District 10 Welcomes
New Local at Council Meeting
SANTA CLARITA, Calif.
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Local 1004 delegates receive a certificate of welcome from
District 10 Pres. Marianne Hart as Fin. Sec. Francine Mitchell looks on. They
are Pres. Judy Hice, Vice Pres. Yvonne Albee, Rec. Sec. Terry Kenavel and
Theresa Vivian Washburn, steward, Surgery Dept. |
The rainy and brisk weather in no way matched the mood of the
many UE District 10 members as they gathered here Feb. 23-25 for their
district council meeting. Welcoming the newest addition to the district, Henry
Mayo Hospital Workers’ Local 1004, gave a sense of excitement to the
meeting.
District 10 Pres. Marianne Hart began the meeting by
presenting a certificate of welcome to the Local 1004 delegation.
Shop reports only added to the level of excitement.
Overwhelmingly positive, the reports included details of recently concluded
negotiations at Henry Mayo Hospital, General Cable and Industrial Alloys.
At Alloys, the latest Local 1421 contract calls for the
largest-ever wage increase. This is the only shop in the company to have fully
paid health insurance and matching 401(k) contributions. Likewise, the
recently ratified General Cable contract (Local 1014) is considered to be the
best in the corporation.
Negotiations, already nine months old, continue for the Local
1004 members employed by ISSI, the subcontractor responsible for Mayo Hospital’s
housekeeping, linen and food services. Chief Steward Julius Mensrath
expressed his co-workers’ frustration with the slow pace of negotiations.
The company is willing to meet only once a month. Other Mayo Hospital workers
have responded by boycotting the cafeteria once a week.
SOLIDARITY WITH ISSI
To move negotiations along, and to let ISSI workers know they
are not alone in their struggle, district council delegates adopted a
resolution that authorizes the use of $3,000 for the contract fight. The money
will go towards paying lost time for 25 union members from around the district
to participate in informational picket lines and attend the next ISSI
bargaining session.
A political action report by Mike Rivera, Local 1421,
focused on Senate Bill 71, which would require the Senate office of research
to conduct a study to determine the appropriate level of workers’
compensation and recommend a benefits increase.
Genl. Pres. John Hovis gave a presentation on the
national union’s finances, in which he detailed the financial plan recently
approved by the General Executive Board. Many delegates had comments and
questions for Hovis on the plan. There was general agreement that the budget
deficit should be reduced through a combination of budget cuts and increased
per capita, expanded organizing and enhanced accountability.
While in California, Pres. Hovis took a tour of the Henry Mayo
facilities and talked with the union’s newest members in District 10. He
also toured the General Electric plant in Ontario and attended the Local 1010
membership shift meetings, to discuss the financial plan.
UE News - 03/01
