Proud Union Members
for over 25 years.

The meeting was opened at 4:30PM.  A minute of silence was observed in memory of Raul Gutierrez Gonzales, the worker killed on the job at the Gerdau plant in Bausauri, Spain.

The meeting was called to order at 4:33PM.  The President, Vice President & Financial Secretary were present.  The Treasurer and Recording Secretary were absent.

Previous meeting minutes were read.  The Financial Secretary delivered a report that confirms stability.  The Chief Stewards reported the grievances from the melt shop & rolling mill respectively.  The grievance committee will meet July 15^th.

The International Rep reported that the USW has successfully organized AIL, a small shop in Ayr.  Two USW members were killed in Sudbury, in early June.  The investigation is ongoing.  There is one day left in the Arbitration regarding biometric hand scanning for timekeeping.  The closing arguments will be delivered Friday, July 8^th.

 USW Local 9447-05 Calvert City, Kentucky ratified a new collective agreement, earlier this month.  The three year deal includes a $2000 lump sum payment in year one, 2% wage increase in year two and 2.5% wage increase in year three.  The pension multiplier is increased by $2 in year one.  Medical costs were also dealt with.

During Unfinished Business, Pat Monaghan noted that there has not been a follow up on the Trustees recommendations that were carried at the general membership meeting in September, 2010.  Also, the books are overdue for a Trustee audit.  Craig Gosse offered to make himself & the books available during the week of July 14^th.

During New Business, there were several complaints brought regarding the Local leadership.  Pat Monaghan told the meeting that when the Company failed to get Dave MacNeill to the JHSC the worker reps should have walked out.  He recommended calling the MOL and having the Mediation department step in.  Harper Cagoglu expressed disappointment at the reaction he got when approaching Trevor Scurrah about his grievances.

Don Caine claimed to have a list of 40 people that are calling for a new negotiating committee.  We cannot split the grievance negotiating committee because we cannot break our own CBA.  Since this committee is the grievance committee, it is governed by the USW Constitution and will be elected next April.

The meeting adjourned at 5:18PM   

The Union’s Grievance – Negotiating Committee met with the Company’s Cambridge Management Committee, on Tuesday, June 23^rd.  Here are the highlights of that meeting.

BUMPING

The Company invited mediator Bill Davies, to assist with the bumping issue.

The Union re – stated our position, as follows.  A manning requirement of less than 30 days is NOT a recall.  It is a temporary transfer and is governed by Article 18.  A manning requirement of 30 days, or more, is a vacancy, as defined in Article 11.  If someone has a recall right to the vacant position, he is recalled.  If the individual is subsequently reduced out of his position, he gets a bump.

The Company wanted to extend the time to six months.

The mediator supported the Union’s position but suggested extensions could be negotiated on case by case basis.  Sensing a mine field, the Union declined.

SAFETY & HEALTH

Free Falling Boom.  The Company claims that employees knew about the problem but did not report it.  They claim our own Millwrights & Electricians looked at it but found nothing wrong.  Avon Engineering inspected the boom and Kon Crane replaced damaged components.  Our own tradesmen are to be trained.

Bar into the cooling bed.  Ted Bickel is investigating the alleged incident and had not reported back at this time.

CONTRACTING OUT

Frost doing baghouse work.  Mike Hoekstra will investigate.

Furnace Sidewall.  The sidewall had major restorative work, all new face & top. The Union believes some of this work could have been brought in house.

HARASSMENT GRIEVANCES

The Company accused the Union of dragging a man’s name through the mud.  The Union expressed concern over this issue and told the Company that the hourly workers have no confidence in their investigations.

DUTY TO ACCOMMODATE

Much more transparency required

MITNUTE OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF RAUL GUITIEREZ GONZALES

Correction:  The Company is still refusing to allow the holding a minute of silence, even at the crew meetings.

The CPI for April was released today.  We have to wait for the company to calculate the "weighted average rate".  In the meantime I used $29 to ball park the figures.  Based on that the COLA will generate the following pay increases.

At $22/ hour:     30 cents.

At $29/ hour:     40 cents.

At $32/ hour:     44 cents.

THESE FIGURES ARE ETIMATES ONLY!!  The real numbers may vary but they should be pretty close.  The raise will be rolled into your pay starting Sunday May 29th at 00:00.  It should be on your pay stub for the period May 29 - June 4 (Paydate June 8th).

USW Local 8581 ratified a new Collective Agreement at Gerdau's plant in Wilton, Iowa, U.S.A.  Congratulations to President Bill Clevenger and 8581's bargaining committee on a job well done.

JUST IN TODAY:

CALIFORNIA RATIFIED:  USW LU 8065 ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with Gerdau Ameristeel at its TAMCO mill in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.  Congratulations to Paul Ortiz & the rest of the Committee.

FROM THE CONFERENCE CALL LAST WEEK:

COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA:  In Colombia, Gerdau has fired three employees for trying to form a union at their plant.  The Gerdau Workers World Council has sent out a letter demanding the company reistate these men to full employment.  Local 8918 will present the letter to the Cambridge management committee at the next Labour-Management meeting, March 30th.