29 June 2010

Brothers and Sisters, it has been an extremely busy year and continues to stay that way.  I have been able to visit most of you over the last few months and will get around to visit with the rest of you as soon as possible.

2010 has been the year of negotiations for a lot of the now 20 contracts that are under the Local and Local 392.  So far we have had negotiations with Kratos at Orogrande, which we finally got an agreement with after 2 years of negotiations and labor board charges.  We welcome the 21 new members in this Unit as Brothers and Sisters in Local Lodge 2515. 

We Negotiated the NASA Firemen of Local Lodge 392 a one year extension in hopes that all the protest on the Guard/Fireman contract will be settled and we then can negotiate a full agreement.

Pre-negotiations went on almost every weekend with either M-1, Glacier, and throughout the week with AhnTech, Jacobs, EASI, ZIA, DS-2, SGT, Calium, and Wackenhut .

Negotiations with Jacobs, EASI, SGT, Caluim, and Wackenhut are finished and  currently we are in negotiations with DS-2 in El Paso.  DS-2 is a Boarder Patrol/Customs, Aircraft maintenance Unit we picked up from the Southern Territory.  Still coming up this year are AhnTech, ZIA, EG&G, and Glacier, with the possibility of having to re-negotiate the Yulista contract when they change contractors in October.

Arbitrations continue to take place on what seems to be a regular basis.  We have won several and lost several.  Although the Arbitrations have slowed down, they have not stopped. 

Organizing is on the top of the list for the Local and New Mexico.  Any contacts that anyone has, please let me know and we will follow through with all leads.  As members you all know how much better we are off with a Collective Bargaining Agreement than you would be without one.  Show your friends and workers down the street what it has done for you.  With your help we can grow and help others have a better life with good wages and benefits.

It is a pleasure to serve the membership of Local Lodge 2515 and I always look forward to seeing each and everyone of you.  Remember to attend our local lodge meeting if you can and also remember that this is an election year.  The only way you can get the representative in office that promote labor and your ideals is to vote.  Your vote does count.  

Marion E. (Bud) Duryea 
DBR, IAM&AW, LL2515