Officer reports

President's Perspective

President's Perspective - Spring 2008
As reported in the last Live Wire and at several Membership Meetings, the Utility Workers National Union is aggressively directing their efforts and energy toward organizing the unorganized.

BA Carr's Report

Business Agents' Report - Bill Carr

As we speak contract negotiations have formally started between National Grid and Local 369 for our members working in Northboro at the Customer Service Center. Our first meeting with the Company took place in the last week of February at Westboro.

This meeting started in the usual format of establishing and agreeing to the set ground rules, meeting schedules and the various locations for these meeting to be held. Next agenda item was to exchange initial contract proposals. For the Company it was quite straight forward, add the “F”- word to every existing article. We all know and/or have experienced exactly how diluting and abusive “flexibility” can be.

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Exec. VP Report

Executive Vice President - Spring 2008

The Cope Committee will be running a COPE Drive over the next few months. The Committee members will be visiting numerous service locations throughout Massachusetts. The COPE fund is vital to the future of all of the Utility Workers because the funds are used to develop important legislation to protect our lives and our jobs. The legislation honoring Kevin Fidalgo is the perfect example of our ongoing fight for the safety of our members. The legislation will mandate the inspection of all customer transformer vaults throughout Massachusetts. The fund is used to protect our livelihood. We are currently fighting legislation that could impact the working lives of all Local 369 members and the COPE Committee is working diligently to stop this legislation. The Fund is also used to help elect political candidates who will serve and protect in the best interests of Local 369 members and their families.

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BA Morrison's Report

Business Agents' Report - Jack Morrison

NGRID

Because of the differences in supplying electricity to an island environment our members on Nantucket have some unusual peccadilloes in their contract language. The Nantucket contract book has gone through two drafts so far. We are proofing and clarifying the second draft and anticipate completion soon and a signing in April or May. I want to thank Ronnie Conway, the chief steward, and Donald Ryder, steward, for all their help with the Nantucket contract book proofing and editing.

In Malden, Local 369 has had to have six or seven meetings with management to try to make some progress on an overhead troubleshooter’s agreement. Malden has had a change of division manager through this process. The rule here has been constant vigilance. Thanks to our national representative, Bob Mahoney. Since getting involved he has got us through a few significant roadblocks. With another meeting coming up we should be able to get an agreement finalized. That depends on the company.

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Sec-Treas Report

For Your Benefit - Spring 2008
Contract Negotiations

It is hard to believe, that we are already three months into 2008. This year and the subsequent one, promise to be two more busy years for Local 369. This year with four contracts expiring, we will again be working around the clock to negotiate an agreement with three separate employers; National Grid, Distragas and Entergy. By including members directly in all aspects of negotiations, we will insure that the members’ collective voices will be heard. Having negotiated at least two dozen contracts in the last 5 _ years I have seen first hand, the results that have been produced. Once again some of the issues that the committees will be faced with are healthcare, pensions, and job specifications to name a few.

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BA Senier's Report

Business Agents' Report - Bob Senier
NSTAR STORM ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE

As many of you may recall Hurricane Noel hit Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod on Saturday November 3rd 2007 resulting in massive power outages throughout the region.

The Local contacted NSTAR during and after the storm regarding our concerns with the storm restoration plan, length of outages and safety of the public. The Company responded by requesting that the Local provide recommendations regarding the deployment of resources during a storm to improve our service response.

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