September Newsletter
September 2017
The next general membership meeting is Tuesday, October 2nd, 2017 at 3:50pm at the union hall which is located at 1414 N. Memorial Drive.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!!
Bobby Cusey, Dwayne Curtis, Dong Lian, Sabin Potter, Drake Christensen, Margaret Rickner, Tony Hathcoat, Jesus Hernandez, Angelica Felix, Kenneth Catholic Jr., Zolla Brooks, Tanya Ortiz, Rosenda Botello, David Fields, Ricky Graham
Local 5010 Website is Live!
The UAW Local 5010 website is up and running. The company had the site blocked because of their content filters, but that has been resolved so the website is accessible from your work computer as well. The idea of the website is to be a handy communications center right in your pocket or on your computer. There is an events page to list things like membership meetings or committee meetings to help keep you in the know. The current union contract is on there so that you always have it handy. The UAW constitution is on there so that you can read up on how the union operates anytime you want. We need content for the site, so anything that you have (pictures, written articles, comics, videos, links to articles, etc. that is union related) is welcomed. Contact either Benefits Rep John Sigman or President Jeff Jones if you have content, ideas for content or just ideas in general. The website address is:
www.uawlocal5010.org
Please Work Safely
For Safety concerns, please contact John Reeves at (918) 833-4077 or (918) 991-9579
T-shirts for sale
We have union T-shirts from 2016 and prior for sale at 1/2 price nd will be available for purchase at the next General Membership Meeting.
Attendance Bonus... FYI
If you didn’t get attendance bonus and thought that you should have, let me explain a couple things about how it works. The Kronos system used by the company has simple criteria for deciding if you are eligible for the bonus or not; was all of your time paid or not. If it was, you get the bonus. If it wasn’t, you don’t. Some employees have been asking why they didn’t get the bonus if they missed time for various reasons but were excused from work. If your team leader (or Medical, etc.) excuses you from work, that is to make sure that you don’t get pointed, not to qualify you for the attendance bonus. According to the law any type of bonus that has qualifying conditions, can be administered by the company at their discretion, as long as they use the same qualifying conditions and determination for everyone.
Other than that, there hasn’t been any new information on the benefits front to pass along. If you have any questions, get ahold of Benefits Rep John Sigman.
For concerns with Quality issues...
Please contact Quality Representative Kisty Reeves at (918) 833-6054 or (918) 367-6017
My story...
I would like to take the time to introduce myself. My name is Stephanie Allen. I have a wife and kids and they are my world. I started working at the Tulsa Bus Plant in February of 2001. I started my career in paint. Then I transferred to upholstery where I spent most of my time (10 years). Then I transferred to materials, which is where I reside right now. You have probably seen me around the plant. I’m the one who drives fast and 99% of the time have a blue Thunder (THUNDER UP!!) hat on. Feel free to come talk to me and introduce yourself!
I became a member of the UAW when it began in October of 2013. Everyone that signed a card had a different reason for signing up but mine was that I needed insurance for my spouse. Which I got! I took a backseat and didn’t get involved in the Union itself. I had never been a part of a union and really didn’t understand how it worked. I went to a couple meetings and just kind of sat there and listened.
About a year ago, I thought the Union did nothing for me and my family. So, I decided to change my life. I wanted to make a difference. I decided I would run for a position where I could change things at the place I work and my life. And I won!
So, in June of this year I was sworn into the financial secretary job of our union. And boy, it was an eye opener. I went from knowing nothing about a union to realizing how much of an opportunity we all have. Because when I was bad mouthing the union for not doing anything, I didn’t realize that I was the union. And that my co-worker standing beside me was the union.
See in October of 2013 we all voted on a contract (arguably an ok contract) but it was our first one. And we all got raises every other year and while other companies were raising insurance premiums our premiums stayed extremely low. And we got someone (rep) to go in and represent us against our employer instead of having to fight alone. And we have music back in the plant! It’s been years since we could listen to music! So, it was a step in the right direction.
I guess what I would like the membership to know. Is that we are only strong together. I have been spending lots of time reading and learning and training and my eyes are open. I understand that in big companies, you do need a union. We need your help by coming to our monthly meeting and express what you want and we need committee people. We need to form committees. And I know there are people out there that don’t know how committees work or how to sign up and that’s ok. If you want to make a difference pick a committee you want to join. There are several! And some have never been started.
Take for example, the Veteran’s committee. It is a committee that would meet for lunch or a break room after work. You would vote for a chair person and financial person and a recording secretary and you would basically get together and do stuff to support veterans. You could have a fund raiser and raise money for veterans or do events around town to raise money and awareness. Or we have a women’s committee that would meet and do the same thing and maybe do like the breast cancer walk and get others involved, get t-shirts and raise money and have a good time supporting something you care about.
We want people to get involved. We want people to care.
Be a part! Because we need YOU! YOU are the Union!
In Solidarity,
Stephanie Allen
Financial Secretary
UAW Local 5010
Stephanie.allen3011@outlook.com