I hope that everyone has started their own fund of some kind. A goal of THREE months worth of expenses should be set. Hopefully this will get you through any unforeseen emergencies, such as illness or an accident God forbid, and you not have to depend on anyone. With those thoughts I would like to wish everyone a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving.

RE: Strike - Lockout Fund

   I suggest on a local level we should donate 15 cents an hour for our local fund.

    And more importantly there should be a one time 100 dollar assessment internationally paid by every brother across the country to fund any locals Cobra payments while any local is out.This assessment should be collected by the international and invested in a fund with the dividends going toward the increases in our medical coverage.

UNITED WE STAND

Greetings everyone  I hope this posting is finding everyone doing well and in good spirits. We just wanted to wish everyone and their families a VERY Happy Thanksgiving.  I am VERY thankful for having my wonderful, loving husband.  I hope everyone enjoys their time with their families and friends this holiday.  Have a safe and great time. And as always work safe. 

Lori Agnello

Proud Wife of Paul

why the urgency for a strike fund?

   1- we have corporate brownholes that dont care about anything other than their profits and profit sharing.

   2- on our annuity plan, we have corporate trustees that will try to bend the rules to hinder any brother or sister from taking a loan on their own money(putting pressure on you- on going back to the job for the wrong reasons rather than for the right reasons

   3-on our medical plan, we have(once again) corporate trustees that will have you pay the highest cobra rate, so it will be harder to take care of the family(again- pressuring you at the families health expense)

   4-are we all gamblers? are we willing to wait for the end of this contract to see if we as valued employees, how we are going to be treated?

   5-what if emany grows by a couple of more companies? how will the remaining brothers and sisters going to afford our medical assesment?

   6-are we to expect other locals to bear the brunt of our failure to start a strike fund?

   There have been many years seperating both the long strike in the 70's and the lockout of 2005. We have to accept and recognize the responsibility of starting a strike fund and a pac fund. I, for one feel it is very vital to the future of local one, and its members that these funds are started with out any resentment or delay.I feel we should not let any outsiders determine our fate or test our unity. Remember not to long ago, emany tried to disrupt that flow, the time has come to become more prepared and lets start sending the message-not in our house-.

   I patiently wait for all the paperwork explaining the outlines of the strike fund

Dear Brothers and sisters ,

Lets move on, once we have the information on the defense fund "specifics". We will all have an opportunity to vote on it. We all need to ask ourself something of more concern to me? Where are all the brothers and sisters during OUR union meetings? We are all extremely fortunate to live in the United States, we are all fortunate to BE INVOLVED in a great labor organization.

  This Thursday is Thanksgiving, I would like to take this time to let everyone reading this page from Local 1 or any Local across the country and Canada, that I am extremely grateful for everything I have been afforded. A great family, "at home and at work". I wake up everyday grateful to be a part of our country, the great UNITED States. Do yourself a big favor, try to focus on what you have not what you Don't have!

  Thank you to our Armed Forces! Thank You to our veterans ! Thank you for the opportunity to live in the UNITED States, and last but not least I am extremely grateful to have a decision In OUR UNION. I would like to take this moment to thank Ray Hernandez for doing a terrific job! I am proud of all of our elected officers.I think down deep in my heart they are ALL doing their best! If anyone feels they can do better? Then stop whining and second guessing anyone who made a choice to make a difference, whether its at work , in your community or at your choice of faith. We elected them, we as a union must band together to support one another!

 Well enough said, We need the defense fund , we need a PAC fund. I am always impressed and must commend any member who has come up to the Microphone at our Union Meetings, many people have concerns and great ideas. Like brother Fred Mc Court said earlier bring em on down to the union meeting .

   Many members are concerned about how can afford the Extra assessments? I would like to say as a Union , how can we afford NOT TO?  Respectfully Submitted Brother Brian Link card #1347

HEY FREDDIE.............DITTO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Thanks for your comments Brother Ruth. This issue of the defense fund will not be debated over this web page. If you have points about the fund, come to the meeting in December and get up on the microphone. First of all, nobody in this Union has received the paper work on how this trust is going to work. If you haven't received this paper work, how do you know you or not going to support the fund? Wake up, we are not the only people reading this site. Let the companies work for their information. Let them have their little rats (you know who you are) come to the meetings and then report to their supers, who just did their (our) work for 3 months(LOCKOUT), REMEMBER?

You can't bring a knife to a gun fight!!!

If you have a gun you need bullets!!!

GET IT!!!!

I DO!!!!   Just read the Constructor magazine this month and see how our Brothers and Sisters are doing in Canada.

Semper Fi,

Brother Frederick McCourt

14

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Local 8 San Francisco has a defense fund which was created years ago by a membership that was in the same place you are today.  It has now grown to where most of our working members have never had to contribute to it.  It is a legacy to be proud of and something that we are currently using to help support our members in Locals 102 and 125A.  I encourage you to cut to the chase get a fund and have something to pass on to those who come after us.  God bless you all this holiday season.

John Ruth

Dear members or whoever reads this,

     I am wondering why there wasn't a strike fund created at the inception of this Union. It is a great idea. What troubles me is the urgency being attached to it now. Also the price tag. This is something that should come out of our already existing dues. It is for the long haul not just for the next contract. With all due respect to our president,  putting this in his hip pocket at next negotiations is a dangerous thing. We don't need our negotiating team walking into negotiations with a hair pin trigger in there pocket, ready to strike if they don't like what they hear.
  No, I say strike fund for the long haul. Go back to drawing board and brainstorm a new way to fund it. For example a certain percentage of dues could be allocated for a strike fund. Crunch some numbers think about it as a long term fix and not a quick way to get the upper hand on management.

   Lets face it, is $100 enough? How much am I going to get if we strike? A full paycheck? How Long? Maybe 3 weeks. Strikes suck and we want to avoid it if we can. Let's work to that end. If management knows we have a strike fund in place that is good enough. It doesn't have to have enough money in it by end of this contract to influence contract talks.

  enough said.

See you Tonight at meeting

Fraternally

Mike Denenberg

The following is an article from Kiplinger's Financial Magazine

                       Unions Cast A Wide Net

     The labor unions that broke off from the AFL-CIO and those that stayed may all emerge bigger and better organized. Both sides are stepping up recruiting, paying special attention to white-collar workers. Unions are eager to recruit computer programmers, engineers, scientists and health care workers because shortages make firms eager to please them. Unions are pushing issues that white-collar workers care about: eligibility for overtime and protection from outsourcing. {www.kiplingerforecast.com/ahead/unions}

*Nurses are among professionals being recruited labor unions.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Tomorrow is the 3rd Thursday of the month. Except for July and August, this is when Local 1 IUEC holds their meetings. The date of OUR meeting is November 17th. This post is for all the people who I have spoken with over the last few months. This post is for all the people who have ALL the answers ? The same people who have great ideas and concerns but remain " not involved" ??? This is to all of you, prove me wrong and show you REALLY are concerned , I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. To all the members who are always at the meetings , I challenge you to bring someone you work alongside or just haven't seen at a union meeting lately with you.

  Your very own future will be decided at these meetings some of you refuse to attend? Your very own family will be affected by your lack of commitment in your life, whether Its at work , home or in your community. Please step up to the plate and don't just HOLD a card , become someone who is proud of what your UNION card does for you. BE a giver and not a taker, once again thanks for the opportunity to share my beliefs. I will continue to be involved, interested, and very proud to be a member of Local 1 IUEC .

       You will get everything you want in Life, If you just help some other people get what they want.

       Respectfully Submitted Brother Brian Link card #1347

Brothers & Sisters,

I am sorry to inform you of the passing of Brother Tom Burke's father, Richard. The arrangements are as follows:

Connell M A Funeral Home

934 New York Ave
Huntington Station, NY 11746-1201
(631) 427-1123

Tuesday 11/15/05 & Wednesday 11/16/05

2-5 & 7-9

New York City Elevator Inspector jobs available:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Many great ideas are put on this website. Many people speak out on this website. It's time to be responsible for your putting your 2 feet in your shoes and get to the next union meeting.  Although I feel very strongly that this website is a valuable tool to communicate with each other. I feel even stronger that we shouldn't be airing our "dirty laundry " here all the time. I feel If we are all SERIOUS about improving the future of Local 1 IUEC , you need to get yourself down to the next meeting. To all the active and concerned brothers and sisters see you at the next meeting. Work Union . Work Safe. Stay strong and stick together!

        IN SOLIDARITY Brother Brian Link

 If you want to gamble away your livelihood and your future stay home . If you are actually interested in protecting and preserving your future get involved in your Union, Your community, your family and your faith .

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

Your negotiating team at Contract time tried to get your companies  to allow a PAC Fund check off from your paycheck.

Most unions have a working relationship with their contractors so they can do 5 cents an hour for a PAC fund. This comes to about two dollars a week and around 100 dollars a year. This would help us in the political area.

To help our friends and make new ones.

We have to get into the game.

Since our signatory companies will not step into the future. We will have to do our Local One, IUEC PAC the old fashion way.

We can't keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results.

Their is no free lunch and no one is coming to save the day. We have to take care of each other and take care of our future.

So be ready, work safe and take time to show the new kids the ropes.

Take care of each other.

Brother Tom Moore, Local One, IUEC

tmlocalone@aol.com

I am sorry to inform you of the passing of retired Brother Jerry Matawa Sr. The arrangements are as follows:

Lloyd Maxcy and sons Funeral Home

16 Shea Place

New Rochelle, NY 10201

914-632-2700

Sunday 11/13/05 & Monday 11/14/05

2-4 & 7-9

Mass will be held at the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday at 10:00 am

               Yes there should be a plan laid out in advance specificaly stating the guidelines of the fund. I think the reasoning of the 4 time payment versus the 25 cent plan is that there will be much paper work involved with employers and the Union which will add cost to the plan. I know many do like the idea of $100 a quarter since it sounds like so much, if you want a easier a way, each time you write a check from your check book, round off the figure to the next 5 or 10 dollars, if the check is for $46,  write the amount to $50, after a few weeks, go back and add it up. I am sure you will have an extra $100 when you write out that check for your Union Dues.

Brothers and Sisters,

     Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend.  Thank you to all the Veterans who gave their lives for what we have today.

     Hats off to Mike Duffy on the fine job he does running this web site.  The site offers us a quick and convenient way to communicate.  However, it does not take the place of union meetings.  Many brothers and sisters have good ideas, so lets hear them Thursday night.

     Work SAFE!

          Brother Paul Agnello