Teamsters Local 406

News & Notes

Secretary-Treasurer Ron Holzgen Elected to Serve on Michigan Teamsters Joint Council 43 Executive Board

In an August 9, 2010 election held at the Annual Fall Delegates meeting in Detroit, Secretary-Treasurer Ron Holzgen was elected to a 4 year term to serve on the Michigan Teamsters Joint Council 43 Executive Board as Recording Secretary. Secretary-Treasurer Holzgen is honored to be a part of the Robinson-Nowak slate and looks forward to serving Teamsters across the state of Michigan in this position.

Secretary-Treasurer Holzgen will serve this 4 year term as Recording Secretary along with the new Joint Council 43 President David Robinson (Local 486, Saginaw), Secretary-Treasurer Greg Nowak (Local 1038, Detroit), Vice President Jim “Cinci” Cianciolo (Local 243, Plymouth), and Trustees Kevin Moore (Local 299, Detroit), Paul Kozicki (Local 247, Detroit), and Mike Parker (Local 580, Lansing).

The new slate beat out the incumbent President by a 3 to 1 margin and Secretary-Treasurer Holzgen received the most votes with overwhelming support by earning 80 of the 96 votes available. This is not only a great accomplishment for Secretary-Treasurer Holzgen but also Local 406 as a whole as we gain support and respect from other Michigan Teamster brothers and sisters.

Secretary-Treasurer Holzgen would like to thank outgoing President Larry Brennan for 25 years of service as the President of Michigan Teamsters Joint Council 43 and 60 years of service with Local 337.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING RETIREES!

May 2010

Dave Allen - Liberty Dairy, 32 1/2 years

Lyle Breen - ABF Freight, 33 years

Wayne Hoogerhyde - Country Fresh, 36 years

Charles Lipp Jr. - RTI, 29 years

John Litzenburg - Coke, 26 years

Bill Offringa - Spartan Stores, 33 years

Luke Workman - Bluelinx, 36 years

Ron Wycoff - Spartan Stores, 32 years

June 2010

Jim Wood - Keller Transfer, 32 years

Charles Matzen - USF Holland, 29 years

Rich Huff - ABF Freight, 30 1/2 years

Steve Frasso - USF Holland, 20 years

Ed Shankland - UPS, 35 years

July 2010

Floyd Barrett Jr. - Spartan Stores, 28 years

Rick VanKampen - Coke, 35 years

RIGHT TO WORK FOR LESS

During these tough economic times, every union member should take a minute to reflect on the value of having a union in their workplace. The union advantage improves the quality of life for members and society in general. Unfortunately, we are all so used to the advantages we have that we take them for granted. Advantages like the 40 hour work week, the fact that we have weekends and lunch breaks, workers’ compensation if we are injured and unemployment insurance if we are laid off. It’s easy to take such things for granted, but someone fought for these advantages and that someone was more often than not a union member.

Unions have raised the standard of living for us here in Michigan through better wages, affordable health benefits, pensions, and workplace safety standards. But now, we are witnessing an organized attack on unions funded by radical right wing interests. This spring, “Right to Work” bills were introduced in the State House and Senate. Out of state right wing groups are threatening to put right to work on the ballot in Michigan in the not so distant future. These efforts are meant to break and bankrupt unions by forcing unions to use their resources and members’ dues to represent workers who refuse to pay dues.

Right to work laws impose an unfair burden on union members who want to join the union and pay their fair share. These laws are intended to suppress union membership, drag the union down from “free riders” and weaken the union’s ability to provide aggressive representation for workers. It’s no wonder unscrupulous employers and right wing fanatics would love to pass right to work in Michigan.

But, what’s in it for workers? The quality of life for workers in “Right to Work” states is a sorry record:

Workers in right to work states earn $5900 a year less;
The percentage of families without health insurance is 20% higher in right to work states;
The maximum weekly workers’ compensation benefit is 25% less in right to work states;
In 2000, the infant mortality rate in right to work states was 17% higher

A 2006 AFL-CIO health and safety study sited the rate of workplace fatalities as 41% higher in “right to work” states.

Michigan has seen tough economic times, but there is no evidence that “Right to Work” is the solution we seek. There is an abundance of evidence that “Right to Work” would leave our state with a greatly diminished quality of life that would drive away good employers and the young workers who are the future of this great state.

TEAMSTERS SCHOLARSHIPS

For those of you who have a child planning on attending college soon, there are two different scholarships available to children of members of Teamsters Local 406. One of them is the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship (which is also available to grandchildren of members) and the other is the Robert Holmes Scholarship. In the past we have had several winners from our local so if you have a student who does well, please contact our office for the applications. The applications are usually available just before Christmas and are due the end of March.

JAMES R. HOFFA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

31 - $10,000 AWARDS

69 - $1,000 AWARDS

The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship is offered to sons, daughters, and grandchildren of active, retired, disabled, deceased, or laid-off Teamster members who plan to attend a 4 year accredited college or university. Applicants must currently be a high school senior in the top 15% of their class, have excellent SAT or ACT scores, and demonstrate financial need. Please contact the local for more information.

ROBERT HOLMES SCHOLARSHIP

6 ONE TIME AWARDS OF $1000

The Robert Holmes Scholarship is offered to dependents of Michigan Teamsters pursuing a program of higher education in the State of Michigan at an accredited 2-4 year public/private college, university, or technical college. Applicants must currently be high school seniors with at least a B average, planning on attending college in the fall. Please contact the local for more information.

MAKE YOUR MARK IN HISTORY!

Buy a brick to support the Spirit of Solidarity Monument in Downtown Grand Rapids. This monument is a tribute to our ancestors in the building of the American Labor Movement and can be visited at the Ah-Nab-Awen Park at the entrance of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. If you would like to purchase a brick, please contact us at 1-800-626-6211 and we will send you a form to fill out. The brick will be engraved with your name or reasonable choice of message up to 3 lines (14 characters each).

For more information http://www.laborheritage.com

WITHDRAWAL CARD NOTICE

Always obtain a Withdrawal Card when leaving a job or when you are going to be off work for more than a full calendar month due to lay off, sick leave, FMLA, Military duty, or leave of absence. If you do not obtain a Withdrawal Card, under the Union’s Constitution, you will have to pay back dues and/or a re-initiation fee.

You can apply for a Withdrawal Card in person at the Union Hall or by mail. To apply by mail, please send a note with your Name, Social Security #, Company, Last day of work, reason for being off work, and a check or money order for .50 cents to Teamsters Local 406, 3315 Eastern Ave. SE , Grand Rapids, MI 49508. (Please do not send quarters in the mail, they usually do not make it here.)

ADDRESS UPDATES

If you move, please call the office at (616)452-1551 to update your address with us. Your company does not automatically notify us of address changes so please be sure to let us know if you have a change of address. Thank You!

LEGAL SERVICES

Legal services are available to Local 406 members and retirees on the third Monday of every month at the Union Hall. Please call 1-800-626-6211 or (616)452-1551 to schedule an appointment.

MICHIGAN CONFERENCE OF TEAMSTERS INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE

A Representative from Michigan Conference is available to answer your insurance questions at the Union Hall on the third or fourth Tuesday of every month from 10 am until 2 pm. Please call the hall to verify the date she will be here if you are interested in meeting with her.

RETIREES CLUB

The Teamsters Local 406 Retirees Club meets in Mackey Hall on the first Wednesday of every month from September thru June. They host various luncheons, activities, and outings throughout the year. If you are interested in joining the club, please contact Lorena Brown at 616-457-9347.

TEAMSTERS 406 STORE

If you are looking for something to show off your Teamster Pride, stop by the Hall and check out our Teamster’s Local 406 Store. We carry many t-shirts, sweatshirts, coats, hats, mugs, decals, and other items with the Teamsters Local 406 logo.