We are the United Steelworkers, North America’s largest industrial union. We’re 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. We proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is.
Not a lot has changed since the Monday’s update but I did want to put out the company’s updated staffing plan for the next month. The notable changes are for our Tool Room and Maintenance members for the week of 4/13 and 4/20 doing PMs and machine moves. Any member regardless of what the company is asking for staffing currently that is willing to work all or part of these next 3 weeks should notify Dian Fellows ([email protected] or 414-247-3589) of your availability and willingness to work. With this situation constantly changing it is important for our members to keep open communication so we can continue to perform bargaining unit work when it is available. The company only has the right to do our bargaining unit work if it is offered and turned down by our members first.
We are asking all of our Strattec Union members to sign up to the text program either by texting 2232STRATTEC to the phone number 63566 or by clicking the link and entering your information online on our websites home page. If you are already on our program please reply to the number your Name so we can update our system and have a name with everyone’s phone number. This will help us be able to reach members from our program without having to search for a name with your number. It will also be able to set up subgroups for shifts or jobs if there is information that will only affect certain groups of our members.
Virginia Makes Changes in Unemployment Insurance Program That Can Benefit Shipyard Workers
$600 increase in unemployment benefits
The CARES Act provides increased benefits for workers collecting unemployment insurance by $600 for claims effective March 29th until July 31st. Increased benefits for eligible claimants under traditional unemployment insurance will start to be paid as soon as next week. The Virginia Employment Commission recently received guidance from the United States Department of Labor and is working to implement needed system changes to make this happen as soon as possible. Payments to eligible claimants will be retroactive and will be made automatically in conjunction with their weekly claim.
New Benefits for Previously Uncovered Workers
Affected workers, like the self-employed, who are not eligible under traditional unemployment insurance may be eligible under a brand new federal program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). To be eligible for this new program, workers must first apply through traditional unemployment by visiting www.vec.virginia.gov or www.vawc.virginia.gov.
The state is required to verify eligibility under traditional unemployment before allowing claimants to be considered for the new PUA program. If you are determined to be ineligible for traditional unemployment, you will be contacted by phone (text or voice message) on how to file the supplemental information to complete your claim under the new PUA program. VEC will be announcing more details on the start date for this new program later this week.
Virginia has made changes in the unemployment insurance program that can make shipyard workers eligible for a $600 increase in benefits. Increased benefits for folks eligible under traditional unemployment insurance will start to be paid as soon as next week.
The money is coming through a brand new federal program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). To be eligible for this new program, workers must first apply through traditional unemployment by visiting www.vec.virginia.gov or www.vawc.virginia.gov.
The Virginia Employment Commission will be announcing more details on the start date for this new program later this week.
