2000 Year in Review

Dear Member:

As we turned the corner into a new millennium, we were all relieved to not have suffered from the Y2K Bug.  Executive Board Triennial elections along with presidential elections made for an active political year.  Major milestones were achieved with the signing of a Company Profit Sharing Agreement and the establishment of the Maine Maritime Academy Associate of Science Degree program for apprentices.  Workload concerns and layoffs are never pleasant topics and the year 2000 brought with it reductions in the Electrical and Piping disciplines.  On the positive side, our annual picnic held at Lake Compounce this year was a huge success and all participants also enjoyed our annual golf tournament.

What will 2001 provide us with?  It is hard to predict.  Workload will still be an issue.  The Membership must be diligent in watchdogging bargaining unit work.  Enjoy the holidays and let's all prepare to face the New Year with a positive outlook, high expectations, and renewed ambition.

Have a safe and happy "Holiday Season".

JANUARY

• Computer upgrades at the Union office were completed during the shutdown thanks to the efforts of Beau St. Hilaire and Jason Thompson.

FEBRUARY

• Paul Garry and Bob Voss were put in charge of coordinating volunteers for the July OPSAIL 2000 celebration.

MARCH

• The Join Apprentice Committee called a special forum to update apprentices on the status and expectations of the program.
• The University of Connecticut conducted an 8-week course on councillor training and labor studies for 16 councillors, which ended in April 2000.

APRIL

• Councillor elections took place in 27 geographic areas.
• $500.00 Profit Sharing agreement signed by Union and Company in accordance with side memo of agreement #106 of the 1999 negotiations.
• Workers Memorial Ceremonies were held at Washington Park.

MAY

• A special General Membership Meeting was held for the purpose for nominating candidates for the Executive Board and Members At Large.
• The MDA-UAW Veterans Committee and volunteers collected over $1200.00 in donations for the Vietnam Moving Wall Memorial visit.

JUNE

• Newly elected officers, Executive Board members and members-at-large were sworn into office at the General Membership Meeting.
• The General Membership voted to move the quarterly membership meetings from Sunday mornings to Monday afternoons.
• Six winners of the E. Roy Colville & John F. Saffomilla scholarships were announced and received their awards.
• A fundraiser was held at The Italian Club in New London for Sam Gejdenson.

JULY

• The annual picnic held at Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT was a resounding success.
• Members and their families enjoyed a night at the ball park on "Bat Night" at Dodd Stadium.

AUGUST

• Newly printed By-Law books were distributed to the membership.
• An agreement was reached between the Union, Company and Maine Maritime Academy to enroll graduating apprentices to enroll in an Associate of Science Degree program in Ship System Design Technology.

SEPTEMBER

• Training for Administrative Aides on various computer programs was made available.
• An ambitious vote registration program was adopted by the Union.
• The first Main Maritime Academy classes began via a telecommunications network. (A milestone was reached.)
• The 7th Annual Golf Tournament held at Cedar Ridge Golf Course was a tremendous success.
• Company announces that effective January 1, 2000 they will no longer be utilizing United Health as the insurance provider for Rhode Island residents.  It will be replaced with Colonial Cooperative Care (CCC) and National Prescription Administrators (NPA) for prescription drug coverage.  Union grieves.

OCTOBER

• A new computer literacy course was instituted for apprentices.
• President Olsson was called upon to describe the collaborative bargaining process used by the MDA-UAW Local 571 and the Company at the General Dynamics UAW Council Conference.

NOVEMBER

• Local 571 members and retirees volunteered time for phone banking, literature distribution and rallies during the state and national election campaigns.
• Graduation ceremonies took place at the Mystic Hilton for the Apprentice Classes for 1997, 1998, & 1999. Councillors Beau St. Hilaire and Jason Thompson earned the Outstanding MDA-UAW Apprentice Awards.
• UAW Local 571 Veterans Committee raised $1200.00 on Veterans Day through their Buddy Poppy Fund Drive.

DECEMBER

• The annual holiday dinner dance was held at the Groton Inn & Suites.
• The Company distributed Holiday turkeys on December 13th and 14th.
• Union negotiated profit sharing checks of $500.00 were distributed to all MDA-UAW members.
• Many MDA-UAW members were able to use Union negotiated "floating holidays" to compensate for Christmas shutdown days.