Call to Order

President Cindy Czappa called the meeting to order at 7pm at the Union Hall. 11 Members were present.

Roll Call of Officers:

¾  President Cindy Czappa

¾  Vice President Nick Vitello

¾  Treasurer Adam Bray

¾  Trustee Jennifer Kelnhofer

¾  Trustee Jessica Brandl

¾  Trustee Cody Beckman

¾  Sergeant at Arms Mark Gustin

¾  Recording Secretary Jennifer Lieber

Reading of the Minutes

Our last meeting was October 2, 2024. Vice President Nick Vitello called the meeting to order at 7pm at the local union hall. We had received a thank-you letter from the Rapids Redhawks and a call letter for the quarterly Women of Steel meeting. 8 brothers applied for membership, and we motioned to waive their initiation fees. Our membership came to 234 in good standing, with 4 non-members: Daniel Deranick, Justin Derezinski, Mark Brandt, and Josiah Brandt. Veterans backpacks have been ordered and delivered. Motioned to purchase Women supporting Women shirts to support WOS. We motioned to send up to 3 to the quarterly Women of Steel meeting. We motioned to purchase the Women supporting Women shirts for all members supporting WOS. 

Communication and Bills

Call letter for sub-6 council meeting December 12. Eboard recommendation is to send up to 3 to the meeting.

Call letter for the constitutional convention in April

Call letter for AFL-CIO Human Rights Conference January 9-12-tabled

Treasurer’s Report

A detailed list of incomes and expenses were read, giving us a cash balance of $46,111.59, plus savings of $177.924.25. Gustin motion to accept as read, Janicki second. Motion carried.

Initiation of New Members

No new applications. New members are Bradley Bowman, Brandon Lamb, Tyler Marutz, Shawn McGrath, Joshua Kucharski, Tyler Adams, Joshua Engert, and Austin Tuttle. 242 in good standing, with 4 non-members: Daniel Deranick, Justin Derezinski, Mark Brandt, and Josiah Brandt.

Reports of Special Committees (celebrations, picnics, etc):

Reports of Permanent Committees

-             Grievance Committee (stewards):

-Amy Swendrowski was given a last chance agreement.

-Oct 30 near miss with a roll on #4 came out of a clamp, operator yelled to get out of the way, but hit the cradle of the winder. Kept trying to pick it up with the clamp truck and it slipped out and hit the winder causing damage. If a letter comes, we will be grieving because they are not to use camera footage to discipline.

-Need to investigate punch in policy. One party was late due to voting, but was told they’ve had 6 adjustments to their time clock, and they are now holding them against us.

-             Veterans of Steel:

Backpacks are in hand. Eboard recommendation for $25 gift cards for each backpack. Gustin motion, Brandl second. Reimbursement discussion: Cindy will purchase, and get reimbursed next month. Motion and second. Motion carried.

-             Women of Steel:

Call letter for Quarterly Meeting. Eboard recommendation for up to 3. Janicki motion, Bray second. Motion carried.

-             Eboard:

• Eboard recommendation to spend $25/gift card for each veteran backpack
• Eboard recommendation to spend $25/stocking (20 stockings) to adopt. Janicki motion, Beckman second. Motion carried.
• Eboard recommendation to send up to 3 to Sub-6 council meeting. Bray motion, Janicki second. Motion carried.
• Our House residents for Christmas
• Power and Recovery meetings-they want to train incoming utilities on both bottom jobs for vacation relief. This is not DAWS.
• December starting monthly crew meetings. Could they schedule these on the last day of your rotation so you wouldn’t have to come back after?
• Watch for bosses doing hourly work to displace hourly labor. Cannot be told you need to stay to clean up. Obey now, grieve later to avoid insubordination. 
• Not hiring chip pokers this year. No new hires until January.
• Still working on call time

Unfinished Business

-             5-minute KRONOS punch-in rule, eta? Still no update from HR. Potentially January 1.

-             Quilts of Valor for Holiday Stockings-how many? No money needed upfront, request an amount, we will stuff them and deliver to Our House in Wisconsin Rapids. 

-             Potential to purchase property at 315 North Street, Nekoosa for Union Hall. Fire Marshal Capacity?? Terry Wolfe did get a call that someone is interested in buying the building if we would sign a 10-year lease. Are we still interested?

-             Timeframe to require retraining to perform a job?

-             Woodroom crane duct taped window fixed? Not yet.

-             Holiday invites should be sent out soon

New Business

-discussion on red tape policy. There was talk of contractors and other people going under red tape, so going forward, the red tape policy is understood by all.

-district 7 conference had a good discussion on how candidates get the support of the USW. 

Good and Welfare

Carlson, Gustin

Adjournment

Carlson motioned, Gustin second. Meeting adjourned.