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The RecordLOCAL 1-2

LOCAL 1-2

LABOR DAY

November 2011 Book:Book 10/4/2011 10:51 AM

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The RecordUtility Worker Union of America,

AFL-CIO, Local 1-2

Harry J. FarrellPresident

Andrew O'ConnellVice President

Lucia E. PaganoSecretary-Treasurer

Senior Business AgentsJohn Capra

Robert FarrellJames Slevin

Business AgentsPaul Albano Bruce Farina

Dominic MarzulloAnthony Pedagna

James ShillittoRobert K. Stahl

Darryl TaylorAnthony Vallone

Lisa Vella

Financial ObserversStephen AndrewsLawrence FlynnShawn James

Executive Board Chairman - Richard McNally

Secretary - Donald Weidmann

Paul Caminiti Norman RussellVito Carbonara Raymond SherwoodDorothy Curry William SmithEmilio Frederick James SprySalvatore Guercio John StadtmullerSean Hearte Rocco Talarico Christopher Katzmann Justo Vega Vincent Kyne Richard VelocciLinda Lesnewski Marc VingelliDesmond J. Loughran Frank Vivola John MacNeill Robert VuonoJoseph Mussillo Jean Washington

Thomas Zummo

EditorHarry J. Farrell

YYoouurr VViieewwssAAnndd CCoommmmeennttss AArree WWeellccoommee

The American Labor Movementhas consistently demonstrated itsdevotion to the public interest. It

is, and has been, good for allAmerica.

-- John F. Kennedy

TTHHEE RREECCOORRDDLLOOCCAALL 11--22 Vol. LXI, No. 523

November 2011

THE UNION’S ON YOUR SIDEBy Wayne McCallum (2006)

In an age of no values, no shelter, nofriends

No rest or harbor for the working menWhere women work streets and children

are slavesWhere the bosses will work you till

you're dead in your graveIf you want your freedom you'll need to

fightYou'll need good help as you push for

your rightsJoin together and stand there with pride

You've got the union on your side


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FROM THE DESK OF ……HARRY J. FARRELL – PRESIDENT, LOCAL

FROM THE DESK OF ……HARRY J. FARRELL – PRESIDENT, LOCAL 1-2

Brothers and Sisters.Over the next eight months whatwe do, how we do it, and howunited we are will determine thefuture - maybe even the contin-ued existence - of Local 1-2 aswe look toward 2012 contractnegotiations with Con Edison,our largest employer.

We have made a goodbeginning, starting with theLocal’s record attendance at thisyear’s Labor Day Parade. Thetremendous turnout at theSeptember Membership Meetingwas heartening, too, as we gearup for what is shaping up to bethe most combative, contentiousand perilous negotiations wehave ever faced.

At the same time, the all-day By-law vote was a tremen-dous showing as well. The pro-posed By-laws were reported outof committee and recommendedfor passage, and were favored

by a vote of nearly 2-to-1 at thepolls. Our existing By-laws,though, require that any new By-law must pass by a two-thirdsmajority to be enacted.

Most of you understoodthe need for the proposed By-laws, including keeping yourelected leadership at workshould a smaller bargaining unitbe forced to strike. The over-whelming majority also voted togrant the Executive Board theability to fill a vacancy, subject toapproval by the Membership.

These measures missedby less than three dozen votes,even though they had over-whelming Membership support.You have spoken at the ballotbox.

While there is no time forsecond-guessing, the voting wasmarred by a vicious, cowardlycampaign of disinformation thatwas fomented by “anonymous”Member(s), who did not havethe guts or intellectual integrityto stand-up and voice theiropposition in public. For thisalone, they should be con-demned. Nobody likes a Rat, letalone one who hides in the darkcorners.

So, I urge you, Brothers

and Sisters, to attend theNovember Membership Meeting.Stand-up and be counted! It isonly by working together for thegood of all that our Union canremain strong and united.

We need a record turnoutat our November MembershipMeeting to build on this momen-tum. Without all of us joiningtogether and sticking together,Con Ed will attempt to makemincemeat out of us all and ourCollective BargainingAgreement.

How do we know this?The signs are all around you.

Here are some examples:Con Ed removes off-street park-ing for Members at the BrooklynThird Avenue Yard, then sendsout a memo reminding everyoneto rely on public transportation,then tries to call in everyone todeal with Tropical Storm Irene-when ALL public transit hadbeen shut in a 100 mile radius-and then suspends Memberswho could not get to the Yard.

(Continued page 4)


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Or, did any senior Con Edmanagers have to answer for thetragic accident at the LearningCenter in Queens this summerwhen one of our Brothers nearlypaid the ultimate price becauseof a lack of safety controls andoversight? The answer to thatquestion is a resounding “No!”That’s right, not one person insenior management - where theypreach “Safety First” - has had toanswer for a near fatality.

On the other hand, if youcan’t get to work because publictransportation is out? That’s asuspension.

And do not forget thatwhile the Con Ed bosses areconcentrating on nickel-and-dim-ing you on the street, they’resending lawyers to the PublicService Commission to try toram through a Rate Case by the

end of the year. Why? Con Ed isvery frank in that answer, theywant the paper work all wrappedup before they enter negotiationswith Local 1-2.

In other words, Con Ed isclearing its decks and gettingready for war.

If Con Ed is going downthat road, shame on Local 1-2 ifwe do not respond in kind.

This is why, over the nexteight months, we will be mount-ing the “Whatever It Takes” cam-paign.

Do not forget, that out ofall the trade unions, what setsapart the Brothers and Sisters ofUWUA Local 1-2, is that we lookout for each other. We have eachothers’ backs. And now, as neverbefore, our pledge to you is thatwe will do “Whatever It Takes” todeliver to you, our Brothers and

Sisters, the best return we canfor the work that you do.

But Local 1-2 leadershipcannot do it alone. We needeach of you to join in the fight todo “Whatever It Takes” to seethat we are treated fairly and withdignity in the workplace.

It is only by stickingtogether, it is only by showing aunited front, and it is only bylooking out for one another thatwe will prevail.

Look for continuing Local1-2 “Whatever It Takes” updatesover the coming months.

Apathy is lethal. Getinvolved. Show up for Local 1-2.Show up for your jobs, your fam-ilies, and your country. Be willingto do “Whatever It Takes.”

FROM THE DESK OF …… cont’dHARRY J. FARRELL – PRESIDENT, LOCAL 1-2

THE LABOR MOVEMENTYOU KNOW -

THE FOLKS WHO BROUGHTYOU THE WEEKEND.

IT’S YOUR UNION, GET INVOLVED!


The state of the Union is

of great concern to all.

However, the state of your

union, Local 1-2 is what you

expect to read when you look at

this publication. Therefore, I will

not bore you with facts and fig-

ures that can easily be Googled

on the internet.

As President Farrell has

stated, we are in the fight of our

lives. Every day you deal with

arrogance and frustration while

trying to do your jobs. It’s no

different as a Local 1-2 officer.

We feel that same pain.

Remember it is us that you

have elected to represent you

and that means when you’re

hurting we are too.

Our employers hurt us

by administering discipline. The

grievance and arbitration

process is how we as a Union

have agreed to resolve our dif-

ferences with our employers.

This process is relatively the

same no matter what collective

bargaining agreement you are

bound by. It is imperative that

you fill out a grievance and initi-

ate the grievance process if

you’ve been denied a benefit

that you’re entitled to or if you

feel you’ve been treated unfairly

by your employer.

It does not stop here, your

Union has an obligation to

move this grievance through

the steps in an attempt to reach

a settlement. If no settlement

has been reached, the Union

then makes a decision to either

bring the grievance to arbitra-

tion or not. Whatever that deci-

sion is, you as a grievant will be

notified.

The overall cost of pro-

cessing a grievance and bring-

ing it to arbitration is rarely con-

sidered. However, these costs

mount quickly and in these eco-

nomic times, we as a Union are

struggling with managing those

costs as well. We have a

responsibility to you to expedite

the settling of grievances as

well as keeping down costs

which ultimately keeps those

inevitable dues increases to a

minimum. Implementing and

sustaining a process that allows

this to happen is what I’ve done

and will continue to do. I can’t

do this alone I need help. I

need help from you, as well as

the Stewards and Agents who

process your grievances.

Together we can make a differ-

ence. Together we can make

the grievance and arbitration

process work the way it was

designed to.

Stay alert and stay alive.

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FROM THE DESK OF ……ANDREW O’CONNELL – VICE-PRESIDENT, LOCAL 1-2


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LABOR DAY PARADE


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LABOR DAY PARADE


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LABOR DAY PARADE

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LABOR DAY PARADE


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NATIONAL INCOME LIFE INSURANCE CO.

Some of our Membership may not be aware that Local 1-2 provides a no-cost minimal death and dismemberment lifeinsurance policy to every Member (below). In turn, National Life Insurance Company, which holds the policy, mayoffer to sell additional coverage to individual Members. Like any other private insurance or investment, considerwhether such additional services are right for you and your family before making any purchase of added coverage.


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NATIONAL INCOME LIFE INSURANCE CO.

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RAVENSWOOD SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL


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UNITED WATER FIGHTS ON IN NEW ROCHELLE


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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


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SEPTEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING


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SEPTEMBER MEMBERSHIP MEETING


LOCAL 1-2UTILITY WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA, A.F.L.- C.I.O.

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGPLACE: THE MASONIC HALL- GRAND LODGE ROOM

71 WEST 23TH STREET, 3RD FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY(BETWEEN 5TH & 6TH AVENUE)

DATE: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011TIME: 6:15 P.M.

ADMISSION ONLY TO MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDINGBY UNION CARD OR COMPANY I.D. CARD

Fraternally,

Lucia E. PaganoSecretary-Treasurer

IT’S IMPORTANT

UTILITY WORKERS UNION OF AMERICALocal 1-2, Affiliated with AFL-CIO5 West 37th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10018

DATED MATERIAL - DELIVER IMMEDIATELY

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDNEW YORK, N.Y.PERMIT NO. 1615

UNIONUNIONMEETINGMEETING


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