Brothers and Sisters,

On behalf of all your officers and staff, we hope you and your family are safe and healthy this Holiday Season. We would like to thank you all for your patience and understanding during this insane year. This is not how anyone envisioned this chapter of our lives. We have a new system in place for union dues, you should have received a letter informing you of your dues payment(s).  The only way this will work is, if you move or change your address, please call down here and update your address. Otherwise, this system will fail. A very nice 98 nylon jacket is available if you pay for the full year up front. Please see below for details.

Note: The Union Hall will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. We will be closing at noon on by Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. As always, the business agents can be reached on their cell phones if need be.

MEETINGS                                                           

Union Meetings have been moved to video due to the hall being closed. The next video will be posted on Thursday, January 14^th at 7:00 pm. At that time the old video from December 10^th will be pulled down. You can access this video on our Local 98 website at the member section under Member Zone. The next video Union Meeting after that will be February, 11^th at 7:00 pm. This will be the unfortunate norm until April 1^st (hopefully) unless we get a break and the virus leaves or a vaccine is released. For virtual meetings we will follow the same rituals and officer reports as usual. The confidentiality of our business matters has to be our priority. We will have to trust our elected officers, E-Board, and Committees to keep a transparent look at things down here. If you would like something added please call down and leave your suggestion. All bills will be previewed by the Finance Committee. Or, if you feel a need, you can set an appointment to ask questions.

A reminder that our annual kids “Christmas Party” is cancelled, our adult party is also cancelled. Our awards ceremony will be put off until next year. If you are due a pin and would like it now please call the hall, we can mail it to you.

E-Board meetings

E-Board meetings are 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.

Retiree Meetings remain cancelled at this time.

DUES

By now you have received a letter about the status of your Union Dues and about the 2021 Dues Gift Program. Many of you have already taken advantage of this program. We are updating the systems at the hall in an effort to streamline the process. As of now, you can pay 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.

2021 OPEN ENROLLMENT

The 2021 Open Enrollment Packets should be coming out soon and we wanted to take this time to remind members about the new Opt Out Plan we have. This is available to those members with access to insurance through their spouses. The new Opt Out Plan comes with Dental, Optical, Hearing, and a $3.00 an hour contribution to your HRA (Health Reimbursement Account) for every hour worked. This is a great way to build up a savings for medical related expenses. If you would like more information on this plan or any of the other Local 98 Health Insurance Plans please give Jon a call.

COVID-19

As I write this over 300,000 Americans have died by Covid related illness. If you test positive for Coronavirus STAY HOME until your results are NEGATIVE. The Training Center remains closed to open foot traffic. For continuity or training questions contact Paul Baker at the center at 248-585-1435 ext. 123. Until the center opens back up, Blackboard will be used by our apprentices unless a certification or hands on is required.  We are into another outbreak bigger than earlier in the year. This is no drill. This is now a set reality of everyday life. WEAR YOUR MASKS! If you are fortunate enough not to have experienced a loss in your family, do the rest of us a favor and act like you have! Any concerns with COVID-19 safety protocols or lack of PPE contact the Business Agent in the area or the Union Hall.

UNION HALL

The Union Hall is CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC.  You will need to schedule an appointment to come to the hall. The West doors will continue as our main entrance. Properly worn masks are required. There is a COVID-19 questionnaire that MUST be filled out by everyone entering the Union Hall. All the officers are working remotely at this time.

SUB APPS/OOW CHANGES

It is your responsibility to fill out a sub app when you are laid off. Please fill out SUB Apps electronically. This can be found on the web page under the OOWL section. If you’re still having unemployment issues call BAs Gary Glaser or Tom McWilliams. For any member issues dealing with benefits contact Jon DeRoo. If you are less than a year from retiring, please set a meeting with Jon today.

NOTE ON DISABILITY

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 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, then when you receive your award from Social Security we will be able to pay you all the retro money owed.

POLITICS

The 2020 cycle is over so we are not looking forward to the municipal elections in 2021 and then the midterms in 2022. If you are interested in running for local office or are interested in being involved in a member driven political action committee please contact Jon. Jon and Kristina are working on potential target city councils, township boards, and school boards where we would like members to run. Every year we lose a ton of work when these local boards vote against us. It’s time we put Union Members on these boards instead of consistently being disappointed in those who should be fighting for us leaving us in the cold.

LICENSE RENEWAL

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

IN MEMORIAM

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends our Brothers Robert McMahon who passed away on December 1, 2020.

GOOD/WELFARE

Special thanks to two of our Local 98 Retiree Association Executive Board members Dave Schroeder and Dominick Fanto, as well as Financial Secretary/Treasurer Jon DeRoo, and the MCA for all their hard work putting together our Christmas gifts to our Local 98 widows this year.

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.

In solidarity I remain, Carlo Castiglione Business Manager Plumbers Local 98

Brothers and Sisters,

 

We hope you and your family are safe and have a healthy Thanksgiving! To the lucky hunters who bag one, post them on our FB page.

 

MEETINGS                                                                    

Union Meetings have been moved to video due to the hall being closed. The next video will be posted on Thursday, December 10^th at 7:00 pm. At that time the old video from November will be pulled down. You can access this video on our Local 98 website at the member section under Member Zone. The next video Union Meeting after that will be Thursday, January 14^th at 7:00 pm. This will be the unfortunate norm until April 1^st (hopefully) unless we get a break and the virus leaves or a vaccine is released. For virtual meetings we will follow the same rituals and officer reports as usual. Some sensitive information, such as organizing campaigns, may not be discussed virtually. The confidentiality of our business matters has to be our priority. We will have to trust our elected officers, E-Board, and Committees to keep a transparent look at things down here. If you would like something added please call down and leave your suggestion. All bills will be previewed by the Finance Committee or, if you feel a need, you can set an appointment to ask questions about them.

 

A reminder that our annual “Turkey Night” as well as the kids “Christmas Party” are both cancelled, unless a miracle happens and the Coronavirus dissipates.

 

E-Board meetings

E-Board meetings are 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.

 

Retiree Meetings are still cancelled until further notice.

 

ELECTIONS

I would like to thank you all, as well as our election committee, for staying calm and getting through another election year.  Special thanks to the following Brothers:  Scott Huber, Nate Tomanek, and Mark Wisniewski, all who all have served our country in the military and helped the Military and Veterans Council make videos in support of President-elect Biden.

 

COVID-19

So, it has become obvious that some of you fall short on direction. If you test positive for Coronavirus STAY HOME until your results are negative. The Training Center is now closed until November 30^th due to not adhering to simple concepts. Any continuity or training questions contact Paul Baker at the center at 248-585-1435. When the center opens back up, Blackboard will be used by our apprentices unless a certification or hands on is required.  We are again into another outbreak bigger than earlier in the year. This is no drill. This is now a set reality of everyday life. WEAR YOUR MASKS! If you are fortunate enough not to have experienced a loss in your family, do the rest of us a favor and act like you have! Any concerns with COVID-19 safety protocols or lack of PPE contact the Business Agent in the area or the Union Hall.

 

Anyone that knows of a Local 98 member or spouse that has died of Covid-19, please have the surviving partner or family member contact the Union hall as the U.A. has an extra bereavement fund to assist unfortunate families in their time of need. Due to HIPPA laws we cannot make first contact with the families ourselves. So please help out our member’s families.

 

UNION HALL

The Union Hall is CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC. We are in the process of deep cleaning the hall after we had a couple cases of COVID-19 in the building. Once we are back up and running, you will need to schedule an appointment to come to the hall. The West doors will continue as our main entrance. Properly worn masks are required and you need to make an appointment to visit. There is a COVID-19 questionnaire that MUST be filled out by everyone entering the Union Hall. All the officers are working remotely at this time.

 

SUB APPS/OOW Changes

Please fill out SUB Apps electronically. This can be found on the web page under the OOWL section. If you’re still having unemployment issues call BAs Gary Glaser or Tom McWilliams. For any member issues dealing with benefits contact Jon DeRoo. If you are less than a year from retiring, please set a meeting with Jon today.

 

LICENSE RENEWAL

For all continuing education opportunities or classes, 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.

 

IN MEMORIAM

Our deepest sympathies go out to the friends and family of our Brothers who have recently passed away; Thomas O’Neil on November 9, 2020 and Hubert “Art” Robillard on November 13, 2020.

 

Good/Welfare

We now have a hearing Benefit added to our Insurance package that started on September 1, 2020 through Nations Hearing. This is for opt out members as well. Please watch your mail for the information, or call 877-241-0703 M-F 8am-8pm, or visit nationshearing.com/local98.

 

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.

 

In solidarity I remain, Carlo Castiglione Business Manager Plumbers Local 98