Local 69 News

1408 North Washington - Suite 210
Dallas , Texas 75204
(214) 821-4700
ibewloc69@aol.com

Local 69 is on the World Wide Web
www.ibewlocal69.com
Our local now has a web presence and hopes to use the internet to communicate with our members and distribute news and information in a timely manner. Also you can use the 'Contact Us' link to email the office by using the email form. Any suggestions or comments about the site can be sent by email and we welcome your participation in 'Your Web Site'.
(Email the web master at randy_walsh@swbell.net or Monty Makarwich at Txspower@aol.com).

Executive Level Labor/Management Team

Meeting Held – 02/25/08

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The first quarterly Executive Level Labor/Management Team meeting was held in Dallas, Texas on Monday, February 25, 2008. Attending were:

                        LABOR                                                          MANAGEMENT

George Crawford                                           Rob Trimble

                        Bobby Reed                                                   Brenda Pulis

                        Scott Smith                                                     Debbie Elmer

                        Johnny Flowers                                              Kyle Davis

                        Greg Germany                                               Ashleigh Trimble

                        Monty Makarwich

ONCOR’s CEO, Bob Shapard, was scheduled to attend, however, he was called away to an out-of-state meeting.

The team reviewed and discussed the following topics:

·                    Update on ONCOR’s first Board of Directors meeting held last week in Dallas.

·                    Update on commitments made at November, 2007 meeting between IBEW, ONCOR and the new owners – Energy Future Holdings:

o       Completed negotiations on a new labor agreement in January, 2008.

o       Establishment of three (3) labor/management teams (General, Safety & Benefits) within the provisions of the new labor agreement to provide more cooperation and collaboration between the Union and the Company on important workplace issues.

o       Agreed to schedule a series of joint union steward/foreman-supervisor meetings to discuss and review key labor/management duties and responsibilities. These meetings will be led by George Crawford, IBEW and Kyle Davis, ONCOR.

o       Agreed to establish a set of Labor/Management Principles to help guide the Union and Company representatives in developing mutual cooperation and trust.

o       Agreed to schedule a meeting between the Union and the Company to review the “contracting of work” plans and procedures.

The team also discussed some high level topics that will be addressed at future quarterly meetings. The topics include:

·                    ONCOR’s rate case to be filed this year with the Texas Public Utility Commission.

·                    IBEW’s National Health Care Plan

·                    The 2009 Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas.

·                    IBEW’s new Code of Excellence program for Utilities.

·                    Skilled Linemen shortages and the aging workforce issue.

The Union and Company representatives are committed to developing a better working relationship and intend for this renewed focus to be communicated and applied in all local workplaces.

Tuesday February 26,2008

We will be getting a small committee together to map out and distinguish where and when we are to have the upcoming union meetings. Being that we now have a large geographic area, this has to be carefully planed and looked at. If you have any suggestions on where we are to have these like a union hall or hotel, etc. Please email me at Txspower@aol.com
Thursday March 6,2008

Please be advised that the recently negotiated 4% general wage increase will show up on the March 14^th paycheck. The retroactive pay back to January 28^th, (including overtime worked) will show up on the March 28^th paycheck.

It’s unfortunate that the wage adjustments are taking so long, however the Company has stated that the payroll department has been overwhelmed by the volume of changes that have taken place since the new contract settlement (hourly wage adjustments, overtime calculations, change to bi-weekly paydays, etc.)

If you have any questions, feel free to contact your job steward or the Local Union Office.

Monday March 24,2008

Due to a miscommunication pertaining to the shortage on the newly organized groups checks, we have asked Oncors HR to

send us something explaining the reasoning of this. Attached below is the letter they sent us. If you have any further questions

please contact your business mgr. or steward. Thanks

From: Trimble, Ashleigh
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 5:35 PM
To: Makarwich, Monty
Subject: 72 hour paycheck

Under the semi-monthly payroll reporting schedule, there are two payroll periods each month

(1) 26^th – 10^th with a pay date of 15^th and

(2) 11^th – 25^th with a pay date of the last day of the month.

Semi-monthly employees

paid for 1/11 – 1/25 on 1/31.

paid for 1/26 – 2/10 on 2/15.

*paid for 2/11 – 2/25 on 2/29.

Those still on this will be paid for 2/26 – 2/10 on 3/31.

For employees on the bi-weekly payroll reporting schedule, they are paid every other Friday.

paid for 1/14 – 1/27 on 02/01

paid for 1/28 – 2/10 on 02/15

paid for 2/11 – 2/24 on 2/29

*paid for 2/25 – 3/9 on 3/14

The next check is 3/10 – 3/24 on 3/28

*I put asterisks by the overlapping pay periods above. So when you look at this on a calendar, employee who received a semi-monthly check on 2/29 were paid already for the work they did on 2/25. So when we switched them to the bi-weekly pay period that begins with 2/25, we did not want to pay them for that day. So they started on biweekly at 2/26, for a total of 9 full work days in that pay period – 72 hours.

Let me know if this still does not make sense and I will try again.

March 26,2008
Just recieved word tonight that our new Business mgr. Johnny Flowers is going in tomorrow for heart by-pass
surgery. Please keep him in your prayers!
We will keep you updated on this matter.
March 27,2008
We got news that Business Mgr. Johnny Flowers had a successful heart procedure and doing well.
He will be resting for a couple of weeks until he can get back on his feet.
If you need and business needs or matters, please contact Bobby Reed. Thanks
April 11,2008
Well our Business Mgr. came home from the hospital Thursday and is on his way to recovery. He said he is doing
better and thanks everyone for their prayers and calls.
April 14,2008
International Labor Organization Finds

National Labor Relations Board Definition of Supervisors

Violates Freedom of Association Principles Decision

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The AFL-CIO reports that the International Labor Organization (ILO) has declared that a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that workers can be considered “supervisors” (and denied union rights) if they spend a small portion of their work time per day exercising authority over other workers, violates international labor principles.

The ILO is a United Nations agency dedicated to strengthening the rights of workers worldwide. It’s decisions are made on a tripartite basis among government, employer and worker representatives. Since it’s creation more than 50 years ago, the Committee on Freedom of Association (a branch of the ILO) has examined over 2,300 cases involving violations of internationally accepted workers’ right.

The ILO released its decision in March holding that the NLRB’s recent interpretation of the term “supervisor” appears to give rise to an overly wide definition of supervisory staff that would go beyond freedom of association principles by excluding such workers from the protections of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The ILO issued its decision in response to the AFL-CIO’s complaint that the NLRB’s decisions in the Oakwood Trilogy violate principles of freedom of association that bind the United States by virtue of its membership in the ILO.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney welcomed the decision. “The Bush-dominated NLRB has taken every opportunity to arm U.S. employers with the tools to defeat the attempt of workers to gain a voice at work. The ILO’s decision in this case vindicates workers’ rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining, despite attempts at spinning it by U.S. employers. We will continue to expose shameful conduct of the U.S. government in every forum available to us as we seek to strengthen the ability to form and join unions.”