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Local 6300
Volume 08/No. 02
United We Bargain, Divided We Fail
February 2015
CWA Local 6300 Executive Board
It is official, pictured above the new Executive Board being sworn in at the January
General Membership Meeting by Parliamentarian Mike Smith. Pictured L-R Mark
Crawshaw, VP ATT Plant 1/ Legacy T; Gordon Smith, Jr, VP ATT Plant 2; Sonja
Gholston-Byrd, VP Metro; Mark Kennon, VP YP Holdings LLC; John Ebeling,
VP Print and Media Sector; Vickie Jordan, Secretary; Jo Wise, VP CenturyLink/
Verizon; Mike Mehringer, Local 6300 President; Mark Johnson, Executive Vice
President; Virginia Anderson-Dunbar, Treasurer; Floyd Bell, Jr., VP ASI/FACS;
Tori Pratt, VP Appendix B and I.
We would like to give a special thanks to those who served us for the last 3 years.
David Hoyt, previous Executive Vice President and now happily retired; Mike
Barban, previous VP ATT Plant 2; Ken Bates, previous VP ASI/FACS continuing
as Chief Steward; Jeff Spraul, previous VP Appendix B and I continuing as Chief
Steward Mobility; and Debora Murray, previous Secretary. We would like to express
our gratitude to you all for the excellent service you provided and wish you well
with your future endeavors.
6300 News
Circulation 4,000
Published Monthly by
CWA Local 6300
2258 Grissom Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: 314-991-0200
www.cwa6300.org
Office Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday through Friday
President
Mike Mehringer mmehringer@cwa6300.org
Executive Vice President
Mark Johnson mjohnson@cwa6300.org
Secretary
Vickie Jordan vjordan@cwa6300.org
Treasurer
From The President’s Desk
Missouri Legislation
By Michael Mehringer, President
We are starting of 2015 as we
started of 2014, the Legislators
of Missouri In both the House
and Senate will be coming after
Organized Labor which should
be no shock. I know that all of us
are tired of hearing about Rightto-Work and Paycheck Deception
bills and I agree. Unfortunately
we cannot seem to get our
lawmakers away from trying to
force lower paying jobs, unsafe
working conditions and no rights
in our places of work; just to name
a few great things the Right-toWork laws will do for us. We have
been able to prevail against this
due to the efforts of all the Labor
organizations in Missouri and the
Legislators who understand how
these laws will destroy our state.
That was in the past, now we
have a large group of newly elected
Legislators to educate. This will
not be an easy task it will take a
lot of time and effort from all of us.
This is not a battle any one of us
can afford to stay out of. We will
be, again, on the forefront of this
battle whether here or Jefferson
City. I want to share with you the
Bills that are already going to the
floor in our Capital House Bills
HB 159, HB 286, HB 569, HB570,
HB582, on the Senate side SB127,
SB129, these are just the start and
any of these can destroy the labor
movement in Missouri.
Virginia Anderson-Dunbar
vadunbar@cwa6300.org
Vice President ATT Plant 1 / Legacy T
Mark Crawshaw mcrawshaw@cwa6300.org
Vice President ATT Plant 2
Gordon Smith Jr gsmith@cwa6300.org
Vice President ASI/FACS
Floyd Bell fbell@cwa6300.org
Vice President Metro
Sonja Gholston-Byrd sgbyrd@cwa6300.org
Vice President Appendix B and I
Tori Pratt tpratt@cwa6300.org
Vice President YP Holdings LLC
What’s wrong with the TPP?
Vice President Centurylink/ Verizon
From leaked drafts and investigations, we know that it will:
Kick people off the internet for copyright infringement
Decrease access to medicine
Undermine national sovereignty by allowing corporations
to sue governments
Circumvent worker and environmental protections
Increase economic inequality
Mark Kennon mkennon@cwa6300.org
Jo Wise jwise@cwa6300.org
Vice President Print and Media Sector
John Ebeling jebeling@cwa6300.org
Newsletter Editors/Graphics/Website:
Daniel Juedemann
Mark Schweigert
*Reprint permission granted
to all Union publications
Page 2
February 2015
6300 News
Attorney’s Report/Officers Report
Safety Issues at Work
By Michael C. Goldberg, Attorney
This month I thought I would
address safety issues at work and
the effect that they could have
on a work related injury. If you
sustain an injury at work, I am
sure many of you have underwent
an investigation as to the cause
of the injury. While workers’
compensation is a no fault process,
meaning that it does not matter if
you were at fault or the employer,
there is still an avenue for the
employer to reduce your benefits.
That is why most employers try so
hard to show that a safety violation
occurred at the time of the injury.
This punishment procedure was of
course added to law in order to allow
employers/insurance companies to
avoid responsibility when someone
was injured on the job.
The law is all over the place in
what proof an employer must show
to obtain the reduction. What the
law states is, “ where the injury
is caused by the failure of the
employee to use safety devices
where provided by the employer,
or from the employee’s failure to
obey any reasonable rule adopted
by the employer for the safety of
employees, the compensation and
death benefit provided for herein
shall be reduced at least twentyfive but not more than fifty percent;
provided, that it is shown that the
employee had actual knowledge
of the rule so adopted by the
employer; and provided, further,
that the employer had, prior to the
injury, made a reasonable effort to
cause his or her employees to use
the safety device or devices and to
obey or follow the rule so adopted
for the safety of the employees.”
This law has been interpreted by
different Courts in many different
ways. It is clear that it is very fact
specific to each case. The employer
can always claim that a safety
violation occurred but they have to
demonstrate that they in a safety
rule existed and that there was
a plan in place to make sure that
all employees were following the
rules. What many of the cases state
is that simply having a safety rule
is not enough. If the employees are
not properly instructed on the rule
or if the rule is constantly ignored
by the employees and the employer
is not doing much to enforce the
rule, it may not get the reduction.
Think about this type of scenario.
You have been told to use safety
gloves at all times when performing
the job. However, everyone knows
that with the gloves on you cannot
use certain tools that are needed to
perform your job. So everyone takes
off their gloves to do the required
parts of the job. This is how you
were taught by your supervisor or
other senior employees. Then one
day you are hurt performing the job
without the gloves. The employer
is going to claim that had you been
wearing gloves, the injury would
not occur. They will try and claim
a penalty. However, you can fight
this claim by showing that the
employer really did not enforce the
rule as they wanted to make sure
you could finish the job. This may
be sufficient to prevent the penalty
form occurring.
It is important to keep this issue
in mind if a safety review of your
accident is undertaken by the
employer. You will need to think
about how to beat the potential of
a penalty. The facts you develop
in your case will be what you will
be able to use to prevent this from
occurring. The fact that the rule is in
a training manual or on a post from
the employer is not by itself enough
if it is not enforced regularly. You
must keep that in mind in trying
to avoid the penalty. You may need
to work with your Union to get the
best information on the existence
and enforcement of certain rules.
If you have any questions on this
matter or other issues raised, please
feel free to contact me to discuss.
Michael Goldberg, Esq.
Mcgoldberg1964@gmail.com
1-800-489-2891
Thanks to everyone who donated canned
food to the CWA 6300 Community Service’s
Food Drive. As you can see it was a GREAT
success!!! We could not do it without your
support. Hallelujah House food bank is
honored to be the recipient of this generosity.
This food will feed many hungry families.
Pictured L-R: Mike Songer, Chief Steward; Alison
Willis, Steward; Grant and Karen from Hallelujah
House, Stephanie Bates, Steward.
February 2015
Page 3
6300 News
Officers Report
ANNUAL CWA LOCAL 6300 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Each year, Local 6300 will offer three (3) college scholarships, each for $1,500.00 per school
year, $750.00 per semester.
Scholarship eligibility and award criteria are as follows:
 Active CWA Local 6300 Members in good standing, spouse of Member or dependent child who is graduating high school or is currently enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours) in a trade or technical school, college, university or private school.
 Verification of enrollment will be required.
 Money will be held in a trust at the winner’s choice of school.
 Only one scholarship will be awarded to a family per year.
 Previous winners of CWA Local 6310, 6320 or 6300’s scholarships are ineligible.
 Limit one entry per student.
 Include with the application, an essay of no less than 500 words depicting your personal view on the Right to Work Legislation and Organized Labor (parental assistance encouraged).
 Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Plagiarism will disqualify entry.
 Winners will be determined by merit of qualified applications, judged by the Local’s Scholarship Committee and announced at the June 2015 General Membership Meeting.
 Completed application with attached essay on the Right to Work Legislation and Organized Labor must be postmarked by March 31, 2015 and mailed to CWA Local 6300, 2258 Grissom Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63146.
CWA Local 6300 Scholarship
Official Application for the 2015 Fall and 2016 Spring Semesters
Applicant Information (please print)
Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________ State ____________ Zip ___________________
College ______________________________________________________________________
Member’s Information (please print)
Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________
City____________________________________ State____________Zip ___________________
Phone # _________________________________________
I am an active dues – paying Member in good standing of CWA Local 6300 and the above
applicant is either myself, my spouse or my dependent child, who is graduating high school
by June 2015or is currently enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours) in a trade or
technical school, college, university or private school.
Member’s Signature ____________________________________________________________
Page 4
February 2015
Officers Report
6300 News
Print and Media Sector Update February, 2015
By John Ebeling, Vice President Print and Media Sector
Let me begin this article by wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous and Blessed New Year.
Contracts that are to be bargained in 2015 and
the dates they will expire are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Labor Tribune, 1/31/2015
Screenburst Graphics, 2/28/2015
Illini Digital Printing Co.,5/31/2015
Legacy Engraving, LLC, 7/31/2015
Century Printing, Inc., 1/31/2015
St. Louis Post Dispatch, 8/31/2015
Peace Institute Printing, 9/30/2015
Trio Graphics Printing, 9/30/2015.
Members working under these Agreements that have
suggestions on improvements that should be made in the new
contract are encouraged to submit the changes in writing, at
least 90 days prior to the expiration date of the Agreement to
the Union Office to the attention of Vice President Ebeling.
DEATH: In case you missed the names of the Printing Sector
Members that passed away in 2014 that were reported in the
6300 NEWS they are:
Lavern lsert, 12/18/2013, Post Dispatch, Retired; Franklin
Beatty, 4/4/2014, Post Dispatch, Retired; Alice Tanner,
4/15/3014, Typotronics, Retired.
RETIREE DUES: A Union Dues Reminder for Print and
Media Sector Retirees. Dues are $3.00 each month or $36.00
for the year 2015.
COPE Voluntary Contributions can be added to the dues
check as long as it is noted on the check or you can make out
a separate check made out to CWA COPE PCC – Committee
on Political Education and any amount will be very much
appreciated. In recent elections corporations and big business
has spent millions of dollars in their efforts to defeat Labor
Friendly Candidates and unfortunately with considerable
success.
COPE Dollars allow Unions to have money and people power
to win fair labor laws and strengthen
collective bargaining rights. Pro –
Worker Candidates fight for issues
such as Stronger Worker Rights,
Organizing, Health Care, Sensible
Fair Trade Policies, Secure Jobs and
Pension Protection.
DUES RECEIPTS: Any Print and
Media Sector Member that would
like a Dues Receipt for 2014 please
call the Union Office at 314-9910200 and request the receipt from the
Administrative Assistant and it will
be mailed to you.
February 2015
Bunny Buys Union
Goodies made by members of the Bakery
Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers
International Union (BCTGM); snack foods by members
of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW); or
fruit and nuts from members of the United Farm Workers
of America (UFW). Visit labor411.org for more items.
Hershey Products
Jolly Rancher Candies
Pot of Gold chocolates
Ovation mint sticks
Fifth Avenue
Zagnut
York Peppermint Patties
Nestle Treasures
Laffy Taffy
Flips Pretzels
Baby Ruth
Butterfinger
BB’s and Pearson’s Nips
Jelly Bellies
Chocolate Dutch
Mints
Chocolate
Temptations
Dimples
Sweet Temptations
Malted Milk
Balls-Herman
Goelitz
Licorice-Herman
Goelitz
NECCO Wafers
Mary Jane Peanut
Butter Chews
Sky Bar
Thin Mints
Bolster Bar
Masterpieces and Clark
Bar
See’s Famous Old
Time Candies
Frito-Lay chips and
snacks
Orville Redenbacher
popcorn
Kraft snack products
Godiva chocolates
Coastal Berry Co. fruit
and nuts
Montpelier Almonds
Sunkist citrus fruit
Sunworld citrus fruit
Airdrome citrus fruit
Big Jim citrus fruit
Source: www.lalabor411.org, lists products and the Union producer.
*Note: Not all products of a company are made in the U.S. or by
Union Labor. This site lists the specific Union made products.
Page 5
6300 News
Next Meetings:
February 18
March 18
Motion: Jeff Spraul, second Mike
Lavoie to pay $208 in monthly per capita fees to Jobs with Justice. Motion
carried.
Motion: Stephanie Bates, second Eric
Watson to send Vickie Jordan, Tori
Pratt, Jo Wise, Floyd Bell and Gordon
Smith to CWA District 6 Local Officers
Training from April 12-15, 2015 in Irving, Texas. Estimated cost $8,493.93.
Motion carried.
Motion: Eric Rayford, second Mike
Songer to name Membership Hall “Bill
Morton Hall.” Motion carried.
Retiring
08/22/14
12/01/14
01/12/15
01/25/15
In Sympathy
Patricia Cheers Wilber Moeller
Retiree
Retiree
Members’ Losses
Deanna Derenbecher Husband
Caroline Dittmann
Father
Robin Morton
Mother
Lucinda Simms
Brother
Margaret Weaver
Father
TY
NI
ZI
GA
OR
Page 6
NI
U
MM
CO
L/ ION
ICA CT
LIT A
NG
PO
BARGAINING/
REPRESENTATION
New Members
AT&T Mobility
Motions January-21, 2015
Carolyn Moore Robin Hayes
Douglas Bunt Irma Jamison
Good & Welfare
Joshua Bartels
Allison Brinker
Tammy Brock
Antonio Brodie
Timothy Brooks
Jack Brotherton
Taylor Brown
Christy Christman
Stephen Coloni
Tyler Conway
Randy Crawford
Camus Crawford II
Marcus Creasy
John Denton
Janell Evers
Monique Flager
Kayla Fodge
Jeffrey Froelker
James Gallagher
Christine Gould
Carly Griggs
Patrick Handy
Stephanie Harvey
Allison High
Kasey Hull
Eric Hulser
Joe Kasten
Dana Kelsey
Husein Kopic
Jason Lay
Mark Loy
Michael Lucchesi
Justin McCollum
Shannon Mclaughlin-Chavez
Taylor Melson
Kalena Miles
AT&T
Justin Moss
Amar Mujakic
Michael Nausley
Ryan ONeil
Aja Pride
Jeremy Ramsey
Leonanda Redden
Derek Reed
Renoda Robinson
Lloyd Rush
Jaymz Saunders
George Schmitt
Brad Sherwood
Christian Shipley
Tierra Sills
Patrick Smith
Andrea Snyder
Melissa Stephens
Stephen Stroup
Chace Thies
Latrice Thomas
Richard Tipton
Shane Treece
Johanna Valencia
Suriyo Vanmalaithong
Chaz Walker
Michael Wann
Shatoya Wells
Justin White
Jamela Wilkes
Dereck Williams
Haley Willoughby
Christopher Winters
Stephen Wortmann
Mark Young
Nicole Zenk
Submit
Good
and Welfare
Announcements
Keith Allen
Jay Angstadt
Brittny Barry
Ryan Bax
Anthony Bono
Chadd Bordeaux
Michael Campe
Charles Corbin
Jason Fears
Rodney Finley
Edward Frawley
Michael Gabelli
James Gallagher
Albert Givens
Lashonda Johnson
Patrick Koeller
Adam Kramer
Akilah Lee
Angela Lomnick-Slater
Sean Marquette
Domanic Mason
David May
Matthew Melugin
Joe Moore
Shirelle Mosley
Logan Murphy
L. Noland
Stephen Posley
Scott Richey
Johnothan Ross
Craig Schellenbach
Kyle Schrader
Anthony Signaigo
Demetrious Taylor
Christina Turner
Charles Van Winkle
Tammy Waligorski
Kevin Weber
Joshua Weiss
Nolan Wheeler
Jamela Wilkes
Jared Williams
Verizon
Jennifer Howze
Dana Kelsey
YP Holding LLC
Octavia Ball
Frenchae Bynes
Douglas Cary
Daniel Chandler
Leia Granderson
Michael Lucchesi
f
Jacob Mc Endollar
Alex Millien
Daryon Mitchell
Willard Moore
Justin Pollard
Stephanie Santoscoy
Find us on
Facebook
facebook.com/cwa6300
Please see your Union Steward
to submit notices of deaths,
retirements, disabilities, or other
announcements within your office.
February 2015
6300 News
Retirees
Retired Americans Deserve Better
By Melinda Gibson National Retiree Director
Retiree Meetings
Retired Americans Deserve Better. Our Fellow CWA
Retirees Deserve Better.
You may know from personal experience that it’s far too
February 9
easy for corporations to cut retiree benefits and for politicians
to play political games with lifesaving programs like Social
& March
Security and Medicare. After years of cuts and politicization, Meeting 11:30 / Lunch 12:00
it’s time for us to take a stand.
Meeting Location
That’s why today, we’re launching a campaign calling on
2258
Grissom Dr.
Congress and corporations to stop cutting retiree benefits:
$12 charge per person.
Retirement Security Now.
Together with employee pensions and benefits, Social Bring a guest but make
reservations:
Security and Medicare are the bedrock of our retirement
security. We must protect these existing programs and call on Bob Huss - 636-947-4299
Congress and employers to protect our benefits from further
BHuss6350@sbcglobal.net
cuts.
Earline Jones 355-6860
Will you join CWA retirees from across the country and sign
Nellie Girouard
on to our Retirement Security Now campaign today? Join the
314-739-0317
fight to protect and expand our retirement security.
Nancy Jinkerson
Retirees deserve the benefits they were promised. It’s simply
314-809-3264
not OK that corporate CEOs and companies are raking in
record profits while cutting benefits to retirees.
Take AT&T, for example. Beginning in 2015, AT&T’s
Medicare-eligible retirees can no longer count on the stability of an employer-sponsored
group health insurance plan. And while AT&T cuts costs by subjecting its retirees to the
whims of the private insurance market, its own CEO has over $62 million in his companyadministered retirement account. It’s not right.
It’s not just corporations, either. Year after year, Congress toys with the idea of privatizing
Social Security and turning Medicare into a voucher system. These plans would decimate
the social safety net as we know it.
Social Security is the most successful social program in the history of our country. It
single-handedly lifts 35% of seniors out of poverty. And Medicare delivers health and
economic security to millions. These plans need to be strengthened, not privatized and sold
to the highest bidder.
Together we can fight for a more secure retirement for everyone.
Join your fellow retirees. Sign on to the Retirement Security Now campaign today.
Go to go.cwa.net/retireesfight
Your action today will be the first step towards a better retirement for all. Thanks for
joining us. I’ll be in touch about next steps.
In solidarity,
Melinda Gibson
National Retiree Director
February 2015
Page 7
6300
6300 News
Communications Workers of America
Local 6300
2258 Grissom Drive
St. Louis, MO 63146-3309
PRSTR STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 495
St. Louis, MO
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Postmaster - Please Deliver
Dated Material Enclosed
CWA Community
Services Committee
presents the 4th Annual
Trivia Night
Fundraiser
March 21, 2015
at CWA Local 6300,
2258 Grissom Drive
Doors open 6pm, begins at 7pm
Price includes soda &
popcorn • BYOB
$100 per table of eight
or $15 per person
$200 For The First Place
• 50/50 • Baskets Raffles
Prize for the Best
Decorated Table Spaces
This event will fill up quickly,
call to make reservations
Contact the Local at
314.991.0200
The Annual
CWA 6300 Kids
Visit from the Easter Bunny
Magician • Face Painting Artist
Balloon Sculptor
Age Limit 10
Saturday, April 4
12:00 noon to 2:00pm
Hunt begins at 12:30.
Location: McDonnell Park ~ Lindbergh Shelter
2961 Adie Rd. 63074