Business Manager Update 2/7/22
Brothers and Sisters,
Have you checked out our website? Announcements, information on meetings, links to your benefits and the Training Center, and more can be found there. Go to ualocal98.com to see what’s happening.
MEETINGS & Union Hall
The next Union Meeting will be Special Called Meeting for the State of the Union held on Thursday, March 10th at 7:00 pm. We will also have a guest speaker. Jason May of Merrill Lynch will be here to give an update on the defined contribution plan. The meeting will take place indoors at our Union Hall and all Covid restrictions in place will be adhered too. Masks are required WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE VACCINATED.
Retiree Meetings
THE RETIREE MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY CANCELLED for at least the next couple of months. Your Retiree Association Board will reassess in the spring to decide when they can safely restart the meetings.
UA New Contractor Seminar
On March 23 & 24 the UA will be holding a New Contractor Seminar at the Union Hall for current UA members who are interested in becoming signatory contractors in the future. You must be vaccinated to attend in person or there is an option to attend virtually. You can RSVP by sending an email to [email protected].
Education Opportunities
For continuing education opportunities or classes, you can contact Training Center Coordinator Ryan Lyle at 248-585-1435.
COVID-19 Information – Vaccine – Tests
Yes it’s getting old. Yes we are all ticked off about this pandemic in our industry. We thank all of you for helping each other out and doing the best you can. We have many Brothers and Sisters working in hospitals, surgical centers, and other healthcare facilities. Any facility that is a Medicare/Medicaid facility is required to comply with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Interim Final Rule. The CMS Rule requires all staff, including anyone contracted to work in the facilities, to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu. We have received confirmation letters from Ascension, Henry Ford, and Trinity Health Systems. You must get vaccinated in order to work at these places. Many companies outside of the healthcare industry have implemented their own rules and guidelines that include vaccination. DTE has recently joined the fray with hurdle to get on site. It is still your choice; all I can suggest is contact your doctor and educate yourself. The contractors are running out of options to place non-vaccinated members to other jobs they may not have available, eventually a lay-off will be harder to obtain.
Here is some of the misinformation I have been sent from members this week, and yes I am worn out as well. If you worry about being chipped, I hope you do not carry a phone, that’s a big chip right there. I am very serious about this as I have been told this is the start of concentration camps. I strongly recommend any member who believes this to visit the Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills to see humanity at its height of evil against our fellow man and recheck your thoughts. I can assure you there will be another variant of this latest one so “we together” are in this for the long haul. The less this thing spreads the sooner it will stop mutating into new variants.
You can now get 4 free at home COVID-19 tests per residential address. Go to COVIDtests.gov to request yours today.
Please visit ualocal98.com/covid-update-3 for the most current COIVD-19 updates.
SUB Apps/OOW/Benefits
You have 48 hours to report being out of work and to fill out a SUB app. Once you have proof of unemployment, please send that to the hall at [email protected] so we can set you up in the SUB system. We are now able to offer Direct Deposit on SUB Pay. You should have received a letter in the mail with the form for Direct Deposit on SUB Pay. Please return that to the hall and note that it takes 30-60 days to set up. It is your responsibility to check your location on the Out of Work List. Make sure your contact information is up to date as well as MUST and other certifications. If you have any problems with state agencies involving unemployment, or questions on MUST models and staying current, please contact Gary Glaser at 313-580-0148 or Dan Nixon at 248-752-3702 and hopefully they can help you get that resolved.
Dues
You can pay your dues online, over the phone, or by mailing in a check. You can also set up auto payments. If you have questions or want to pay your dues by phone please call the hall at (248) 307-9800.
In Memoriam
Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Brother Richard Smith who passed away on February 1, 2022. Richard was the father of Brother Adam Smith.
Good/Welfare
Local 98 Softball and Hockey. Any member interested in playing on a softball or hockey tournament team please join us on Saturday, February 19th at noon for an informational meeting. Any questions please contact Rob Moses. And yes, you must be fully vaccinated to attend and participate in UA functions.
We are currently looking for Residential and Service Plumbers. 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.
In solidarity I remain, Carlo Castiglione Business Manager Plumbers Local 98