First off, the IUE-CWA Local201 Executive Policy Boardwould like to thank all mem-bers and retirees who attendedthe Contact Update Sessions atSt. Michaels Hall today (7/25).The 12:30 & 3:30 meetings wereboth well attended. Memberslistened and brought energy,passion, and some great ques-tions to the microphone. I hopethat my explanation onSTRUCTURE, COMMUNICA-TION, CONTRACT, LEGAL,STRIKE, & MARKET-BASED-WAGE added some value tothose in attendance. I know thatI learned a lot and I apologizefor the delay in communication.Special thanks to Retirees Jim

Logan and Kevin Mahar, bothwho spoke to members in at-tendance. The IUE-CWA NegotiationCommittee will be meeting atthe IUE-CWA Division meetingstarting Sunday 7/28. We areawaiting a date for a meetingwith the Company and hope toresume negotiations. Should adate be provided while we aretraveling, we will immediatelycommunicate to the members.The Coordinated BargainingCommittee (CBC) InternationalUnions: UAW, IFPTE, USW,IBEW, & IAM met with theCompany on July 23-24, inLouisville, KY. The Interna-tional Unions have local agree-ments that have either expired,

or are close to expiring, and areall required to vote on the non-ratified Tentative Agreement.Most of the Unions will havevoted on Monday, 7/29. Neither the IUE-CWA, northe Company have filed a 10-day notice of contract termina-tion. The goal of the IUE-CWANegotiating Committee is to re-turn to the table to continuebargaining, improve the non-ratified Tentative Agreement,recapture expired benefits, andreturn to the Membership for avote. The situation is very fluid,and we are all awaiting the nextmove. Again, we will commu-nicate as soon we have infor-

mation to provide. I know thisprocess has been very muddyand I thank the Members fortheir patience. I know that weare all frustrated with the slow-moving information and lack ofclarity. We will continue to holdinformation sessions and im-prove communications goingforward. President Kaszynski, Dele-gate Joe Tirone and I will be onthe road, attending the IUE-CWA Division Meeting & CWAConvention, where Local 201delegates will vote to elect CarlKennebrew as the IUE-CWADivision President, as ap-proved by IUE-CWA Local 201Policy Board and Membership.

IUE-CWALocal 201 News

Celebrating 86 Yearsas a Chartered Local

1933 – 2019

Vol. LXXVIII PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT LYNN, MASS. JULY/AUGUST 2019 USPS 171-720 Number 7 EDITOR MANAGING-EDITOR Subscription

Published By

Bill Maher Tom O’Shea $1.00 Per Year IUE-CWA Local 201, AFL-CIO

(781) 598-2760

Local 201 is an amalgamated local representing approximately 1,600 members employed by GE River Works (Lynn), Ametek Aerospace (Wilmington), Veolia Water (Lynn), Avis-Budget Group (East Boston), Avis (Boston/Cambridge), and the Saugus Library (Saugus) and thousands of lifetime Retiree members across the country. www.local201iuecwa.org

Post Master: Send Address Changes To:IUE-CWA Local 201 News112 Exchange St., Lynn, MA 01901

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 AND GE CONTRACT UPDATEby Bill Maher

Next Local 201 Membership Meeting August 20, 2019 - See page 4

LPS

Peter CapanoGary Angelini

Christopher StockerRobert Baker

Joseph DohertyScott SundquistRichard Briggs

Michael PatnaudeStephen CroccoMark MielcarekMichael DoaneRobert Desepoli

Paul LeBlanc

LATO

Deborah Giambuso

Peter FinninGeorge FraneyGary Gurliaccio

Steven SaraglowLouis Bourque

Kevin McLoughlinKevin MaherThomas Turlo David Rybicki

Logistics

Thomas McCarthyChi-Yung LamMarcos Dutra

Raymond Scotina Kenneth Hunt

Paul RomanowskiRuth Goodhue

Sharon LeBlanc

LCM

Matthew DonagheyThomas Nocella

Thomas DoucetteDebra TeagueEdmund PoolePatrick Ryan

Gerard FulchiniRaymond Meserve

Julie GarriganGlenn Taylor

Chris GrimbilasWarren Goodwin

Mark WeltonJoseph CrowleyWilliam Kennedy

Dale TapleyMark Stickney

Timothy ParkerMichael McDermott

Joseph CoteCurt Luongo

Emmanuel BernierJames BenhamNicholas GalloGeorge BoulosThomas Xenos

Lori StangerSemere Gebrewold

Patricia ConwayMichael AllenEdward Weeks

Richard PrevostRussell LandryMichael GagnonRaymond Bland

Congratulations Retirees (January 1 - May 31 2019)

Published ByCamera Graphics

Printed by TheGolden Manet Press

Quincy

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS July/August 2019

Service Directory

Print your ad on this form.Mail to: Service Directory, IUE-CWA Local 201,

112 Exchange St., Lynn, MA 01901.Enclose Payment:

For laid off members & retirees: $1 per issue / $12 per yearFor active members: $2 per issue / $24 per year

TITLE _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

25 _________________________________________________________

WORD LIMIT _________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

PHONE #_________________________________________________________

Your Name...................................................................... Amt. Enclosed ......................

Your phone # ..............................Circle: active or retired Date mailed ..........................

Real Estate Needs.

Paul Kotkowski Century 21North East. 36 years experience.

Full time Realtor. Listing andSelling. GE Retiree. Call 978-828-1604

Solar Powered House for Sale

Snowflake Arizona 27 Miles S. of Holbrook

2 story, 2 bedrooms, 2 bath-rooms. 1500 sq ft. Custom wood+ Masonry. Gas Heat. 300'deep

well. 6 acres. Taxes $600.00 per year $169,000.00

Call 775-537-7870View at adventurerealtyaz.com

GJM – Removals, Cleanouts, Residential and CommercialTrash Collection, Recycling

gmamos@comcast.net Call George 781-910-0853

Handyman WantedCall Tina for Details

617-293-3032

Yani’s & Jossie’s Platter Creations

Catering SpecialistsFor more information:

Yani 781-244-5626Yanitzathomas@icloud.com

Jossie 781-346-3881JQTSmiles@aol.com

Real Estate Ellsworth Maine3 Bdrm, 2.5 Bath, Laundry-MainLevel, Full Attic, Full Basement 2-Story, 2-Car Barn. Low Taxes

2 Acres. $279,000207-667-0283

Looking to Buy or Sell yourN.H. Vacation Home?Don Cormier - Realtor

(GE Retiree) Assets RealtyGroup, Wakefield N.H.

Please call. Phone Office 603-522-9000

Cell 603-781-4952

As a service to our members and retirees, Local 201 offers classified ads at minimal rates. We encourage members to consider their brothers and sisters when hiring for odd jobs. These ads do notimply any endorsement or guarantee of workmanship by Local 201.

PAGE 2

Small Engine Service: 35 plusyrs experience repairing smallengines, Lawn Mowers, SnowBlowers, Chain Saws, etc. Rea-sonable prices. (10% Discounton Parts for GE employees)

Call 978-758-9527

Linda Laughlin Certified MAReal Estate Agent

Thinking of buying, sellingor investing in real estate?

Please give me a call.Linda Laughlin, AtlanticCoast Homes, Salem, MA

978 828 4193linda@atlanticcoasthome.com

NEED PART TIME HELP? I am looking to do light

housekeeping, errands, shop-ping, laundry, shopping,

companion will help with theelderly and or children. Call Trish 617-791-9057

Publication of an advertisement does not constitute en-dorsement or approval of any product or service adver-tised, or any point of view, standard, or opinionpresented therein. IUE-CWA Local 201 is not responsi-ble for any claims made in an advertisement appearingin its publications.

“IUE-CWA Local 201 News” (USPS 171720)“Published monthly.” $1.00 a Year

Published by: Local 201 IUE-CWA (AFL-CIO)112 Exchange Street, Lynn, MA 01901Periodicals Postage Paid at Lynn, MA POSTMASTER: Send address changes

to “IUE-CWA Local 201 News,” 112 Exchange Street, Lynn, MA 01901

Layout Design by

Condo For RentSeaport Landing,

150 Lynnway Lynn MA2 bdrm, 1.5 bath, Furnished

$2,300 per monthUnfurnished $2,000 per

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781-367-7822

Letter to the Editor

Thank you Local 201 for being so generous. I am hon-ored that I was chosen for a scholarship.

Ashley Marston

You are welcome Ashley. Thank you for participatingin the Local 201 MA AFL CIO scholarship program.You did well on your Labor Education exam. Congrat-ulations on your scholarship. (Ashley was the winnerof the 2019 Herbert E. Hayward Memorial Scholar-ship).

2019 GE ContractT-Shirts

Back

Front Pocket

Left Sleeve

Right Sleeve

T-shirts are available in limited sizes

Fix A Brick – No job too small, really! Stairs, Foundations,Walkways, Chimneys, etc., etc. Call 978-239-9801.

New Commercial Generator 8,750 Watts

$795.00 or B.O.

FirewoodAll Hard-wood. $100.00 per cord.

Trailer: 5'X9'. HD. AllSteel $100.00

Call Dale 978-462-7877

July/August 2019 IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS PAGE 3

Memorandum of MBW Agreement BetweenGE Aviation- Lynn, MA and IUE-CWA Local 201

Whereas, on August 31,2016, the General Electric Com-pany- Aviation (hereinafter"Company") and IUE-CWALocal 201 (hereinafter "theUnion") reached a Memoran-dum of Agreement ("MOA") ona Market Based Wage ("MBW")Compensation system for em-ployees located in Lynn, Massa-chusetts; Whereas, in March2019, the Union notified theCompany of its desire to enterinto negotiations regardingchanges to the Market BasedWage (MBW) compensationstructure in lynn; Whereas, the Parties com-menced negotiations on April 9,2019; Now therefore, in full andfinal settlement of the forego-ing, the Parties hereby agree tothe following changes: 1) The Parties agree to change

the progression for MBWemployees from ten (10)years to seven (7) years, ef-fective August 12, 2019.

2) The Parties agree to imple-ment updated starting ratesand top of market ratesbased on updated marketdata as outlined in Appen-dix A of this Agreement.These rates will be retroac-tive to April 8, 2019 forMBW employees in classifi-cations affected by the ad-justed rates. MBWemployees hired betweenratification of this Agree-ment and its implementa-tion will receive adjustedstarting rates restored totheir date of hire.

3) The Parties agree to amendthe current MBW agreementas follows: a) Replace Paragraph 8 with

the following language:MBW employees who ac-

cept an upgrade to ahigher rated

MBW classificationwill be placed on thesame step on the progres-sion schedule associatedwith the higher ratedclassification. Employeeswill continue to progressbased on the anniversaryof the employee's MBWhire date.

For example, an M 17employee was hired onJanuary 1, 2017. As ofMarch 1, 2019, the em-ployee is an M17 Step 2.If the employee acceptsan upgrade to an M19,he/she will be placed atStep 2 of the M19 pro-gression schedule andwill remain at MBWMOA 2019 Page 2 of 3

Step 2 until the an-niversary of his/ herMBW hire date(January 1, 2020), atwhich point he/shewill progress to Step 3.

New employeesmust successfullycomplete their six(6) month proba-tionary period be-fore they areeligible to upgradeto a new classifica-tion.

b) Add the followingto the "Top of Mar-ket" section of the"Glossary":

It is agreed and un-derstood that theTop of Market forcurrent employeeswill not be reducedbased on updatedmarket data for theduration of the

MBW agreement. TheCompany reserves theright to make futurechanges with respect towage rates or structure,subject to any and all bar-gaining obligations.

c) Amend references to the"lump sum" calculationas follows:

The lump sum pay-ment will be calculated bymultiplying the amount ofthe negotiated increaseby the number of hoursworked by the individualin the prior calendar year. The number of hours

used in the formula willnot be less than 2,080 forfull-time employees whohave had no breaks inservice.

d) Amend Paragraph 2 to in-clude the following:

Any classification deter-

mined to be compensatedbelow "Top of Market" atthe time of any negotiatedincrease will receive the fullamount of such increaseuntil such time as the clas-sification exceeds the "Topof Market".

4) The "Inspector Non-De-struct" classification rate willbe increased from anR16/M16 to an R20/M20, ef-fective the Monday follow-ing the date of execution ofthis agreement (effectivedate July 1, 2019).

5) The Union agrees to with-draw grievance #36,640, ef-fective immediately.

Agreed to and approved by: Bill Maher Business Agent IUE-CWA local 201

SYMPATHY The sympathy of IUE-CWA Local 201 Officers, Executive Board,Members and Retirees Association is extended to the family andfriends of retiree Rafael Gutierrez upon his recent death. Rafael retiredfrom GE River Works with 40 years’ service.

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS July/August 2019PAGE 4

OFFICIAL NOTICELOCAL 201 IUE-CWA (AFL-CIO)

COMBINED SHOP STEWARDS & MEMBERSHIP MEETING

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2019NO MEETING IN JULY

112 EXCHANGE STREET LYNN, MA 01901

FIRST SHIFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:30 P.M.SECOND SHIFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12:30 P.M.THIRD SHIFT may attend either meeting.AGENDA:I. FEATURED PRESENTATIONS: 1.  30 YEAR PIN AWARDII. GENERAL BUSINESS: 1.  POLICY BOARD 2.  TREASURER’S AND MONTHLY FINANCIAL

REPORTS 3.  COMMITTEE REPORTS 4.  GOOD AND WELFAREIII. GE REPORT IV. AVIS & BUDGET CAR RENTAL REPORT:V. AMETEK REPORT:VI. VEOLIA WATER REPORT:VII. SAUGUS LIBRARIANS REPORT:VIII. NEW BUSINESS

Signed,ADAM KASZYNSKI, President

WILLIAM MAHER, Business Agent

2019 E Team Graduating Classby Tony Dunn

On June 29, 2019 the E-TeamMachinist Training programgraduated 26 new machine oper-ators. The course which takes 9months to complete (3 nights aweek and a full day on Saturday)is a testament to the dedication tothose that complete it. The pro-gram, founded by Local 201 ac-tivists in the early 1990’s, is in its22nd year. This year we gradu-ated our 600th student marking the ETeam as the most experienced adult ma-chinist training course in the Northeast. The E Team was pleased to honorand recognize Local 201 PresidentAdam Kaszynski as this year’s keynotespeaker. Kaz graduated 2nd from thetop (Salutatorian) of E Team Class 13.Every year the class decides on a project to build along with their studies and training. Thisyear they built a small steam powered engine (pictured below). The class honored PresidentKaszynski by giving him the class project. Many of the graduates of this class have already secured jobs in the trade and have highhopes for long careers as machinists. The next E Team class should start in October of 2019. Anyone interested can go on their web-site at https://eteamhome.net/ or fill out an application available at the Local 201 Union Hall.

Strike benefits will be $300:$200 from the CWA and $100from the Local strike fund perweek. The Local strike fund pay-ment of $100 will be payable thesecond week of the strike, whilethe International benefits of $200will be payable the third week ofthe strike. Strike benefits will beincreased to $400 per week be-ginning with the 29th day of thestrike. And $500 per week com-mencing the 57th day of a strike,per Executive Board and mem-bership approval. To qualify for Local 201 ben-efits, a striker must perform oneweek of strike related duty total-ing 12 hours per week to be eli-gible for payment the secondweek. To qualify for CW A Inter-national benefits, a striker mustperform two weeks of strike re-lated duty totaling 12 hours perweek to be eligible for payment

the third week. The Strike Com-mittee requires strict accountingof all strike duties. If there is ahardship keeping to the sched-ule, contact the Strike Committeefor alternate arrangements. Foralternate strike duty (other thanpicketing) appeals should bemade to the Strike Committee.

STRIKERS COMPENSATION

October 4 – October 14

Discount Tickets Available

at the Union Hall last week of August

2019

Power House Reunion 2019Thanks go to Al Bartnicki for the photo's

July/August 2019 IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS PAGE 5

FOLLOWING REJECTION:WILL THERE BE A STRIKE? Following the rejection onthe Tentative Agreement, wewere anticipating a strike dateto be set by the International –however the IUE-CWA isawaiting discussions with theCompany on possibly return-ing to the Bargaining table be-fore pursuing that path. Thehold-up is coming from theCompany. No one takes strikeslightly and knows the disrup-tion a strike causes families andcommunities. Many of us alsothink strike’s are among thestrongest weapon’s against cor-porate greed. This is a tensetime; thousands of GE workerslives are on hold – we all wantanswers and a time line. Noneof us will know a path or timeline until the National Bargain-ing Committee meets with theCompany or the Company re-fuses to meet. At this point theBargaining Committee is seek-ing to get back to the table –however we must stay pre-pared should GE refuse to bar-gain. Local 201 has continuedstrike preparation should theInternational issue a 10-day no-tice of contract termination tosupport the demands of themembership. If either side is-sues a 10 day notice, the IUEBargaining Committee told the201 Policy Board the member-ship would be informed imme-diately.

SAT. AUGUST 10TH, 2019

Wakefield Elks Lodge #127663 Bay State Road Wakefield MA 01880

12TH ANNUAL

Onsite Substance Abuse Support Group

To participate please call Local 201 Medical Center:Bob Cummings 617-275-1527

Jeff Zeizel 617-733-2842

In coordination with the Employee Assistance Program.All calls are strictly confidential.

201 Retiree’s ColumnBy KEVIN D. MAHAR

President Local 201 Retirees Council

President’s Column continued from page 12

Please fill out this form andsend it to:Kevin Mahar, Local 201 112 Ex-change Street, Lynn MA 01901Or drop it off at the Hall or email info to: Kmahar5063@aol.com

Your Name:Address:Telephone #:Do you use your phone fortexts?Your Email address:

I did go to National Negoti-ations with GE to represent re-tirees. I went with four otherretirees from around the coun-

try. We brought many of theconcerns of retirees includingthe fact that many of the re-tirees drastically needed amajor increase in their pen-sions. As an example, I broughtup JH who has 30 years as an IR23 lathe operator and his pen-sion is $629 a month much lessafter taxes and health care costs.We gave the GE the example ofWB who is diabetic who usedto pay $65 for a 3 months’ sup-ply and now pays $599 permonth for the same supplies.We asked GE to increase theRRA to $1500. We asked foreveryone to be eligible for theRRA when they turned 65. We

brought up JR who eventhough his wife is eligible forthe $1,000 he is not, and he wasthe employee. Even though heknew what he wanted for in-surance it took us well over anhour to enroll him. I call thatelder abuse. We also asked for alot of information about thepension plans and how unfair itis to those who built this com-pany with their blood sweatand tears. This is the 50-yearanniversary of the 1969 101-daystrike at GE when 150,000 peo-ple struck. I know for sure be-cause I went to jail during thatstrike thanks to the Lynn Policedepartment.

Help Retirees Support Local 201 Urgent Urgent Urgent

IUE-CWA Local 201RETIREES COUNCIL MEETING NOTICE

Tuesday, September 10, 2019at 2 PM

No Meetings in July or August

See you in September

St. Michaels Hall, Elmwood Ave., Lynn, MA

Agenda: I. Financial Report II. Report from GE Share Owners Meeting III.Any New Business

Kevin D. Mahar, President

Edward Walczak, Financial Secretary

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS July/August 2019PAGE 6

Power House Reunion 2019 Thanks go to Al Bartnicki for the photo's

On June 19, Lynn, commu-nity groups, labor organiza-tions, and city residentspublicly challenged developerProcopio Enterprises over itsluxury development onMunroe Street in Lynn. Prompted by a wall collapseat the construction site thattrapped 20 workers and seri-ously injured one, the coalitionmarched to the Lynn Museumand interrupted a public forumon development that featuredProcopio Enterprises co-ownerMichael Procopio. Reciting astatement together, the groupdemanded that Procopio com-mit to working with responsi-ble contractors that protectworker safety and provide

good jobs with benefits, obey alocal wage theft ordinance, andinclude affordable housing inthe project.Procopio Enter-prises received a $2.5 milliontax break from the city for theproject, which includes no af-fordable units. The companychose Dellbrook JKS as the con-tractor for the project, despitebeing warned that the companyhas a history of “serious” healthand safety violations. “I’m excited about develop-ment coming to the city. But Idon’t want it at the expense ofworker safety, and people liv-ing in Lynn now who are beingpriced out,” said Kathleen San-tora, Lynn resident and mem-ber of IUPAT DC 35. “Procopio

was warned about Dellbrookand he didn’t listen. Now, anaccident happened that re-sulted in life-altering injuriesfor a worker. Everybody de-serves to work in a safe envi-ronment.”. Last year, Lynn’s City Coun-cil voted unanimously to pass awage theft ordinance that saysany developer receiving a TIFtax break must certify that nocontractor performing work onthe site has been subject to anOSHA (health and safety) vio-lation deemed “serious” withinthe last five years or who hasbeen subject to an indictment orgrant of immunity for business-related crime. Since the Munroe St projectis receiving a tax increment ex-emption (“TIE”) rather than taxincentive financing (“TIF”),Procopio is able to avoid safetystandards outlined in Lynn’sordinance. Labor and commu-nity organizations say anyonegetting a tax break should beheld to these standards. After briefly disrupting thedevelopment forum to maketheir statement today, commu-nity members held a rally out-side the meeting, demanding

that development projects inthe city offer community bene-fits, include affordable housingand use responsible contractorsthat protect worker safety andcompensate workers with goodpay and benefits. “If developers want to takeadvantage of our waterfrontand our great city, to make mil-lions of dollars, they shouldhave to give back,” said KathyPaul, President of Massachu-setts Senior Action Council’sNorth Shore Chapter. “Wewould like to see a senior cen-ter, a playground, and greenspace for everyone to enjoy. In-stead, this developer is hurtingits workers and contributingnothing to Lynn.” Several speakers linked theissues of worker rights andhousing. “It’s ridiculous theyare getting a tax break to buildapartments that almost no onein this city can afford,” saidChandra Slattery of communityorganization Lynn United forChange. “We do need develop-ment in Lynn… but it has to bedevelopment that is good for allof us, not just the wealthy. Thatmeans safe worksites, goodjobs, and affordable housing.”

July/August 2019 IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS PAGE 7

UNIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS RESPONDCommunity and labor groups confront developer after workplace accident, demand responsible development

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS July/August 2019PAGE 8

Health & Safety NotesBy CARMEN DEANGELIS

Local 201 Health & Safety Director

C H I R O P R A C T O RDr. Joseph J. Dowling

341 Western Ave., Lynn, MA 01904

(781) 596-0700www.drdowling.com

• Neck & Back Pain • Sports Injuries• Sciatica • Auto Accidents• Muscle Strains • Work Accidents• Leg/Arm Numbness • Repetitive Stress Injuries • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Complimentary Exam and Evaluation for GE, AMETEK,U.S. FILTER/EOS, and/or Local 201 IUE Members

Some members have betterresults than others when deal-ing with Workers Compensa-tion, Short Term Disability,Health Insurance, and other re-lated coverages. Throughoutthe year members correctlyreach out to me for assistancewith cases that are going in anegative direction or are com-plex in nature. After reviewingmany of the cases I have seen,members that have success andease of processing these mat-ters have certain things in com-mon. While much of thisinformation generally appliesto Workers Comp, it also ap-plies to many other coverage’smembers deal with as well asHealth Insurance. These prac-tices used to create positiveoutcomes also help the com-pany to process our claims cor-rectly and more efficiently.• Create a folder with infor-

mation on the cover forquick reference, such as

DOI (Date of Injury), Nameof Physician/s, WorkerComp number (or othercase number). If you havemultiple providers for aninjury separate them byfolder.

• Create a timeline- When youinteract with a provider inperson or by phone, docu-ment the person/s name,date, time, and details re-lated to the event.

• Keep copies- When you seeany provider request anypaperwork related to yourvisit. Save emails and allother forms of communica-tion.

• Out of pocket expenses- Ob-tain proof of payment if youneed to pay for services thatshow you paid, this is nec-essary when requestingpayment from WC, STD,Aetna and others so thatthey may repay you if youare deemed covered.

• Be your own advocate-Avoid the “delay and dis-courage” trap and stay vig-ilant when following upwith providers. Alwayscontinue to seek necessarytreatment and be present forscheduled appointments.

• Appeal/Re-Submit Claims–Often claims that are re-jected especially (Aetna) canbe resolved by re-submit-ting with more information.An example would be avisit to a doctor consideredout of network. That doctormay work (get paid) from agroup that is in network,this may well be coveredunder appeal with support-ing information Aetna maynot have been aware of.

• Use your resources. Call mewhen you have questions.(617-462-7310). If you aredenied Workers Compensa-tion or even medical bills,you should reach out to me.Most of us are not familiarwith the processes men-tioned here.

• Healthy Thoughts. Toooften members want toavoid the perception theyare not working correctly orare a problem, and eitherfail to report an injury orjust pay out of their ownpocket through personalhealth insurance. The prob-lem here is if your injury be-comes involved you will seta precedent as having a“personal condition”. Ihave seen members regrettrying to avoid attentiononly to be saddled with billsthat were clearly work re-lated. Delaying treatmentcan also lead to needingmuch more involved carewhen early reporting mayhave had positive results.

Advice from the Ophthalmologist

Do You Have Diabetes?

• Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in persons between the ages of 20-64. Every diabetic needs a thorough,dilated eye exam every year by an ophthalmologist (Eye-MD).

• Blood sugar control minimizes the risk of diabetic eye disease. Diabetics should test their blood sugar regularly and keep it below“150.”

Dr. Gross is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist (Eye-MD) and a gradu-ate of Harvard College and Yale Medical School. His services rangefrom routine eye care to the treatment of complex eye disorders.

The office is located on the Lynnway in a modern office complex onthe ocean. Parking is free and most insurance plans are accepted.

Visit us on the web at www.neilgrossmd.com.

Successful Methods of Obtaining Coverage

SYMPATHY The sympathy of IUE-CWALocal 201 Officers, ExecutiveBoard, Members and RetireesAssociation is extended to thefamily and friends of retireeStephen Sancranti upon his re-cent death. Steve was a machin-ist at GE with 42 years’ serviceprior to his retirement in 2008.

I want to start off by thankingeveryone that voted on July 9th.We are fortunate to live in acountry where we have the rightto exercise that option. Whetherwe are voting on a contract or forthe president of the USA takingthe time to cast a vote is the ulti-mate exercise in democracy. I also want to thank my fel-low union members for theirpassion in this most recent unionprocess of attempting to ratifyour National Agreement. Wehave always said that you are theunion and you displayed that. The unions position has al-ways been to encourage the com-pany to hire more people ratherthan to have more overtime. Thismay not be a popular position,but it is what Local 201 wasfounded on back in the 1930’s.One of our motto’ today is simi-lar: “Fix the Plant, Fix Wages andFarm In” and I would add “KeepHiring.” In 2016 the Local 201 leader-ship decided to present the Mar-ket Based Wage system to itsmembers and the membershipoverwhelmingly agreed to ac-cept the agreement. Part of the

agreement states that as of June23, 2019 we are now all subject toMarket Based Wages. Whichmeans we are subject to fluctua-tions in the market. The mem-bership of this union needs toeducate themselves on thisagreement and continue to workto make it better. Every two yearsthe union has the right under theagreement to approach the com-pany to sit down and renegotiatethe MBW agreement. The com-pany does not have to changeanything during these renegoti-ations. This year we got positivechanges in the language andraises in top of market for mostclassifications. As VP/Recording Secretary Iam not a voting delegate on thenational agreement. The Presi-dent, Business Agent and oneelected delegate vote and carrythe vote for the local. I was alsonot at national negotiations atany time. But I respect the deci-sion of the negotiating team andthe delegates who voted on thiscontract who were nearly unani-mous in recommending its ac-ceptance. However, theMembership has the final say

and they voted “No”. I stand bytheir decision. The approach to national ne-gotiations this year was supposedto be different. The negotiatingteam held meetings at all theplants involved in the contract.The IUE CWA president came toLynn, the first time a divisionpresident had come to Local 201in many years. The team touredall the facilities. Then the negoti-ating team spent three solidweeks in Cincinnati trying to se-cure a good contract. The resultswere pretty much the same as inyears past. A mediocre contract. Iunderstand people are fed up.The 2011 contract was an attackon pensions for new hires anddramatic changes in healthcarebenefits. 2015 was similar to thiscontract with take aways and lit-tle wage relief. Now we have thethird contract in a row with lack-luster results. I don’t blame peo-ple for being upset. Fightingcorporate America is not easy. Inthese dark times it is importantthat we stick together. Fightingamongst ourselves does not helpthe situation.

July/August 2019 IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS PAGE 9

VP’s ColumnBy TOM O’SHEA

Vice-President/Recording Secretary

CLIENT’S EXPERIENCE

Jul 08, 2015HHHHH Had my car detailed hererecently. Great price and excellent. I’ll re usethese guys again. -Jiggajayz

Mar 31, 2015HHHHH Best power washer in Lynn, MA

-anonymous

GE Aviation Lynn2019 Shoemobile Schedule

August 15th 6:00 AM-4:00 PM South of 40September 12th 6:00 AM-4:00 PM South of 40October 17th 6:00 AM-4:00 PM South of 40November 14th 6:00 AM-4:00 PM South of 40

Please notify your EHS Leader to get approval to purchase at one of the participating offsite vendor stores.

You can also purchase shoes online at Lehigh safety shoes.Please inquire with your area

EHS Leader or Suzie Dozier at extension x7705

Alcohol & DrugAbuse Affects

Everyone – Recovery Does Too.

Alcoholism, drug abuse andcompulsive gambling can af-fect everyone it touches…athome, in the workplace, andin the community, if someonein your family or yourselfneeds help, please contactthe Em ployees AssistanceProgram.

All calls are strictlyconfidential

Bob CummingsLADC1,MA-PGS598-2760 or 781-584-7641 ext. 124

SYMPATHY The sympathy of IUE-CWALocal 201 Officers, Executive Board,Members and Retirees Association isextended to the family and friends ofretiree Robert Winter upon his recentdeath. Robert was an Inspector atGE until he retired in 2008 with 42years’ service.

As the Rotor Turns

Well its been a reallystressful last few weeks,I’m not going to speakon the contract what Iam going to talk about iswhat is going on aroundthe plant so let’s start.

LATO All engine line’s stillhave parts shortagesthat are affecting deliv-ery to the customers.Hey, for once the com-pany can’t blame us onthis one. Its proven his-tory, you give LATO it’sparts they will get youyour engines. Therehave been a lot ofAAEM’ that have leftthe company or have re-tired since the beginningof the year. I’ve askedthe company if theyplan on back fillingthose positions and theanswers is “NO”. Get

used to working shortstaffed. Don’t get mestarted on the brokentools that’s for a differ-ent article.

Logistics I want to give a big shout out to SoukDoss steward in 63 onthe recent birth of hischild good luck goingforward and rememberfamily first brother.There will be anewunion bulletin boardgoing up to post thingson to keep everyone in-formed. Ask your stewardwhere it is going to be lo-cated. To anyone thatjust took the AAEMclass that just finishedplease bring your certifi-cate to the employmentoffice to get on the list.Just a reminder that thehot weather is here,everyone stay hydratedand if you feel dizzy go

find some air condition-ing and cool off. Hope tosee you around theshop. Bobby

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS July/August 2019PAGE 10

LAT&O/Logistics Executive Board

By BOBBY ELDRIDGELAT&O/Logistics Executive Board

LPS/M&E Report

By FRED RUSSELLExecutive Board Member

SYMPATHY The sympathy of IUE-CWALocal 201 Officers, ExecutiveBoard, Members and Retirees As-sociation is extended to the familyand friends of retiree M. AllieneHezekiah upon her recent death.Alliene held the position of secre-tary and shipping clerk at GE priorto her retirement in 1985.

SYMPATHY The sympathy of IUE-CWALocal 201 Officers, ExecutiveBoard, Members and Retirees As-sociation is extended to the familyand friends of retiree Jerome“Jerry” Gill upon his recent death.Jerry worked at GE River Works asa Welder and a Quality ControlTester until his retirement in 2004.

* Workers’ Compensation* Social Security Disability* Accidents

Lisa A. Carriganhas joined the firmas Of Counsel.

James J. Carrigan(Former member Local 201 and Lynn Teachers Union)

Anne Gugino Carrigan(Former member AFSCME)

15 Johnson St., Lynn, MA 01902(across from Lynn District Court)

Tel. (781) 596-0100Fax (781) 592-7555

Free consultation. *No fee unless successful.

jimcarrigan@jamescarriganlaw.com

I voted for the contract. And I stand behind my vote.But the membership voted “No” so I support theirdecision. We are in a tough spot. We will figure itout. What is important is to get the work in and thescrap rate down. I have seen some of the ups anddowns of this place and this tops them all. We needto be together and working together. That’s all. Seeyou around the yard.

Letter to the Editor

To Everyone at Local201,

Thank you so much forthe generous scholarshipyou have awarded me. Iam so grateful you havegiven me this opportunityto expand my education.Thank you. Sarah Blessington

You are welcome Sarah.Thank you for participat-ing in our scholarshipprogram. (Sarah was thewinner of the 2019 JeffCrosby Scholarship).

July/August 2019 IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS PAGE 11

“Down By The River”By BILL HOLM

LCM Executive Board

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Thursday, Aug. 8

Contract – The membership hasspoken. You are the highest deci-sion-making body. It was a greatturn out, all voting issue turnoutshould be this way. All votes are a“NO” per IUE- CWA ConferenceBoard rules. We must all stand to-gether united no matter which wayyou voted or whether you are a mar-ket-based wage or legacy employee.The Business Agent went back toOhio to meet with the IUE Confer-ence Board to discuss the issues withthe contract. As of now we are wait-ing for a meeting date with the com-pany. Thank you to everyone whoattended the July 25th informationalmeeting it was good to get togetherand clear up some items. Do not believe everything on socialmedia or unsigned material on theshop floor. Please be respectful toyour stewards, they are workingvery hard to keep everyone in-formed. MBW Negotiations – Article XXI1. The provisions of this (National)Agreement are subject to all presentlocal understandings (agreements).Just to be clear strike or not, win orlose, Market Based wages will stillbe in effect. It was a local agreementvoted in by the membership in 2016all we can do now is fight to make itbetter in negotiations every two

years. This last re-negotiation whichopened on April 8, 2019 and lasteduntil June 25th seemed to takelonger than the original MBW nego-tiations. Point of information the ne-gotiations were in no way tied toselling the National Contract. Therewas a time limit on opening the ne-gotiations before June 23rd. Nobodythought it would take as long as itdid. The committee fought hard andwith some success. The gains wereincreases in Top of Market rateswhich also increased eligibility forlegacy rate increases. Increased startrates in some classifications withretro pay from April 8, 2019. Up-grades are now step to step, nogoing back adding years to yourprogression. Lookback is prior calen-dar year for lump sum paymentsbased on a minimum of 2080 hours.Rates are protected from goingdown due to changes in marketdata. These gains along with the ten-year progression going down toseven is a huge dent in a three-year-old agreement and we’re not done.

SYMPATHY The sympathy of IUE-CWA Local 201Officers, Executive Board, and Membersis extended to the family and friends ofMichael Beauchamp upon his recent death.Michael worked as an AAEM in Bldg. 29.

Kind of weird seeing all ofthese GE flyers, it’s almostlike they are jumping out ofthe computer screens

My favorite part is where theytell us how awful the previouscontract was...

IUE-CWA LOCAL 201 NEWS July/August 2019PAGE 12

Unity on the shop floor is the lifeblood of any union. And, in my opinion the abilityto withhold our labor is the greatest leverage we have as Union workers. Though therewere differing positions on the contract, the grassroots demonstrations of solidarity duringnegotiations was a victory for our Union anyway you cut it. There has also been some di-vision. Lynn has a diverse group of workers, with different needs. We must stick togetherduring this frustrating time. Remember, without a union an employer dictates all termsof working conditions, wages, and benefits. If it were up to theCompany our work wouldbe on a barge floating around the world to places with the most exploitable workers andthe worst labor, safety, and environmental regulations. With a Union we can bargain overwages and working conditions and fight to keep work in Lynn.

IUE-CWA MEMBERS REJECT TA On a conference call with the National Bargaining committee, the Local 201 PolicyBoard discussed factors that led to rejection. Principally, health care, wages that didn’taddress rising costs, and the loss of hard-won contract language on Overtime and theCOLA formula. If and when another Tentative Agreement reaches the membership – an-other decision will have to be made.

A NATIONAL PLAN We need a strong national strategy to take on GE. This means greater member to mem-ber contact across the locals. The tours of all the CBC plants was reminiscent of a strategyfrom 201’s history that we must bring back, “Local to Local” organizing. Where membersfrom our local travel to meet members at other locals and we invite others here. Not justin the months leading up to contract and not just members of the negotiating team. It also means changing the governing rules of the CBC. Non-IUE bargaining unitsdon’t vote on the same contract as the IUE Locals. The other unions have a “me too”agreement that means they get the basic contract that the IUE negotiates – they don’t usu-ally vote on it until after the IUE-CWA Locals do. We need all unions at GE to negotiateand vote on the same national contract, at the same time, or the company can play unionsat GE off each other to weaken the CBC’s bargaining position. Carl Kennebrew, the president of the IUE-CWA has offered to come to Lynn in the fu-ture to continue the discussion on a national plan for GE, which I am looking forward too.I’d also like to thank him for standing behind the IUE-CWA GE Conference Board rulesfollowing the latest contract vote. 201 and others have advocated in the past for somerules that need to be changed, however that can be addressed when this fight is over.Standing behind the established Conference Board rules was the right thing to do.

COMMUNICATION There are good reasons to keep sensitive information at the negotiating table, but thelow level of communication hurt us in the long run. GE had dozens of pages of propa-ganda hit the floor immediately – as always. 201 put the MOU online as soon as the del-egates got back to Lynn so the membership could see the entire contents of the TentativeAgreement, and as always 201 called a contract informational meeting the day before thevote to go over all the changes and answer all questions. Show up and speak up. Lead-ership also has the ability at these meetings to verbally address issues that are unwise tocover in writing. In the event of another Tentative Agreement I encourage all membersto come to the pre-vote contract informational meeting. Like many of you I did not get much information from the CBC’s communications. Icommunicated to the CBC, “The membership needs to know what they are fighting for”.Vice President Tom O’Shea was involved early on in pushing this too. Tom asked at theStrother field visit what the CBC’s message was, he was told “The contract”. That becamea distorted message. Tell us what GE is coming after. Tell us what the union is fightingfor. How can we effectively mobilize when we don’t know what is on the line until a TAis reached? We mobilized well around our local demands, but ultimately we all felt inthe dark. Hopefully, communication increases as the Bargaining Committee tries to getGE back to the table.

continued on page 5

IUE-CWA STRUCTURE Some 20 years ago, the IUE merged withthe CWA, creating the IUE-CWA. The CWAhas approximately 700,000 members in1200 local unions. President Chris Sheltonleads the CWA. IUE-CWA Division President Carl Ken-nebrew leads the IUE-CWA. The GE & Aerospace Conference Boardis comprised of the GE Locals and other lo-cals outside of GE. The Conference Boardhas a Chairman that directs and assists thelocals within the Conference Board. Uponmerging with the CWA, a Merger Agree-ment was implemented that governed theGE & Aerospace Conference Board. Thisagreement became part of the IUE-CWADivision rules. The CWA has a Constitutionthat governs the policies and procedures ofthe IUE-CWA Division rules. IUE-CWA Local 201 is governed byCWA Constitution, IUE-CWA Divisionrules, and our Local 201 Constitution & By-Laws. IUE-CWA Local 201 reports to theChairman of the GE & Aerospace Confer-ence Board. The acting Conference BoardChairman is Jerry Carney. The Conference Board Chairman reportsto the IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrewand President Kennebrew reports to CWAPresident Chris Shelton. Like all organizations, the IUE-CWA hasrules that govern how the organizationfunctions and a Chain of Command to en-sure compliance with process, labor lawsand efficient operation. GE-LYNN MARKET-BASED-

WAGE AGREEMENT CLARIFICATION

Effective August 12, 2019, ALL Market-Based Wage employees are on a 7-year pro-gression…there are no exceptions. Exceptfor Step 0 (first year), all steps within theMBW will see an increase in the subsequentsteps due to the compression of the pro-gression. However, the tables will be com-piled using the current Legacy rates ineffect on 6/22/19. This is a Local Agree-ment and not tied to the National Contract.Please read the Agreement regardingspecifics and language changes to theMBW Agreement.

Business Agent’s Column

By BILL MAHERBusiness Agent

President’s ColumnBy ADAM KASZYNSKI

President