NEWS LETTER
Volume XI, #3 December 13, 1996
MARSHALL MONROE HICKS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Council has created a scholarship program in honor of Marshall
Hicks, the past president of our National Union and former Council
President. Our memory of Marshall is that he was a kind and quiet
man who was very knowledgeable and the Union was his life. There
was not a time when you couldn't call Marshall and ask him for
his advice. He helped whenever he could and was always there
for us. This scholarship program is certainly a befitting honor
in his memory and will help the members of the Council to educate
their children. Marshall was an educator in his own right and
will certainly be missed, but never forgotten.
Utility Deregulation
The National Union and many other international unions have determined
that deregulation of electric utilities is one of the most important
issues that we have ever had to deal with. If not done properly,
it will cost us jobs and be a detriment to our communities. The
Council has been working diligently to educate our legislators,
members and the public of the dangers of radical deregulation
and the serious consequences which could result if it is not
done slowly and carefully. The deregulation of the electric utilities
is proceeding in the state legislature and they are combining
all of the public acts into one act so deregulation will only
affect one act. The combination of these acts into one act is
a difficult process. The House Public Utilities Committee is
trying to draft an act which is policy neutral so that deregulation
can be done next year with one act. However, there are many corporations,
attorneys and lobbyists who are fighting over whether the bill
is policy neutral and does not change anything currently in existence.
If the bill is to be passed as a policy neutral act which will
be a foundation for deregulation, those attorneys should allow
it to pass and leave it alone. However, they are not doing so
and the bill should probably be held until a time when the manner
in which deregulation will occur is agreed upon for the State
of Michigan.
The Council has been working with Region IV Director Ron LaForest to build a coalition with the Building Trades, IBEW and others who depend on the utilities in Michigan for jobs and a healthy community. There are environmental and citizen groups who are also involved and who share many of the same concerns that we have for safe reliable electric and gas service, jobs and the financial health and well being of the public and our communities. The coalition is called "Protect Michigan" and the Council has a member serving on its Executive Board.
National activity on Deregulation
Council President Ruffner has been elected to the Executive Board
of our National Union and has been designated as the contact
person and coordinator for deregulation in the State of Michigan
for the Utility Workers Union of America. Please have your Local
Union contact the Council office if you would like someone to
attend a meeting in your area to explain and discuss deregulation.
National Safety Council on Deregulation
At the National Safety Council's Labor Division meeting in October,
the Council representatives in attendance were able to convince
the Labor Division to adopt a policy of concern for public and
worker safety if deregulation is not done properly. As a result
of the Labor Division adopting this position, it has been recommended
that the National Safety Council adopt this concern when dealing
with our legislators in Washington on passage of upcoming bills
on deregulation. The National Safety Council is a non-partisan
organization that knows the value of protecting public and worker
safety because of the higher costs of not doing so. They know
that accidents and fatalities cost corporations much more than
protecting safety because of the costs of human suffering, liability
and lost productivity. We are hopeful that the National Safety
Council will strongly express its concerns of public and worker
safety with Congress, and that if deregulation is done without
standards for quality, reliability, public and worker safety,
it will cost us all more and actually raise rates.
Do your part on Deregulation
It is important to our survival that each and every one of us take an active role concerning electric and gas deregulation. We know that if electric deregulation is not done properly it will result in lower rates for the few at the expense of higher rates for residential and small business customers. We also know that in conjunction with electric deregulation, if not done properly, it will have an adverse impact on the gas side of the industry. Contact or write your legislators and express your and our concerns that if deregulation is not done to benefit all classes of customers, it will most likely have an adverse effect on the environment, public and worker safety. It very well could have a negative effect on jobs, not only for utility workers but for others as well and the tax base that supports our schools, fire and police support and all the jobs in our communities which depend on a healthy utility and purchasing power of the community for all jobs which support every aspect of our communities churches, schools, etc.
Contact your legislators, talk to your friends and family so that there will be much public debate on the proper way to deregulate the electric and gas utilities.
Gas Jobs
The Council is putting together another proposal to get more
gas jobs and obtain an agreement from the Company that we will
do the work and not subcontractors. We have already lost some
of the stake and locate work and it is clear that we will lose
more work if we don't do something to keep it. We and the Company
both know that the subcontractors are doing poor work and we
want to reach an agreement before the Company finds a reputable
contractor that will do our work without problems. There were
initially problems with the stake and locate work and the Company
is slowly getting those problems and complaints worked out. We
have a couple of strategies (1) We can beat the Company up over
the problems and have the Company dig their feet in and make
sure we don't get the work while they work the problems out with
the contractors, or (2) We can find a solution that will give
us the work and give the Company the flexibility that they feel
they need to survive in a deregulated environment. We will try
the second option first but if we are not successful, we may
only be left with the alternative of exposing the contractor
and the Company for the poor work that the contractor does. It
has been made clear to the Company that if we do not reach agreement
to get the work, there may not be any reason to protect it.
Protective Clothing
The Council has been informed by the Company that they expect
our Line Workers to wear only natural fiber clothing to comply
with OSHA standards. The Council feels that the Company has not
bargained in good faith on this issue and has asked that the
Council grievance on this issue be expedited. The Company clearly
agreed they were not going to implement a policy containing strict
enforcement of the regulations, until a pilot program could be
completed. The Company agreed to put together a joint pilot program
to address the clothing that would best suit the needs of our
Members and to comply with the regulations. After the agreement,
the Company dragged their feet and then notified the Council
that the joint committee would only be looking at outer wear
that they might provide, however, they now have told us that
they would only look at a protective vest.
The Company clearly violated the intent of the pilot program which was to review all clothing to determine what was appropriate to comply with the rules. The Company is now saying that everyone has to be in compliance and wear natural fiber clothing. We are not certain how they are going to enforce a rule or policy which in itself does not comply with the regulations and we have maintained our position that it is the Company's responsibility to provide protective clothing.
This issue will obviously not be resolved until an arbitrator makes a ruling, therefore, if anyone purchases clothing, save your receipts. The Council has requested arbitration and that the Company expedite the scheduling of that case.
Drug and Alcohol Testing - An important reminder for some and very important information for new employees who use drugs or alcohol.
If you use drugs and/or have an alcohol dependence, you should
seek help as soon as possible. If you are unwilling to seek assistance
to stop using drugs and/or a dependence on alcohol, you may be
putting your job in jeopardy. The federal government has mandated
that certain occupations be subject to random drug and alcohol
testing. Employees who refuse to recognize that they cannot use
illegal drugs or report for work under the influence of alcohol
will eventually lose their jobs. Even if you are not subject
to random testing, if you report for work evidencing alcohol
use or impairment or get in an accident and are tested as a result
of an accident, your employment may also be in jeopardy. Don't
jeopardize your ability to support your family with the wages
and benefits that you receive by not taking care of a drug and/or
alcohol dependence.
Review Appendix #48, page 209 of the Working Agreement to see how your employment could be jeopardized by positive drug or alcohol tests.
If you have an illegal drug (including drugs not prescribed specifically for you) and/or alcohol use or dependence, contact the Employee Assistance Provider endorsed by your Local Union. Take care of your use or dependence, your job, and your family, before it takes care of you.
Health Care
Within the last six months the Council has become aware of an increase in the number of Members experiencing problems with health care payments. We found that this increase was due to "R&C" (Reasonable and Customary) cuts. After pressing the Company for an explanation, the Company found and reported to the Council that Aetna had changed the method used to calculate R&C. This was done without the Company's knowledge or consent. We have met with the Company in an effort to correct this situation. The Company has taken steps with Aetna to try to correct the problem and we are still waiting for more information to fully assess the affects on our Members. It appears that the problems began some time in March and corrective measures were instituted in mid-November. It is our position that the Company should hold Aetna responsible for any added cost to Members as a result of these changes which were not agree to by the Council. If any Members have had "R&C" cuts to their health care payments, they should contact Teresa Zaski at (517) 788-0708 for corrections and also notify their Local Union of any problems that are not corrected.