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Local 483's News
the Pipeline Express
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Visits Since April 1998
by Dennis Zukowski, President   P.O. Box 6021 Santa Barbara, CA.  93160

These updates are arranged by date and NOT by importance. The last one in is the first one you see. Be sure to scroll down to see all the news.    For the Soapbox   CLICK HERE.  For Old News CLICK HERE 

 

6/23/08

On Tuesday, June 3, 2008 the Union and the Company began the Collective Bargaining Agreement and Benefits negotiations. Starting with introductions and the opening staements from both sides voiced.

Please read the Joint Steering Communication - Information Update: Negotiations.

10/31/07

First of all I need to take a moment to tell Dennis much I have enjoyed working with him over the last 20 years. Both as a coworker and working under him as our President. There are 3 things that stand out in my mind. 1) The first time I met him I had just come into Storage working on a crew, I knew he was looking for someone to take over as the Area Officer for Goleta and Ventura. I had just come from Distribution as an Officer and still felt the need to be involved. He welcomed me with open arms, that was the start of a long friendship. 2)I watched and helped as he made history for this Local when we Intervened with the P.U.C. taking on the Company in a way that had never been done. No other Union in this State has ever done anything like this. 3) I watched him get so mad during a meeting, without saying a word he stated to gather his paperwork then get up and walk out, with the Company right behind us tiring to kiss his ass. Lastly I want to thank his Beautiful wife Beth, for allowing us to take so much of his time. Like it or not Beth he belongs to you now.

Now let me tell you a little about myself

I've work for the Company for 30 years of that time I've been an Officer of this Local and another which I will leave unnamed, for 20 years. I come from a very strong Union family, as a kid I watched my dads Local go on strike every year. I've seen men die on the picket line, and go to jail on any given day because they were willing to fight for there family's lively hood. The one thing I remember my dad telling me, the day you walk out you've lost everything you were fighting for. But they stood on principle, paving the way for all Unions today. Now I'm here to keep this Local strong, and with the help of the members we will remain that way.

The meal deal

I have received more e-mail on this one subject than anything else. And what I can tell you, nothing has changed on the date the Company plans to have paid all those that received a payout the first time. They hope to have everything done by the end of the year. Those that have retired and received a check the first time around, will also be entitled to this payout. So stay tuned.

Thanks Roy

 

 

Local 483 CPUC Agreement
7/24/07
 

As an intervenor to the General Rate Case for The Gas Company, Local 483 prepared testimony that made the case for more and better maintenance of facilities and pipelines in Transmission and Storage.  Our testimony helped persuade the company to reach a settlement with Local 483 that provides for 8 additional Transmission and Storage employees.  There will be 4 Station Techs added to Storage and 4 Pipeline Techs added to Transmission.  The locations of the additional employees will be determined in the future.

Local 483 raised many issues in our testimony.  For example, we proposed creating Lead CP Specialists positions.   We also wanted the company to fill Senior Instrument Specialist positions in Storage.  We didn't agree on either of those propositions.  However, the company will engage in "good faith" discussions with us about those topics - for whatever that is worth.  The company did agree to fill station job openings in Transmission and Storage with Station Techs and then promote them to SOS as needed - like they used to do.  This will stop them from rejecting company bidders for lack of qualifications for SOS and then hiring off the street.

Our settlement agreement with the company must be approved by the CPUC.  On Tuesday, July 24th we must attend a mandatory settlement conference at the PUC.  The company and the union will explain to a judge why the agreement is in the best interests of the rate payers.  I don't anticipate any problems with this, but you never know.

In 2003 The Gas Company got everything they asked for in Transmission and Storage O&M.  If for any reason their money request for O&M is slashed this time around in the hearings, it could affect this agreement.  So it's in our best interest to support the company any way we can in achieving their monetary goals for T&S.  We could be called upon to provide testimony in their favor.

During the 2003 Rate Case Hearings, Local 483 spent thousands of dollars intervening in the proceedings.  The end result was that the company agreed to hire 9 additional employees.  This time around the company has agreed to hire 8 additional employees.  We've spent very little union money achieving this in comparison to the 2003 hearings.  We've probably saved the union $25,000 by agreeing to this.

To see the agreement, CLICK HERE