General Membership Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 7:16 PM at 918 Benjamin NE, Grand Rapids.
Meeting was opened with the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Roll Call of Officers:

Present:

Steve Austin, President
Jennifer Amos, Recording Secretary
Orv Glombowski, AO Director
Bill Scutt, Clerk Craft Director
Larry Niece, Mailhandler Craft Director
Ronda Payne, Sergeant at Arms
Catherine Beemblossom, Executive Vice-President
Karen Hodges, Treasurer
Absent:
Jim Sweeney, Special Delivery Craft Director
Jim Smith, Maintenance Craft Director
Scott Larabel, MVS Craft Director

The January General Membership Meeting minutes were read and accepted as corrected. The corrections are: Spelling of “Grombowski” should be “Glombowski” in roll call; Spelling of “Lentilli” should read “Centilli” in Cans for COPA; Motion by Glombowski to accept Newaygo/Hamilton was seconded by Scutt.

Applications for Membership:

Clerks, Grand Rapids:

Norm Johnson -- Judith Boone --Robert Mauger Jr.

Irene Warren -- Larinda Rutherford-- Gregory Corliss

Nicole Baker --Tracey Jimenez --Scott Paquin

Mark Fitzpatrick --Mary McIntyre --Joel Ezell

Jill Van --Phoenix Maung --Richard Hearth Jr.

Paula Linderman --Douglas Carrier Jr.-- Laura Peets

Rhonda White --Larry Brower-- Kathleen Latreille

Susan Larsen --Richard T. McClure --Sally Ingersoll

Shonteka Smith -- Patrick Murray --Scott Ackerson

Mary Carr -- Kineka Williams --Aaron Wiley

Nicole Pierce --Nicholas Salinas-- Geraldine Davis

David Blakeslee

Clerks, Grand Haven

Michael McKee -- Sheri Spyker Bills Accepted:

$37.44 - Orv Glombowski, Postage

10.77 - Ronda Payne, Postage

23.05 - Orv Glombowski, Postage

34.72 - Scott Larabel, Mileage

50.53 - Orv Glombowski, Postage, Parking, Ink jet cartridge

50.86 - Catherine Beemblossom, Office Supplies

18.23 - Karen Hodges, Refreshments, Coffee, Napkins
$225.60

Treasurer’s Report: Read and accepted.

Associate Office Report: Management “teams” reviewing associate offices -- function 2 audits. Orv feels this is not sanctioned by the union since management won’t allow them to participate. Management is handing out too much discipline -- it’s out of control. Orv said management is convincing employees to give their work away. Window clerks are paying shortages without grieving. 204Bs are supervising then working in the craft on overtime. Orv strongly urges craft employees to report these incidents -- he believes employees may feel too intimidated.

Clerk Craft Report: The 27 new FSM bids at the annex were pulled at the last minute. Bill is negotiating with management to post them and is confident that will happen soon. According to Bill, management has not been cooperative. Currently, PTFs and Casuals are sorting flats at the annex. There is a new union bulletin board in the Riverview Building. There is a concern that city zone clerks are moving to the stations to sort mail. Letters of warning are being given, bypassing discussions. Grievances are back-logged. Statements from co-workers are important to grievances. Employees shouldn’t have to feel threatened by managers when submitting a statement.

Executive Vice-President Report: Steward training is scheduled this month for new stewards. Training will include instruction on clock rings, time reports and information requests.

President Report: Management wants the FSM jobs at the annex to include LIPS training. Ray Novakoski said LIPS should be with SPBS training. The decision is on hold. The union believes volunteers should be scheduled to work holidays before anyone -- casuals and PTFs are not considered volunteers. This issue will be appealed to step 3. Steve suggested placing monitors in the basement parking area to help prevent theft and damage. Steve mentioned $500 for the solidarity statue and is waiting for non-profit designation. Ray Novakoski will be the new member of the TAC team -- he has been very helpful. Steve believes the purchase of new software to track and prepare grievances is going to help stewards prepare their grievances more effectively. Kudos to Catherine for participation in her new position. Steve will be meeting with Murry to discuss moving zone clerks to the station. The move is on hold until the meeting. Clerk on last chance agreement -- very difficult to negotiate these agreements with management. The state convention is moving forward. Ray Novakoski is in charge of RI-399. He has negotiated a LIPS/SPBS jurisdictional agreement with management.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

POWER Committee -- Karen Hodges: Parliamentary Class on Feb. 28, 1998 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thank you note from Markoskis.

Convention Committee -- Karen Hodges: Golf, bowling and hospitality room. Raffle ticket sales will help offset hospitality room costs. We still need items for delegate bags. There will be a contest for convention pin design.

Cans for COPA -- Catherine Beemblossom: $18 for Cans for COPA. WMAL was recognized in the “National News” for COPA donations.

Resolutions Committee -- Jennifer Gilbert: Meeting Friday Feb. 20 at 8 a.m. at the Union Hall. The committee is preparing proposed changes to the contract.

Old Business:

Constitutional changes proposed at Jan. 3 general membership meeting: Article 9, Section 9 Comstock clerk said she isn’t getting her mail, including the proposed changes. Chair ruled to continue. Discussion. Defeated.

Constitutional changes proposed at Jan. 3 general membership meeting: Article II, Section 2. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Dick Page to extend meeting to 10 p.m. 2nd-Beemblossom. Carried.

Motion by Ray Novakoski to vote on convention delegates in block. 2nd-Dan Chester. Challenged by Bill Scutt. Vote must be by secret ballot. Motion out of order.

Secret ballots counted -- all eligible delegates nominated were elected.

National Delegates:

Steve Austin- per local const. Art. 11 sec. 2 Phil Loy-- Ronda Payne

Orv Glombowski- per local const. Art. 11 sec. 2 Karen Hodges --Bill Scutt

Jennifer Gilbert Jim Myszka --Jim Sweeney

Mark Juczynski Larry Niece --Barb Tubbs

Scott Larabel Ray Novakoski --Barb Wilson

Mike Long -- Dick Page

State Delegates:

Steve Austin-per local const. Art. 11 sec. 2 Karen Hodges-- Dick Page

Orv Glombowski- per local const. Art. 11 sec. 2 Val Johnson --Ronda Payne

Jennifer Amos --Mark Juczynski-- Denise Pettit-Williams

Catherine Beemblossom --Leslie Kwant --Bill Scutt

Tim Burke --Scott Larabel --Jim Sweeney

Dan Chester --Mike Long-- Sally Murphy-Thomas

Jennifer Gilbert --Jeff Mulder --Missy Grose

Nancy Gingery-- Larry Niece --Doug Kuntz

John Hansma --Glenda Novakoski-- Barb Wilson

Dale Hinkley-- Ray Novakoski-- Barb Tubbs

Karen Hodges untabled motion to purchase 250 pins for state convention at the cost of $712.50. Any leftover pins will be used at the national convention. 2nd-Bill Scutt. Carried.

New Business:

Motion by Karen Hodges for the local to pay for two days of LWOP for Hodges, Mike Long, Jennifer Gilbert, Jim Sweeney and Catherine Beemblossom on May 27 and 28, for convention activities. 2nd-Beemblossom. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Bill Scutt to be reimbursed for mileage, per diem, registration and lodging in the amount of $314.97 for area 2/3 district meeting. 2nd-Beemblossom. President yielded chair to executive vice-president.Carried.

Motion by Karen Hodges for per diem for Hodges, Long, Gilbert, Sweeney and Beemblossom at $170 for Wednesday May 27. 2nd-Austin. Carried.

Executive vice-president yielded chair to president.

Motion by Mike Long for the local to reimburse Dan Dourassa for overpaid union dues in the amount of $373.89. 2nd-Hodges. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Dick Page for the local union president and the associate office director to pay phone bill received in November, 1997. 2nd-Jim Myska. President yielded chair to executive vice-president. Discussion. Withdrawn.

Motion by Mike Long for the local to reimburse Andrew Kupraszewicz overpaid union dues in the amount of $124.53. 2nd-Austin. Carried.

Motion by Phil Loy to obtain a PO box in Comstock Park post office to receive union mail. 2nd-Scutt. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Orv Glombowski to return/replace the word processor the union purchased in January. The monitor is bad. There will be an additional cost of approx. $100.00. 2nd-Austin. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Dan Chester to extend meeting until end of business. 2nd-Austin. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Ray Novakoski for the union president to contact national secretary/treasurer Doug Holbrook about phone bill incident within seven days, and take necessary action. 2nd-Austin. Carried. Motion by Orv Glombowski for mileage and three days LWOP to go to labor board. 2nd-Hodges. Withdrawn.

Motion by Orv Glombowski for mileage, two days of LWOP already used and one day of LWOP needed in the future for filing charges at labor board. Approximately $400. 2nd-Chester. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Steve Austin for the president and vice-president to attend MSU class Feb. 23 “On the Offensive -- Tools for Union Leaders.” Cost is $65 per person, plus mileage. 2nd-Long. Withdrawn.

Motion by Steve Austin for the president and vice-president to attend Feb. 23 labor education class “On the Offensive -- Tools for Union Leaders” at MSU and be paid for lost time, registration and mileage. 2nd-Amos. Division. Defeated.

Motion by Karen Hodges for the local to pay cost of four hotel rooms, four nights for four committee members at state convention ($1600). 2nd-Long. Call for division. Defeated.

Motion by Karen Hodges that committee members be paid $10 per hour for convention committee work. 2nd-Gilbert. Friendly amendment -- “up to 100 hours” accepted. Discussion. Carried.

Motion by Jennifer Gilbert for the local to pay for registration and per diem (three days) for state convention delegates. $75 registration, $67.98 per diem (includes all three days). $142.98 total. 2nd-Scutt. Carried.

Executive vice-president yielded chair to president.

Constitutional change proposed for Article 6, Section 7d.

Motion by Gilbert for the local to pay lodging, travel, per diem, registration and applicable taxes for the national convention July 19-24 in Detroit, MI. 2nd-Scutt. Carried.

Labor Management -- Dick Page wants the union to oppose moving zone clerks from MPO to stations. He believes there’s not enough room for a union office at the annex. Union office at Annex: Management said space will be available for the union after renovations are complete. No current plans for 10/4 workweek. The union is negotiating this issue at the national level. Orv wants the union to intercede for the associate office director so he can participate in Function 2 exit meetings. Badge control at MPO -- there is concern that centralized badge racks will prevent employees from clocking in on time. Lockers are not available for new annex employees. Tornado procedures are not adequate -- Fred Quilin was supposed to rewrite the SOP.

Drawings:

$35.50 to COPA, $35.50 to Marv Verboom.

$10 door prizes: Paula Smiegel, Craig Lamb, Ray Novakoski, Mike Long.

Meeting adjourned at 10:57 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted

Jennifer Amos
Recording Secretary

Back

Home
Prez Report •  Membership Meetings
Officers & Stewards •  Events •  About WMAL •  Cool Links

Top

Webmeister Jennifer Amos. © Western Michigan Area Local
E-mail Jennia1957@aol.com with comments or suggestions