Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Interlocal Pension Fund Participation

The members in attendance on Sunday's Interlocal Pension meeting voted almost unanimously, in favor of participating in the GCC/IBT Interlocal Pension Fund. This is one of the main reasons for having wanted to form a union in our shops in the first place.

The fact that the company sponsored retirement plans were quickly becoming inferior to what we were once provided, the need for an alternative retirement investment was imperative in order to insure ample financial resources when we need it most.

Executive Vice President, Keith Denson will chair the committee on establishing the various segments and the contribution amounts that will apply to each segment.The committee members include Linard Williams, Mike Brierley, Dan Beruman and Richard Olmeda.

The committe members will be able to assist Keith in answering questions and instructing members on how to participate.

For all other questions or assistance, contact EVP, Keith Denson at (661) 886-5698 or e-mail at

For more information on the fund itself, visit the ILPF website at http://www.ilpfgciu.org/ or e-mail info@ilpfgciu.org For immediate answers, or literature, call (630) 752-8400

Thursday, October 08, 2009

O.C Meeting Reminder


I will be in O.C. tomorrow morning at the Round Table Pizza on Warner and Euclid in Fountain Valley at 11:00am. This is an informal meeting I was asked to hold in order to discuss current issues and their effects in the shops. All bargaining unit employees are welcome to attend. There will be a General Meeting for members of the Local following the October 18th InterLocal Pension Meeting at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Commerce.

Ronnie

Friday, October 02, 2009

Transfers and Shift Pick Details

Yesterday Keith and I met with Russ and Leticia to discuss the transfer of 27 press persons from O.C. to L.A. on October 19th. The ultimate decision belonged to management and we agreed to an unprecedented decision to allow bargaining unit employees to bid on shifts in either shop based on seniority.

This decision maintains compliance with the contract, which I was told by many of you in both L.A. and O.C. to preserve seniority and expressed no desire to amend the contract.

Transfers were handled in various ways in the past and this is the first time that we have an opportunity to bid shifts based on seniority in either shop. This affirms that we are ONE body, ONE union regardless of which facility one chooses to work in.

A few details:

Posted schedules are to run concurrent through 2010.


Orange County bargaining unit employees may voluntarily transfer to L.A.
Volunteers must inform management by October 9, 2009 by noon. After that time, management will institute mandatory transfers of the balance needed from those in O.C. with the least seniority.

Anyone wishing to voluntarily transfer to O.C. from L.A. may request to do so also and must meet the October 9 deadline as well. Seniority will determine whether it will be possible to transfer to O.C. based on how many volunteers from O.C. request to come to L.A.

There are four (4) management assigned shifts in L.A. that print commercial products such as the Wall St. Journal, Barron's and The Post. Anyone one on these crews currently may bid on any available shift schedule when it is their time to pick.

Vacations scheduled for the remainder of the year will be honored and vacation picks for 2010 will be bid later in the year. If new schedules conflict with 2009 vacation picks, you may be asked to modify your vacation pick. If vacation arrangements have been made, IE. Airline and hotel reservations, management has indicated that they will accommodate and honor established vacation times.


Management has posted schedules and all the details of the bid process, so read the information carefully and if you have any questions, check with your representatives.

In Solidarity,
Ronnie Pineda
President,
GCC/IBT Local 140-N

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