Over the past 11 years, the Labor Bowl has generated over $138,000 to benefit the program services of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. These services include medical care at the MDA clinic at OHSU, provision of wheelchairs and braces, a week-long summer camp for young clients, support groups, referral services and worldwide research into treatments and eventual cures for 43 neuromuscular disorders. Continuation of these programs for over 1,200 families in Oregon and southwest Washington is possible because of your support.
Local 247 Trustee Christy Kern is going to assemble a Local 247 bowling team for the benefit. Please contact the office or Christy if you are interested. You need not be a skilled bowler to participate, although it helps. Packets including everything you need to know are available at the union office.
Last year, 82 people from different unions participated and raised over $28,144 for MDA. We are anticipating even more participation this year, so sign up now and recruit your friends and relatives to participate.
The event will take place Sunday, April 8, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Rockwood Lanes, 18500 SE Stark St., Portland. There will be food, a silent auction, and prizes.
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Is there something you want but don’t see in the Local 247 newsletter? |
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New Carhartt jackets with 247 logos were presented to members who attended 11 of 12 union meetings last year. |
| We had 85 members in attendance at our Feb. 13 regular meeting. Executive Secretary John Steffens and Regional Manager Tim DeGan both reported to the members. Tim updated us about the possible need to increase the health and welfare contribution or look at a benefit reduction. Tim also reported that Swinerton Builders has signed a union agreement with us. Steward instructor and representative Ken Stroup presented stewards Gene Lawhorn, Joe Whitney and Dave Wilkinson with stainless steel pocket knives as awards for service as job stewards. Mike Hawes presented Local 247 a plaque of recognition for our contributions to the recent Christmas Toy Drive. The Local Regional Council delegates gave reports about the recent quarterly meeting in Spokane. Executive Secretary Steffens was impressed with the delegates’ ability to cover virtually all of the quarterly meeting issues. A motion was passed to allocate funds to remodel the storefront area of the building to a new and improved 247 office. 247 Carhartt jackets were presented to the members who attended 11 of 12 meetings last year. Mentor leader Rob Aichele was also presented with a jacket. A motion was also passed to present mentors and graduating apprentices with jackets. Contact the office for details. The meeting lasted longer than the last two meetings, adjourning at 9:50 p.m. |
General membership Mentors Network Retirees Executive Board |
Zenith Administrators will be at the March meeting
Your benefit administration firm, Zenith, will be attending the March 13 meeting to answer your questions and address any complaints that you may have about your fringe benefits. If you have concerns, please attend if possible. If you cannot attend, please send or e-mail your questions or comments and we will make sure your issues are brought forth. We will include a report in the next newsletter.
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President Bruce Dennis receives Toy Drive plaque from Mike Hawes, research and development coordinator with the Regional Council staff. |
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Both Local 247 and the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters have scholarship programs for members’ children and grandchildren. Applications and/or guidelines are available at the office. Please call or drop by for more information. Completed applications and/or guideline requirements are due by April 30.
Have you checked our Web site lately? We are improving the Web site as new ideas are received. The most recent addition is a “UBC Members-only” semi-secure page. We will post the recent job activity list, trust information, 401(k) information and any other requested member-only type information on this page. The current password needed for entrance to the page is
“please call us at 503.289.9632
or click here to have it emailed” Please don’t give the password to non-members. The information posted on this page is intended for members only. We will periodically change the password to insure a degree of privacy. Do you have any ideas for our site? Let us know.
Local 247 OKs extra issue of Labor Press
Your Executive Board recommended that the local provide the other issue of the Labor Press to any members who would like to receive it. The Labor Press comes out twice a month. Currently, we provide one issue per month, in which we insert this newsletter. If you would like the other issue, or if you would like us to remove you from the list for this issue, please call the office at 289-9632.
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Stewards Gene Lawhorn, Joe Whitney and Dave Wilkinson each received a stainless steel pocket knife as an award for their service as stewards. |
Chamber of Commerce goes all out to block ergonomics standard
Last Nov. 14, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration published its long-awaited requirement for employers in most industries to develop programs to detect and prevent injuries from repetitive stress and motion on the job. That ergonomics rule, which took effect Jan. 16, will go a long way toward minimizing the 1.6 million strains, sprains and overuse injuries that occur in the U.S. workforce every year.
Publication of the ergonomics rule ended more than a decade of political obstruction and delay by business interests, which fought to keep any form of ergonomic protections from begin adopted by OSHA. But the fight isn’t over yet. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit attacking the rule as unjustified. And lobbyists for the Chamber and big business are pushing Congress to pre-empt the rule through a rarely-used mechanism known as the Congressional Review Act. Under this act, if a majority in both the House and Senate vote to overturn the ergonomics standard, OSHA will be barred from issuing any new rule on this subject unless specifically approved by Congress.
Visit the AFL-CIO’s website at www.aflcio.org/safety for more information on this issue and to send an e-mail to your representatives in Congress.
Local 247 has participated in the community “Christmas in April” neighborhood fixer-upper benefit for the underprivileged for nearly 10 years. Saturday, April 28, will be the date for the event this year. If you were involved last year, you should get contacted directly by local organizers. If you are interested in volunteering for this very worthy cause this year, please call Julie or Dawn at the office and let us know. We will need several “House Captains” to coordinate the one-day repair blitz. We understand that a wider area will be covered this year, with some added houses in the Lents area. Call for details or to sign up.
Advanced Technology safety recognized
December 22, 2000
Julie Hatch
Director of Safety
Advanced Technology Group
1800 NE 25th, Suite 4
Hillsboro, OR 97124
Dear Julie,
Congratulations! Your company has been selected to receive the 2001 Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Employer Award — New Business.
Your company will be honored at the Awards Luncheon, Wednesday, March 7, at the Oregon Convention Center in conjunction with the Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Conference.
Dan Sabatino from the Awards Committee will be contacting you in the next few weeks to arrange for pictures in preparation for the awards presentation ceremony during the luncheon, which will highlight your company’s award-winning safety activities.
We will be contacting you in early February to determine how many people from your company will be attending the Awards Luncheon. A few complimentary tickets are available. Additional tickets may be purchased for $10 each. Business attire is appropriate for the awards ceremony.
If you have any questions, please call either Laveryne Gray, conference coordinator, at 503-947-7434 or me at 503-665-1149.
Sincerely, Karen Blythe & Lee Briney
Awards Committee Co-chairs
You can save money by ordering prescriptions through the mail.
Pharmacy (30-day supply)
Generic - $5 co-pay per prescription; Brand name - $10 co-pay per prescription
Mail order (100-day supply)
Generic - $5 co-pay per prescription; Brand name - $10 per prescription
Reference - Health & Welfare summary plan description, page 1.4
Questions or comments? Call your Council at 503-261-1862 or e-mail unioncarpenters@quest.net