Business Manager Update 7/26/21

/in /by

Brothers and Sisters,

Your officer, staff, and I all hope you are enjoying your summer. Our annual Golf Outing is nearly upon us. Don’t forget to get your tickets. It’s for a great cause and always a lot of fun.

MEETINGS & Union Hall

The next Union Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 12th at 7:00 pm in person. The meeting will take place indoors at our Union Hall and any Covid restrictions still in place will be adhered too. Masks are required if you are not vaccinated. We hope you will join us before each Union Meeting during the summer months at 5:00 pm for a BBQ. Thank you to Chef Wade Kovach and all the apprentices who helped set up and breakdown afterwards. Remember, we have returned to our previous Union Meeting requirements for Apprentices. Apprentices are required to attend TWO Union Meetings Per Quarter.

E-Board Meetings

E-Board meetings are the first and second Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm. If you need to contact or see the board, please call V.P. Jim Cools at 734-307-9841.

Retiree Meetings

It’s been great to have the retiree meetings back up and running the last couple of months. Please note, any existing Covid-19 protocols will be adhered to. They are continuing to exercise caution so everyone can remain healthy and safe. The next Retiree meeting will be Wednesday, August 11th from 12pm – 2pm at the hall.

SCHOLARSHIP GOLF OUTING

Tickets are now available for our 43rd Annual Scholarship Golf Outing which will be held August 14, 2021 at Marsh Oaks Golf Course. The cost is $90 per golfer and tickets can be purchased by calling the hall. For more information on the outing please contact Financial Secretary Jon DeRoo at 248-762-9238.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

For continuing education opportunities or classes, you can contact Training Center Coordinator Ryan Lyle at 248-585-1435.

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 any questions or need to pay dues, please contact Kristina Lodovisi at 248-307-9800 ext. 4 or on her cell at 248-331-7232.

NOTE ON DISABILITY/RETIREMENT

If you are filing for Social Security Disability you will need to file for your Local 98 Disability Pension at the same time in order to make sure you get all of your pension checks. Social Security normally takes at least a year and sometimes a lot longer. If you file for your Local 98 Disability Pension at the same time, when you receive your award from Social Security, we will be able to pay you all the retro money owed. If you are less than a year from retirement, we suggest you set up a meeting with Jon DeRoo prior to your retirement date.

IN MEMORIAM

Condolences to Brother Phillip Waddell who lost his beloved uncle on July 5, 2021. John Ed Whitt was from Olive Hill, Kentucky. He will be greatly missed by his family.

COVID-19 Information & Vaccine

You can now enter the MI Shot to Win sweepstakes, worth up to $2 million, if you get (or have already gotten) the Covid-19 vaccine. More information, the link to enter, and other vaccination information can be found on our website. Please visit ualocal98.com/covid-july.

SUB APPS/OOW CHANGES/BENEFITS

SUB pay is hit and miss as we are experiencing manpower adjustments. It is always a go for medical or COVID related injuries. It is your responsibility to fill out a SUB App when you are laid off, you have 48 hours to report a layoff. Call the Agent on the Books or come down to the hall to fill out a SUB App. It is your responsibility to make sure you are on the out of work list and your contact information is correct . If you’re still having unemployment issues call BAs Gary Glaser or Tom McWilliams. Both officers are administrators on the Must/Most program, contact them if you need help.

For any issues that are unresolved at BeneSys, please get the name of the person you are dealing with and contact Carlo, Jon, or the Union Hall immediately.

GOOD/WELFARE

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