April - IAM Local Lodge 839
April - IAM Local Lodge 839
April - IAM Local Lodge 839
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
PAGE 1<br />
APRIL 2009<br />
International Association of Machinists and<br />
Aerospace Workers<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>839</strong><br />
3917 E. MacArthur Rd.<br />
Wichita, Kansas 67210<br />
President’s Corner<br />
<strong>April</strong> 2009<br />
By Kathy Petersen<br />
don’t see that we are represented in all fields<br />
of industry: safety, transportation, aerospace,<br />
politics, trade and globalization, communications,<br />
organizing, and automotive to name a<br />
few. After all, how could we possibly go headto-head<br />
with such large companies if we weren’t<br />
properly diversified?<br />
Do you have people in your work area who are<br />
constantly checking the stock market to see how<br />
their investments are doing? You know, the coworkers<br />
who can’t wait until their next break or<br />
lunch to see how much profit they are making or<br />
how much their stock prices have dropped lately?<br />
These folks are looking out for their future and<br />
their retirement security, right? It’s all about<br />
building a reserve of capital in order to live a<br />
comfortable life when we reach retirement age.<br />
Remember the three-legged stool of retirement?<br />
(Pension + personal savings + social security<br />
benefits).<br />
In checking on our investment, do we question<br />
why unions are in politics and why issues like<br />
the Employee Free Choice Act are so important<br />
in helping workers to achieve success and<br />
prosperity? How many of us realize that corporate<br />
America is trying to crush the American<br />
Dream? Times are tough right now yet CEOs<br />
are raking in huge bonuses and pay while<br />
wages for workers have stagnated. The best<br />
way for working men and women to get ahead<br />
economically is by uniting with their coworkers<br />
to bargain with their employers for<br />
better wages and health benefits.<br />
Today, I’m writing about an investment that we<br />
should ALL be interested in. It’s a blue chip investment<br />
that yields high dividends and is available<br />
at a fair market price. A long-term investment<br />
that can affect not only our future, but the<br />
futures of our family members and the future of<br />
middle class America as we know it. This investment<br />
is called OUR UNION. Our union is an organization<br />
that is looking out for our safety, security<br />
and well-being. It is an organization that enables<br />
us to build that three-legged stool of retirement<br />
by having a good-paying job with a defined<br />
pension benefit. Yet, how many of us are<br />
“checking in” on our investment? I’ve heard people<br />
complain about the cost of union dues, yet,<br />
when questioned, they have no idea what and<br />
how much the union is doing for them everyday.<br />
They don’t see that we have representatives meeting<br />
every day with company officials to try and<br />
resolve problems on the shop floor, or that our<br />
fight extends way beyond the shop floor. They<br />
Are we asking ourselves what we can do to<br />
help our investment along? How many of us<br />
are out on the shop floor “talking union,” upholding<br />
the union contract and showing our<br />
union pride? Do we attend our monthly lodge<br />
meetings? Are we protecting our investment<br />
by showing up to vote at all levels of elected<br />
leadership? Are we content to say we support<br />
our union because we pay our monthly dues<br />
yet we never attend any union functions or volunteer<br />
to serve in some capacity? How can we<br />
expect a return on our investment if we’re not<br />
actively participating?<br />
Are our jobs worth fighting for? If the answer<br />
is yes, then it’s time to bond together and join<br />
the fight for a better future!
PAGE 2 APRIL 2009<br />
‘Tis A Wee Bit o’ Irish Fun!<br />
By Kathy Petersen<br />
The winner of the March St. Patrick’s Day basket is Cierra Erbert. Cierra<br />
is 17 years old and is a Girl Scout Ambassador. She is also the<br />
daughter of Curtis Erbert, a union steward on 1st shift in Shop 3134.<br />
The basket was put together (by M.R.S. Tea) for the Community Service<br />
Committee’s monthly drawing and filled with plenty o’ treats! The<br />
value of the basket was over $40.00 and included a “This be Me Lucky<br />
Shirt” T-Shirt, an Irish Beanie O’Baby, green M&M’s, green Peeps,<br />
Dean & Deluca candy, a Necklace with Beer Mug, St. Patrick’s Day<br />
buttons, a St. Paddy’s Ornament and a DVD – “Darby O’Gill & the Little People”. Congratulations, Cierra!<br />
The Community Service Committee would like to thank the membership for the support you give to us when you<br />
purchase food from the kitchen and tickets for the basket drawings. The money you spend enables us to procure<br />
additional items for baskets and raffles and allows us to help members in need. Next month, we will have a drawing<br />
for a Spring Cleaning basket. We will continue to sell raffle tickets for the camcorder drawing in May and we<br />
have added a drawing for an autographed WSU basketball that will take place at the <strong>April</strong> monthly <strong>Lodge</strong> meeting.<br />
Lots of good prizes to be had!<br />
Workers Memorial Day<br />
From http:/www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/memorial/wmd_poem.cfm<br />
Decades of struggle by workers and their unions<br />
have resulted in significant improvements in<br />
working conditions. But the toll of workplace injuries,<br />
illnesses and deaths remains enormous.<br />
Each year, thousands of workers are killed and<br />
millions more are injured or diseased because of<br />
their jobs. The unions of the AFL-CIO remember<br />
these workers on <strong>April</strong> 28, Workers Memorial<br />
Day.<br />
The first Workers Memorial Day was observed in<br />
1989. <strong>April</strong> 28 was chosen because it is the anniversary<br />
of the Occupational Safety and Health<br />
Administration and the day of a similar remembrance<br />
in Canada. Every year, people in hundreds<br />
of communities and at worksites recognize workers<br />
who have been killed or injured on the job.<br />
Trade unionists around the world now mark <strong>April</strong><br />
28 as an International Day of Mourning.<br />
.Workers Memorial Day<br />
by Jake Lowen<br />
I have confirmed that House Minority Leader Paul<br />
Davis will be the guest speaker at our annual<br />
Worker's Memorial Day dinner to be held Tuesday,<br />
<strong>April</strong> 28th at 7pm at the Machinists Hall, 3830 S. Meridian.<br />
It is important we have a good turnout to this event<br />
so please recruit your union brothers and sister, family,<br />
and friends to come out and honor the 85 Kansas<br />
Workers who lost their lives in 2006 (our most recent<br />
year with statistics) and the countless more who were<br />
injured on the job. A catered dinner from Strouds<br />
Pan-Fried Chicken will be available free of charge.
PAGE 5 APRIL 2009<br />
MACHINISTS MATTERS<br />
A Member’s Tribute to<br />
Nancy Edwards<br />
By Mary Johnson<br />
My name is Mary Johnson and I was the Secretary-Treasurer for LL 834 for over 10 years, which gave me an opportunity<br />
to get to know the first shift secretary, Nancy Edwards. Nancy was the one that prepared me for trips<br />
for the union whether it was for school at Placid Harbor or for a conference or convention. She made sure that I<br />
turned in my paperwork on time. Nancy was timely, organized and committed to her job. Plus she had fun doing<br />
it. Nancy loved working for the <strong>Local</strong>. She knew everybody by their first names and the membership was always<br />
bringing goodies by for her to taste. (I got in on some of the taste tests). Sometimes I would spend long hours at<br />
the <strong>Local</strong> doing my Treasurer’s duties, and Nancy, Marlynn and I would work, laugh, and play. I used to tease<br />
Nancy about her burgundy hair, and compliment her about her olive complexion. We all knew Nancy loved animals;<br />
dogs being her favorite. She called her dogs her babies. I remember the day Nancy was going on vacation,<br />
she said “Mary, I'm not coming back”. I didn't believe her. Maybe I didn't want to believe her, I never saw Nancy<br />
again until I heard of her passing. Back in January of this year I sent her a singing card of a pretty woman with<br />
burgundy hair singing “I got a new attitude.” She was on my mind and I just wanted her to know that sometimes I<br />
think of her and the good times when we worked, laughed and played together. Nancy, Marlynn and I say Goodbye.<br />
Precious Memories---- Mary L. Johnson—<strong>IAM</strong><br />
Nancy Edwards was the long time 1 st shift Secretary of LL834. She retired from that position in 2004. Her passing<br />
was on March 17, 2009. Nancy will be remembered and missed by the members of LL834 and LL<strong>839</strong>. A memorial<br />
has been established with the Kansas Humane Society. Editor<br />
<strong>April</strong> Quote<br />
Memorial for Workers<br />
I write these words of honor, for those who gave their<br />
lives;<br />
And for their families, their husbands and their<br />
wives.<br />
For those whose lives were spent, doing what they<br />
must<br />
Working for a living like every one of us.<br />
Their time cut short, by things that didn’t have to be;<br />
To make the workplace safer, for people like you and<br />
me.<br />
To make sure their stories will never go untold;<br />
To always keep their memories from ever growing<br />
cold.<br />
We must remember the price they all had to pay;<br />
When we honor the men and women on Workers Memorial<br />
Day.<br />
Mike Baird<br />
<strong>Lodge</strong> 21, International<br />
Association of<br />
Machinists and<br />
Aerospace Workers<br />
Read <strong>April</strong> 28,<br />
1995<br />
Bulletin Boards<br />
This month we are<br />
talking about Union<br />
Boards, and the use<br />
and replacement of<br />
them. Article 14 section<br />
14.4 page 79,<br />
tells us the Company<br />
shall provide bulletin<br />
boards for the Union’s<br />
use in areas conveniently<br />
accessible<br />
to bargaining unit employees. Shop Stewards can get<br />
new or replacements by calling in a trouble call (526-<br />
2211) giving the location the board is needed or needs<br />
replaced.<br />
The shop steward should maintain the boards for the<br />
purpose of notifying employees of matters pertaining<br />
to Union business. If a union member should see a<br />
board that is not being maintained they should contact<br />
the union office (524-1090) and give the location where<br />
the board is so it can be taken care of.<br />
Roger Stamback<br />
Educator
PAGE 4 APRIL 2009<br />
MACHINISTS MATTERS<br />
Becky’s<br />
Report<br />
By Becky Ledbetter<br />
MEXICAN LASAGNA<br />
Brown 11/2 lbs. of hamburger<br />
and drain (Some like to use 2<br />
lbs.)<br />
Then add to the hamburger:<br />
Brothers and Sisters,<br />
I hope this spring weather finds you all well. My<br />
grievance load at this time is sitting at four. I have<br />
stated before this is subject to change and it will. I<br />
would like to say it is good to have Brother Larry<br />
back with us among the living and hope he is feeling<br />
much better. I also must remind you again to tell<br />
each other to watch their time. The termination’s I<br />
have at this time are for attendance. Keep good track<br />
of your hours and what you clock. Thank you to all<br />
the stewards that our helping keep our members informed<br />
on all that is going on at the company at this<br />
time. We have got to stick together and continue to<br />
grow together as we know 2010 is just around the corner.<br />
I am on the floor and always remember to call<br />
me if you need anything.<br />
522-1591 or b.ledbetter@d70iam.org....<br />
In-Plant Rep Report<br />
Brothers and Sisters,<br />
By David Eagle<br />
We would like to give an update on the Boeing<br />
Bridge lawsuit. Basically, every phase has slid 3<br />
months with the deadline ending December 14 th ,<br />
2009. We will keep you informed with any new details<br />
as we receive them.<br />
We are continually working complaints as fast as we<br />
can. We have won numerous ones on overtime and<br />
having Disciplinary actions removed or reduced.<br />
There are currently six jobs issues being worked at<br />
both the <strong>Local</strong> and District levels.<br />
The <strong>Local</strong> had filed a Union vs. Company complaint<br />
on hourly employees TP’d to management that was<br />
finally resolved. The outcome was that no one would<br />
be TP’d longer than 90 days to management, with all<br />
exceptions to be worked with the Union. Also, no one<br />
TP’d to management would be allowed to work hourly<br />
overtime. The Union believes with all the managers<br />
and team leaders in place there shouldn’t be any reason<br />
to TP anyone.<br />
1 16 oz. can of tomato sauce.<br />
1 can of Rotel.<br />
1 can chili beans drained.<br />
1 package taco seasoning.<br />
1 pkg. tortillas.<br />
2 bags of shredded cheese<br />
Simmer all ingredients together. Grease a 9 x 13 dish.<br />
Tear flour tortillas into pieces and cover the bottom of<br />
the dish (don't put too many as it makes it dry). Put<br />
1/2 of the meat mixture on top of tortilla pieces and<br />
then a bag of shredded mozzarella or Mexican cheese.<br />
Add another layer of tortilla pieces, then the rest of the<br />
meat mixture and then another bag of cheese. Bake at<br />
325 degrees for 25 minutes. Let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes<br />
before serving.<br />
Jill Mason, Bookkeeper<br />
District <strong>Lodge</strong> 70<br />
Fruits of Our Labor<br />
There is a cook book being sold at the District called<br />
“Fruits of Our Labor.” All of the recipes have been submitted<br />
by Union members and their families from <strong>Local</strong>s<br />
and Districts of the Southern Territory, Transportation<br />
Department, Woodworkers & NFFE of the Machinists<br />
Union.. The cost is $8.00.<br />
I will print a recipe each month from this book, starting<br />
with any entries from the area <strong>Lodge</strong>s. - Editor<br />
With 2010 fast approaching everyone should be<br />
thinking about what they would like to see improved<br />
or changed in the contract. There will be committees<br />
starting to be formed to get prepared for different actions<br />
to be taken. So if you would like to volunteer,<br />
turn your name in to the <strong>Local</strong>.<br />
Hope everyone has a great Easter and remember<br />
what it stands for
PAGE 5<br />
MACHINISTS MATTERS<br />
APRIL 2009<br />
Benefits Resource Guide<br />
Benefits Enrollment:<br />
Spirit AeroSystems Benefits Center<br />
www.myspiritbenefits.mercerhrs.com<br />
1-877-459-3345<br />
How to Apply For<br />
Pension Benefits<br />
Kansas Medical & Vision Plans:<br />
Preferred Health Systems (PHS)<br />
http://www.phsystems.com<br />
316-609-2559 1-800-660-8114<br />
Life and Disability:<br />
Aetna<br />
http://www.aetna.com<br />
1-800-523-5065 (life) 1-800-269-9401 (Disability)<br />
Accidental Death and Dismemberment<br />
Business Travel Accident:<br />
AIG<br />
http://www.AIG.com<br />
Your application can be requested no more than 180<br />
days before your intended date or last day of work.<br />
Request Pension Application:<br />
By Telephone: 1(800) 424-9608<br />
By Fax: (202) 857-3713<br />
By E-mail:<br />
iamnpf@iamnpf.org<br />
By Mail: 1300 Connecticut Ave., N. W.<br />
On-Line:<br />
Suite 300<br />
Washington, D.C. 20036<br />
www.iamnpf.org<br />
(Applications may be filed on-line)<br />
You must provide the following information when<br />
requesting an application:<br />
Name<br />
Social Security Number<br />
1-800-551-0824<br />
Dental Plans:<br />
Delta Dental<br />
http:///www.deltadentalks.com<br />
316-264-4511 1-800-234-3375<br />
Flexible Spending Accounts:<br />
Editors Note.<br />
At times I will include information<br />
everyone needs to use if and<br />
when they plan on retiring from<br />
Spirit. When you decide to retire<br />
you will have to contact HR. Be sure to come by the <strong>Local</strong> to<br />
inform them and sign up for your retirement life insurance,<br />
There is a one time fee of $10.00, then $20.28 per year until<br />
the end of your 75th year for a $5,000.00 policy. L.S.<br />
Union Choices Employee<br />
Benefit Systems, Inc.<br />
To contact EBS to check on coverage, to make a claim,<br />
to see about making a payment if you are on leave, to<br />
drop or add coverage or to inform them you are leaving<br />
Spirit’s employment;<br />
Employee Benefits Systems, Inc.<br />
10000 Memorial Drive, Suite 800<br />
Houston, TX 77024<br />
http://ebsworksite.org<br />
Tel: 713-812-0900<br />
Fax: 713-812-0888<br />
Toll Free: 1-888-521-2900<br />
Jeff Black 1-800-604-9775<br />
jblack@ebsworksite.com
PAGE 6 APRIL 2009<br />
MACHINISTS MATTERS<br />
Welcome To Our New Union Brothers & Sisters<br />
DAVID M. BAILEY<br />
ANDREW C. HILL<br />
RALPH J. NOBLE<br />
DEBRA H. BARNETT<br />
TODD A. JOHNSON<br />
ANGIE R. PANGRAC<br />
RON BARNETT<br />
MICHAEL LAKOUS<br />
BRIAN ROSZEL<br />
Monthly Union Meetings<br />
LES CLARK<br />
NHUNG LE<br />
ROBERT ZOELLER<br />
2nd Saturday of the Month<br />
EARL F. COLEMAN<br />
SHARON MCCALL<br />
Executive Board meets at 8:00 AM<br />
SARAVUTH HAN<br />
RANDY L. MEELROY<br />
Regular Meeting at 10:00 AM<br />
Remember <strong>IAM</strong> <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>839</strong><br />
Community Services Committee is raffling a<br />
Sony DCR-DVD610 DVD Handycam with 40X<br />
Optical<br />
Memory Stick Pro Duo 2GB and<br />
Tripod, Remote Controlled<br />
$1.00 per ticket or 6 for $5.00 - Donation<br />
Drawing to be held May 9, 2009<br />
Get your tickets from the <strong>Local</strong> or a Community<br />
Service Committee Person.<br />
International Association of Machinists<br />
and Aerospace Workers<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>839</strong><br />
3917 E. MacArthur Rd.<br />
Wichita, Kansas 67210<br />
Phone: (316) 524-1090<br />
Fax: (316) 529-1277<br />
The Fighting Machinists<br />
www.ll<strong>839</strong>.org<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>839</strong><br />
Get Ready to<br />
Fight & Win<br />
In 2010<br />
President - Kathy Petersen<br />
Vice President - Brent Allen<br />
Recording Secretary - Larry Stafford<br />
Treasurer - Joni Pierce<br />
Conductor/Sentinel - Jeff Meis<br />
Trustees - Susan Hiebert, Stan Chapman, Terry Rodriquez<br />
Communicator - Dennis Williams<br />
Educator - Roger Stamback<br />
1st Shift In-Plant Rep. - David Eagle<br />
2nd Shift In-Plant Rep. - Howard “HoJo” Johnson<br />
Editor - Larry Stafford<br />
We are the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. We belong to <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>839</strong> of<br />
District 70 in Wichita Kansas. We represent the Fighting Machinists of Spirit AeroSystems. We work to give our members a<br />
voice on the job. Visit our website often at www.ll<strong>839</strong>.org for helpful and timely information.<br />
If you have any questions, contact one of your In-Plant Representatives at 524-1090.<br />
If you have any articles you want published, e-mail the Editor at lstafford@ll<strong>839</strong>.org<br />
All Content © of <strong>IAM</strong> <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>839</strong> 2005-2009, All Rights Reserved