June 17, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Beginning this Friday, June 19, 2020, the Company will no longer recognize “infraction-free” time off for Production & Maintenance employees at our Ridley Park site due to “fear of returning to work, non-COVID related illnesses, and/or lack of public transportation availability.”
The Company will however recognize “Leave without Pay” (LWOP) infraction free for a designated COVID-19 absence for one or more days which will include partial days. These situations consist of when employees are self-isolating due to a recommendation of a health care provider, a high risk condition, living with or caring for someone with a high risk condition, pregnancy, or to care for a child impacted by a school or a place of care closure. For these types of absences to be excused and fall under infraction-free, employees will be required to submit a COVID absence request form. These forms will be reviewed by the Boeing Leave Service Center. This form will be available on the coronavirus website (COVID Absence Request Form). LWOP may be used regardless of an employee’s sick/vacation balance. For more information regarding this pay practice visit the coronavirus website.
In addition, there will be a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for this quarter of $-0.07 effective July 10, 2020. The current maximum COLA amount for this unit is: $0.64.
Lastly, we are still waiting for the mandates and restrictions set by the State of Pennsylvania and Gov. Wolf to ease before we can continue with our monthly membership meetings. We will surely keep our membership informed once we are able to get back to business.
Continue to remain united and stay UAW strong. Rely and help one another through these tough times. Our hard work and commitment made this site #1 enterprise wide.
In Solidarity,
Mike Tolassi
President
UAW Local 1069
June 16, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Over these past several months we all have witnessed, experienced, and became very disheartened and sadden over the unfortunate and heartbreaking issues our world has faced.
The COVID-19 pandemic turned our entire world “upside-down” to say the least. We were personally affected and/or know someone who went through sickness or even death, in addition to experiencing financial hardships due to this current outbreak. We now have witnessed the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the effects that is being echoed throughout our planet. These are very extraordinary and unprecedented times for all people, which includes our Brothers and Sisters who make up our UAW and our Local 1069.
Our great UAW has remained a force in the liberal wing of the Democratic party. The UAW continues to strongly support all programs recognizing civil rights. “The UAW used the rhetoric of civic or liberal nationalism to fight for the rights of blacks and other workers of color between the 1930s and 1970s. At the same time, it used this rhetoric to simultaneously rebuff the demands and limit the organizing efforts of black workers seeking to overcome institutional racial hierarchies in the workplace, housing, and the UAW. The UAW leadership denounced these demands and efforts as antidemocratic and anti-American.” 1 Our UAW International President, Rory Gamble shares with us stating “this pandemic, terrible as it is, has shown us that we are in this together and we must rely on one another if we are going to navigate in this worldwide crisis. This is a scary time, and fear and prejudice are our enemies.”
Please allow me to reiterate my words and feelings that were communicated in my May 5, 2020 chopper handout, “Your Bargaining Committee, as well as our Brothers and Sisters in our plant do not condone any form of racial intimidation.” I am certain we all share in the same belief with my statement and in Rory Gamble’s message.
This being said, I continue to remain confident that all UAW Local 1069 members care and respect one another in this plant and in our communities, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, disability, or any other categories we live by.
Continue to stay strong and remain united. We will once again prevail through these sad and unprecedented times.
In Solidarity,
Michael Tolassi
President
UAW Local 1069
1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Automobile_Workers
June 4, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We wish to inform our members that we are forced to cancel our monthly General Membership Meeting, which was to be held this Sunday, June 7 @ 10:00 AM. Due to the mandates and restrictions we are still under, we are not able to hold large gatherings. At this time, a date has not been set for when we will once again resume our meetings. We certainly will keep our membership up to date.
The following internal jobs are open for UAW Local 1069 members to apply for:
20A12 Senior Machinist 1st shift – closing date – 6/11/20
18A06 Sheetmetal Assembler “B” – closing date – 6/12/20
If you view these jobs in “Between the Blades,” it lists Sheetmetal “A” as available. This is incorrect.
Lastly, our friends at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 654 (IBEW) will be holding a “food drive” this Saturday, June 6, 2020. Items needed are dry goods, peanut butter, canned meats, tuna, stews, soups, cereal, paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and bar soap. Donations will be accepted at 3729 Chichester Ave., Boothwyn, Pa. 19061 between the hours of 10:00 AM-1:00 PM. This will be a “contactless” event. Donations will be taken from the trunk of your vehicle by volunteers at this site. All items will be donated to local food pantries in the community. For further information, you can contact them at 610-494-2820.
Reminder: Please continue to ensure all work you do is of the highest quality enterprise wide. Always have a quality inspector look over all jobs you perform. Furthermore, continue the process to check, double check, and triple check for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) in and around your areas, especially on the aircrafts we build that carry our brave men and women who proudly serve our great country.
In Solidarity,
Michael Tolassi
President
UAW Local 1069
