President's Message - March 13, 2020

Members and Retirees of Local 5328

The company will now and try a two week schedule starting next week. In the weekly schedule section you will find w/o March 15 and March 22. 

 With the Covid-19 virus, the Canada Life has waived the one week waiting period if you are quarantined with medical documentation.  The information and form for this illness specifically is on the Canada life web site.    We have asked the company to waive all note programs until the pandemic is no longer and we are waiting for that answer but I don’t believe they will allow it. We will see. 

 Vacation picks have started for those with 5 years of service or less. Today,  Adam Fleming has agreed to allow the senior people with 80 hours vacation to move the Christmas vacation to summer shutdown if they wish but they are in need of 16-18 people per week during the July shutdown for utility work, confined space and cycle counting. 12-14 on continuous and 4-6 on 8 hour and will all be straight days during the shutdown and for both weeks. Myself, Mike Hnatjuk or Jason Davey will be canvassing over the next week to complete it. 

 In our monthly  union/ company meeting yesterday, the company brought up a serious concern Scanning coils to a location. It’s destroying the mill and causing havoc for all workers and shipments. Please remember to scan your coils to the location you put them in.  

 Overtime this weekend was scheduled improperly and it was brought to the unions attention. When we approached the company, it was to late to start calling everyone so at this point  they have cancelled the overtime. The grievance committee will meet the company in the coming weeks to go over the “overtime awarding procedure”.  I have sent the procedure to the company and the chief Stewards for your reference. 

 Have a great and safe weekend.

Anthony Ciaramella 
President
USW Local 5328