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International Operating Engineer - Summer 2019

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The quarterly magazine of the International Union of Operating Engineers

GEB Minutes January 14,

GEB Minutes January 14, 2019 of the Plan, which covers officers and employees of U.S. local unions and Related Organizations, officers and employees of Canadian local unions and Related Organizations and employees of the International. Mr. Leary then detailed the assets of the Plan as of the close of 2018 and he reported on the characteristics of the Plan participants. Mr. Leary also advised the delegates and attendees that the General Pension Plan had recently set up new administrative offices on the seventh floor of the International Headquarters building, and had hired three new employees. Mr. Leary reported that all three parts of the Plan are in good financial health and in compliance with all applicable requirements regarding their funding. He said that the employer contribution rates currently in effect for the Plan would remain unchanged. Finally, he emphasized that the overriding goal of the Board of Trustees remains to preserve and strengthen the long-term financial health of the Plan. General President Callahan then called on Legislative and Political Department Director Jeff Soth who reviewed the policy record of the first two years of the Trump Administration, specifically detailing the administration’s position on the Jones Act, Davis-Bacon, prevailing wages, Right to Work, and its relationship to public-sector workers with a specific emphasis on federal employees. Mr. Soth also provided the delegates and attendees with a comprehensive review of the 2018 midterm elections, while emphasizing some of the vital issues and ballot initiatives directly affecting IUOE members, such as Missouri’s Right to Work legislation, the California gas tax ballot measure, and several key governor’s races. General President Callahan then called on Director of Healthcare Initiatives Joanne Lye-McKay who reported on the IUOE Prescription Benefit Management Coalition and the move to OptumRx. Sister Lye-McKay reported on the power of coalition buying illustrated with our contracts with OptumRx, SwiftMD, and ULLICO. OptumRx’s Vice President, Vince Condino, reported on the status of rising costs and illustrated their goal is to grow the pharmacy coalition. Ms. Lye- McKay then asked Local 478’s Director of Health and Safety Kyle Zimmer to present important information on a new four-day training course directed at assisting Local Union benefit funds in develop their own Member Assistance Programs to help fight the opioid epidemic, behavioral health issues and suicide prevention. Brother Zimmer reported that classes will be offered at the ITEC this spring, and he showed a video in which IUOE members from across the country shared their stories about addiction, recovery, and behavioral health. General President Callahan announced that the IUOE is in the process of entering into an agreement with Built Robotics to help ensure that the IUOE would be at the forefront of the development and use of any automated equipment in the construction industry. He reported that Built Robotics is a company that is committed to developing ways to make construction safer and faster through automation. General President Callahan then called on Mr. Noah Ready-Campbell, the CEO and Founder of Built Robotics, to address the delegates and attendees. Mr. Ready-Campbell spoke about his company’s goals and shared some of the particular benefits that the IUOE would see as a result of its partnership with Built Robotics. General President Callahan then called on retired IUOE General Counsel Richard Griffin to address the delegates and attendees. He stated that Mr. Griffin was currently assisting the IUOE in his role as outside legal counsel with the law firm of Bredhoff & Kaiser. Mr. Griffin expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to be among friends and former colleagues from his many years with the IUOE legal department. Mr. Griffin spoke to the delegates and attendees about the current legal landscape as it affected organized labor and the IUOE in particular. There being no further business to come before the General Executive Board, General President Callahan adjourned the Open Session of the General Executive Board meeting. He advised the General Executive Board that the Closed Session of the meeting would reconvene at 12:30 p.m. Closed Session General President Callahan called the Closed Session of the General Executive Board meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. with all Board members previously present in attendance. Also present were Chief of Staff Joseph Giacin, General Counsel Brian Powers, Associate General Counsel Matt McGuire, Chief Financial Officer John Loughry, Director of Jurisdiction Terry George, Regional Directors Martin “Red” Patterson, Todd Smart, Carl Goff and Lionel Railton, and Assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer John “Jack” Ehrhardt. Northeast Regional Director Alan Pero was unavoidably absent and his absence was excused. Case No. 4 Construction Department Report Brother Joseph Giacin delivered his report to the Board in his capacity as IUOE Director of Construction reported to the Board on the status of the Orders Construction/ United Steelworkers vs. IUOE International & Local 18 arbitration that was conducted in November, in which the IUOE challenged Orders expansion into the State of Ohio as well as performance of work other than Highway/Bridge repair and into the construction of Waste Water Treatment Plants. Director Giacin reported that he was pleased with the preparation, cooperation and representation of Mr. Lucas Aubrey in his capacity as legal counsel to the NABTU during these proceedings. Director Giacin noted that Arbitrator Harden has not yet delivered a ruling in this case but that he would update the Board when a decision was issued. Director Giacin reported that due to the elimination of Coal Fired Powerplants, construction of the associated stack and chimney work has greatly diminished. He reported that the scope of work now being performed by the Specialty Stack & Chimney Contractors Association is the demolition of those plants being shutdown. He reported that the other associated trades had granted the elimination of any premiums for demolition work and the Association was requesting the IUOE follow suite in our stand-alone Demolition Addendum, but that the IUOE has not agreed to such concessions. Director Giacin reported on a policy change by the National Maintenance Agreement Policy Committee (NMAPC) regarding procedures when a contractor requests termination of their NMA to an affiliated International Union. He reported the effects that this could have on any future requests to the IUOE and the procedures that will be implemented. Case No. 5 Jurisdiction Report IUOE Director of Jurisdiction Terry T. George updated the General Executive Board about the ongoing issues with the outside lineman of the IBEW. Director George reported that the NLRB had moved forward with the 10-K hearings concerning the two contractors in California who were working on a Building Trades Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and assigned work of the IUOE to the outside wireman of the IBEW. He reported that the NLRB had not yet issued a final decision in those cases. Director George reiterated the IUOE’s dedication to protecting its craft jurisdiction, and he advised the Board that strategies were being formulated to properly address and resolve this issue going forward. Case No. 6 North Central Region Report North Central Regional Director Todd Smart reported the out of work numbers for the last quarter of 2018 mirrored the numbers from last year. He reported that having a wetter than normal fall contributed to the unemployment percentage. Brother Smart reported ample carryover work is expected to start the spring construction season. Director Smart reported on several large projects in the North Central Region that will provide work over the next several years: in Minnesota, Local 49 has the Southwest Light Rale project estimated at billion dollars; in Nebraska, Local 571 has the Facebook data center estimated at billion dollars; and the Martin Luther King Bridge in Local 520 at million dollars. Director Smart reported that Senate Bill 203 in Illinois passed both chambers with bipartisan majority in late November. Director Smart reported the bill will benefit all of the local unions in Illinois through Language in the bill which adds a framework establishing that prevailing wage rates are based on collective bargaining agreements per county. Director Smart reported on organizing victories and current campaigns in the region. Brother Smart reviewed the latest statistics for NLRB Elections conducted in the North Central Region. Director Smart reported on the new Rotating Equipment training curriculum being added to the SEATT program. He concluded his report by advising the Board that due to recent retirements, there were two new Business Managers in the Region: Alex Tetzlaf for Local 420 and Mark Johnson for Local 520. Case No. 7 Southern Region Report Southern Regional Director Martin Patterson reported on the out of work numbers from December 2017 through December 2018 for his Region. Director Patterson reported on Upcoming work in the region. He reported on ongoing jobs in the region and the locals that need operators from NCCCO Crane operators to finish grade dozers and excavator operators. Director Patterson then updated the Board regarding the ongoing supervision of two locals in the Southern Region. Brother Patterson concluded his report by updating the Board on the organizing efforts in the Region and listing some of the newly signed companies. Case No. 8 Western Region Report Western Regional Director Carl Goff reported on recent mergers of Local Unions in the Western Region. He reported on some of the successful midterm elections results that had occurred in his Region. Director Goff then updated the Board on some of the important organizing, agreement, negotiation, and jurisdictional efforts and issues within the Western Region. Director Goff also stated that some of his International Representatives and some Local 9 staff members have been attending the Governor’s task force meetings regarding employee misclassification. He also advised the Board that the Colorado Building Trades began discussions on repeal of the Colorado Peace Act and establishing a State Prevailing Wage. Director Goff reported that Local 280 Business Manager Debbie Hendrick retired December 31, 2018 and the 24 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER SUMMER 2019 25

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