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.
Below is a list of some resources for members who are looking for child care now that children have been sent home in both Wisconsin and Minnesota due to the coronavirus.
All YMCAs are offering childcare to essential workers, such as health care workers. There is a YMCA in Duluth, Superior, Virginia, and Grand Rapids. Contact your local YMCA to find out more info, like hours. For example, we know the Superior YMCA offers child care from 7am-5:30pm Monday through Friday.
All School Districts in Minnesota are also providing free child care to school age kids of health care workers. Contact your local school district for find out the hours and locations. For example, the school district in Duluth offer child care from 6:30am to 6:30pm at Piedmont, Lowell, Stowe, Congdon, Laura MacArthur, Homecroft, Myers Wilkins, Lester Park and Lakewood.
If you are looking for private sector childcare, Childcare Providers and Resources of the Northland is a useful facebook group you can plug into and search through. Here is the link for that: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChildcareoftheNorth/
Hello Brothers and Sisters of Local 2227 ,2227-01 ,and 2227-2 Durabond.
This is our Locals first newsletter since I was elected President in 2018. I ran on communication being an issue and still working on that as a top priority. We have made improvements and still have work to do. There are 14 Union information boards throughout the mill that are updated monthly. We have created the Facebook page @Local2227 and continue to use that as a positive message board. Thank you to Jack Maskil, Shawn Knight, and Dan Rojtas for all your help. We have for the first time a Local 2227 website full of useful information. Thank you Derick Gee for all your help on this. Check it out at https://uswlocals.org/local-2227. After almost two years we have a newsletter to share as well. I would like to thank Justin Calderone for getting this Quartely newsletter up and running. We continue to make improvements and these are a few of the things we promised, and delivered.
Being in need of new employees has been a main focus since day one. We continue to interview and continue to hire. To date since my election we have hired 174 new members. We will continue to push for hostages to be released and get the manpower where it needs to be.
Continue to work safe and I can only hope that one day we all enjoy a healthy retirement!
In Solidarity,
President Ryan Kieffer
A. Election Poll Democratic
Primary Election Poll: 150 union members were asked who were they voting for....
1. As COVID-19 continues to spread quickly and related news reports dominate the media, it’s natural to feel anxious and stressed. As you care for others, whether members, patients, or your own family, we want to be sure you prioritize taking care of yourself.
• Please review these simple and effective self-care practices that can help support your physical and mental health. • Kaiser Permanente’s Employee Assistance Program, a free, confidential service available to the people of KP, is now offering free Weekly Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga Sessions. • Social media and other poorly vetted sources can be transmitters of misinformation, so we have to make a point of seeking out reputable sources of facts, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,World Health Organization and the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. • Take time to connect. Social distancing does not mean social isolation. Keep in touch with family and friends using FaceTime, email, phone, or text messages.
2. KP Alert, Kaiser Permanente’s intelligent notification system, can reach employees with important information during an emergency. It’s currently in use for the coronavirus outbreak. For KP Alert to operate effectively, it’s vital that your profile information is up to date on My HR. Also, please ensure you confirm or update your work location in your contact card using the Outlook Contact Editor. Remote workers should select their nearest KP facility. Kaiser Permanente will activate the alert system to reach employees by voice, email, or text message using their preferred contact information.
Please share this information and review your contact information and update if needed.
3. Please conserve Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We all have a shared responsibility to prioritize conserving all PPE, especially masks, gowns, face shields, and swabs. Please communicate the importance of this issue with your teams.
Despite efforts to keep the bargaining unit working who wish to continue to work, the company has made the decision to pause regular Milwaukee operations from 3/28/2020 – 4/4/2020 due to the amount of EPT Layoffs and employees quarantined. The company will offer the ability for tool rooms and maintenance to report to work if they choose but all on 1st shift for preventative and building maintenance. The company will be offering sign up for volunteers starting tomorrow 3/26/2020. The company is considering a small group of volunteers for janitorial & cleaning on 1st shift as well. The company is also considering operating critical machines for those who wish to volunteer on Thursday 4/2 and Friday 4/3 only. The company will have more information tomorrow on 3/26/2020 but the machines being considered are Maromatics in milling, 400 and 630 ton presses in stamping, and Frech 18 in Die Cast. These machines will be staffed on 1st shift and will be on a voluntary basis only.
Members will have the option to claim unemployment or use vacation time. With the volume of unemployment claims and changing parameters of unemployment, members should consider using vacation time to avoid a disruption in pay. The EPT layoff is still available for those who wish to apply until Tuesday March 31st for those wanting an extended temporary layoff per the 3/20/2020 agreement.
We understand that the changes to our work have been frequent and not all information is available in this update but your Union wanted to keep you as up to date as possible. As always please feel free to reach out if you have questions or concerns:
Many of you know me, but for those who do not, I am your USW Local 7600 President, Valery Robinson. *I am taking your health/safety and well being very seriously* during these unprecedented, critical times. This is why I want to personally inform you of a very important update regarding PPE.
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I have received an outpour of messages regarding PPE's. I want you to know that *your cries have not fallen on deaf ears*. So before I get into the details, please know that I started out as a phlebotomist 31 years ago, (I have been in your shoes). This is important because for as long as I can remember, Kaiser Permanente has always had a very strict PPE policy. The policy has always made sense and it still does, but I am not willing to risk, *not even* *ONE* *Steelworker to Coronavirus exposure.*
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In this regard, I expressed your concern alongside my own with the leadership of Kaiser Permanente and we have come to the agreement that during these times of mass PPE shortages, employees will be allowed to use and wear their own personal masks. Kaiser Permanente will continue to provide PPE's (masks) to the areas where they are required, but in the areas where they are not, we can now bring and wear our own masks from home. This agreement is temporary and will stay in effect until further notice.
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If, for any reason you are instructed otherwise, respectfully comply, email [email protected] and it will be addressed.
Many of you know me, but for those who do not, I am your USW Local 7600 President, Valery Robinson. I am taking your health/safety and well being very seriously during these unprecedented, critical times. This is why I want to personally inform you of a very important update regarding PPE.
I have received an outpour of messages regarding PPE's. I want you to know that your cries have not fallen on deaf ears. So before I get into the details, please know that I started out as a phlebotomist 31 years ago, (I have been in your shoes). This is important because for as long as I can remember, Kaiser Permanente has always had a very strict PPE policy. The policy has always made sense and it still does, but I am not willing to risk, not evenONESteelworker to Coronavirus exposure.
In this regard, I expressed your concern alongside my own with the leadership of Kaiser Permanente and we have come to the agreement that during these times of mass PPE shortages, employees will be allowed to use and wear their own personal masks. Kaiser Permanente will continue to provide PPE's (masks) to the areas where they are required, but in the areas where they are not, we can now bring and wear our own masks from home. This agreement is temporary and will stay in effect until further notice.
If, for any reason you are instructed otherwise, respectfully comply, email [email protected] and it will be addressed.
I STAND WITH YOU!,
Valery Robinson
USW Local 7600 President
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” ― J.K. Rowling
