Craftsman Article September 2018

Brothers and Sisters the temperatures are finally giving us a break here in Texas. This Summer was brutally hot but, never fret Fall has arrived.

The Union and Fox 4/KDFW-TV met on September 20th, to attempt to negotiate a contract settlement. Unfortunately, the parties were unable to reach an agreement. The Union has been and continues to be very reasonable. The Company wants to strip the employees of their job protections by removing Jurisdictional language from the contract that would allow anyone to perform their work. The Union Committee voiced the workers concerns regarding job safety. This September a man drove a truck into the station backed up and drove into the building again. There was an unfortunate Tweet from KDFW/Fox 4.

 Then Committee member Gnann wrote; Thursday’s unfortunate Tweet has now placed a very real target on us nationwide. The protesters last night were protesting FOX4 because of our coverage.

 Please exercise the greatest caution in and around the station and on assignments. Leave assignments that are not safe and decline assignments that are high risk especially when you are alone. You were provided a laminated crew safety card, follow those guidelines. Crews that are appearing live repeatedly in the same location should especially be alert. We all want to do our jobs but given our current standing in the public a much higher level of caution is appropriate. If the Management is unwilling to provide us with security, they should not expect us to risk our lives for coverage. For them it’s a money issue. Your life and limb is more valuable than money.

The Union Committee has been very reasonable trying to negotiate a contract at FOX4.

The officers of Local 69 are working on a schedule for IBEW members at Oncor Electric Delivery to vote on a one (1) year contract extension with a three percent (3%) wage increase. When the schedule is complete the Union office will email the schedule to members we have good email addresses for. Please share the schedule with your crew members. Once you know the date and time of the meeting in your area ask your Supervisor if he is aware that there is a meeting that has been approved by HR and it is imperative you attend.  If there are members that are not being released to attend the vote that is scheduled for your area please call or text me immediately so I can notify an HR Representative.

Until next time may God bless you, your family, our local union, and the United States of America.

Fraternally yours,

Bobby W. Reed

Craftsman Article August 2018

Brothers and Sisters, I am blessed to be able to address the members of IBEW Local 69  and the world  with  IBEW Local 69 business in this August Craftsman Article. I hope all are well! The coming months are important times for workers. The elections are approaching, hold it don’t stop reading. I want to encourage all IBEW members to vote in the upcoming elections and vote for the candidate that best represents you in the workplace. California as well as many other states pass progressive labor laws because the people of those states vote for their job first. The catch is after figuring out to vote for your job it’s getting people motivated to go vote!  Life is busy, but we are talking about our working conditions.

In the month of August, WFAA-TV /Tegna and IBEW Local 69 were successful at reaching agreement on a salary increase of 1.5% for all bargaining unit employees with a merit component. Thank you Paulette and all the bargaining unit members at Channel 8 for all you do.

IBEW Local 69 contacted a Federal Mediator to see if FOX-TV is interested in becoming engaged in contract mediations to explore possibilities how we may reach a contract agreement. We await a response. Up to now FOX has been unreasonable wanting the Union to forfeit job protections by conceding Job Jurisdictions so Management can perform the work or put more work on non-bargaining unit employees.

IBEW Local 69 and Oncor Electric Delivery were in court on August 22, 2018, at the NLRB in Ft. Worth, Texas, regarding the Company not supplying the Union with information needed to process grievances affectively. We wait on the legal system for a decision. Local 69 and Oncor are scheduled for a quarterly meeting on August 28th to discuss the number of employees or the lack of employees and safety. We will discuss “open enrollment”; don’t forget to enroll. Oncor Electric Delivery has offered IBEW Local 69 members contract options this year. The Company will extend the provisions of the current Labor Agreement for one, two, or three years with a 3% pay increase each year. If the Company’s offer of a one, two, or three year contract extension with a three percent wage increase for each year is unacceptable the Union and Company will  begin contract negotiations. IBEW Local 69 leadership will be coming to a place near you in the very near future to discuss and vote on the Company’s offer.

Until next time may God bless you and your family our local union and the United States of America.

Fraternally yours,

Bobby W. Reed