November - IAM Local Lodge 839
November - IAM Local Lodge 839
November - IAM Local Lodge 839
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
3917 E MacArthur Rd.<br />
Wichita, KS. 67210<br />
A Publication for “The Fighting Machinists” Representing the Workers of Spirit AeroSystems<br />
Vol.3 Number 11 www.ll<strong>839</strong>.org www.goiam.org <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
President’s Corner<br />
<strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
By Kathy Petersen<br />
Dear Joe-<br />
I was only 8 yrs old when you<br />
left for the Army back in 1967. I remember Mom and I<br />
watching you walk down the driveway carrying that<br />
duffle bag. Tears slid down Mom’s face, and that was<br />
something in itself. I don’t think I’d ever seen her cry<br />
before. I was too little to know what the Army was, or<br />
how hard it was for you to be leaving your family and<br />
friends behind. I didn’t know yet of a mother’s agony or<br />
how much this event would change all of our lives.<br />
At first, it was no big deal – we visited you at<br />
the Army Base in Shreveport, Louisiana. I had fun<br />
getting my picture taken on the obstacle course there<br />
and competing with our little brother to see who could<br />
get the farthest into the course. All the townspeople<br />
there were so nice to us. I was in that childhood stage<br />
of blissful ignorance and innocence. I had no idea that<br />
while I was posing for the family photo album, you<br />
were preparing with the 101 st Airborne Division to enter<br />
into combat with the North Vietnamese. I bragged<br />
to my friends at school that my brother had been promoted<br />
to Staff Sergeant – like I knew what that<br />
meant.<br />
Months passed, and then the letter came. Mom<br />
was at work, and I was in Church. The pastor was at<br />
the pulpit talking about a soldier; the son of a family<br />
in the community that had recently moved and how<br />
the delivery of the letter had been delayed in getting to<br />
them because of this move. The letter contained bad<br />
news for this family, and could we keep them in our<br />
prayers? Just about the time I was thinking that we<br />
had just moved from the neighborhood, I realized that<br />
several people in the pews ahead of me were glancing<br />
over their shoulders in my direction. I tried to smile<br />
and act like nothing was wrong, but all the while I<br />
kept thinking – are they talking about Joe? Has something<br />
happened to him?<br />
It wasn’t until later that I was told that you<br />
had been seriously wounded by shrapnel during an<br />
explosion. You were flown to the Philippines for sur-<br />
gery where you had to have a blood transfusion. After<br />
a few days, you were able to speak to Mom and Dad<br />
over a sort of “ham radio/telephone.” They kept having<br />
to say “roger, over” whenever they talked and then<br />
they would wait for your reply.<br />
Brother, you survived that explosion, you survived<br />
malaria and the rice paddies and the rest of the<br />
war. You made it back alive. Fast forward, 40 years<br />
later, and here you are fighting Hepatitis C from that<br />
tainted blood they gave you so long ago. We’ve both<br />
since sent sons to serve their time in the military.<br />
If I never told you before, you are my hero. I<br />
respect you as a veteran of the armed forces for the<br />
service that you gave to our country. But I love you for<br />
being my brother. Happy Veteran’s Day!<br />
My brother Joe fought to defend this country<br />
and the freedoms that we take for granted every day. As<br />
I was writing this letter, it occurred to me that there are<br />
some comparisons to be drawn between the struggles<br />
that he faced and the struggles that we are facing right<br />
now in trying to grow this union to its full capacity.<br />
The freedoms that Joe and many others fought for are<br />
not always appreciated by all who get to enjoy them.<br />
The returning soldiers from Vietnam didn’t always get<br />
the respect and honor that they deserved for the sacrifices<br />
they made on our behalf. On the contrary, some of<br />
them were berated and ridiculed by those misguided<br />
folks who thought that the war somehow was the soldiers’<br />
fault.<br />
If you are a veteran or currently serving in the<br />
military, I invite you to join the union and stand in<br />
solidarity with your union brothers and sisters as we<br />
“do battle” with the company. You know first hand the<br />
meaning behind “united we stand, divided we fall.”<br />
You know the importance of a team acting together to<br />
fight for a common purpose, to engage in concerted activity<br />
and collective bargaining. I ask all Spirit employees,<br />
and especially veterans, to join us this month so<br />
that together we will “leave no man behind” in this<br />
struggle for economic freedom.<br />
Happy Veteran’s Day to All Veterans from<br />
your Union Brothers and Sisters!
Pg 2 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
NOVEMBER- THE MONTH TO<br />
BE THANKFUL<br />
THANK A UNION MEMBER!<br />
By Cliff Cusick<br />
<strong>November</strong> brings us turkey dinners and two union negotiated<br />
days off with pay. This is time off to spend with<br />
your family counting your blessings – courtesy of your<br />
union-negotiated contract. I remember one year I spent<br />
Thanksgiving Day on the Picket line. That wasn’t any<br />
fun, but it had to be done. It was those sacrifices that<br />
let us be thankful for where we are, where we work,<br />
and the good benefits we have because we are members<br />
of the International Association of Machinists, <strong>Local</strong><br />
<strong>839</strong>!!<br />
These benefits were not handed to us by a benevolent<br />
company that will supply us with a free turkey for our<br />
tables this year. That “All hands meeting” I mentioned<br />
in my article last month brought up a question about<br />
furloughs and short work weeks. The classic answer<br />
from the company is “We do not plan on a closure at<br />
this time”. Well make sure you have plenty of vacation<br />
time saved up!<br />
We do not work for an ignorant company, believe me!<br />
I’ve lost track of how many job codes we used to have<br />
(over 100) and now we have just 14. They combined a<br />
number of them. Some codes that had just a few employees<br />
were eliminated. The exception to that rule was<br />
310/408- parts control (PCA). They said that everyone<br />
that handled parts and/or material should be in the<br />
same job code. The exemption from that rule of course<br />
is 3PL. In spite of what we were told, 3PL was on the<br />
drawing boards in 2005 when they made the ‘sale’ public.<br />
Other jobs were on the cutting board too. Some<br />
hourly work has been moved over to the salaried world.<br />
I am not speaking of people here; I am speaking of <strong>IAM</strong><br />
jobs. This company seems to be in the business of orchestrating<br />
the reduction of <strong>IAM</strong> positions. They say<br />
they are not interested in laying off people, yet jobs<br />
seem to be vanishing. When management tells you how<br />
people will be “redeployed” to other positions we had<br />
better send up a red flag. Even better, send up a red<br />
bandana.<br />
Look at the IT employees with SPEEA whose jobs are<br />
being outsourced to IBM. Yes, some of those folks were<br />
“redeployed” into other jobs for half the pay! Many others<br />
took retirement even if they weren’t ready to retire.<br />
The company uses the excuse of “cost savings” but they<br />
continue to waste money every day. Expectations are<br />
that we have to be the ones who are flexible. The company<br />
knew in 2005 what they wanted to achieve by<br />
2010 (elimination of jobs and overtime) but I don’t think<br />
they planned on a fight and we will give them that fight<br />
next June. We still have some hard core members!<br />
Remember Boeing sold this Company. We were lucky to<br />
get as good a “first contract” as we got. It was a fight<br />
just to hang onto some of what we had. I suspect that<br />
Spirit AeroSystems has “their agenda” and it doesn’t<br />
necessarily include any union workers. We need language<br />
against offloading and internal vendors. When<br />
your manager starts talking about your benefits, you<br />
tell him, they don’t match the Board of Directors million<br />
dollar bonuses just before the stock price plummeted<br />
in 2007. If this company can award top level bonuses<br />
like that, they can afford to keep good <strong>IAM</strong> positions.<br />
If they can afford to pay freeloaders during a<br />
strike for doing nothing, they can afford to save <strong>IAM</strong><br />
positions. If they can continue to open plants in North<br />
Carolina, France and Malaysia, they can afford to save<br />
<strong>IAM</strong> positions.<br />
CELL TOWER<br />
By Stan Chapman<br />
On Friday October 16 th construction<br />
started on the cell tower<br />
behind the <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> building.<br />
They started by digging a big hole<br />
for the base of the tower. It took a<br />
couple of days to assemble the rebar<br />
skeleton. On Tuesday almost 70<br />
yards of cement was poured for the<br />
base of<br />
t h e<br />
tower.<br />
By Wednesday the forms were removed<br />
and the dirt was leveled out.<br />
Monday, October 26 th the forms for<br />
the building were set. The construction<br />
crew said the cement needed to<br />
cure before the tower is installed.<br />
On Friday the 30 th the tower was<br />
installed and by Monday the building<br />
was set in<br />
place.<br />
When I began<br />
to write<br />
this, I figured<br />
it would be in<br />
the paper<br />
before the<br />
tower was up.<br />
Things have<br />
m o v e d<br />
quickly, the<br />
tower stands<br />
about 150<br />
feet tall and<br />
should be<br />
o p e r a t i n g<br />
soon.
Pg 3 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
Questions about<br />
our Pension Plan<br />
By Roger Stamback<br />
␣<br />
There␣have␣been␣a␣lot␣of␣questions␣and␣rumors␣going␣around␣about␣our␣<br />
Pension␣Plan␣that␣covers␣LL<strong>839</strong>␣bargaining␣unit␣employees.␣The␣Officers␣with␣the␣<br />
<strong>Local</strong>␣<strong>Lodge</strong>␣contacted␣the␣Benefits␣office␣<br />
to␣answer␣those␣questions␣and␣dispel␣the␣<br />
rumors.␣These␣answers␣only␣pertain␣to␣<br />
day␣one␣Spirit␣employees␣who␣had␣Boeing␣years␣of␣service.␣␣<br />
The␣monies␣for␣the␣years␣of␣service␣with␣Boeing␣are␣deposited␣with␣the␣<br />
Bank␣of␣New␣York␣Mellon.␣They␣are␣the␣<br />
Trustees␣of␣the␣pension␣benefit␣earned␣at␣<br />
Boeing.␣␣These␣monies␣are␣guaranteed␣<br />
and␣the␣amount␣you␣receive␣will␣not␣<br />
change.␣This␣benefit␣is␣based␣on␣$60␣per␣<br />
month␣per␣year␣of␣credited␣service.␣You␣<br />
will␣not␣receive␣the␣amount␣the␣Boeing␣<br />
Pension␣Plan␣is␣paying␣out␣now␣to␣the␣<br />
bargaining␣unit␣employees␣currently␣<br />
working␣at␣Boeing.␣Current␣Spirit␣bargaining␣unit␣employees␣are␣earning␣a␣<br />
guaranteed␣defined␣benefit␣with␣the␣<strong>IAM</strong>␣<br />
National␣Pension␣Benefit␣of␣$60.07␣per␣<br />
month␣per␣year␣of␣credited␣service.␣␣Employees␣may␣contact␣the␣<strong>IAM</strong>␣National␣<br />
Pension␣Fund␣at␣1-800-424-9608␣or␣<br />
www.iamnpf.org␣for␣more␣information␣<br />
regarding␣this␣benefit.␣<br />
␣␣ Day␣one␣employees␣who␣were␣<br />
not␣eligible␣to␣retire␣from␣Boeing␣at␣the␣<br />
time␣of␣the␣sale␣and␣were␣hired␣by␣Spirit␣<br />
will␣retire␣from␣Spirit␣not␣Boeing.␣They␣<br />
will␣receive␣two␣retirement␣checks,␣one␣<br />
from␣the␣Bank␣of␣New␣York␣Mellon,␣<br />
which␣covers␣the␣Boeing␣years␣of␣service␣<br />
and␣one␣from␣the␣<strong>IAM</strong>␣Pension␣Plan.␣<br />
You␣must␣retire␣from␣Spirit␣and␣then␣you␣<br />
will␣receive␣both␣checks.␣␣<br />
Retiree␣Medical␣coverage␣is␣<br />
available␣to␣Spirit␣employees␣who␣retire␣<br />
from␣Spirit␣after␣becoming␣retirement␣<br />
eligible.␣␣If␣they␣leave␣Spirit␣before␣reaching␣age␣62,␣they␣have␣“Access␣Only”␣coverage␣meaning␣they␣pay␣the␣entire␣cost␣of␣<br />
the␣retiree␣medical␣plan.␣␣Under␣the␣current␣contract,␣if␣you␣leave␣Spirit␣at␣or␣after␣<br />
reaching␣age␣62,␣you␣have␣“Company␣<br />
Subsidized”␣coverage␣with␣the␣cost␣similar␣<br />
to␣what␣active␣employees␣pay␣for␣coverage.␣<br />
We␣do␣not␣know␣what␣changes␣<br />
the␣Lawsuit␣will␣bring␣to␣Pension␣Plan␣<br />
and␣the␣Retiree␣Medical,␣until␣all␣the␣appeals␣are␣exhausted.␣␣␣<br />
The␣Company␣is␣going␣to␣be␣<br />
putting␣out␣more␣information␣this␣month␣<br />
that␣will␣address␣questions␣that␣employees␣<br />
have␣been␣asking.␣<br />
Train-the-Trainer<br />
By Kevin Jamis and Roger Stamback<br />
We would like to thank the membership for<br />
sending us to Train-the Trainer leadership class at the<br />
William W. Winpisinger Education & Technology Center.<br />
The first part of the class was Education Methods.<br />
This covered understanding instructional media,<br />
education methods, developing training modules and<br />
development of media-instruction aids.<br />
The second part of the class was Steward Training.<br />
Steward Training covered roles of the union steward<br />
in the <strong>IAM</strong>, the steward and the grievance, what do<br />
unions do, politics and the <strong>IAM</strong>, the union steward and<br />
organizing, the <strong>IAM</strong> steward and communications and<br />
basic lodge administration.<br />
We learned about the 7 perceptual learning<br />
styles; they are print, aural, interactive, visual, haptic,<br />
kinesthetic and olfactory. Most adults learn best by<br />
visual. People like to see visual stimuli such as pictures,<br />
slides, graphs, tables and demonstrations. This<br />
was followed by interactive. These people like to talk<br />
and discuss ideas with other people. Using adult education<br />
principles such as active listening as a teaching<br />
technique, asking open questions, validation and brainstorming<br />
are great tools to use in the training environment.<br />
In the developing training modules we learned<br />
educational group problem solving. This relates to interactive<br />
teaching techniques such as how to interject<br />
our own valuable experience when teaching. This gives<br />
credibility to our role as a union trainer and helps develop<br />
a lesson plan that can be used for any specific<br />
component of instruction. We became familiar with the<br />
use of flip charts, overhead transparencies, black and<br />
white boards, films and slide shows to do presentations<br />
and training. This part of the training was very intense<br />
because we had to do a 2 minute presentation on Monday,<br />
a 10 minute presentation on Tuesday and a 20<br />
minute presentation on Thursday. Each one was critiqued<br />
when completed.<br />
Steward Training was a recap of the entire<br />
steward training that we had in the first three leadership<br />
classes, with all the material and the tools to teach<br />
the class. We spent most of this time on communications,<br />
both face to face and in a group. What we learned<br />
to help in face to face communication in the work place<br />
was to ask questions and really listen to the answers.<br />
Always use the 75% - 25% ratio of listening to speaking<br />
rule.<br />
Remember that you are the face of the union to<br />
everyone on the shop floor, members and non-members.<br />
Emphasize common ground, not differences. Know the<br />
issues you want to communicate and anticipate objections,<br />
be prepared. If you don’t know an answer don’t<br />
fake one. Find the answer and get back with them, follow<br />
up! Discuss concerns genuinely; avoid arguing and<br />
confrontations, no one wins. Leave members and nonmembers<br />
with a positive impression and an open line of<br />
communication for the future.
Pg 4 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
Part of the TEAM<br />
Anonymous<br />
Spirit management is always<br />
pushing the concept of TEAM-<br />
WORK; they want us to be part of<br />
the TEAM. We all need to be part of<br />
the TEAM in order for this company<br />
to make a profit. However, If you<br />
go back over the last four years we<br />
(the working people) seem to be the<br />
only members of the TEAM.<br />
If you listen to all the company<br />
PROPAGANDA, you know<br />
that they keep saying we are overpaid<br />
and we have not given up<br />
enough of our wages or benefits.<br />
Let’s look at the things we<br />
“the TEAM of the working class”<br />
have lost in the last 4 years: 10<br />
percent of our wages, increased<br />
health insurance premiums and a<br />
matching 401k. We lost our retirement<br />
insurance at 55 and we pretty<br />
much lost our cost of living due to<br />
the way the CPI formula is. In<br />
2005 and again in 2008, most of us<br />
went to a three day work week (not<br />
a popular subject). It seems to me<br />
that the workers on the TEAM have<br />
given up a lot in the last four years.<br />
So, who is part of the TEAM<br />
and what does the word TEAM<br />
really mean? In Webster’s dictionary,<br />
a team is defined as “a number<br />
of persons associated together in<br />
work or activity; a group on one<br />
side”. The production part of the<br />
TEAM has seen a lot of bad decisions<br />
made by the management<br />
part of the TEAM that we have little<br />
or no control over including excessive<br />
wastefulness and favoritism.<br />
It appears that there are really two<br />
TEAMS at work here: the TEAM<br />
that takes what they can and<br />
makes the decisions, and the TEAM<br />
that continually gets screwed because<br />
of poor decision-making.<br />
To be fair in my rant, most<br />
Day 1 employees received a UEP<br />
payout – the result of strong language<br />
in our collective bargaining<br />
agreement and a benefit from significant<br />
increases in the value of<br />
Spirit stock.<br />
However, there were some<br />
TEAM members who did not receive<br />
this payout and some TEAM managers<br />
who received both this payout<br />
AND the bonuses that management<br />
got. In fact, our UEP payout did<br />
not touch what the management<br />
and executives received.<br />
Let’s not forget that there<br />
were nearly a hundred members of<br />
the executive TEAM that became<br />
overnight millionaires. While some<br />
TEAM members were put on a<br />
three day workweek, Jeff Turner<br />
and eleven of his TEAM split 18<br />
MILLION dollars.<br />
After we resumed normal<br />
workweeks, the board of directors<br />
felt sorry for Jeff and his TEAM, so<br />
they gave them MORE bonus<br />
money. They turned their backs<br />
on our TEAM when we couldn’t<br />
reach the impossibly high trigger<br />
for our performance bonus, but the<br />
GREED TEAM got their payout.<br />
Language provided for the Company<br />
to make improvements to the<br />
plan, but they chose not to.<br />
Now, we are hearing that<br />
we are still 10-percent over the<br />
“market value” and certain groups<br />
of warehouse workers have been<br />
told by their management TEAM<br />
that they don’t deserve aeronautical<br />
wages for warehouse work. Can<br />
you spell MORALE? Screw the<br />
workers; they’re just a bunch of stupid,<br />
lazy people, right? But somehow<br />
all those airplanes are still getting<br />
built. Must be all that excellent<br />
management TEAM, huh?<br />
PS. I would really like to<br />
sign this letter but I understand the<br />
concept of retaliation. Just ask the<br />
almost thousand people that lost<br />
their jobs because of these guys. Too<br />
bad I have to feel that way.<br />
FIGHT TO WIN IN<br />
2010 and bring our<br />
people back to work!<br />
Editor's Note:<br />
It is the usual policy of the editorial<br />
staff not to print articles from any<br />
anonymous writer. In this case we felt<br />
the content was pertinent, the article<br />
was well written and it was not inflammatory.<br />
The decisions on anonymous<br />
articles will be made by the<br />
editorial staff in the future on a case<br />
by case basis. Editor<br />
Update on 2010 Calendars<br />
Organizing Committee<br />
All of the pictures have been taken for the 2010<br />
union calendar. Thanks to all of you who took the time<br />
to stop by the <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> to get your photograph<br />
taken. We have taken the calendar to the printer and<br />
have proofed it once. When the printer gets it all put<br />
together, we will do the final proofing, and then it will<br />
be printed. We fully expect to have the calendars in<br />
your hands before you go on Christmas break. We<br />
hope you enjoy them and display them at work!
Pg 5 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
LEADERSHIP I REPORTS<br />
By Lester Adcock<br />
The day started with a nice sunny Saturday<br />
morning in Wichita as Brent Allen and myself arrived<br />
at the airport to begin our journey to the union training<br />
headquarters in Maryland. As neither one of us had<br />
ever been there before we really didn’t know what to<br />
expect of our trip. We arrived in Baltimore at about<br />
4:20 p.m. with a steady rain awaiting us. We found our<br />
way to the “pick-up point” at the airport waiting for a<br />
vehicle with an I.A.M. logo on it to pick us up.<br />
Later that evening, after a hour and 45 minute<br />
trip, a shuttle bus delivered all of us to the final destination<br />
thru a steady rainstorm. Placid Harbor is actually<br />
in the town of Hollywood, Maryland. A very nice,<br />
first class facility on the Patuxent River. I was surprised<br />
that the Patuxent Naval Airbase is only about 5<br />
miles south of the training center. At Placid Harbor the<br />
trainees are treated first class with all the amenities<br />
(room, food, recreation etc.) provided.<br />
Our class was big enough that it was divided<br />
into two groups going to classes at the same time. Leadership<br />
one class is actually five 1-1/2 hour classes in one<br />
day. These classes include: Labor History, Human<br />
Rights, Government/Politics & the Union, Stewards<br />
Training and Conducting Union Business. Each class in<br />
divided into four groups that are recognized as “local<br />
lodges”. Group participation is the key here as discussion<br />
and assignments are done in a group setting.<br />
The interesting thing about being at Placid<br />
Harbor is the people you meet from all over the U.S.<br />
and Canada. They come from all four corners and then<br />
some. It was ironic that I had two former Boeing brothers<br />
from Auburn/Everett, Washington that I shared my<br />
ideas and thoughts with.<br />
Also one individual I met worked at the Naval<br />
Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington (my son, who is in<br />
the Navy, is stationed there) and does maintenance<br />
work on the U.S.S. Stennis (the aircraft carrier my son<br />
is assigned to). Anyway needless to say the week spent<br />
there is one that will always be remembered as a great<br />
opportunity and experience.<br />
Thanks to all of you that made it possible for<br />
both of us to attend.<br />
By Brent Allen<br />
Wow ! What a week we had<br />
at Placid Harbor at the William W.<br />
Winpisinger Education and Technology<br />
Center! This is a place where<br />
you start to realize what a class act<br />
the <strong>IAM</strong> really is. We started with<br />
Labor History Class. One of the<br />
first things we learned was how our<br />
great union was formed. Just 19<br />
men, who were machinists in a railroad<br />
yard, founded our union on<br />
May 5th 1888. They were no longer<br />
able to tolerate the insecurities and<br />
the work place conditions they<br />
faced; they wanted the same things<br />
we want today. They wanted a<br />
steady income for their families and<br />
security for their craft. Tom Talbot<br />
became our union's first president.<br />
Labor history is important because<br />
we have to know where we came<br />
from, so we can plan where we are<br />
going.<br />
Government and Politics<br />
was an interesting class. In this<br />
class we learned the importance of<br />
politics and what it means to unions.<br />
We learned how Congress<br />
functions and how they can affect<br />
unions either positively or negatively,<br />
as well how our members can<br />
participate. Justice Louis Brandeis<br />
said “The only title in our democracy<br />
superior to that of the president<br />
is the title of the citizen". We<br />
not only have the right to be involved<br />
but the responsibility to be<br />
involved. Find your Senators at<br />
www.senate.gov and your House<br />
Representatives at www.house.gov .<br />
There was a Human Rights<br />
class as well. Our union understands<br />
the American workforce is<br />
diverse and complex, reflecting differences<br />
in age, gender, race, ethnicity,<br />
religion, and sexual orientation.<br />
Our union is at the forefront in<br />
the fight for human rights. Being a<br />
member of the <strong>IAM</strong> means every<br />
member has the right to be treated<br />
fairly and equitably on the job.<br />
We also attended a class on<br />
the Roles of a Steward. Union stewards<br />
are vital to a local lodge's success.<br />
All stewards should assume<br />
leadership roles. They must be organizers,<br />
negotiators, political activists,<br />
communicators and educators.<br />
It is our job as stewards to police<br />
and enforce the collective bargaining<br />
agreement. Each steward is an<br />
important link between union officers<br />
and company representatives.<br />
As stewards, we must lead by example.<br />
I want to thank the membership<br />
for sending Lester and I to<br />
leadership I training. I feel that I<br />
have acquired addition knowledge<br />
and skills to become a better leader<br />
and I will continue to stand up and<br />
fight for what is right!<br />
Union Quotes for <strong>November</strong><br />
In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause<br />
succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935<br />
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to<br />
live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Pg 6 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
Halloween Basket Winner<br />
by Stan Chapman<br />
The winner of the October basket is Kenny<br />
Stone. Kenny is a repeat winner and a first shift Union<br />
Steward in department 396Z located in Plant II. Congratulations<br />
to Kenny for having the winning ticket!<br />
The contents were packed into a large Halloween candy<br />
bowl and included a DVD, chip clips, lip gloss, popcorn,<br />
candy and a $50.00 gift card to Bourbon Street Bar &<br />
Grill. The basket was valued at over $85.00.<br />
The Community<br />
Service Committee<br />
would like to thank the<br />
membership for the<br />
support you give to us<br />
when you purchase food<br />
from the kitchen and<br />
tickets for the basket<br />
drawings. The money you spend enables us to procure<br />
additional items for baskets and raffles and allows us to<br />
help our members in need. We draw for the baskets at<br />
the end of the <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> meeting and a picture is<br />
taken to put in the newsletter. Please try and attend<br />
your monthly meetings and maybe you will be the lucky<br />
winner next time!<br />
****Coming up at the meeting in <strong>November</strong>, we<br />
will have tickets available for a large holiday basket.<br />
We will sell tickets for this basket during the months of<br />
<strong>November</strong> and December. The winner will be drawn at<br />
the December monthly meeting. One of the items in the<br />
basket will be a Garmin GPS navigation system.****<br />
Contract T-shirt<br />
Winners<br />
Announced<br />
Organizing Committee<br />
The winners of the 2010<br />
contract T-shirt were voted on by all<br />
members in attendance at the October<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> meeting. The winning<br />
design was submitted by Joni<br />
Pierce, a first shift Steward in IPB-<br />
1; Shop 428V. Joni is also the Secretary-Treasurer<br />
for <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong><br />
<strong>839</strong>. Her entry is entitled “Stand<br />
Strong” and conveys the message<br />
that we must stand up for what is<br />
right in 2010.<br />
A very close second place<br />
was awarded to Terry Atkinson,<br />
Receiving Inspector in Plant I<br />
Warehouse (formerly known as Ablah),<br />
Shop 4A42. Terry’s entry is<br />
entitled “Solidarity” and reminds us<br />
all that we are in this struggle together;<br />
united we stand.<br />
The third place winner is<br />
Richard Hain from Tooling Inspection,<br />
Shop 4A7B, first shift. Richard’s<br />
entry, “Practice for the Long<br />
One” is reminiscent of the long days<br />
spent on the picket lines and those<br />
who have sacrificed for us in years<br />
past.<br />
The Organizing and Communications<br />
Committees would like<br />
to thank everyone who submitted<br />
an entry. We were so pleased at the<br />
number of submissions we had to<br />
choose from. And it was a very<br />
hard choice to make!<br />
Now that we have a design,<br />
the committees are busy getting<br />
quotes from area printers so we can<br />
get the best value for our members.
Pg 7 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
District 70 Staff<br />
Assignments<br />
By District <strong>Lodge</strong> 70 Staff<br />
In order to better serve the<br />
Spirit AeroSystem’s bargaining<br />
unit, Steve Rooney, DBR at District<br />
<strong>Lodge</strong> 70 has made an additional<br />
assignment, giving us three Business<br />
Representative to provide service<br />
to our <strong>Local</strong> <strong>839</strong> Members.<br />
Mike Burleigh and Becky<br />
Ledbetter have been servicing the<br />
Eisenhower Vigil<br />
By Larry Stafford<br />
membership this Summer and will<br />
continue to do so. Brother Steve<br />
Groom has been added within this<br />
last month.<br />
Reporting on current grievances:<br />
Every year in Abilene Kansas, on President<br />
Dwight Eisenhower’s birthday, the VFW Posts of Kansas<br />
stand a 24 hour vigil to celebrate our 34 th President.<br />
Ike, as he was known, was born in Abilene on October<br />
14, 1890 and died on March 28, 1965. Every year many<br />
of the 30 or so VFW Posts sign up to stand this vigil.<br />
One of our members, Cuffy Lorentz, is a member<br />
of Post 3115 on West Douglas. Post 3115 signed up<br />
for a 2 hour shift and the 30 members of that Post spent<br />
six minutes each at attention at the grave. Each participant<br />
receives a special commemorative vigil pin.<br />
Cuffy is a 30 year employee of Boeing/Spirit and<br />
Michael Burleigh reports:<br />
eighteen open grievances, some are<br />
not to be mentioned, 1 referred to<br />
arbitration, 4 medical terminations,<br />
2 attendance terminations, 1 violation<br />
of Company policy, 2 performance<br />
terminations, and 4 job code<br />
issues.<br />
Becky Ledbetter has seven<br />
open grievances, 2 medical terminations,<br />
1 termination due to cell<br />
phone usage, 1 job code issue, 1<br />
overtime issue, 2 promotions and 1<br />
closed overtime paid.<br />
The District 70 Business<br />
Representatives are working fervently<br />
to resolve the grievances and<br />
issues, because it is time for all of<br />
us to focus on the upcoming 2010<br />
Contract Negotiations.<br />
a proud union member. He is a process tank tender in<br />
Shop 3172 in the MPF building on 1st shift. Cuffy spent<br />
his active duty in the Army from 1961-1964, was in the<br />
Army National Guard from 1984 -2002 and joined the<br />
Post as an auxiliary member in 2002. They do not wear<br />
uniforms for this vigil but are attired in black slacks,<br />
white shirt, black tie and their Post hat. This is Cuffy’s<br />
second time and feels it is an<br />
honor to perform this duty.<br />
As <strong>November</strong> is the<br />
month to honor Veterans, I salute<br />
all of the “Cuffys” at Spirit<br />
who have done so much, and<br />
continue to do so much for this<br />
Country.<br />
Commemorative Pin
Pg 8 MACHINISTS MATTERS <strong>November</strong> 2009<br />
Tortilla Soup<br />
2 lbs. ground meat<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
1 t. garlic<br />
2 cans white hominy<br />
2 cans yellow hominy<br />
2 cans pinto beans with jalapenos<br />
2 can Rotel<br />
2 pkgs Hidden Valley Ranch original<br />
dressing mix<br />
Brown ground meat. Add onion, garlic<br />
and dressing mix. Stir and cook several<br />
minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients.<br />
Simmer.<br />
Fruits of Our Labor<br />
Diane Schroeder<br />
Les Schroeder<br />
Retired Southern<br />
Territory<br />
Assistant<br />
Administrator<br />
This cook book is being sold at the District called “Fruits of Our Labor.”<br />
All of the recipes have been submitted by Union members and<br />
their families from <strong>Local</strong>s and Districts of the Southern Territory,<br />
Transportation Department, Woodworkers & NFFE of the Machinists<br />
Union. The cost is $5.00.<br />
I will print a recipe each month from this book, starting with any entries<br />
from the area <strong>Lodge</strong>s. - Editor<br />
Welcome To Our New Union<br />
Brothers & Sisters<br />
For <strong>November</strong><br />
Jon Belshe<br />
Travis Buchanan<br />
Victor M. Carr<br />
Steve Caudillo<br />
Eric Chambers<br />
Johnny R. Corbett<br />
William L. Dickinson<br />
Carl James Edgell<br />
Aaron Flowers<br />
Darrel D. Frankes III<br />
Stephen E. Fransen<br />
Richard E Hagen<br />
Charles Harden<br />
Thomas Herpolsheimer<br />
Benjamin Holmes<br />
Soukanh Inthalangsy<br />
Mark A. Jones<br />
Douglas K. McCoy<br />
Kevin McGuire<br />
John C. McKay II<br />
Leon Montano<br />
Terry J. Moore<br />
Jeffrey B Phillips<br />
Daniel Reddick<br />
Kevin Robinson<br />
Jason Roeder<br />
Bettie Teter<br />
Stephen Ryan Thome<br />
Jesse L Thompson<br />
Robert Vanechaute<br />
Carol A Vickers<br />
John A Warren<br />
Brandon Webb<br />
Thomas Wood<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 />
Fight & Win<br />
In 2010<br />
www.ll<strong>839</strong>.org<br />
Monthly Union Meetings<br />
2nd Saturday of the Month<br />
Executive Board meets at 8:00 AM<br />
Regular Meeting at 10:00 AM<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,<br />
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