR and Chairman
of the Resolutions Committee, addresses the
convention delegates.
By Glenn Farmer, BR
The third quarter was filled with negotiations, organizing, and close calls.
Bargaining committees stepped up
to successful negotiations with three
auto mechanic groups, Pilot Instructors in Anchorage, and a newly organized unit of Aircraft Mechanics
(PAE).
The PAE unit services nine planes
and helicopters for Homeland Security based at the Bellingham Airport.
The bargaining committee, while being totally new to unions and negotiations, did a great
job standing their ground. We’re scheduled
to be back at the table in late September.
The Auto Industry has seen many ups and
downs in the past few years. Negotiations
have been difficult, compounded by pension
issues and spiraling medical costs. The good
news is that car sales have been very good
this year and gave us some opening for improvement. Mechanics spend a lot of money on tools and have to constantly upgrade
their skills to keep up with new technology.
I‘ve grown to highly respect their skills and
ability since my assignment started in 2010.
There are shortages in all skilled labor areas,
and auto mechanics are no exception.
Fairhaven Shipyard is holding an election
for shop stewards. Longtime steward and
friend James “Jim” Creek retired this year. I
worked with Jim at Intalco for several years
and was pleased to find out he was the shop
steward at Fairhaven. Jim was an exception-
Hope Lodge No. 79 Election Notice
Executuve Board & Officers
Election for the Executive Board and Officers of Local Lodge 79 will be as follows:
• 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. General Membership Meeting
• Wednesday, October 19, 2016. 9135 15th Pl. S., Seattle, WA 98108
Request for absentee ballot must be mailed to: Attn: R/S, LL 79, 9135 15th Pl. S., Seattle, WA 98108
by Thursday, October 13th. Ballots must be received back by 6:00 p.m, Oct. 19, 2016. To be eligible, member must reside more than 25 miles from balloting place, member confined due to illness,
on vacation, or on official IAM business approved by LL 79 or Grand Lodge.
Josephine Ulrich, LL 79 delegate, speaks on women
and human rights issues.
The 39th Grand Lodge Convention gets underway in Chicago, Illinois.
al steward who watched out for his people, and bi-partisan mix of friends in government
had their respect, and had the respect of the and willingness to continue from Alcoa, the
employer. Anyone who knows Jim knows plan is solid through 2022. As always, plans
he thought things through and when are underway to lock in the years beyond
he made up his mind, he stuck by his 2022.
word. Needless to say, when he deFor the above reasons, working condicided to move on, no one was going tions have been difficult for the workforce.
to convince him otherwise. Happy Hesitancy to invest in the facility, attrition
retirement Jim!
of skilled and trained labor, and a disproporAlcoa celebrated its 50th
Anniversary in August at the
Annual Picnic. Over 2300
current and former workers and their families were served a
feast of barbequed salmon with all
the trimmings. Governor Jay Inslee
hosted the event along with U.S.
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene,
Senator Doug Ericksen, Rep. Vincent Buys, Rep. Luanne Van Werven,
Shawn Bills representing U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Joe Downes representing U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell
and Ferndale Mayor Jon Mutchler.
The Intalco story has been long Local 2379 Lodge Officers accept recognition for the
and filled with many highs and lows. most sponsoring members in District 160 and Western
No one has experienced this more Territory. L to R: Agustin Galindo, Secretary/Treasurer;
than the workers and their families. Nathan (Noob) Maddux, President; Luke Ackerson,
Threats of shutdown earlier this year Trustee; Phil Assink, Trustee (Retired).
spawned a mass exodus from the
plant from early retirement, increasing em- tionate number of untrained employees has
ployment opportunities elsewhere, and dif- contributed to instability in the systems and
ficult working conditions as a result. There several close calls. Potential failure in fundahas been minimal investment in equipment mental processes has put the facility at risk.
and infrastructure by the owner due to future The Union is focusing on training and retenContinued on page 3
uncertainty. Through work of the employees
Local 695 Notification
Inside
A dues assessment vote will take place
at Local Lodge 695’s October meeting.
Please make every effort to attend:
Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Time:7:00 p.m.
Place: Labor Temple, 119-1/2 N.
Capitol Way, Olympia, WA
Local Lodge Meeting Notices.....................Page 2
In Memoriam...........................................Page 2
Retirees...................................................Page 3
Business Representatives’ Reports.......Pages 3 & 4
Evergreen Leader
Page 2
Local Lodge Meeting Notices
Lodge 79 - Seattle
Lodge 289 - Seattle
Regular Lodge Meeting – 5 p.m., 3rd
Wednesday, 751 Meeting Hall, 9135
15th Place South, Seattle.
Executive Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m., the
Monday preceding the regular lodge meeting
(3rd Wednesday). District 160 Conference
Room, 9135 – 15th Place South, Seattle.
Regular Lodge Meeting – 6:30 p.m., 1st
Wednesday, 751 Meeting Hall, 9135 15th
Place South, Seattle.
Lodge 130 - Everett
Regular Lodge Meeting – 7 p.m., 2nd
Thursday, Labor Temple, Everett.
Lodge 282 - Bremerton
Regular Lodge Meeting – 5:00 p.m., 3rd
Wednesday, 822 Park Avenue, Bremerton.
Executive Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m.,
3rd Tuesday, 822 Park Avenue, Bremerton
Local 282 Whidbey Island – 4:45 p.m.,
2nd Wednesday, NAS Whidbey Island.
District 160
Officers & Staff
President
Shop Stewards’ Meeting – 6:00 p.m., 3rd
Thursday, District 160 Conference Room,
9135 15th Place South, Seattle.
Executive Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m.,
1st Wednesday, District 160 Conference
Room, 9135 15th Place South, Seattle.
Lodge 297 - Tacoma
Regular Lodge Meeting – 6:00 p.m., 1st
Thursday, Firefighters Hall, 1109 South
50th Street, Tacoma.
Executive Board Meeting – 6:00 p.m.,
Tuesday preceding the Regular Lodge
Meeting (1st Thursday), 2121 70th Ave.
W., Suite A, University Place, WA.
Retirees’ Club Meeting – All Local 297
retirees are invited to attend meetings the
3rd Tuesday of month, 9 a.m. at Tower Inn
& Lanes Bowling Center, 6323 – 6th Ave.,
Tacoma. Breakfast followed by meeting.
Occasional bus trips and potlucks. Join us!
Tom Burke
Lodge 695 - Olympia
Secretary-Treasurer
Regular Lodge Meeting – 7 p.m., 2nd
Wednesday, Labor Temple, 1191/2 North
Capitol Way, Olympia.
John Decker
Sgt. at Arms
Jeff Eberle
Trustees
Lodge 1690 - Anchorage
Bruce Baillie
Agustin Galindo
Don Zeth
Regular Lodge Meeting – 5:30 p.m., 2nd
Wednesday at the Union Hall, 701 W. 41st,
Suite 202, Anchorage.
Directing Business Representative
Lodge 2379
Dan Morgan
Assistant Directing
Business Representative
Greg Heidal
Business Representatives
Melody Coffman
Glenn Farmer
Greg Heidal
Brandon Hemming
Paul Miller
Bobby Joe Murray
Bob Westbrook
Organizer
Alfredo Silva
Regular Lodge Meeting – 7:00 p.m., 1st
Thursday, Lodge office, 2064 Vista Dr.,
Ferndale.
Executive Board Meeting – 6:00 p.m.,
first Thursday, Lodge office, 2064 Vista
Dr., Ferndale.
Evergreen Leader
Published by IAM&AW District 160
9135 15th Place S., Seattle, WA 98108
206-762-7990
Directed by D.B.R. Dan Morgan
District 160 Retiree News
The Pricing of Prescription Drugs
By Art Boulton
Everyone is affected by the price of
prescription drugs. With the development
and growth of generic drugs, many people
have been helped with the more affordable costs. There are those drugs, however, where there is no generic, and they
are very expensive. According to the “Rx
Price Watch” report released by AARP,
“the combined annual cost of branded, specialty, and generic drugs for older Americans jumped more than 170% between
2005 and 2013. The average older American was shelling out $11,341 per year for
their medications. The blame for this steep
rise in medicine costs has fallen squarely
on drug makers themselves.”
What is more outrageous are those drug
manufacturers who raise or set exorbitant
prices for existing prescription drugs. The
one which comes to mind is the severe
allergic reaction drug EpiPens. Mylan
Pharmaceuticals purchased EpiPen and increased the price of this lifesaving product
by 400%.
Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of
the Alliance for Retired Americans re-
leased the following statement regarding
the release of Democratic presidential
nominee Hillary Clinton’s new prescription plan:
“Hillary Clinton’s new plan to combat
unfair, unjustified prescription drug hikes
is a win for seniors and consumers. When a
pharmaceutical corporation decides to pad
its profits by exponentially raising prices
on medicines that have been on the market
for years, retirees are the first victims and
the hardest hit. These corporations know
that seniors need these drugs to stay alive,
and don’t care if people are forgoing food
or other necessities to pay for them. It’s
time to level the playing field. By directing the government to take swift action
against unfair and monopolistic business
practices, the Clinton plan helps both seniors and taxpayers. We strongly support
this proposal.”
There are those people who will complain this plan is another example of big
government overreach into the private sector of our economy. We need to think about
who is going to take on corporate America,
and in the above case the pharmaceutical
industry, on behalf of the American people,
if it is not the federal government!
September 2016
Organizing Report
By Alfredo Silva
These past few months have been busy.
The last time I gave an update, I mentioned
that we were working on several projects,
one of those projects was a Service Contract
Act Group of Flight Line Mechanics and
Support Staff. I am pleased to announce
that we have since filed for an
election and won the election
with 100 percent of support from
the group and we are now working to secure a first contract.
I am still working with leads
at several other locations, a machine shop in Everett, another in
Kent, a repair facility in Yakima,
a dealership in Bellingham just
to name a few.
In the past few weeks there have been
a few articles on how the decline of union
membership has affected all workers in a
real monetary way. Here are some of the
highlights or lowlights:
Why the Decline Of Unions has
Lowered Pay for All Workers
Where unions are strong, they raise standards across an industry, according to a new
study.
The dramatic nationwide drop in privatesector union membership has lowered pay
for non-union workers over the past four decades, a study released by Economic Policy
Institute on August 30th 2016 argues.
“Many American workers can see those
unions as either minor bit players in today’s
economy or good for union members alone
to the detriment of society at large,” said
Jake Rosenfeld, a sociologist at Washington University in St. Louis who co-authored
the study. “This is a study that says that’s
wrong: unions are good for members and
non-members alike.”
Non-union men have been hit harder
than non-union women by the decline in
unions, since they were more likely to belong to unions prior to the 1980s, according to the report. (The percentage of male
private-sector workers in a union went from
34 percent in 1979 to 10 percent in 2013.)
If the private sector still had union membership rates at the 1979 level, American
men in that sector without union representation would have earned $2,704 more in
2013, or a 5 percent increase.
For less educated men in the private sector, among whom union membership was
more common in 1979 than men overall, the
effect of the decline is even starker.
Non-union men without four-year college degrees would have made $3,016 more
in 2013 ― an 8 percent increase ― under
1979 levels of union membership. And nonunion men with a high school degree or less
would have made $3,172 more in 2013 ― a
9 percent increase ― under this scenario.
By contrast, expanded trade with lowwage nations in recent decades is responsible for a 5 percent drop in the wages of
non-college-educated workers, according to
a figure cited in the paper.
The non-union women workers hit hardest by the decline of unions are also those
with a high school degree or less. Non-union
women with that education level would be
earning $676 more in 2013 if the women’s
private-sector union rate remained what it
was in 1979.
There is no way to definitively prove
whether union membership rates directly
cause non-union wages to be higher or lower, something the Economic Policy
Institute report freely acknowledges.
Instead, the analysis looks at the
correlation between average pay
for non-unionized, private-sector
workers and the union density
in each industry and region from
1979. It then examines what the
correlation would look like in subsequent years if the unionization rates from
1979 remained constant.
Rosenfeld collaborated with sociologists
Patrick Denice of Washington University
in St. Louis and Jennifer Laird of Columbia, and the co-authors chose 1979 as their
benchmark because a staggering decline in
unionization rates began in 1980. The scope
of the study is also limited to private-sector
workers, since the vast majority of American workers do not work for the government, and union membership in the public
sector has largely held steady in the period
the paper analyzes.
There are several reasons the paper offers for why higher union membership rates
would benefit workers not covered by those
unions’ collective bargaining contracts.
Chief among them is the fear non-union
firms have that their workforce will be vulnerable to a union organizing drive if they’re
paid significantly less than their unionized
competitors. The non-union firms in heavily
unionized industries and regions may also
need to pay more to attract the workers with
the best skills.
Currently, just 6.7 percent of all privatesector workers belong to unions, according
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ― down
from roughly one-third in the 1950s.
It is no wonder, the paper maintains, that
pay has barely risen for workers across the
economy since the 1970s, and actually gone
down for workers with a high-school degree
or less.
Rosenfeld, whose book What Unions No
Longer Do documents the effects of organized labor’s falling fortunes, said the paper
is intended as an indictment of the specific
policies that have contributed to the decline
of unions.
He blames the dwindling of union ranks
in the private sector on the rise of intense
employer opposition to unions and an outdated set of labor laws that leaves workers
with too little leverage to counter these tactics.
It is a myth, Rosenfeld argues, that the
decades-long wave of private-sector deunionization is merely the result of a technology- and trade-induced drop in American manufacturing jobs.
“Union decline is not simply a story of
outsourcing and automation,” Rosenfeld
Continued on page 3
In Memoriam
Local Lodge 79
Coder, Paul
Jorgensen, John
Ramirez, Steven
Teachman, P.
Wells, George
08/22/2016
08/29/2016
06/03/2016
06/12/2016
08/14/2016
Local Lodge 282
Smaaladen, Larry
06/30/2016
Local Lodge 289
Cawley, Richard
06/15/2016
Hartwell Jr., Eugene
West, Elizabeth
07/02/2016
07/15/2016
Local Lodge 297
Bernath, David
Fogle, Ronald
Hooker, Robert
Smith, Alfred
06/10/2016
08/23/2016
07/24/2016
07/05/2016
Local Lodge 2379
Lee, Joseph
07/21/2016
September 2016
Organizing Report
Continued from page 2
said. “If you look at industries like trucking and construction, you see unions getting
killed in those industries and wages for nonunion workers going down as well.”
The dramatic decline in union density
since 1979 has resulted in far lower wages
for nonunion workers—at every level of
education and experience. The impact of
declining unionization equals a $133 billion
loss in annual wages for nonunion workers.
While it might seem like a heavy lift,
I know together we can change this and
start making gains together, we know that
together we are stronger, together we can
overcome and improve not only our families lives but also our neighbors.
Recently coming from the 39th Grand
Lodge Convention a recommitment towards organizing was made as a writer from
Bloomberg BNA wrote:
The International Association of Machinists’ weeklong convention in Chicago
ended Sept. 9 with a pledge to “organize
in new and innovative ways” so the labor
union’s membership can grow.
“Our livelihood, brothers and sisters, depends on it,” IAM President Bob Martinez
told hundreds of union delegates at the 39th
IAM Grand Lodge Convention.
“We are committed to educating our
members at a more passionate pace, because with the changes in the world, we
can’t afford not to,” he said. “And we are
committed to move more resources into the
hands of our membership and our locals
in the field, because our success starts and
ends with their ability to make the necessary
changes that we need to make.”
Martinez’s closing speech came days
after unveiling a plan to rewrite the IAM’s
organizing playbook, allowing for quicker
and more customized efforts to unionize
workplaces. That means removing some
methods adopted roughly 30 years ago, he
added.
The effort seeks to adapt to a faster
National Labor Relations Board election
Evergreen Leader
process and to counter employer-hired
consultants seeking to thwart organizing
campaigns, IAM Organizing Director Don
Barker told.
Grow Membership Amid Resistance
The IAM is among many labor unions
seeking ways to grow membership, fighting
against anti-union actions such as right-towork laws and employer efforts to quell organizing drives. That, in part, has decreased
union membership.
For example, the membership of the 56
member unions of the AFL-CIO in 2015
averaged 9,257,728 members overall, a
net loss of 66,262 members compared with
2014 averages, the federation reported
in February. The IAM is a member of the
AFL-CIO.
The IAM’s new organizing is aided by
some changes within the IAM, including
cutting expenses at the union’s headquarters, allowing more resources for district
and local offices, Martinez said Sept. 4.
Shifting Resources to
Locals, Members
Martinez also announced Sept. 4 that he
has helped shed more than $2.25 million
in expenses since he took the helm after R.
Thomas Buffenbarger retired Jan. 1.
In addition to changing organizing and
belt-tightening finances, the IAM convention included discussions about the importance of global partnerships with other
unions to grow organized labor in the U.S.
and adopting to and finding the union’s
place within 3D printing technology.
The convention also focused on political actions, such as reaffirming its support
of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and challenging the proposed
Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.
Martinez told Bloomberg BNA Sept. 5
that he remains committed to organizing in
the South, particularly within the region’s
burgeoning aerospace market. That includes
the IAM’s campaign to organize workers at
the Boeing Co. airplane production campus
in North Charleston, S.C., and competitor
Airbus production facility in Mobile, Ala.
Page 3
Retirees
Local Lodge 79
Bickford, Rhett
Chan-Du, Sharon
Harrison, Michael
Miller, Donald
Moore, Daryl
Noble, Douglas
The Gear Works
The Gear Works
Saint Gobain Containers
Vigor Shipyards
Markey Machinery
Foss Shipyard
07/31/2016
04/30/2016
06/30/2016
05/31/2016
04/30/2016
05/31/2016
Local Lodge 130
Mathes, James
Sanders, Alan
Vanantwerp, Albert
Community Transit
First Transit
Community Transit
05/31/2016
05/31/2016
08/31/2016
Local Lodge 282
Seitz, Barbara
City of Bainbridge Island
08/31/2016
Local Lodge 289
Collier, Sydney
Couet, Marlott
Douglas, Renay
James, Robert
Latozke, Gerald
Vananacker, David
City of Seattle
American President Lines
Hexcel Corporation
American President Lines
United States Bakery
City of Seattle
04/30/2016
07/31/2016
04/30/2016
08/31/2016
08/31/2016
05/31/2016
Local Lodge 297
Larsen, Eric
Mattson, Arnold
Roose, David
Zitka, Peter
Marine Industries NW
City of Tacoma
City of Tacoma
RockTenn
04/30/2016
06/30/2016
07/31/2016
08/31/2016
Local Lodge 695
Burton, Robert
Cozad, James
Morlan, Kenneth
Pratt, Fred
Crown Cork & Seal
Crown Cork & Seal
Crown Cork & Seal
Crown Cork & Seal
06/30/2016
06/30/2016
07/31/2016
05/31/2016
Local Lodge 2379
Creek, James
Engler, Don
Grimes, Delbert
Klein, Denis
Lindsey, Fred
Fairhaven Shipyard
Alcoa Intalco Works
Alcoa Intalco Works
Alcoa Intalco Works
Alcoa Intalco Works
07/31/2016
04/30/2016
07/31/2016
04/30/2016
07/31/2016
Glenn Farmer
Continued from page 1
tion and process improvement to regain stability. We have seven full time Reps working
relentlessly to that end. I’m very proud of
this group. What they’ve done and are doing
is truly a state of the art combination of solid,
traditional representation and cooperation
and problem solving that is a major driving
force at Intalco. We have a solid start on the
road to stability and future security.
In other news, Local Lodge 2379 was
again the highest contributor to MNPL in the
Western Territory. The Machinists Non-Partisan Political League is crucial to our survival as a Labor Union. I overheard someone
saying recently, “What we gain at the bargaining table can be lost in Congress.” Like
it or not, politics is part of our Labor Movement. We support those who support us.
Happy fall to everyone!
Business Representatives’ Reports
Rock nation creating a state of economic and cultural ruin.
Even with the backing of several federal agencies, the
Dakota Access Pipeline
Tribe’s efficacy is limited by greed and the depths of EnerOn July 26, 2016, the US Army Corps of Engineers gave gy Transfer Partners’ pockets. Federal environmental and
its approval to the Texas-based company Energy Transfer historic preservation laws require that “large civil works
Partners, to build their $3.78 billion Dakota Access Pipeline. projects” like the Dakota Access Pipeline “consult with impoverished communities, minority populations”
The pipeline will transfer on average about ½ million,
and specifically, “federally recognized tribes”
with the potential of up to as much as 570,000 barrels
that are close to construction sites before breakof crude oil per day over 1,134 miles of land starting at
ing ground. In addition, the Corps has been
the Bakken oil fracking fields in western North Dakoutilizing an environmental report drafted by Data, traveling southeast through South Dakota and Iowa
kota Access that at no point consulted the Tribe
eventually ending in Illinois. The pipeline will then be
nor did it take tribal interest into consideration.
connected to an existing line which delivers its oil to
This blatant disregard is a violation of the trust
the Gulf of Mexico for shipping. The proponents of
responsibilities between the federal government
the new line speak of economic development, jobs, tax
and
the
Tribe.
Since Dakota Access released notification
revenue and large monetary gains for landowners in its path
of
construction,
over 150 meetings took place with local
as logical reasoning for its construction.
Opposition comes from those with slightly different con- officials. Not one meeting included Standing Rock.
Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault II
cerns. There are those who say the environmental impacts
stated,
“We have serious obligation, a core responsibility to
are not worth the money. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
our
people
and to our children, to protect our source of waleads the fight, along with a coalition of farmers, ranchers and environmental groups. The Environmental Protec- ter. Our people will receive no benefits from this pipeline,
tion Agency, Department of the Interior and the Advisory yet we are paying the ultimate price for it with our water.
Council on Historic Preservation, have also shown support We will not stop asking the federal government and Army
in opposition. The pipeline will cross 209 rivers, creeks Corps to end their attacks on our water and our people.”
Now is the time to act Brothers and Sisters. Causes
and tributaries. Although the path of the pipeline doesn’t
such
as these are the very reason for the existence of orrun directly through the reserganizations such as ours. We
vation, it is planned to cross the
have the ability to stand toMissouri River, which is the
gether to lift those that cantribe’s main source of drinking
not stand alone. Please visit
and irrigation water, about half
standingrock.org and scroll to
a mile upstream from reservathe bottom of the page to “DOtion border. From there the
NATE DAPL FUND”. You
river flows south, making up
will be redirected to a Paypal
the entire eastern border of the
site that allows you to contribreservation. If a leak were to
ute to the fight of the Standing
occur, it would devastate the
Rock Souix Tribe and begin to
environment, people, resourcProtesters
near
construction
of
the
Dakota
Access
Pipeline.
lift.
es and land of the Standing
By Brandon Hemming
By Paul Miller
I was very fortunate to attend the 39th Grand Lodge
Convention of our great union during the first week of
September. The convention was held in
Chicago. While there I was reminded
of just how much labor history comes
out of Chicago. A couple of the most
notable were the Haymarket Massacre and the Pullman Strike. It was a
very good reminder of how those who
came before us fought, and in some
cases died to get the labor movement
to where it is today.
As union members we have been entrusted with the
hard-fought rights and protections we have today. We
must remember and honor those who came before us.
We must know the stories of those who have toiled in the
name of labor and never forget their sacrifices. Now it’s
our turn to stand up and fight for the generations to come
after us. This struggle is not simply about us and the size
of our paycheck or our own individual retirement. What
we have today is because someone else paved the way
for our prosperity. It’s our turn to lead the way. It’s our
turn to secure a prosperous future for our children and
grandchildren. It’s our turn to educate our friends and
family about why a collective voice can be heard around
the world.
Will we be remembered as the generation who fought
against “right-to-work for less” and terrible free trade
agreements like the TPP? Will we topple corporate greed
and CEO salaries at a ratio of over 330 to 1 of the average worker wages? Will we sit by while pharmaceutical
companies raise the cost of medicine necessary to sustain
life by hundreds of dollars so their CEO can get a bonus?
Where will be your place in history? Will you take
the position of “what can one person do” or will you be
part of something great? If you haven’t already started
pushing back, come to your local lodge meeting and let’s
get started. As for me and my family, we will fight!
More Business Representatives’ Reports on page 4
Page 4
Evergreen Leader
September 2016
Business Representatives’ Reports
tice model training program, there is so
little participation. An apprentice program
Good day, my Brothers and Sisters. I produces highly skilled employees, there
hope everyone had a safe and wonder- is less turnover of employees, an increase
ful summer. Fall is in the air and school in productivity, lowers the cost of recruitis back in session which
ment/advertisement for employees, and
includes another type of
the Washington State Workforce Board in
education - “Apprenticea 2008 evaluation study found it increases
ships.”
safety in the workplace/jobsite.
Apprenticeship is an
Apprenticeships are not only an asset
“earn as you learn” trainto the company as I touched on earlier, it
ing system. Which is difis an asset for the apprentice. Not only is
ferent than other “work
the skills-training superior, the wages are
based training” models.
competitive and have built in skill level
There are different factors between the increases. The Mathmatical Apprentice
two types of training. The first of which is Earnings study of 2012 stated, “An apearn as you learn/apprenprentice/employee will
tice training instruction
earn $300,000 more in
that is governed by and
their career time than a
must meet the Department
non-apprentice.”
of Labor standards for that
…and last but never
specific program or trade,
the least! Credentials!
demanding a broad base
The state recognized apof training in all aspects of
prenticeship is governed
that trade. The apprentice
by the Department of Latraining is conducted at the
bor (DOL) which works
work site under direction
with the administration
of one or more “Journey”
of the apprentice program
or fully knowledgeable
tracking each and every
coworkers. This at-work
apprentice
throughout
training is supplemented
the whole process. Upon
with related technical
completion of the protraining classes at a techgram there is a certificate
nical training school or a
issued that recognizes
community college.
you as a highly skilled
A “work based train- Congratulations to Jared Alseth
and trained individual.
ing” or getting your edu- from First Transit. He is our
NO ONE CAN DISPUTE
cation and training solely latest graduate from the Greater
YOUR TRAINING AND
from a community college
SKILL. No more, take
Puget Sound Area Automotive
or a technical training
this less wage, and we
trade school lacks the day Machinist Apprentice Program to will evaluate your skill
to day work environment, “journey out.” Good luck to you and pay accordingly…
and constant skills trans- and may you prosper as a Journey
Please speak with your
ference from Journeyman Technician.
employer about apprenemployee to Apprentice
ticeships. If there is inemployee.
terest, call 206-762-7990 and speak with
I find it interesting that as much as an a staff member about apprenticeship proemployer benefits from having an appren- grams!
By Melody Coffman
By Bobby Joe Murray
Sitting here writing this article, I wonder
what the future will bring. Those of you that
know me at all know that I’m an optimist,
glass half full kind of guy. I believe in the
goodness of people. Without the valleys,
how would we know when we’re on the
mountain top?
Like all of you, I’ve certainly
found myself in my share of valleys. When this happens I pause and
remind myself how fortunate I am. I
have my health, a wife and children
that mean the world to me, I have a
job that while challenging is also extremely rewarding, great friends and
coworkers. These give me the will
and desire to climb myself out of the
valley and scale that mountain.
The reason I bring this up is that I see
more and more of our society becoming
one of distrust and disconnect. When we
see or hear something we disagree with, we
instantly revolt from it. We seek those that
agree with our position in order to validate
our thoughts, while expressing contempt for
those that don’t. Opposing opinions are discounted. I’m right, you’re wrong! There are
many reasons driving this, from the mainstream media to social media.
It seems one of the biggest issues right
now is the issue of equality in this country.
It pains me that this continues to be an issue in 2016. I grew up through the 60s and
70s, and watched the news when the struggle
for equality, whether it was based on race or
gender, was broadcast on a daily basis. While
there have been many legislative successes it
seems that culturally the bias has remained
ingrained in many. It has manufactured
distrust throughout our society. We see this
especially in the African American community in regard to law enforcement. I hold the
highest regard for law enforcement officers!
The job they do puts them in positions which
very few of us will ever find ourselves in.
While there’s no doubt that the huge majority of them have attitudes of respect for all
members of society, there are those as in any
profession who don’t have the necessary requirements for the job. When we see video
of confrontations between people and the
police we immediately draw a conclusion
and retreat to our positions, when
we should be having conversations
as to what happened or how do we
prevent this from happening in the
future.
This is what the recent protests
inside the NFL are trying to accomplish. I understand people may disagree with the methods being used
but it’s the fact that they are using
their voice to help push the conversation.
We need to develop a dialogue and if using
their notoriety accomplishes this, then so be
it. This issue needs to be addressed in order
to move our society to a place it should have
been years ago. Do black lives matter? Do
white lives matter? Do brown lives matter?
Do blue lives matter? The answer is yes. ALL
LIVES MATTER!
Everyone one of us deserves to be treated
with respect and dignity. No one is any better or any worse than anyone else. It doesn’t
matter your skin color, your religion, your
sexual preference, your politics or anything
else. When you find yourself with an opinion
at odds with someone else’s, engage them in
conversation. Listen, really listen, to what
they have to say. Do so with empathy and a
desire to see through their eyes. One never
knows, you could be the nexus to a new paradigm.
So what does our future hold? I’m going
to choose one of hope and promise. This will
only be accomplished through listening and
seeking to understand. I choose to live on the
mountain top and not in the valley.
By Bob Westbrook
A greeting as Fall begins. This has
been a very busy summer but I have had
the privilege of taking a couple weeks of
vacation. Besides the various meetings
with a multitude of Army and Naval Commands and shop visits, I’ve handled a few
grievances and investigatory
interviews for bargaining unit
members working for the Naval
Hospital at Whidbey and other
Naval Commands throughout
Kitsap County.
Negotiations are still ongoing
with the Naval Surface Warfare
Center at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
They have had some changes in
their labor relations structure, which has
hampered a quick conclusion. I’m hoping
to finish this soon.
I’ve also taken on a new bargaining unit
working for the Armed Forces Services
Corporation (AFSC). The members of
this bargaining unit provide victim advocate and counselor services for our military
families. As I pored over the documents
provided by the company as a result of our
request for information, I find that we have
a lot of work to do in order to increase their
salaries and benefits commensurate with
their levels of responsibilities and educational backgrounds. We are taking the
negotiating committee to Winpisinger for
a negotiation preparation class. I think it
will be interesting to see the group dynamics of this team. I am also happy to have
Brother Alfredo assisting me with this
group. He organized them and brought
them to certification as a bargaining unit.
We’ve also completed negotiations
with the Delaware Resource Group company, whose employees work at Whidbey
Island Naval Air Station. With the help of
Aerospace Coordinator, Jody Bennett, we
were successful in obtaining the IAM National Pension for these highly technically
trained members. I am always grateful to
have their Steward, Chris Oatley, on the
negotiating committee. The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was ratified with
a 90% approval.
Other negotiations have included
changes in working conditions for various
Naval and Army bargaining units. Primary among those were scheduling
changes for the Guards working for
the Madigan Hospital at Joint Base
Lewis McChord.
Future negotiations on my list for
the next two months, besides AFSC,
include Naval Facilities (NAVFAC),
Naval Hospital at Whidbey and the
Lockheed Martin C-130. Presently,
we are reviewing proposed ground rules
for NAVFAC negotiations and should conclude that this week. The C-130 negotiations will take place in Little Rock, Arkansas since the larger bargaining unit under
this CBA is located at the Little Rock Airforce Base. The Steward, Sam Hayden,
and I will be joining negotiations teams
from Little Rock and Saint Paul. We are
fortunate to have Aerospace Coordinator,
Jody Bennett, to lead these negotiations.
I’ve worked with Jody Bennett many times
and am always pleased with the results.
Lastly, I am trying to fit the Naval Hospital
negotiations into my schedule.
Last but not least, is the 2016 Grand
Lodge Convention -- I went away from
this convention with high hopes for our future as an organization. We have a great
team of leaders at the top assisting us in every way possible. I’m sure others, who attended the convention, will be filling in the
details as time passes. I believe the greatest thing accomplished was the adoption
of a members’ bill of rights within the new
constitution. When the new constitution is
published I encourage all to read it from
cover to cover. I know that I will when I
get the time.
This will allow all members the right to vote
on their contract, and the membership must
I have to start off my article with thoughts be allowed to vote on opening their contract
on the Grand Lodge Convention that was re- mid-term and no secret negotiations can take
place. We did get the work done by
cently held in Chicago, Illinois. With
Friday and closed the convention on
all that has gone on with our Union
time.
in the last four years it was anticipatNow on to the work at home. We
ed it was going to be a donnybrook
have
concluded negotiations with
(an all-out brawl on the convention
Washington
State Ferries and once
floor). This did not happen. We have
again
ended
up at arbitration over
a new International President so the
wages.
The
State
offered four perquestion was how well was he going
cent
over
two
years
when
their
own compato be able to keep control of the microphones
rables
with
other
ferry
systems
showed
we are
and move the convention forward with doing
twelve
and
one-half
percent
behind.
We
are
the important work at hand. He did an outawaiting
the
arbitrator’s
rulstanding job.
ing.
Bob Martinez is a very perNegotiations with Pacific
sonable individual who gave
Fishermen
went well and
those coming forward to speak
the
members
got a buck fifty
the respect to state their posia
year
for
each
of the three
tions without cutting them off
years
of
the
contract.
Vigor
or making them feel hurried.
Shipyard
negotiations
are
unAt one point a member got to
der
way
and
moving
slowly
voice his respect for Bob and
but moving. As you will resaid he was going to give him
call, we did enter into a naa hug some time during this
tional agreement with the emconvention. Bob told him to
ployer that would cover Vigor
come on up and do just that.
Shipyard, Vigor Marine, CasThat’s how it started. The
cade General and Washington
next guy stated what a nice tie
Marine Repair.
Bob was wearing and would
Grievances continue to
be proud to have that tie. Lo
keep
me
busy and I have had
and behold Bob gave up his
Ted
Taft,
LL
79
Delegate,
several
arbitrations
in the past
tie. That tie will be on display
smiled
for
the
camera
after
several
months.
Let’s
hope
at their local lodge behind a
buying
GLR
Mike
Goddard’s
we
can
get
a
break
from
our
glass case. After that people
tie.
Proceeds
were
donated
employers
doing
the
wrong
started raising money and
thing just because they think
buying the General Vice Pres- to striking Machinists.
they can.
idents’ ties. The money raised
In
closing,
fall
is here and the leaves are
was given to Machinists who are on strike.
changing.
As
we
all
know, there is work to
The most significant single issue was the
be
done
to
prepare
so
be safe and enjoy the
member bill of rights brought forward from
upcoming
holidays.
our brothers and sisters from District 751.
By Greg Heidal, ADBR
More Business Representatives’ Reports on page 3