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Phil Rushing
Business Representative
I have been an active Teamster for 26 years, while
employed at United Parcel Service. In December 1999 I was
elected Recording Secretary of Teamsters Local 439 and became a Business
Representative in January of 2000. I graduated from U. C. Berkeley in 1974 with a
BA in Social Welfare. I am currently
a delegate representing Local 439.
I represent Teamsters at United Parcel Services,
Leprino Foods, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., City Of Tracy, The University Of
The Pacific, and Bright Now Dental in Tracy.
I work diligently to resolve grievances, improve and secure labor
contracts, and identify and correct violations of the
contract.
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Report from Union Representative Phil Rushing
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A
Message from the President
Phil Rushing
After
recently attending the 38th Annual Employee Benefit
Conference, I am more troubled than ever about the state of our
current health care system. The
Conference was a gathering of some 8,000 Trustees from around the
United States who, by virtue of sitting on a Trust Board, have been
empowered to manage the Taft-Hartley Trust Fund offered by
Employers.
The
main theme at this year’s Conference was just how difficult it has
been for Union and Employer Trustees to develop health and welfare
plan designs and strategies that provide affordable benefits for
Union members. Medical
costs have soared in recent years, doubling in five years and nearly
tripling since 1990. Inflation
has added huge, unexpected costs to employers’ business plans, and
as a consequence, employers have been requiring employees to share
in some, if not all of these added costs.
In many cases, benefits have been reduced, and in others,
co-pays have been introduced. Unheard
of ten or fifteen years ago, monthly co-pays are now the norm, not
the exception. To be
sure, negotiating a Health & Welfare package in your contract
has become the single most difficult issue at the bargaining table.
Given
that the Bush Administration has not been pro-active on issues
related to health care, and given their wait and see attitude, I see
little or no relief in the near future.
President Bush, and the Republicans in general, are so out of
touch with the average American worker that affordable health care
is the least of their concerns.
They are of the opinion that a viable health care system
provides quality benefits for a privileged few who can afford them,
while offering little or sub-standard coverage to those who need
them the most yet can least afford to pay.
I am speaking of the millions of working poor in America.
Another disturbing aspect of the current crisis is how large
Employers, such as Wal-Mart, stand by and do nothing, instructing
their employees to seek out government assistance.
Since Wal-Mart does not provide the majority of their
employees with health & welfare benefits, the cost of health
care coverage for the average Wal-Mart worker is shifted to those
employers who do provide benefits to their employees.
When an uninsured Wal-Mart worker shows up at a hospital
emergency room without insurance, hospitals are only able to absorb
and recover that cost by passing it onto you, me, and our employers!
We are in a state of
crisis, yet few politicians seem to care or recognize the danger
that lies ahead if nothing is done.
News coverage tends to focus on the War in Iraq, the Scott
Peterson trial, and the meaningless escapades of Michael Jackson.
Even more disturbing is the government’s cozy relationship
to the health care industry and the back seat policies of the Bush
Administration. If
health care costs continue to rise as it has in recent years, I can
assure you that you will be expected to pay an ever-greater portion
of future increases out of your negotiated wage package.
The
time is ripe for you to get involved and inform your Congressional
Representative or U.S. Senator that something must be done to
ameliorate this crisis before it spirals out of control.
Sitting back and doing nothing is no longer an option. The
future of affordable health care depends on you.
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Report from Union Representative Phil Rushing
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February 9, 2004
To: All
UPS Employee
Re: Wage Progression
Arbitration
We
are pleased to announce that on January 7, 2004 Arbitrator Howard
Edlelman ruled in favor of the Union in the wage progression
grievance filed on behalf of all affected part-time utility and
full-time package car drivers.
This was a major victory on behalf of Teamsters throughout
the country. The
Arbitrator ruled that:
1. The Company
violated Article 41 Section 2 (c) of the National Master
Agreement for the period of August 1, 2002 through July 31, 2008
when
it did not give effect
to Supplemental Collective Bargaining Agreement provisions which
give part-timers benefits towards a full-time progression.
2. The Company shall restore full-time progression credits
previously accrued to affected employees.
3.
The Company shall make affected employees whole
for lost wages.
As
most members are aware, UPS took the position last year that
part-time utility drivers who had already gone through the wage
progression as a part-timer would now be required to go through the
progression again as a full-time employee.
In November of 2002, the Company reduced the wage rates of
affected employees and forced newly hired part-timers to go through
the progression at a reduced rate of nearly $10 an hour less than
full-time rate. The
Union filed a grievance disputing the Company’s position and was
referred to arbitration.
The
ruling by Arbitrator Edleman was a historic decision and expected to
cost the Company upwards of 50 million dollars.
It was confirmed last week that UPS intends to make all
necessary wage adjustments and back-pay settlements effective
February 14, 2004. If
there are any disputes to the amount you believe you were entitled
to, please first contact the Company to request the adjustment, and
if not settled in a timely matter, please file a grievance pursuant
to Article 17 of the National Master and Article 7 Section 7 of the
Nor Cal Supplemental.
I
would like to thank all those affected members who patiently stood
by and saw justice prevail in this case.
This settlement demonstrates the power of membership and the
Union movement in general.
The victory is well deserved!
City
of Tracy Members Ratify New Agreement
Members employed by the City of Tracy overwhelmingly ratified a new
four and one-half year agreement in January. The new M.O.U.
will provide the members at the City with increases in wages
averaging over 3% per year, increases in their Health & Welfare
cap, and will increase the PERS contribution to 2.5 % at 55 at the
end of the agreement and single highest year effective next year.
Considering the current economic state of our general economy,
California State Budget crisis, and the downturn in the stock
market, the new agreement will add years of stability that otherwise
might now be difficult to attain.
General Teamsters Local 439 would
like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the Negotiating
Committee who diligently worked through many tough sessions to
hammer out an agreement that addressed the numerous issues in the
many different departments represented by Local 439.
Local 439 represents nearly 130 members at
the City, from Waste Water Operators, to Police Communications
Operators, Parks Department to Building Inspectors.
Again, many thanks to all of the members who participated and
offered their insight in to what we believe to be a solid agreement
that everyone benefits from.
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Leprino
Foods
Contract Ratified
Teamster
members at Leprino Foods recently overwhelmingly ratified a new
three-year agreement that will provide members with wage increases,
benefit protection, pension increases, and many numerous language
agreements that strengthen the previous agreement.
It
came as no surprise that the Company wanted significant changes in
the Health & Welfare benefits to employees. Initial
proposals by the Company would require employees to make a 25%
contribution to the maintenance of their benefit. After
numerous bargaining sessions, the Union and Company agreed to a
modest $50 per month contribution by the employees over the next
three years, increasing to $60 per month at the end of the
agreement. In return, employees opted for Northern California
General Teamsters Premier Plan.
In
addition to improvements in Health & Welfare, members won wage
increases averaging 2.5% per year for the next three years.
Improvements in the special relief classification can increase their
pay by $.75 per hour if they enroll in the new negotiated incentive
program.
Given
the difficulties in providing affordable health & welfare
benefits, members at Leprino will enjoy three years of protection
with the Company picking up 90% of all future increases to the cost
of their plan. I would like to thank the entire negotiating
Committee for their help and hard work in securing this agreement.
And finally, I would like to thank the membership who ratified this
agreement and educated themselves on the very difficult issues
facing both the membership and the Company.
Noll
Mfg.
Ratifies New Agreement
Members
at Noll Mfg. recently ratified a new two-year agreement that
provides wage and pension increases of nearly 3% per year.
Although
we were disappointed that the Company gave notice to the Union that
they had been overpaying the Health & Welfare premium over the
last 5 years, Business Agent Phil Rushing, with the help of Shop
Steward Tim Fleming, forced the Company to come up with an overall
package that protected our members benefits.
Noll Mfg. is a manufacturer of sheet metal products distributed
throughout California and Nevada. Teamsters Local 439
represents eight drivers who deliver everything from rain gutters to
garbage cans.
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TEAMSTERS
LOCAL 439