Weekly Update — Attendance, Representation Rights, Equipment, Spring Bid, and Election

Attendance

This week many of you saw firsthand what can be accomplished when your union leadership actually takes action and holds the company accountable.

In just a short time, numerous members have already had attendance points corrected or removed after we pushed the company to properly review cases. That is not by accident — it is the result of organized leadership that is willing to challenge the company and enforce fairness.

The attendance proposal that I submitted, with the help of many of your suggestions, is already helping members who were unfairly impacted by the current system. This is exactly how a union should operate: listening to the membership, identifying the problem, and forcing solutions.

If you currently have .25 attendance points within the last 30 days, I strongly encourage you to go speak directly with attendance and ask them to review your situation. Several members who reached out this week were able to get their issues corrected.

This is proof of what happens when leadership is engaged, organized, and willing to fight for the membership.

Real leadership produces real results. And we are just getting started.

Union Representation — Know Your Rights

This week we also saw multiple situations where management attempted to cut corners during investigations involving union members. These are not small issues — these are clear violations of the protections outlined in our contract.

I have already sent an email to upper management addressing these concerns and demanding clarification on the proper process when investigating a union employee. The company does not get to ignore the contract simply because it is convenient for them.

Until we receive further clarification, I want every member to remember the following:

• If you are being questioned about an incident that could lead to discipline, you have the right to request union representation.
• If you request representation, questioning must stop immediately until a union representative is present.
• You have the right to understand the situation and provide your own statement before signing anything.

These rights exist to protect you from intimidation, pressure, and improper investigations. If management attempts to bypass these protections, that is exactly when the union must step in.

If you ever feel unsure or pressured during an investigation, stop the conversation and request a union representative immediately.

Your rights only work when you know them and when your union leadership is willing to enforce them.

Scanners and Radios

The company rolled out the new scanners this week, and within days there have already been several issues reported by members.

Some of the problems include:

• Scanners not making an alert sound when assignments are received
• Broadcast messages not appearing unless the scanner refreshes
• Battery life issues

Management held a meeting with the scanner vendor today to report these bugs and hopefully begin addressing them quickly. I will continue following up to make sure the company is actually pushing for solutions.

One thing that needs to be clearly understood by everyone:

All scanners and radios must be turned in at the end of your shift.

If a scanner or radio is not returned, the system automatically generates an email to management and you may be called in and issued a CR1 discussion.

Do not take the equipment home and do not leave the building with it. Protect yourself by making sure everything is properly returned at the end of your shift.

Spring Bid

Unfortunately, there is still no update regarding the spring bid. The current leadership of the local has been extremely quiet on this issue despite many members asking for answers.

Based on the timeline, the schedule does not appear to match the planned April 4th start date, which likely means the company will need to add an additional week to the current schedule.

Members deserve transparency about something that affects everyone’s work schedules. Hopefully we will finally receive some answers in the coming days.

If you have questions about the bid, you should also reach out directly to VP Robin Nucup and Lee Clark, as they currently have responsibility for that process.

Election

This week I had the opportunity to visit several zones and listen to the concerns many of you shared with me. I want to thank everyone who took the time to speak openly about the issues you are facing on the job and within our local.

During those conversations I realized something important — many of you were not here the last time I served on the executive board as Vice President and Board Member at Large.

Because of that, many of you have not yet seen the work I did in the past helping members, challenging the company, and making sure the contract was respected.

For those who do remember, you will see an even stronger and more experienced version of that leadership.

For those who do not know me yet, you are already starting to see exactly what I will do for this membership.

You have already seen what happens when someone is willing to:

• Challenge the company
• Enforce the contract
• Communicate with the membership
• Show up when members need help

The truth is our local has been missing something for a long time: leadership that is present, accountable, and willing to fight for the members every single day.

Too many members feel like their concerns are ignored. Too many problems go unanswered. Too many decisions are made without transparency.

That is not the union our membership deserves.

As your next president, I promise you four things that will define my leadership:

• Availability — Members will always be able to reach me.
• Accountability — The company will be held accountable and so will union leadership.
• Communication — You will always know what is happening in your union.
• Transparency — No hidden decisions, no silence, no disappearing.

Many of you have asked me directly: “How do we know you won't disappear like the current president?”

My answer is simple.

I am not the current president.

I take union business extremely seriously. In fact, I sometimes obsess over it because I know what this local is capable of becoming when it is led the right way.

I know the plans.
I know the work that needs to be done.
And I know this membership deserves far better than what it has been getting.

I will not disappear.
I will not ignore your concerns.
I will not abuse the position.

Every member of this local matters.
Every voice matters.
And as president, I will fight every day to prove that to you.

I humbly ask for your support and your vote March 30 through April 2 so that we can begin rebuilding a strong, united local immediately.

Together we can restore the strength, accountability, and unity that this union was meant to have.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and for continuing to stand up for each other.

Have a great weekend, brothers and sisters.