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January 2017
A message from the Business Manager…
Brothers and Sisters,
I want to thank all of you for the prayers, cards and text messages
during my battle with cancer. I am so, so proud to be a part of a
Local with so many AWESOME Brothers and Sisters. I can’t tell
you how much it lifted my spirits to read the cards and text
messages. And because of all your prayers, and God’s amazing
grace, I can report to you today that I am totally cancer free!
I was so humbled at the Union Meeting Saturday when all the
Brothers and Sisters stood and applauded my return. It was
certainly one of the most emotional moments of my life. Thank
you, thank you!! I still have not been released from the Doctors to
return to work full time, and that will probably not happen until
March or April. However, I do plan to start going to the office a
few times a week. I look forward to seeing and speaking with
each of you very soon. I Love You all and God Bless!
Fraternally,
Skip Howard
Business Manager
Local 421
The 421 Communicator
Luke 1:37 - For with God nothing shall be impossible.
May 2016 Harold Whited (391) June 2016 JD Guy (96) James W. Thornton(785) July 2016 James F. Senn(227) August 2016 Rufus Cross (96) September 2016 Edgar E. Montjoy (391) October 2016 Lawrence R. Moore(785) November 2016 Fred C. Chapman(391) December 2016 Herbert Vincent(227) Russell Neeley(391)
I t i s wi th our deepes t regret that
we must inform you o f the
pas s ing o f the fol lowing Brothers
and/or Si s ter s :
Directory
Charleston
Business Office
2556 Oscar Johnson Drive
N. Charleston, SC 29405
843-554-3655
843-529-1226 Fax
Concord Office
285 Litaker Lane
Concord, NC 28025
704-721-0517
704-721-0518 Fax
Laurens Office
1476 Fleming St. Ext.
Laurens, SC 29360
864-984-9702
864-984-1951 Fax
Wendell Office
350 East 4th Street
Wendell, NC 27591
919-231-8005
919-231-8054 Fax
*Please send all mail including
payments to the Charleston
Office.*
Email Addresses
Skip– [email protected]
Bob– [email protected]
Keith– [email protected]
John– [email protected]
Joe– [email protected]
*Please put 421 member on
subject line.*
Websites
www.ualocal421.org
www.ua.org
Please notify us at either the Charleston or
Concord office if you have a change of
address or phone number. It is very
important for us to have current information
for mail outs and automated phone calls.
**Also notify NEBA of any address changes**
News from Dispatcher….
Brothers and Sisters,
As most of you know Ron May retired on January 1, 2017. Ron will continue working
as an instructor in our training facility, Ron’s experience and knowledge will be
missed in this office, Ron we appreciate your service Brother.
My name is Keith Batson I’m looking forward to meeting each of you and taking on
the challenges of this position. My goal will be the same as Ron and Reggie, that’s
to clear the out of work list.
We are starting 2017 with a positive outlook. MMC is starting to hire for the Medical
University of South Carolina project. Kinetics picked up another project at Seqirus
and the project at Pfizer is getting ready for another shift. Morgan Mechanical and
McKenney’s are continuing work on the high rises in Charlotte with another
scheduled in Greensboro NC. CB&I Fab Shop in Laurens SC, has a call for
Pipefitters and Welders. McClintock and Turk should start hiring this month for
the Marine Corp. project in Beaufort SC. Late spring Novo Nordisk project in
Clayton NC should start hiring this will be our largest job and most challenging to
man. This will be a high purity project so we need Orbital Welders.
Our work place is changing, a number of jobs are requiring Contractors to perform
background checks, give pre-hire training and testing. We work in very sensitive
environments that require us to have these special skills and training so I
encourage every member to take advantage of the classes offered in Local 421
Training Centers.
Fraternally,
Keith Batson
Special Announcement:
If you are three months behind on your dues, you will be required to
pay a minimum of two months. Especially if you are currently
employed.
*Dues are to be paid the first of each month.*
JATC
From Your President
Hello Brothers and Sisters:
I want to thank all those members that got out and Voted and Campaigned, no matter who your candidate was. You participated in a system where every vote counts. At the time I am typing this some elections including Governor of NC were too close to call and votes are still being recounted.
I found an interesting article I wanted to share part of that with you:
Posted on November 29, 2016 by Jon Hiatt
Jon Hiatt is Executive Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff at the AFL-CIO.
Rather than slice and dice the electorate into different demographics and voting blocks, we have to understand what happened on November 8 not as a vote for or against the two candidates. Rather, it was something much larger. It was an expression of the insecurity of working people all over the formerly industrialized world, brought on by globalization forcing them to compete for work in a labor market without borders. Candidate Trump was correct when he said “I see a big parallel” between U.K. voters favoring Brexit and U.S. citizens supporting him. Both were expressions of the belief that existing institutions of government are no longer protecting the security and well-being of working people in a global economy.
Union officers who talk to their members will tell you that the insecurity and anger underlying the vote was real. And they will also tell you that if that insecurity and anger is not addressed, they will threaten liberal democracy and slow or even reverse our halting progress toward equality.
Both candidates were right that we need to rebuild our physical infrastructure to compete in the global economy, but we also need to rebuild the infrastructure of government and society – most centrally the institutions that speak for working people, their unions. If we revive U.S. manufacturing without unions, we will not bring back good jobs. Factory jobs and jobs in the mines were not good jobs until they became union jobs and the same will be true in the future.
The President-elect complains about outdated and rigid legal mandates. But through collective bargaining workers will continue to express their collective needs and values on an equal footing with employers, instead of receiving protection from elites and self-declared leaders. The 14 million working people covered by collective bargaining agreements are the foundation both for any meaningful response to the insecurity and anger registered in the recent election and for the innovation desperately needed to give all working Americans a meaningful voice.
Benevolence Fund Committee Members
Ray Smith (Chairman)-336-972-0922
Donald Bean-336-953-4718
Carl Dean-828-217-3432
John Tilley, Jr. –336-830-1723
If you are in need of assistance, or you know a fellow Brother and/or Sister in need please contact one of the names listed above.
JATC Information
Make sure to always keep your certs current, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!
Check the website often (www.ualocal421.org) for new and updated classes that are listed for any required continuing education. There will be more online courses in the months to come for UA members. Watch for Victaulic and High Purity training in your area.
Remember to check the website for upcoming classes over the summer months, OSHA 10, 30, brazing and continuing education.
There will be Weld testing at the Concord Training Center on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. We are also offering Weld testing at our Wake County Training Center in Wendell on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. Must call ahead to schedule any testing with that location’s Instructor. Any requested testing in Charleston or Laurens will have to be pre-scheduled.
Anyone interested in UA STAR exams (HVAC, Plumbing & Pipefitting), please contact the Concord Training Center for information
Please listen to ALL ROBO calls from Local Union 421 as they always involve important information!
The JATC is looking for Instructors for ALL Training Centers. If you have the ambition to share your knowledge with others, please send your resume’ to John: [email protected].
OUR apprenticeship program was chosen for an award to be presented at the NCWORKS/ NCDOC Apprentice Conference in October and the state sent a film crew out to the Concord location to do some footage of the class rooms and interview myself and 4 apprentices.
We chose new first year Lizelle Restar as our first apprentice, Next Michael Owens a 5th year HVAC apprentice , then recent Graduates Tissia Dancy PF/Welder and VIP PF/Welder graduate and recent Journeyman Michael Johnson.
This was a GREAT HONOR for our program, our contractors and our Local. The Conference was held Oct 4th, 5th and 6th. Below is the link to the interviews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXj-SjyMLdc&feature=youtu.be
Reminder for all Apprentice’s that have not submitted their $50 nonrefundable book deposit,
this is to be sent to the Concord Training Center only!
As I'm sure you are all aware, the 2017 benefit changes are now in effect. We ran into a few glitches with the rollout which is not uncommon
when changes are made, but hopefully everything has been worked out and will run smoothly going forward.
A few key things to remember:
You should have all received a letter from Wage Works in the mail with steps on how to set up the HRA (Health Reimbursement Account). It is very important you set yours up so that you will be able to take advantage of the $1000.00 benefit for this year.
You will be receiving new medical cards that will have the $25.00 copay listed for your PCP (primary care physician) along with the 20% coinsurance listed for all other visits. These will replace the first ones you received earlier that did not have the $25.00 copay listed for a PCP office visit.
There will not be new prescription cards issued. Your old cards can still be used as the changes have now been updated in the database that your pharmacy will access to verify your coverage.
If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me. You can call me at 843-214-5344. If you cannot reach me please leave me a detailed message and I will get back to you. I can also be reached by email at [email protected]. You can also reach out to Melinda Fernandez at NEBA. Her number is 800-842-5899 and her email is [email protected].
Happy New Year!
Submitted by: Stacie Bartlett
Lead Burners
By: Bill McNabb
Since mid-September Bob Hughes and I have been in negotiations with our Contractors
Association over funding for our insurance plan. We have an agreement with our
contractors that we would go to arbitration if we could not reach a settlement by October
31st. No settlement was reached and as a result our fund legal counsel contacted the
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Both sides have submitted the required
documentation to the FMCS and at the time I am writing this we are waiting for a response
from the FMCS. I will keep the membership informed of further developments as this
settlement will affect all of us.
Thank You,
Bill McNabb
New Membership Cards
The cards are now good for three years & act as Travel Card.
Cards will no longer be stamped, we will no longer send out the
stamps with receipts. (It is very important for each member to
keep up with receipts to know paid thru dates. )
Each Local will be equipped with a card scanner.
The cards will have a barcode to be scanned to check the status of your dues, information on certs/skills.
2017 Standard for Excellence and Work Referral
In order to be eligible for employment, every member or applicant must
complete and sign (both sides) and return to the business office no later than
January 31st. You can return by US Mail, Fax or Email. If you are currently on
out of work list you will maintain your position if the form is completed and
returned by the 31st, if the form is not completed and returned by the 31st your
name will be removed and placed on the list in order received. You CANNOT be
referred to any job until this form is completed and returned to Local 421
Business Office. This is a yearly requirement.
Happy New Year
There have been some changes at the Business Office. Ron May has retired and Keith Batson
has taken his place, Noreen Albrecht is no longer employed with us. Amy Loftin has accepted
a position on staff. Office Manager Tressy McNamara, Diane Hendricks and Tabitha Waters
have done their usual outstanding jobs during this transition.
Let me share with you a couple of quotes.
“Should any political party attempt to abolish Social Security, unemployment insurance, and
eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our
political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these
things. Among them are Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man
and they are stupid.”
President Dwight Eisenhower November 8, 1954
“And so we must forge a new social compact - to guarantee all our kids the education they
need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net
to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and
individuals who reap the most from the new economy don't avoid their obligations to the
country that's made their success possible. We can argue about how to best achieve these
goals. But we can't be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don't create
opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will
only sharpen in years to come.”
President Barak Obama January 10, 2017
Let us all wish for the best in this New Year.
Submitted by Bob Hughes
Membership Card Changes Effective January 1, 2017
Beginning with the membership cards you will soon be receiving, membership cards will be
replaced in three year cycles rather than two year cycles. Thus, you will note the front side of
the new card shows a date range 2017-2019.
The back side of the new membership card will not include placeholders for dues stamps.
On a date to-be-determined in mid-2017, the QR code on the membership cards will be
activated. By scanning the QR code, Locals will be able to access and print the member’s card
information, including the member’s current address and UA certifications. Locals will be able to
scan the QR code on the cards using a scanner connected to their computers or one or more
mobile “apps” available for free at various app stores.
The new membership card will not need to be returned to the UA when a replacement is needed.
The UA Membership Department will simply deactivate the old card and mail out a new card.
The E-Travel System
Instead of issuing physical Travel Cards to members, Local Unions will be able to use the E-
Travel system to grant members clearance to travel upon request if such members meet the
eligibility requirements set forth in the UA constitution.
CONTINUED ON PG 8
P l u m b e r s & P i p e f i t t e r s
L o c a l U n i o n 4 2 1
2 5 5 6 O s c a r J o h n s o n D r .
N o r t h C h a r l e s t o n , S C
2 9 4 0 5
Or Current Resident
E-Travel System Continued…
Once the member receives clearance to travel from his home Local Union, the member will be
able to present their membership card or card information if being checked in remotely to the
destination local. By scanning the member’s card or using the E-Travel website, the destination
Local will be able to quickly check in the member. If the member has not been cleared to travel by
their home Local, the E-Travel system will alert the destination Local to that fact and not allow the
member to check in.
At such time as a traveling member wishes to return to their home Local or travel to another
Local , the member would be required to be checked out of the Local in which he/she is working.
Again, the E-Travel system will not allow a member who remains checked into one Local to be
checked into another Local.
Bear in mind that, while the E-Travel system will allow the travel card provisions of the
Constitution to be applied in a more efficient and technologically appropriate manner, the rules
and obligations embodied in the travel card provisions remain the same.
Travel Card functions will not take effect until mid-2017. Accordingly, Local Unions should
continue using existing physical Travel Cards until further notice.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
