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Union Security
Community Services The Electric Boat Employee Community Services Association is a union and company organization. We established federated giving on a basis which will free employees from the numerous financial appeals at work and at home by organized national and local social service agencies. Funds are provided through employee contributions by payroll deduction and then allocated to approved health and welfare agencies dependent upon voluntary contributions, which help them carry on their social welfare service programs. The United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is one way we touch many in our community, It is a voluntarily run organization in which many union members participate in capacities such as the board of directors, loaned executives, and committees. The officers of Local 571 of the United Auto Workers are in full support of this year's Electric Boat Community Service Association drive. History
The Early Years The Electric Boat Company subsequently became the cornerstone of General Dynamics Corporation with the advent of the nuclear submarine in the early 1950s and has since been the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation. The "Port of New London" designation was significant throughout the 1940s to distinguish between a number of MDA's which were member unions of the "National Council of Marine Draftsmen" (which was later changed to the "National Council of Engineers, Draftsmen and Associates" in 1945). This small national union had member groups from Seattle, Washington on the West Coast; Beaumont, Texas and Tampa, Florida on the Gulf Coast; shipyards on the East Coast from Savannah, Georgia to Bath, Maine (including Newport News, Virginia; Sunship in Chester, Pennsylvania; New York Ship in Camden, New Jersey; Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts; Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York and Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut) and major marine architectural firms in the New York City area including Gibbs and Cox and George Sharp. After World War II, shipbuilding declined and all of the marine design units experienced major layoffs. One by one the member unions withdrew from all National Council (MDA Port of New London withdrew in April of 1948 with the recommendation that the National Council be "put in mothballs" until there was an upswing in the shipbuilding industry). On July 1, 1948 with only MDA Bath, Maine and MDA New York Ship remaining as member unions, the recommendation to discontinue the National Council was adopted. Throughout the ensuing years there were sporadic efforts to encourage a continuing relationship between the various design groups for the purpose of exchanging contract data and information of mutual interest to members of the marine design community. However, without a national organization to coordinate communication and provide a nucleus, they gradually drifted in different directions. The fate of most of the groups which had comprised the National Council of Marine Draftsmen is not now known although it is believed that MDA-Bath, Maine is the only group which continues to function as an independent union. The size of MDA, Port of New London bargaining unit had grown dramatically throughout the first 25 years of its existence. From fewer than 100 members in its early years it had grown to a peak of more than 2,600 members in the late 1960s. In more recent years the bargaining unit had remained relatively stable at approximately 1,600 to 1,800 members. On August 3, 1982 the MDA, Port of New London voted to affiliate with the International Union, United Auto Workers to become MDA-UAW Local 571. The significance of the number 571 is that it is also most known as being the hull number of the world's first nuclear powered submarine, SSN571 Nautilus (or the "571 boat" as it is affectionately known) which was designed by the members of Local 571.
Organizational
Structure The International Union provides support and assistance to the various local unions in the form of trained staff representatives to assist in contract negotiations and arbitrations of grievances, providing assistance from the legal department, providing membership education and recreation programs, providing strike benefits (currently $150 per week, plus free continuation of medical insurance coverage), and numerous other services and benefits. The day-to-day functional operation of the union is carried out through the Councillors and Grievance Representatives who report to one of the five principal officers of the Local on the basis of a geographic assignment and members of various committees. The five principal officers and the committee chair in turn report to the President. The Executive Board and the Executive Council meet monthly (usually at the Union Office which is located at 394 Tollgate Road in Groton). The General Membership meetings are held quarterly (March, June, September and December) and are usually held at Ocean Beach Park in New London.
Union Publications/Member Communications The Local Union circulates notices to the membership throughout the plant on route sheets which are circulated and maintained by the Councillors. Our newsletter, Soundings, is distributed by the Councillors. |
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