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September 22, 2008 Dear Brothers and Sisters: The results of the Election of ocal Union officers, held on Saturday, September 13, 2008 are as follows" President
Kevin Kowalski | Executive Board
Ted DeSantell
Sam Hicks
Pat Olson
Chuck Spindler
Judd Stokes | | | | Vice President
Open - to be appointed | Examining Committee
John Kelly
Carrie Melius
Maurice Wickstrom | | | | Recording Secretary
Bill Gerl | Trustees
Jamie Rootes
Two open seats -- to be appointed | | | | Bus. Mgr - Fin. Sec.-Treas.
Charlie Witt | Sargeant-At-Arms
Randy Whiteside | | | | Business Agent #1
Charlie Roberts | | | | | Business Agent #2
Troy Sebion | | | | | Business Agent #3
Lance Queen | |
The new officers will be sworn in at the Local 512 Regular Membersip Meeting on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at the Main Union Hall in St. Paul, MN, beginning
at 7:30 p.m.
Fraternally yours,
Charles E. Witt Frank Vento
Business Manager - Financial Secretary/ Treasurer President |
April 11, 2008
To: Employers & Interested Parties
Re: Furnishing of Personal Protective Equipment, especially fall protection harnesses and lanyards
There has been some misunderstanding about who furnishes personal protective (safety) equipment.
It is the position of Iron Workers Local Union No. 512 that it is the Employer's obligation to furnish, at no cost to the Employee, almost all personal protective equipment ("PPE") required on the jobsite. Local 512, on behalf of its members, objects very strongly to having bargaining unit members pay for or provide their own PPE (or purchase them from the Employer before starting work) as a condition of employment. Local 512 believes this practice violates the provisions of the 2007/2010 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Local 512 and its signatory Employers and also violates the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) standards set forth in it Final Rule on 29 CFR, Parts, 1910, 1915, 1917, 1918 and 1926 (Construction) - Employer Payments for Personal Protecive Equipment, effective February 13, 2008 w(with PPE payment requirements implemented by Employers no later than May 15, 2008). Prior to the adoption of the OSHA final rule, Employers and Employees fell under the terms of the 2007/2010 CBA, effective May 1, 2007. In the SUPPLEMENTS - SCHEDULE 6 - TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT of the current CBA, which applies to all Regions of the Union, Paragraph F, very clearly states: "....Protective safety clothing and safety equipment, such as fall protection harnesses and lanyards, welding sleeves or jackets, burning goggles, grinding shields, hard hats, safety glasses, ear protection and traffice safety clothing, shall be funished by the Employer. Such clothing and equipment as furnished shall be checked in and out of the Employer's tool room in the same manner as tools and when issued, shall be worn by the Empoyee involved, shall remain the property of the Employer and shall be returned to the Employer upon termination of employment." The OSHA Final Rule, in very simple terms, requires an Employer to pay for safety equipment when that equipment is required by OSHA standards. The final rule does contain several exceptions for ordinary safety-toe footwear, prescripion safety eyewear, logging boots, orginary work clothing and ordinary weather-related gear. However, there is no exception for fall protections harnesses or lanyards in the Final Rule. Please note that both the relevant provisions of the 2007/2010 CBA and the OSHA Final Rule clearly indicate that the Employer retains ownership and can dictate the use of the PPE in question. Therefore, Local 512 insists that any Employer who has deducted the cost of CBA and/or OSHA-mandated PPE (including fall protection harnesses and lanyards) from the payoll checks of bargaining unit employees must refund those deducted costs back to those affected Employees as soon as possible upon receipt of this correspondence. In the event of failure to refund these deducted costs by May 15, 2008, the Union will not hesitate to pursue its available legal remedies. Please feel free to contact me at the Local Union Main Office in St. Paul, MN (651-489-1488) if you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter. I remain, Respectfully yours, Charles E Witt
Business Manager - Financial Secretary/Treasurer |
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To all Full Dues Paying Members, Apprentices, and Signatory Contractors of
Iron Workers Local 512: SAVE THIS LETTER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU! Re: Journeymen Upgrading Classes (JUC's) The following JUC's will be offered, as noted, at all three Regions of Ironworkers Local #512. there must be enough people signed up for these classes to justify running them. OSHA 10 Hour: This class can be completed in one long day as follows:
Region A: Saturdays, Jan. 19 & 26 and Feb. 9 & 16, 2008
Region B: Call the sub-office in Duluth.
Region C: Saturdays, February 23 and March 22, 2008, begining at 8:00 AM, at 2901 Twin City Drive, Mandan, ND This class is also mandatory for Newly Employed Inexperienced Miner MSHA Training (see below). Don't wait until the last minute to get this training. You could miss a job opportunity if you don't have this training. NOTE: The state of North Dakota requires OSHA 10 Hour Training, once every three years, plus an annual drug test (5 panel lab test must be registered with the North Dakota Safety Council) at all industrial "power belt" jobsites (power houses, refineries, and gasification plants, etc.). See the end of this letter for more information regarding North Dakota required drug testing. MSHA (newly Employed Inexperienced Miner): This 24 hour training is required to enter any mine site, including all taconite plants Other locations may soon require this training as well. As an Ironworker, you get 10 hours of credit by taking the OSHA 10 Hour Class listed above, and 5 hours of credit by having current First Aid/CPR training. If you have never had MSHA training, you should attend the OSHA 10 Hour Training (listed above), the First Aid & Adult CPR Class (listed below) and a 9 Hour MSHA Newly Employed Inexperienced Miner Class, which meets MSHA's 24 Hour Training requiements. Region A will conduct this class as needed. Region B will have a MSHA Refresher (8 hours) and a Newly Employed Inexperienced Miner (9 hours) class on Saturday, January 26, 2008, at 3752 Midway Road, Hermantown, MN. Region C will conduct this class as needed. First Aid & Adult CPR: This class will be conducted as needed at all three regions (current training is required for a MSHA New Employed Inexperienced Miner Certificate) OSHA Subpart R: This class was designed for all structural steel jobs. Take this course if you plan on or are currently on structural steel jobsites Welding: The primary goal is a certification with SMAW, E7018 (stick) and FCAW (flus-cored wire, self shielding - no gas). Training and testing of stainless steel welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding ("MIG") and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding ("TIG") will also be available. The Region A class ($287.62) will begin Saturday, January 19, 2008, from 8:00 AM to noon, for 12 Saturdays, at St Paul College, 235 Marshall Avenue, St Paul, MN. This class will run as needed in Regions B & C. NOTE: If you have a current certification card(s) from International, you no longer have to pay for the renewal. Hhowever, if you have let the card expire, you must retest to get another card and there will be a charge for it. Keep your card renewed and up to date. Bonded and Unbonded Cables: This class starts on Saturday, January 19, 2008. The length of the class will depend on how much Post Tensioning classroom and jobsite training you have had. Call for details. Lift Training (scissors, articulating boom, fork, etc.): This class will start Saturday, February 9, 2008, at all Regions, and will continue as needed. A normal lift training class can be completed in one day. Blueprint Reading and Instrument Layout: This class starts on Saturday, January 19, 2008, and runs for 12 Saturdays, 8:00 AM to noon, and will cover blueprints specific to Ironworkers and will also teach instrument layout with eye-level, transits, etc. Unless noted, otherwise, fees for these classes vary per class and Region. You will be advised of the exact cost on the first day of class. Fees will be refunded to members of Local #512 upon completion of the course. Other Safety Related Classes: If there are other required safety classes that you need at your jobsite, we may be able to hold those classes as well Contact this office if you have any comments, concerns, or questions. You may register for these classes by contacting the Training Center at 651-489-3829, or by the Local #512 Union Hall/Sub-Office in your Region at these numbers Region A: 651-489-3829
Region B: 218-724-5073
Region C: 701-663-4266 Regarding the required drug testing for the "power belt" region of North Dakota, the testing is a 5-panel lab test. Bring a photo ID when you go to take the drug screen. The drug screen can be taken at: - Preble Medical Services collection sites, 101 Collins Avenue, Mandan, ND (8:00AM to 5:00 PM M-F, 701-663-6021), and at the Labor Temple, 3002 - 1st Avenue NW, Fargo, ND (9:00 AM - 11:-- AM, M-F, or by appointment, 701-232-4346).
- Minnesota Occupational Health (651-842-5300), 1661 St. Anthony Avenue, St Paul, MN (near Snelling Avenue and I-94).
- St. Mary's Dulut Clinic (218-786-3392).
Call the location you want to use to confirm testing hours, etc. Make sure they understand the procedure regarding the Preble form, billing, etc. They should call Preble to find out the procedures. If you go directly to North Dakota and test there, you will have to wait for the final lab results to come back, and this can take up to three days or longer. In order to take the drug test, you must have been referred to a jobsite requiring this testing, report to the referred jobsite one time, and work the duration of the designated jobsite shutdown. If you do not follow these requiements, you will be responsible for the billing of this drug testing.
Note: There are shut downs in the spring of each year in the "power belt" that require a number of Ironworkers. Billing, drug screen results, full name (first, middle, last) and date of birth must go to BA Larry Morris at the Ironworkers Local #512 Region C Sub-office, 2901 Twin City Drive, Mandan, ND 58554. Thank you and good luck! Sincerely, Allen Grayson, Coordinator
Anthony (Tony) Arneson, Assistant Coordinator journeymenuprgrdallregions2008.wrd |
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MEMO TO: All Unions Gentlemen: Please make note of the following revisions to the US Steel S-001 Contractor Safety Requirements that affect all personnel who work at the USS-Minntac and USS Keetac properties. These mandatory requirements are in effect now and will be aggressively enforced by USS effective October 15, 2007. As of that date, no contractor personnel will be allowed to work on the property without conforming to these requirements. I have copied the exact language from the S-001 below for your review: 4.4.1.3 Long-sleeved shirts and full length trousers are required. Sleeves must be kept buttoned. Wear no loose or ragged clothing around moving machinery or equipment. 4.4.1.4 Work boots with steel toes and metatarsal (internal and external) are required. Work boots must meet ASTM F2413 or ANSI Z41.1999 requirements. Temporary metatarsal quads are not permitted. |
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We've Moved!
New Address for the Duluth/Superior Office:
3752 Midway Road
Hermantown, MN 55810
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Ironworkers Local 512 breaks ground on training
facility in Hermantown. Ironworkers Local 512 took another big step July 19th when they held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a Hermantown training center and offices. "We're here to stay for another hundred years," said Al Grayson, Apprenticeship Coordinator of Local 512, which has its main office in St. Paul. "This training center shows our commitment to northern Minnesota and to educating a new generation of Ironworkers to build northern Minnesota." The Ironworkers were chartered in 1896, and Local 512 has a jurisdiction in Minnesota, North Dakota, and west central Wisconsin, roughly Ashland to Lacrosse, said Business Manager, Charlie Witt. "This will be our second training site after opening one in the Twin Cities in 2001." Witt said, "We looked for land for a long time and finally decided this spot has great access from the Range, Wisconsin, and Grand Rapids."
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The $2.3 million, 15,000 square foot training center, at 3752 Midway Road, Hermantown, MN 55810, is located off the Midway Road and Highway 2, behind Starvin' Marvins. Excavating was in progress as the ceremony was going on and Witt says they hope to open yet this year. We've hired local just like we'd like others to do when they build, from architects to union contractors," Witt said. Johnson Wilson is the construction management firm. Witt said Local 512 has about 1,350 members currently and 350 more apprentices. An aging membership spurred Local 512 to accelerate its apprenticeship programs. Norm Voorhees, a Local 512 organizer out of Duluth's office, said there are about 300 members in this northern region, and 125 apprentices. "We've been accepting apprentices every six months for the last 24 months," Voorhees said. "We have applications at the union hall, applicants take an aptitude test, get an interview with the Joint Apprenticeship Committee, and if selected, they start their three year on the job training." Darrell Godbout, Business Agent for Local 512's northern region, said the membership is excited about having their own facility. We've had to rent space and get squeezed in at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College and Virginia's Mesabi College, and now we'll be able to do things on our schedule with apprentices and journeyman upgrades and training. This will be great." Grayson said having to use facilities other than their own "was like living in a motel." the new facility will have the local's area offices, classrooms, a shop with 24 welding stations and overhead crane and a commons area. Frank Sramek, 82, attended the groundbreaking wearing his old hardhat and burning goggles. He first began Ironworking in 1955, and served Local 563, which merged into Local 512 in 2004, as a recording secretary for 22 years, and was also on the apprenticeship committee and an instructor. "A training center was never even dreamed of," Sramek said. "There was always the idea that we shouldn't have too many members or we wouldn't have enough work for everyone. But with pension improvements, members didn't have to do that hard, dangerous work until they were old anymore. So we had more turnover and needed more apprentices. Now with a merged union, apprentices can get their hours in a large work area too. The merger had a training center in mind as one of its goals. When our apprentices go out on the job they have to be top notch workers in order to compete with nonunion competition."
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