IUOE Local 877 Spring Newsletter

Union of Operating Engineers,

NEW BENEFITS

members and retirees now have new benefits at NO COST TO YOU. sponsored with American Income Life Insurance Company, a 100% union for more than 50 years.

Death and Dismemberment Benefit

$2,500 – Member & Retiree

EVERY MEMBER AND RETIREE TO RETURN ENCLOSED CARD TO RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATE DESIGNATE YOUR BENEFICIARY. designate your beneficiary, the $2,500 would paid to your estate and may be taxable.

receive a HEALTH SERVICES DISCOUNT CARD for your family discounts of 20 – 60% on:

Prescriptions

• Vision Care/Products

• Chiropractic Care Optional discount dental is available.

Hearing Care

member of OPEIU Local 277, will call on you to witness your beneficiary other no-cost benefits. AIL has other supplemental insurance programs, Union – Buy Union,” available strictly on a voluntary basis. If you have Income Life Insurance Company at 1-800-495-1213 or Vivian Dwyer at

SPOTLIGHT: GILLETTE STADIUM

Jerry

Business Manager’s Report

Brothers and Sisters, Spring has sprung, and I hope you’re enjoying the warmer weather with your family and friends. At Local 877, we think there’s no better way to celebrate spring (and all year long) than by fighting for workers and their families.

As your labor union, we never stop fighting for over 1,300 members of Local 877. Together, we have secured several new contracts with familysustaining wages and benefits. Learn more about our recent bargaining victories on page 4.

Our union is proud to support all levels of education for our members and their families. After a threeyear hiatus, we’re pleased to bring back both our popular Scholarship program and Golf Tournament. Don’t miss the opportunity to help raise funds for this worthy cause while enjoying friendly competition at our 2023 Scholarship Golf Tournament in September. Learn more on pages 8-9.

International Union of Operating

LOCALS 147, 147-A, 147-B, 147-C,

Every May 1, we celebrate International Workers’ Day (also known as May Day) to honor the historic gains and ongoing struggles of the labor movement. Without unions, we wouldn’t have a minimum wage, 8-hour workdays, weekends, or paid time off. Learn more about this important holiday on page 5.

As always, thank you for keeping our union strong. Members like you make IUOE Local 877 the thriving union it is.

In

Solidarity, Mike Cannistraro Business Manager & President

Local 877 at IUOE 40th General Convention in Hollywood, Florida. From left: Shawn Ballard, Mike Cannistraro, Jack Mucciarone, Brian Curran.

Recent Contract Wins

When we work together, we win together!

Local 877 members deserve familysustaining wages and benefits in exchange for the skill and experience they bring to the job site every day. As your union, we will continue fighting for contracts prioritizing your needs.

We are proud to report that IUOE Local 877 members at the following locations have ratified their contracts:

♦ Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

♦ Emerson Hospital

♦ Faulkner Hospital

♦ JP Morgan Retail Rovers (JLL)

♦ LB&B Associates Inc. / Dae Sung, LLC

♦ Novartis Docks

♦ Novartis Trades

♦ Volpe Building (SDAC)

Celebrating May Day and the Labor Movement

May 1 is International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. This is a time to honor the historic gains and ongoing struggles of workers and the labor movement. Do you know the history behind this important holiday?

On May 1, 1886, workers across America organized a massive strike to demand an 8-hour workday and safer working conditions. An estimated 300,000 to half a million workers, many of them immigrants, rallied and paraded in cities throughout the country. In Boston, an estimated 25,000 workers participated in the strike. May 1 was officially recognized as International Workers’ Day a few years later in 1889, and has been celebrated worldwide ever since.

While it would take many years for workers to win better wages and conditions on the job, that first May Day was a milestone for solidarity among workers everywhere. May Day has become an annual celebration reminding us of the importance of coming together to fight for workers’ rights. That fight is far from over, as many workers still face unfair treatment and illegal union-busting tactics.

Here at Local 877, we proudly celebrate May Day and the many essential victories of the labor movement. Without unions, there would be no minimum wage, paid time off, or 40-hour workweeks. When workers organize, workers win — and everyone benefits.

Worksite Spotlight:

GILLETTE STADIUM

The next time you watch a Patriots home game and your eye wanders to the logos on the wall wrapped around the perimeter of Gillette Stadium, you’ll be looking at the hard work of Local 877 members. A team of Local 877 members is responsible for setting up and taking down that wall wrap before and after every Patriots game. It’s just one of 877 members’ jobs at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, to keep our favorite team’s home stadium up and running.

Local 877 members are part of a group of workers, including union plumbers, electricians, painters, carpenters, laborers, HVAC workers, dock workers, and general maintenance technicians who keep Gillette Stadium running for games, concerts, rallies, and more. 877 workers in the Operations Department set up for events, fix problems from broken seats to holes in the walls and lead maintenance work at the stadium. “We do it all,” says Adam Curelop, the

shop steward. They are employed by UG2, a new contractor that stands out for giving 877 members the strong wages, family-sustaining benefits, and safe working conditions they deserve.

Sometimes, Local 877 members working at Gillette Stadium bump into famous people – but they’re unfazed by the sports stars, singers, and politicians they rub shoulders with. For Local 877 members, it’s all in a day’s work.

After a brief hiatus, we are excited to announce that the IUOE Local 877 Scholarship Golf Tournament is back! The shotgun-style tournament will take place on Monday, September 18, 2023 at the New England Country Club in Bellingham, MA.

Don’t miss this chance to enjoy friendly competition with your union brothers and sisters while raising funds to help ensure our young people are able to pursue their college dreams.

The deadline to register is Friday, September 1, 2023. Visit our website for more information and registration form.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are pleased to announce that all members and retirees now have new benefits These benefits are jointly sponsored with American Income Life Insurance company servicing working families for more than 50 years.

WE ASK EVERY MEMBER AND RETIREE TO RETURN THE ENCLOSED CARD TO RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATE AND DESIGNATE YOUR BENEFICIARY. If you do not designate your beneficiary, the $2,500 be paid to your estate and may be taxable.

Apply for Scholarship Fund Awards

We are pleased to announce that we are bringing back the IUOE Local 877 Scholarship Fund Awards this year.

Local 877 is proud to make a difference in the lives of hardworking students and help put them on the path to success. Through these scholarship programs, our members can give back to our communities and the next generation. We are thrilled to continue this initiative for years to come!

In order to be eligible for an award, the student must:

࢚ Be the child or grandchild of a current Local 877 member in good standing

࢚ Be enrolled in or accepted into an accredited post-high school education institution

࢚ Complete the scholarship application

࢚ Submit an official copy of his or her most recent school transcripts

࢚ Copies or printouts from the school’s website will not be accepted

࢚ Submit a 500-word essay

Applications will open soon! To learn more about the program or make a donation to scholarship fund, visit IUOELocal877.com.

Resources for IUOE Members

Balancing work and life can be a challenge. We’ve all had to deal with a bad day at work or stress at home. Just like we take care of our physical health, we must also take care of our mental health.

As an IUOE Local 877 member, you can access free counseling, substance abuse resources, and more through Modern Assistance. This benefit provides a full range of services for eligible members and their dependents. They offer individual counseling around a variety of issues, including alcohol or substance abuse, anxiety, depression, grief, work-life stress, gambling problems, relationship issues, and a spectrum of other behavioral health disorders.

For 34 years, Modern Assistance has been New England’s leader in providing mental and physical health resources to construction and trade unions. When you reach out, you will be put in touch with experienced counselors who truly understand the needs of IUOE 877 members.

You can contact Modern Assistance anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls to Modern Assistance are confidential. Call (800) 878-2004 or scan the QR code to visit their website. Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanishspeaking staff are also available.

Your Weingarten Rights

Union members are entitled to union representation, particularly during disciplinary investigations, where an employer may attempt to coerce them into making incriminating statements against themselves or their colleagues. That means you never have to face your boss or HR alone; you can ask for your union representative to be present.

This right to representation is referred to as an employee’s Weingarten rights and was established in a 1975 United States Supreme Court decision, NLRB v. Weingarten, Inc.

Suppose you are called into a meeting with management and believe that

disciplinary action may occur. In that case, you should invoke their Weingarten rights by reading the following statement to management:

“If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I request my union representative be present at the meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any questions.”

Please cut out the card below and keep it on you. If you do not feel comfortable reading the above statement, you can present the card to management.

Your Right to Union Representation

If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I request my union representative be present at the meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any questions.

This is my right under the 1975 U.S. Supreme Court Weingarten decision

89 Access Road, Unit 4

Norwood, MA 02062

Upcoming Meetings

Attending our union meetings can be a great way to learn more about what is going on with our union and how you can be involved. Mark your calendars and bring a friend!

Meetings are held at 6:00 pm on the third Thursday of every month. They will take place at VFW Norwood (193 Dean Street, Norwood, MA 02062).

♦ Thursday, June 15

Meetings are suspended in July and August and will resume in September.

♦ Thursday, September 21

♦ Thursday, October 19

♦ Thursday, November 16

Never forget a meeting by signing up for email and text alerts through the Member Portal.