August 15th Business Manager Update

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Brothers and Sisters,

 

Your officers and I hope you and your families are all staying healthy and enjoying your summer.

 

MEETINGS

We hope to have a Special Called meeting sometime in September.  Please keep an eye out for an email blast. All distributed allocations are posted on our UA Local 98 web page (UALocal98.com) and went into effect the first week of June 2020. All Retiree Meetings are cancelled until further notice. E-Board meetings are getting back underway on the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. If you need to contact or see the board please call V.P. Jim Cools at 734-307-9841.

 

ELECTIONS

The candidates we are supporting and, most importantly, who will support us is now found under the About section under Political Action on our webpage. Click on the 2020 Primary Election Endorsement List. If the candidate is not a labor friendly please do not vote for them. It’s not hard to look them up. A few examples of some resources are the website Vote411.org, your local newspapers, or even do a web search to find the candidates web page.

We are pleased to announce that both State Rep. Joe Tate and Oakland Co. Executive Dave Coulter won their Primaries. Local 98 will continue backing both candidates, who have proven to be true Union supporters. We will continue to update our endorsement list as the election nears.

 

We all know what a labor organization does to promote and support our members with great wages, education, safety, and informing our public on what we do to uphold our standards. When a politician does not understand the importance of what we bring to the table, and they cannot or will not be educated to this fact, that’s the person we do NOT need to be our watchdog; whether it’s in Washington, D.C. or here locally. Here are some things that should worry you:

  • if poisoning people in Flint is not a worry to them,
  • they put all non-union people on the National Labor Relations Board, thereby eating away on your rights to be Union or bargain collectively,
  • they tell you bleach is good for your soul,
  • they believe that we do not need Line 5, yet have no answer as to how we address the problem to keep our energy needs solvent.

 

If their campaign issues sound similar to any of the above, then we DO NOT need them. As your officers, we do the best we can to interview candidates for your election selection. We do not want the candidate chosen to be the lesser of two evils, but the right person for the job.  We will try to continue to update you here going forward until Election Day.

 

LABOR DAY

Unfortunately, the Labor Day Parade and Rally are cancelled this year. For the Labor Day Holiday the office will close at noon on Friday and reopen Tuesday morning. If you need to contact an officer, you can reach them on their cell phones.

 

COVID-19

Now that we are back to work, if you are asked to do any pre-hire safety of any type prior to entering a plant or worksite on your own time, it is not acceptable. You must be reimbursed for your time. Contact the BA in your area if you have a problem.

 

If you are not supplied with PPE or feel the job is not properly addressing safety issues, you have the right to call your agent and leave the job. We have established an anonymous safety hotline call-in number for UA Locals 98 & 636 members and our Contractors to investigate any lack of protection or wrong doing by the owners we work for. The Safety Hotline number is 313-340-7339.

 

We have free access to COVID-19 testing for all Local 98 members at the old State Fair Grounds on Woodward and 8 Mile Road in Detroit. Prior to going you must call for an appointment at 313-230-0505.  No doctor note is needed, but they will ask you for a code. Our code is 289488PL. This is free with no copay required.

 

UNION HALL

With the work on the parking lot being done, the Union Hall is open to essential foot traffic only at the West entrance until further notice. Masks and gloves are required and you need to make an appointment to visit. Temperatures will be taken and a questionnaire must be filled out when you arrive. Although the Union Hall and our Training Center have been shut down to all unnecessary foot traffic that does not mean the officers cannot be reached or the center cannot be used. In the meantime, any pertinent information can be found on our new web page. A whole list of information is now available to you under the member only section.

 

 

SUB APPS/OOW Changes

Please fill out SUB Apps electronically now. This can be found on the web page under the Benefits section. The new OOW list is also available at the top of the webpage, just follow the instructions. If you’re still having unemployment issues call BAs Gary Glaser or Tom McWilliams. For any member issues dealing with benefits contact Jon DeRoo at 248-762-9238. If you are less than a year from retiring, please set a meeting with Jon, today.

 

LICENSE RENEWAL

For all continuing education opportunities call Training Coordinator Paul Baker at 248-585-1435. BAs Gary Glaser and Tom McWilliams are now admins on the Must/Most program, contact them if you need help.

 

Good/Welfare

I would like to congratulate Brothers Kevin O’Neil and Kalvin Klein who have completed their Apprenticeship and are now Journeyman welcome gentleman!

 

Also, a big congratulations to Brother Darren Moose and family on the arrival of Dylan Elijah Moose July 21, 2020.

 

We are looking for Residential and Service Plumbers at this time. This is a great opportunity to expand and grow, as many members are looking to retire. If you know anyone working Non-Union or is a past member that may be interested, have them call Organizer Rob Moses at 248-763-2187.

 

WORKERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

I personally can’t tell you how lucky we are to have Work life Strategies, LLC. They are available to our members and their families to provide personal counseling services and, when needed, referrals to professionals in Recovery and Relationship/Divorce Support Groups/Child Custody/Criminal Defense. This program is not only for medical and/or personal issues, they also can steer you through governmental resources with any consumer rights or child disability and much more. Please don’t hesitate to call C.J. Harrison at Work Life Strategies at 313-580-6887 for an appointment.

 

In Brotherhood, Carlo Castiglione Business Manager Plumbers Local 98

 

GOLF OUTING

I want to extend a huge thank you to the following people who helped with the 2020 Local 98 Scholarship Golf Outing: New Local 98 Office Manager Kristina Lodovisi, Dominique Schroeder (member Bill Schroeder’s Daughter), William Jester, Ron DeRoo, Chris Wright, Trevor Dockham, Tyler DeFrank, Duane Tesch, Mike Muzzey, Jeremy Pitts, Wade Kovach and his son Hunter, Gary Glaser, Larry Delehant, Tom McWilliams, Rob Moses, Carlo Castiglione. Also, to my patient wife Carianne and daughters, Kaitlyn, Lauren, and Molly, for stuffing all the goody bags again this year. Thank you, as well, to all of our sponsors who make the day possible: Benesys, AsherKelly, Guideline Mechanical, American Graphics, Nickel Saph, Strategic Capital Investment Advisors, Bultynck and Co, Dan Allor Plumbing and Heating, W.J. O’Neil, Novara Tesija & Catenacci, PLLC, Macomb Group, FMG Concrete Cutting, Flint Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #370, Goyette Mechanical, Hoyt, Brumm, and Link, Health Plan Advocate, Paul Walter CPA, Metro Piping, Jills Genuine Care Pharmacy, Western Mechanical, The Local Credit Union, Morgan Stanley-Jason May, Michigan Building Trades, Michael Serling, Humana, HAP, Ullico, Fifth Third, Michigan Maritime Trades, Esper Aiello, Scott and Scott, Golden Dental, Med Tipster, Americare, Segal Consulting, Thronton Law Firm, TMR and Associates, MCA Detroit, and Pat Coleman.

 

The day was very successful and because of our generous sponsors we will again be able to hand out multiple scholarships to Local 98 family members. The team representing Guideline Mechanical came in with the low score of the day at -15; the team consisted of Members Joe Carreri, Bryan Culver, Chris Shipp, and Dan Rotto. Member Chris Wright won the raffle for the golf clubs. There was 1 skin on the day and that went to the team representing Flint Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #370; the team consisted of LU #370 Business Manager Harold Harrington, Dan Gaudet, Jeremy Cook, and Paul Gonzales. Thanks again to everyone that came out and enjoyed a beautiful day with us. See you all next year!

 

In Brotherhood, Jon DeRoo Financial Secretary/Treasurer Plumbers Local 98