Executive Board Meeting

GREENSBURG OFFICE                         December 8, 2008

• President Powers called the Executive Board Meeting to order.  Secretary Stockdale called roll and found 4 Officers and 10 Representatives present.  Absent: 2^nd Vice President Fritz, Representative Ake (Altoona) and Representative McKnight (Central).  Guests Jerry Quiter and Eric Kosmal.

• President Powers asked for any corrections, deletions, or additions to the minutes of the October 27, 2008 Board Meeting.  None noted.  Motion to accept, Representative Crown, second by Representative McElheny, made the December 8, 2008 minutes.  Motion carried. 

DATES:

·        Dec 22^nd      J.A.R. Committee Meeting

·        Dec 25^th       Step 1 Grievance Meeting Southern (reschedule)

·        Dec 31^st       Step 2 Grievance Meeting

·        Jan  1^st         Step 1 Grievance Meeting Central (reschedule)

·        Jan  5^th         Step 1 Grievance Meeting Western

·        Jan  6^th         Step 1 Grievance Meeting Eastern

·        Jan  8^th         Step 1 Grievance Meeting Northern

·        Jan 22^nd       Step 1 Grievance Meeting Southern

·        Jan 26^th        J.A.R. Meeting & Executive Board Meeting

·        Jan 28^th        Step 2 Grievance Meeting

OLD BUSINESS:

·        Sale to BBIFNA – The Local 69-1 attorney in Harrisburg is being copied on all of the sale information and will keep us updated on everything that is occurring.  Despite the rumor that is being circulated which states the sale is in trouble and BBIFNA cannot secure financing, we are being informed that BBIFNA will not encounter any problems securing the financing needed to complete the purchase.  The sale approval process is expected to be completed by June or July 2009.  The sale is expected to close September or October of 2009.

·        Grievance Review Settlement Meetings – The Union and Company have met on six separate occasions in an attempt to settle or withdraw some of the grievances that are presently scheduled for arbitration.  So far, the meetings have been very productive and we have reduced the amount of grievances scheduled for arbitration considerably.  The reps. were given letters with the grievances that have been addressed to date.  Each and every grievance that is presently scheduled for arbitration will be reviewed.  The Union and Company will meet again on January 6, 2009 to continue the process. 

NEW BUSINESS:

·        Dominion Hiring Freeze – We have been informed that Dominion has announced a freeze on hiring.  Even though we are in the process of being sold, it appears that Peoples is also being impacted by the freeze.  As a result of this hiring freeze we have seen several job eliminations.  This is quite disconcerting to the Executive Board and does not give us much hope that moving forward we can continue to provide the same level of cooperation needed to address the operational concerns and challenges that lie before both the Union and Company.  Recently we have experienced a more open and honest relationship between Peoples and the Union.  That dies a little with each job elimination letter.  “You can’t move forward, if you continue to relive the past!”           

·        Retiree Medical – The issue of how the sale to BBIFNA will impact retiree medical has been quite a concern to us.  Assuming the sale progresses as planned and eventually is approved and finalized, any employee who has the option and is debating whether to retire as a Dominion employee, or retire as a BBIFNA employee, should consider the following.  We do not know how the VEBA (side fund) will be distributed.  We do know that upon completion of the sale, no further contributions will be going into the Dominion retiree portion of the VEBA (side fund) and whatever money is set aside to continue to pay for Dominion retiree medical will eventually be depleted.  Once the VEBA (side fund) portion for Dominion retirees is depleted, they will be required to pay their own medical premiums.  Any future contributions to the VEBA (side fund) from BBIFNA active employees will be used to pay for BBIFNA active and retiree medical.  

·        Atmospheric Corrosion – We were notified that a pilot program for observing the amount of corrosion at the point where a service line enters a house or building is being implemented at the Hopewell shop.  The service line entry point would simply be looked at to determine the amount of corrosion.  It would then be graded on a scale of 1 thru 4.  It would appear the Company wants to use a mix of employees of different classifications and also contractors to perform this task.  The Union was not asked to be a part of this plan when it was developed and rolled out and we have many concerns and issues with the way it is being implemented.  As we learn more we will keep you informed.             

SAFETY:

·        Safety Coordinators – Congratulations go out to Dave Cole who accepted the Safety Coordinator position at Waynesburg shop.    

• Please wear PPE – All employees are reminded again of the need to wear Personal Protective Equipment.  Properly worn PPE may prevent or reduce the severity of accidents when they occur.           

COMMUNICATIONS:

• The following jobs were eliminated as not being necessary:

1.      Utilityperson at the Kiski reporting location.

2.      Fitter Operator at the Mon City reporting location.

3.      Fitter Operator at the Johnstown reporting location.

4.      Utilityperson at the Grove City reporting location.

The Company has since notified the Union they have decided to bid these jobs and as the jobs trickle down to No Bidders a decision will be made whether they will or won’t be eliminated.  We will have to wait and see what action the Company takes moving forward.     

GRIEVANCES:

·        Grievance Report – The November Grievance Report was presented to the reps. and should be posted.

·        Step 2 Responses – There was no Step 2 Grievance Meeting this month.

·        Arbitrations - We do not presently have any dates picked for pending arbitrations.

TREASURER REPORT:

• Secretary Treasurer Wright presented the October Treasurer Report.  Motion to accept, Representative McElheny, second by Representative Crown, made the December 8, 2008 minutes.  Motion carried. 

ADJOURNMENT:

• Motion to adjourn, Representative Giles, second by Representative Berg.  Motion carried.                                                                               

Respectfully Submitted,                                                                        

                                                                                    Doug Stockdale- Rec. Sec. - Div. 1 

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