UE NEWS Updates

UE General President Peter Knowlton was one of four labor leaders who addressed the inaugural conference of the Sanders Institute, “The Gathering,” last weekend. The Sanders Institute brings together organizers, educators and progressive elected officials to promote progressive solutions to economic, environmental, racial and social justice issues.

The UE Local 506 Sports Committee takes their commitment to veterans seriously — but not too seriously to have fun. Since 1996, they have raised $319,873 for the Erie VA Medical Center with a variety of events that bring UE members and their families together, honor veterans’ service, and raise money to meet the needs of local veterans.

Members of UE Local 123, who make commercial HVAC systems for Daikin, were recently told that their employer plans to move some of their work to Mexico. The boss is also is requesting that workers take a voluntary six-week furlough due to the company being in a financial hardship.

Yet at the same time the company plans for employees to stay home from work on unemployment, it is scheduling union members and other hourly employees to work beyond the maximum twenty-six weekends a calendar year allowed by the collective bargaining agreement between Daikin and the local union.

UE’s Eastern Region held its fall council meeting on Saturday, October 27, with Eastern Region President Donna Morgan welcoming guests from the Northeast Region who were there to observe and discuss a proposal to restructure UE’s regions. Northeast Region President Elizabeth Jesdale briefly addressed the council meeting, emphasizing the importance of face-to-face relationships between UE members to build trust and relationships, especially during the hard times that the union is currently facing.