GP Union Conference Utilizing First National Conference Call
On Thursday, March 26, 3:00 p.m. (Eastern), local union representatives from the GP Union Conference will be joining USW Vice President and GP Chair Jon Geenen on a conference call to discuss the latest developments at the company and in the industry. It will address questions and concerns that have been GP Union Conference Utilizing First National Conference Call
submitted by the local unions. Following the submitted questions, those on the call will have an opportunity to ask question and raise issues as time permits. This is not to replace conference meetings, but to enhance communications using the latest tools at our disposal.
GP Gypsum Worker in Wheatfield Fired by Company
As previously reported, GP gypsum workers inWheatfield, Ind., have gone more than two years since organizing without a union contract. Now comes news that a four-year employee and strong union supporter has been fired. This union member was singled out after reporting on the company hotline his concerns about possible leaks in employees’ personal information from GP’s
GP Gypsum Worker in Wheatfield Fired by Company records. While urging workers to report problems on the hotline, it’s apparently a firing offense to say something the company doesn’t like! Even worse, management is trying to block him from getting unemployment benefits to support his family. Even without having a contract in place, members have taken up a collection and are supporting their union brother though the tough times.
‘Weingarten Rights’
A WORKER’S RIGHT TO UNION REPRESENTATION
There is no time like the present to educate ourselves on where we stand as workers at this large company. USW members should be aware of an important legal safeguard that union-represented workers have that nonunion workers do not.
The right of employees to have union representation at investigatory interviews was announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1975 case (NLRB vs. Weingarten, Inc.) These are known as the Weingarten rights.
Employees have Weingarten rights only during investigatory interviews, when a supervisor questions an employee to get information which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his or her conduct.
If a union worker has a reasonable belief that discipline or other adverse consequences may result from what he or she says, they have the right to request union representation. Management is not required to inform the employee of his/her Weingarten rights; it is the employee’s responsibility to know and request.
When an employee makes the request for a union representative to be present management has three options: (I) stop questioning until the representative arrives, (2) call off the interview or, (3) tell the employee that it will call off the interview unless they voluntarily gives up his/her rights to a union representative (an option employees should refuse.)
Management often tries to say that the only role a union representative has in an investigatory interview is to observe the discussion. The Supreme Court, however, clearly says a representative can assist and counsel workers during the interview.
The Supreme Court also ruled that during an investigatory interview management must inform the union representative of the subject of the interrogation. The representative must also be allowed to speak privately with the employee before the interview. During the questioning, the representative can interrupt to clarify a question or to object to confusing or intimidating tactics.
While the interview is in progress the representative can not tell the employee what to say but he may advise them on how to answer a question. At the end of the interview the union representative can add information to support the employee's case.
Right now, employees who work in a non-union workplace are not entitled to have a coworker accompany them to an interview with their employer, even if they thinks that the interview might result in discipline.
Our Weingarten rights are one more important reason why it pays to be a union member!
Monday, March 23, 2009
GP Union News February 2009
A Fung-y Situation in Wheatfield
Mold cleanup is close to being finished at the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum facility in Wheatfield, Indiana. Black mold is a chronic concern for USW members there, who are still without a union contract two years after voting USW. They’ve been diligently working to resolve the exposure problem. They are breathing a little easier as clean-up of the ceilings and walls moves forward.
One type of mold that may be cause for concern is Stachybotrys: Stachybotrys chartarum (also known as Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold that grows on materials with high cellulose content (drywall, wood and paper, and dropped ceiling tiles.) This mold, like some others, produces chemicals called mycotoxins under certain conditions. Health effects of breathing
mycotoxins are not well understood.
Here are some important facts about this problem:
• Not all black molds are Stachybotrys, and not all Stachybotrys produces mycotoxins.
• While still alive, Stachybotrys is slimy and does not release many spores or mycotoxins.
• Exposure is low unless it dries up, when spores and mycotoxins are released into the air.
• All indoor molds are potential health hazards and need to be cleaned up.
Allergic reactions, similar to pollen or animal allergies, are the most common health effects of molds. Some workers have symptoms like hay fever and the common cold, but they can last for longer periods. Allergic and toxic illnesses can be treated by getting rid of the mold exposure. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control symptoms. In addition, some people in wet or moldy buildings may have flu-like symptoms according to the study Molds in Indoor Workplaces by the California Department of Health Services.
If your local has had a similar problem in the past, we’d like to know how it was handled in your facility. There are several ways to address workplace mold and remediation can be a long, drawn out process. We need to keep each other informed about the safety and health risks we experience in our facilities in order to address future problems that may occur. Please email District 7 Sub-District 4 Director Mike O’Brien mobrien@usw.org with updates on safety and health risks you have encountered within Georgia Pacific.
CORRECTION - Mark Cook, Business
Representative for Local 1861-U in Dubuque, Iowa reports that the labor agreement for 87 converting plant workers in Dubuque expires October 31, 2009, and wasn’t listed in the last issue with other USW-GP contract expirations this year.
There’s solidarity in safety!
Sharing Information: Power in Knowledge
USW staff are preparing a new booklet for GP local union members to help get up and running on the SharePoint system on the internet. This password-protected system is available so GP union officers can review union contracts at other locations, phone numbers and email addresses for other GP locals, educational and training material for members and much more. So keep your eyes open for the “SharePoint Users Manual.”
Mold cleanup is close to being finished at the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum facility in Wheatfield, Indiana. Black mold is a chronic concern for USW members there, who are still without a union contract two years after voting USW. They’ve been diligently working to resolve the exposure problem. They are breathing a little easier as clean-up of the ceilings and walls moves forward.
One type of mold that may be cause for concern is Stachybotrys: Stachybotrys chartarum (also known as Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold that grows on materials with high cellulose content (drywall, wood and paper, and dropped ceiling tiles.) This mold, like some others, produces chemicals called mycotoxins under certain conditions. Health effects of breathing
mycotoxins are not well understood.
Here are some important facts about this problem:
• Not all black molds are Stachybotrys, and not all Stachybotrys produces mycotoxins.
• While still alive, Stachybotrys is slimy and does not release many spores or mycotoxins.
• Exposure is low unless it dries up, when spores and mycotoxins are released into the air.
• All indoor molds are potential health hazards and need to be cleaned up.
Allergic reactions, similar to pollen or animal allergies, are the most common health effects of molds. Some workers have symptoms like hay fever and the common cold, but they can last for longer periods. Allergic and toxic illnesses can be treated by getting rid of the mold exposure. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control symptoms. In addition, some people in wet or moldy buildings may have flu-like symptoms according to the study Molds in Indoor Workplaces by the California Department of Health Services.
If your local has had a similar problem in the past, we’d like to know how it was handled in your facility. There are several ways to address workplace mold and remediation can be a long, drawn out process. We need to keep each other informed about the safety and health risks we experience in our facilities in order to address future problems that may occur. Please email District 7 Sub-District 4 Director Mike O’Brien mobrien@usw.org with updates on safety and health risks you have encountered within Georgia Pacific.
CORRECTION - Mark Cook, Business
Representative for Local 1861-U in Dubuque, Iowa reports that the labor agreement for 87 converting plant workers in Dubuque expires October 31, 2009, and wasn’t listed in the last issue with other USW-GP contract expirations this year.
There’s solidarity in safety!
Sharing Information: Power in Knowledge
USW staff are preparing a new booklet for GP local union members to help get up and running on the SharePoint system on the internet. This password-protected system is available so GP union officers can review union contracts at other locations, phone numbers and email addresses for other GP locals, educational and training material for members and much more. So keep your eyes open for the “SharePoint Users Manual.”
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