Greetings Brothers & Sisters:
Happy holidays, Local 332! My hope is for everyone to be healthy, and hopefully, you’ve all found those gifts the kids absolutely need.
This is the time of year when everything becomes hectic, and chaos reigns on our schedules. These few months at the end of the year can be a roller coaster. Please appreciate every moment right after you buckle your seat belts, and enjoy your ride. Please take the time to reward yourself for the hard work you do for your families. They are the reason we get up in the morning, so please stay in the moment with them this holiday season.
Roughly six months into my tenure as business manager, two contracts are complete. The S&C negotiations were a record deal at $16.50 over four years with solid language updates that were long overdue. I will wager that most of you didn’t know our S&C members didn’t have an established work week, and a lot of members weren’t paid on Wednesdays. Now they have an established week, employers are penalized if they do not pay on time, and all 332 members are now on the same pay schedule.
I was asked to be on the CE/CW negotiations team, and my first response was “Go f#*k yourself! We don’t do that here.” Then after consideration, I joined the district negotiation team to prevent being told how the classification was going to be used in OUR jurisdiction. I will never allow terms to be dictated to our 332 membership! The CE/CW classification was awarded a record three-year deal totaling $8.25 with NO new scope in Santa Clara County. While this is the largest increase for the CE/CW classification, my previous statement still stands.
What is ahead for 332 in ’24? Negotiations, negotiations, and more negotiations! We will be working on the inside, residential, material handlers, City of San Jose electricians, and OPEIU contracts for our office staff. We are the largest inside local in Northern California, and I firmly believe our membership is the best in the Bay. I believe we get money and conditions every time we sit at the bargaining table. Be ready for a lot of communication from me this spring, because I want to know what’s important to you. Be safe brothers and sisters, and enjoy your holidays!
Always Union,
Javier M. Casillas
Business Manager
Highlights from the Business Manager:
- $16.50 over four years for Sound & Communications
- UAS benefits rep starts at the hall Jan. 2, 1:30-5pm daily to answer questions.
- New business agents starting in the hall in the spring.
- More grievances and record wage awards to members filed in years!
- I/O stewards class taught and more stewards have been appointed.
- National comet class TTT scheduled at the ETASV in the spring.
- Political action: It’s a big election year, and we’ll be activating our members for both the March primary and the November general elections to elect labor-friendly candidates.
