MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES

May 22, 2008

 

Rusty Hicks, Political Director, LA Fed reported on the upcoming election of Mark Ridley-Thomas and Bernard Parks.  Asked for volunteers to phone bank and walk precincts.  Stated it was important for us to help Mark Ridley-Thomas get elected.  It is about workers vs. Bernard Parks.  Parks voted against a living wage.  Rusty also requested funds for the Labor to Labor campaign.

 

M/S/C to return to the normal order of business.

 

Phil Hanneman reported that Judy Ra’pue could not attend today’s meeting because her mother Carmen Hernandez was very ill.

 

Joan Gifford could not attend due to medical issues.

 

M/S/C to accept the membership Meeting minutes dated March 27, 2008 as corrected.

 

M/S/C to accept the Financial Statements dated May 21, 2008 for the General Fund and PAC accounts as distributed.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

John Smeltzer sent an e-mail regarding ongoing problems in his Local.

 

UCLA Labor Center Banquet.  We would like to purchase a table.   A motion under new business will be required.

 

 

REPORTS

 

CSC- Malocca Hawkins

 

The Committee has been very active in the last month.  On April 24^th we partnered with the Women’s Committee in making Mother’s Day gift bags.  We also assisted the Letter Carrier’s in their annual food drive.    On May 17^th we had several CWA members’ received certificates for completing the Labor Community Services Course.  Leslie Gersecoff, NABET 53,Luz Osorio, 9000, David Frechette, 9000, Jose Villarreal, 9400, Shelia Bordeaux, 9503, Den’o Greer, 9503, Malocca Hawkins, 9505, Frances Castro-Montoya, 9505, Russell Moore, 9505, Tony Gonzalez, 9505, William Oliver, 9505, Sally Weger, 9586, Teresa Collins, 9586 and Irene Baltazar, 9588.

 

Wynter Hawk, 9503 received an award for outstanding volunteerism.

 

The Committee is still focused on Strike preparation.

 

The next meeting will be held on June 12, 2008 at Local 9573.

 

EDUCATION- Sue Gallegos

 

The Committee met on April 16^th and reviewed the scholarship applications received for both George Meany and the Summer Institute for Women.  The recipients for the George Meany Scholarships are Malocca Hawkins- 9505 and Frances-Castro-Montoya, 9505.

The recipient for the Summer Institute for Women is Lynn Lopez, 9510.

 

The Committee continues to discuss plans and curriculum for the Steward’s Conference.  The conference will be held September 19^th – September 21^st at the Doral in Palm Springs. 

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, June 18, 2008.

 

EQUITY- Martin Greenidge

 

The Committee continues to have monthly meetings. The locations of the meetings are rotated amongst the participating locals.  The main focus each month is educating new members and encouraging them to be active.

 

I attended the Civil Rights Conference in Washing D.C. and left very inspired.  I felt it was one of the better conferences.  The topics addressed the issues we are all faced with.  We were also encouraged to get involved in this years elections.

 

 

 

MAP – Shelia Bordeaux

 

The MAP committee continues to meet monthly.  Our last meeting was held on May 14, 2008 at Local 9575.  The next meeting will be rescheduled and the committee will be notified.

 

We are closer than ever to finishing our MAP Quick Reference Guide.

 

Summer School will be held July 27 – August 1, 2008 at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.

 

Women’s – Pandy Allen

 

The Committee made 66 gift bags to be donated to a women’s shelter of Local 9510’s choice.

Cell phones are being collected to be traded for calling cards for soldiers.  We are also collecting clean, slightly used coats for the One Warm Coat Project, so as you do your spring cleaning please keep the Committee in mind.  We are also collecting any yarn/knitting materials to make hats, scarves and mittens for rosemary’s children, a shelter.

 

We will be collecting toiletries at convention and we ask that you all please donate the hotel toiletries. 

 

Thanked the Council for sending her to the Civil Rights Conference.

 

The Next meeting will be held on June 12, 2008 at Local 9573.

 

L&P – Mike Milliman

 

The committee has met once since the last SCC meeting.  We have participated in the National Legislative conference where both U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein addressed the delegates.  We also met with Senator Boxer and a Feinstein Aide.  Besides lobbying for several issues like, Pension Protection, Healthcare and Bankruptcy Reform several Locals copies of a news article regarding AT&T CEO Randall Stevenson’s remarks about the need to send jobs to India or import more foreign workers because Americans are too stupid to do the work.

 

CWA Also attended the California Labor federations COPE Convention and the Legislative Conference in Sacramento which was held immediately following CWA’s Legislative Conference.

 

All the Local’s are working on the Speed Matters Campaign with varying degrees of success.

 

Asked for support on HR 676, Single Payer Healthcare, which expands the Medicare system.

The SCC opposes SB 1389 (Padilla)

 

No on Proposition 98

Yes on Proposition 99

Mike requested a motion under new business.

 

Health and Safety – O.T. Thomas

 

The Committee met in April and May and shared many common events that have been occurring between the two companies that were represented, AT&T, and Verizon.  Eleven different locals were represented over the two meetings and we are getting a good turnout.  We still need some representation from UPTE and NABET, and it would be nice to get the Cingular H&S representative that has been appointed to District 9.   I would like to know if any of the locals that do not come would like to have a conference call maybe every couple of months or so.  By getting together we can encourage one another to continue to fight for our member’s health and safety.  The attendees are now bringing problems to this committee to ask for guidance and to ask for direct support.  We have OSHA and Cal OSHA contacts to help us. 

In April we talked about pesticide use at a call center, cable burns, the bill that requires subcontractors for Communication companies to be certified, manhole gas meters, asbestos contamination at worksites, AT&T Premise Tech safety training, vehicle accidents, ladder accidents pole climbing, lead shielding on cables, and the latest tricks the companies are using to avoid having to repair or fix safety problems. 

In May we followed up on pesticides, gas meters, asbestos contamination, safety training, vehicle accidents, two new falls from poles and what we could do to make safer.   We also addressed a new issue where Verizon work group, buried cable, is being required to use pickup trucks with a large generator in the bed of the truck. We also identified the OSHA requirement for California businesses being required to provide water at any worksite because the company is not providing the water at an Oxnard work site.  Verizon is also trying to twist their electrical safety rules in such a way that they are creating hazards.   We also discussed indoor air quality, rattle snakes, vehicle accidents, violence at customer sites, and more telephone pole accidents.

 

The next meeting will be on June 20, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the District 9 office.  My phone number is 760 855 1826. I can also be reached via e-mail at otcwa9509@gmail.com   Also do not forget www.myhealthandsafety.blogspot.com.  You should be having someone from your local adding stories to this every week.  It helps us all.

 

NABET – Stephen Simpson

 

Contract ratification is today.  We also have 4 contracts up within the next 8 months. KVEA contract expires on December 31, 2008.  NBC is in the preliminary stages the contract expires on March 31, 2009. 

 

Steffan will be attending the U.S. Open to represent NABET employees. The U.S. Open employs 190 people.

 

Leroy Jackson reported on KMEX.  Discussed ongoing negotiations and the viewer ratings and demographics. 

Local 54 in San Diego is still on strike.  Discussed NLRB complaint and layoffs.  The NLRB hearing will be held on July 28, 2008.  For more information and updates go to www.NABETCWA54.com.   Any assistance that can be provided to Local 54 will be appreciated.

 

AT&T/AVAYA – Bill Demers

 

AT&T is BAU.  Reorganization is almost daily.  They are conducting internal audits.  They are picking the weakest contract from other Districts and trying to impose those contracts on District 9 members.

 

Healthcare CIF training will be held from June- September.  It is essential for our members to learn and it will help with the National Elections.

 

AT&T Mobility, we had a mobilizing activity on June 3.  Discussion held on Pacific bell, Cingular and AT&T wireless medical plan problems. The Contract expires in March 2009 and the Healthcare portion expires in June 2009. 

 

There are problems in Avaya with harassment and work rules.

 

Verizon – James Dudley

 

The ISP was offered to 202 surplus titles.  The Union is challenging some of the ISP offerings.

Discussion held regarding payroll reporting requirements and State law.

 

Discussed Subscriber Line charges.  If the charge is intended to maintain the lines they should be using it for the copper customers as well as the fiber build out.

 

Verizon east contract expires August 2, 2008; negotiations will begin on May 27, 2008.

 

UPTE –Pete Goodman

 

Reported that they were deep in bargaining, discussion held on the budget and restrictions.  AFSCME will be taking a strike vote today.  UPTE Contract expires on June 30, 2008.

 

Discussed issues at Livermore and other locations. 

 

They will be introducing a resolution at convention for Single Payer Healthcare.

 

Question: T. Santora, Why do some committees meet at night and others meet during the day?  Are there some criteria or information as to what works best for all the committees?

 

Answer: Phil stated that each committee is autonomous.

 

Discussion held and several of the committee chairs reported that the times and days have been set based on the needs of those who attend the meetings.  The Women’s and CSC have scheduled theirs on the same day because most of the members are on both committees.  The Women’s committee found that if they have the meetings at night there is more participation and not just the Chairs attending.

 

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

The inflatable rat that was to be purchased by the SCC will be delivered in approximately 3 weeks.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

M/S/C to purchase a table for the UCLA Labor Center banquet at a cost of $1,250.00 for a table of ten.

 

M/S/C Confirm the Labor to Labor donation of $2,000.00 to the LA County Federation of Labor and marked for Mark Ridley-Thomas, from the general fund.

 

M/S/C to cancel the L&P meeting that was to be held on May 8.

 

M/S/C That the SCC oppose SB 1389 (Padilla)

 

M/S/C That the SCC endorse Debbie Cook for the 46^th CD (unanimous)

 

GOOD & WELFARE

 

The next SCC meeting will be held on July 17, 2008.  The updated schedule is available.

The next executive Board meeting will be held on June 19, 2008 at Local 9510.

 

Vickie DiPaolo discussed the Press telegram negotiations which have been ongoing for 16 months.  They are down to 29 editors and 12 news reporters.  They tout service to 20 communities.  They are primarily using wire service stories.  They have no loyalty to their workforce.  They have moved the work to Non-Union jobs and laid off the rest.

A handbill was distributed at the “LA to the Docks” walk. 

 

Vickie requested an e-mail be sent to CEO Ed Moss.

 

Pandy acknowledged the CWA Members who participated in the 3 day Hollywood to the Docks walk.  Marsha Betancourt, 9000, Malocca Hawkins, 9505, Wynter Hawk, 9503.  The Women’s Committee assisted 9400 in handing out the flyers regarding the Press telegram negotiations.

 

Phil Hanneman advised the committee chairs that their 2007-2008 fiscal year budgets will be due in September.

 

T. Santora stated that the recent Supreme Court decision on Gay marriage may affect some of our contracts and we need to protect our benefits. For updates go to www.PRIDEATWORK.org.

 

Unit meetings to be held immediately following adjournment.

 

Meeting Adjourned at 12:00 pm.

 

Respectfully Submitted

 

Rosa Bernal

Acting Secretary.