All of us from the FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE SLATE would like to wish you Happy Holidays!!!!!! Less than 11 months till we all can change our union from a weak one to the strongest union ever!!!!

 

Every union meeting we are read the bills and how much money the local takes in and spends.  The only problem is when it is read the people who are reading it run the numbers together so we have no clue what their spending.  For instance instead of saying (example) we spent  $ 1532.15 (fifteen hundred, thirty two dollars and fifteen cents) for this months phone bill they read like this, one five three two one five.  Our Member’s not only have the right to know were our money is being spent but how.  It is your hard earned union dues that supports the entire Local.  So please do not insult our intelligence by running the numbers together it only makes us wonder if our Present Executive Board have something to hide?? Or do they think we are just to dumb to understand the complex Local they are running into the ground?

 

Business as usual they are trying so hard to make us believe that they could run this union.  It’s just to bad it took 10 years for them to wake up.  Please, when one of our Present Executive Board Members reads this update can you tell the little guy in the back that he doesn’t have to thank you for doing your job every single union meeting.  It gets very old to come there and waste 5 minutes of our Members time when he’s blowing smoke up your you know what.  Just a helpful hint for you guys.

 

This was a very calm meeting with just a few questions and answers, nothing really earth shaking to write about.  But as usual the Present Executive Board did not disappoint me with their lack of concern for our Brother and Sister Members.

 

If you are not aware,  one of our Tollway Brothers was struck by a car and critically injured on December 2, 2006.  His name is Wayne Pauley.  At the meeting the Present Executive Board stated that they were donating about a $1000 to one caucus and about a $1000 to another caucus.  Then they bragged about giving $200 or $250, I’m not really sure because it’s hard to understand them with numbers, to Wayne Pauley’s family.  The Present Executive Board then stated they would be writing another check to the family.  They also said they collected $1300 from the Brother and Sister Members of the Tollway, which we applaud the Tollway for helping a Brother in need.  One of the Tollway Members stood up and asked the Present Executive Board, "How can you give thousands of dollars to people who do not belong to our Union and only give a couple hundred dollars to a Member who you know is critically injured and needs the money to help his family in their every day expenses?"  Their answer was, "Didn’t you hear me say we were going to write another check?" Then the Member asked how much is this other check going to be for, more than a couple of hundred dollars?  The Present Executive Board Members’ answer was, "We haven’t decided and were not sure just yet."  The Member then asked how much are you going to give?  At this point the Member was thrown out of the meeting.    He was told we (the present executive board) are not putting up with this anymore at our Union Meetings.  First of all the Present Executive Board needs to read the By Laws.  This is what it states in our By Law Book on page 35, Section (F).

-If it should appear to the presiding chairman that any member is so conducting himself to constitute a threat to the orderly conduct of the business of the meeting, he may order him ejected, subject to appeal of the membership.-

This Member was not out of order.  He was speaking about the point and issue that was on the floor.  At no time were we allowed as Members to appeal this decision of him being thrown out.  His question was a valid question.  Why does our Local constantly give money to outsiders and not take care of their own Members in need?  With approximately a 3 million dollar budget received from our Members union dues, the Present Executive Board is only going to give a couple hundred dollars?  They did take a collection after the Union Meeting.  At no time did they give us the following information which we believe should have been handed to every member at that meeting that night.

 

 

This flyer should have been posted in every yard and facility that Local 726 has members in.  That way each member had an opportunity to help out our Brother Member in need. 

 

All of us from the FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE SLATE have Brother Wayne Pauley and his family in our prayers.  We wish him a speedy recovery.    

 

 

One Members’ phone rang during the meeting, he got up and went into the hall way to answer it, while another Member asked a question to our Attorney, "Are you related to the Mayor?" Well of course the question was never directly answered.  There was a lot of dancing around the question but still no answer.  Then Brother Vercillo stated “I don’t believe he is related to the Mayor” but then asked, "...are you related to the Mayor’s wife?"  While the Attorney was avoiding the question, one of our Present Executive Board Members saw the Member who was on the phone, in the doorway and yelled at him saying, "Hey you f’ing mutt, don’t be taking pictures in a Union Meeting."  The Members’ reply was, "I am not taking any pictures I am on my phone but I wanted to hear what the Attorneys’ response was."  Which of course never came in a direct answer.  We would like to ask any of our Attorney’s are you related to the Mayor or any of his relatives?

 

So until the next Union Meeting have a great month, stay safe and remember that this has been the views and opinions of some of the Members that were at the last Union Meeting.

     

Thank you for your time-

Fighting For The Future Slate