JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 38165_GMP_Horizons_JanFeb17.indd 1 1/27/17 6:28 AM January/February 2017 Volume 68 · Number 1 ISSN # 1065-1640 / U.S.P.S. No. 215-300 An ofcial publication of The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC 608 East Baltimore Pike, Media, PA. 19063 610-565-5051 · [email protected] BRUCE R. SMITH International President Copyright 2016 by Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without CLAUDE BEAUDIN the written consent of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers. International Secretary-Treasurer Director of Research and Education PRINTED IN U.S.A. RICKEY HUNTER Published at 4801 Viewpoint Place, Cheverly, MD 20781, by the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics Vice President & Allied Workers. Postage paid at Media, PA, and additional mailing ofces. All Correspondence Bruce R. Smith to HORIZONS should be sent to: 608 E. Baltimore Pike, Media, PA 19063. BRENDA SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Vice President JERRY L. COTTON In this Issue: Vice President President Smith looks ahead at 2017 .....................................1 608 East Baltimore Pike Media, PA 19063 Hall-Woolford Wood Tanks Featured Employer .........................2–4 Steward Training ..................................................8–9 DAVID DOYLE Executive Director-Canada P.O. Box 20133 Woodstock, Ontario N4S 8X8 In an effort to GO GREEN Canada and become more environmentally GO GREEN conscious, we are offering EXECUTIVE OFFICERS HORIZONS online by visiting www.gmpiu.org BRUNO CYR RICK VITATOE DONALD CARTER Change of Address — Please use above address or email and include the following information: EDWARD BEDOCS • • • Name New Address Are You a Retiree? BENNETT SALLEMI • Social Security Number • Union Number • Your Signature LARRY HARRIS • Effective Date PETE JACKS DEATH BENEFIT DUES KIM MCNEIL MATTHEW MCCARTY In the event you leave employment seeking permanent and total disability, YOU MUST CONTINUE PAYING YOUR DEATH BENEFIT DUES until such time as permanent and total disability status is MARK SINGLETON established. As a general rule, disability determination routinely takes from 6 to 8 months. Please inform our ofce of such status and any overpayments will be refunded. INTERNATIONAL Do not permit your DEATH BENEFIT DUES to become delinquent over 90 days. All GMP members are responsible for making payments to maintain death benet eligibility. All early retirees are responsible REPRESENTATIVES for payment to age 65. If you are self-paying, indicate your local union number and forward your check to: DAVID HOFFMAN Claude Beaudin, International Secretary-Treasurer 608 E. Baltimore Pike, Media, PA 19063 STACEY ANDERSEN Persons wishing to report a death or discuss the death benet may call the Death Benet THOMAS GALLAGHER Department at 610-565-5051 ext. 221. Remember to update your beneciary card as needed. The beneciary of record is solely entitled to the Death Benet. CARLOS CONTRERAS All claims must be led within ve (5) years of death. 38165_GMP_Horizons_JanFeb17.indd 2 1/27/17 6:28 AM AS WE CHART OUR COURSE BRUCE R. SMITH INTO 2017 International President CLAUDE BEAUDIN s we enter 2017 I would like to GMP and be more committed than International Secretary-Treasurer wish our members, our GMP ever to helping everyone gain a voice Director of Research and Education A employees and all of your families on the job. a happy, healthy and successful New Year. Be politically active. Speak up and With the Holiday and New Year celebra- ght for the things we believe in. RICKEY HUNTER tions behind us we now turn our attention Look for the Union label and Made in Vice President Bruce R. Smith to the work that faces us in 2017. There is America when purchasing all goods BRENDA SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT much work to do in 2017. It will be a year and services. Vice President full of promise and challenges. This is a Remain diligent in working together JERRY L. COTTON transition year for the GMP itself. We will to achieve safe and healthy working Vice President be deeply engaged this year in the process conditions, effective joint health & safety committees, focus on eliminating 608 East Baltimore Pike of preparing for our formal merger with Media, PA 19063 the USW, which occurs on January 1, job hazards and unsafe conditions and 2018. While some of our members have develop effective work practices pro- already engaged with the USW as par- grams to guard against hazards before DAVID DOYLE ticipants in its various programs, others an employee is injured or becomes ill. Executive Director-Canada will get to participate with our staff at the Support all workers having the right to organize and collectively bargain as P.O. Box 20133 upcoming USW Convention in April. Woodstock, Ontario N4S 8X8 The USW Convention promises to be an Congress recognized in the preamble to Canada educational experience for all of us and the National Labor Relations Act. we are looking forward to building on the Demand a better social contract that lifts up all people and demands that EXECUTIVE OFFICERS relationships that will serve our members well for decades to come. A principal those who benet most from our work BRUNO CYR focus of the GMP at the USW Conven- share the wealth. RICK VITATOE tion will be to lay the groundwork for Call on our leaders in Washington to DONALD CARTER our vision for the GMP Council. We are govern for the people. excited to begin that process. Call for Government policies that cre- EDWARD BEDOCS With the New Year come New Year’s ate jobs with infrastructure investment BENNETT SALLEMI resolutions. For the GMP and its mem- and vigorous trade law enforcements, LARRY HARRIS bership, and the labor movement in rather than reliance on spending cuts PETE JACKS general, our resolutions must focus on and austerity. making sure that our voices are heard Vigorously oppose benet cuts to KIM MCNEIL by the new administration, that our Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. MATTHEW MCCARTY interests are protected and that the lives Support legislation to close tax loop- MARK SINGLETON of working people and their families holes that allow U.S. corporations to are improved. I see many challenges lower their effective tax rate when they INTERNATIONAL and difculties ahead; however, with send jobs overseas. REPRESENTATIVES commitment and dedication, we can Let us all commit to work hard in confront these challenges as a cohesive 2017, to ght for our very survival. DAVID HOFFMAN and robust force for positive change. Working people deserve to make more STACEY ANDERSEN Here are my proposed resolutions for than a decent living, we deserve a THOMAS GALLAGHER our membership in 2017: decent life. Together we can accomplish CARLOS CONTRERAS Get more involved to support and these goals and more. These are resolu- build your local union and a stronger tions worth ghting for all year long. January/February 2017 1 38165_GMP_Horizons_JanFeb17.indd 1 1/27/17 6:28 AM Pictured are Hall-Woolford employees working on a lifeguard stand that would later be donated to a city public pool. HALL-WOOLFORD WOOD TANKS FEATURED EMPLOYER 2 GMP Horizons 38165_GMP_Horizons_JanFeb17.indd 2 1/27/17 6:28 AM all-Woolford Tank Company Hall- Woolford employees standing inside was established in 1854. a tank as it is being installed at a Maryland Considered leaders in their middle school. H industry, their goal is to continue manufacturing, servicing, installing and inspecting wooden tanks the way it has always been meant; with care, quality and craftsmanship. Multi- generations of tank builders are employed and members of the GMP International Union and originally members of the Coopers Union. Producing a high volume of tanks per year, Hall-Woolford’s yard is continuously being replenished with the highest quality tank stock lumber. Particular attention is focused on raw material to meet rigid specications. Experienced craftsman select the right material to meet each custom- er’s needs. Although wood tanks all look the same when new, the qual- ity of the lumber will determine the longevity. At Hall-Woolford, a special relationship with lumber suppliers has been forged through the years. Each supplier understands their devo- tion to customer’s needs, and have satised their commitment to provid- ing only the nest lumber for each and every application. Hall-Woolford believes they’ve lasted the test of time because their customers come rst! HALL-WOOLFORD WOOD TANKS FEATURED EMPLOYER January/February 2017 3 38165_GMP_Horizons_JanFeb17.indd 3 1/27/17 6:28 AM Many services are offered by Hall- Woolford beyond tank manufacturing and installation to include: • Hot tub and planter manufacturing • Tank inspections • Tank repairs • Fabrication of industrial wood products • Supplying of tank accessories • Liner installation • Evaluation of historical wooden tanks Water tank installed in Downingtown, Pennsylvania on a hillside. 4 GMP Horizons 38165_GMP_Horizons_JanFeb17.indd 4 1/27/17 6:28 AM CARLOS CONTRERAS IS HIRED AS GMP INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE nternational President Bruce Smith has named Carlos Contreras to the GMP Staff as an International Representative and will service the Southeast Locals. I Carlos started his career at Gallo Glass located in California in 1988. Carlos has served many positions for Local Union 17 to include from 1991 to 2003 as Shop Steward, a trustee from 2000 to 2003, Local Union Vice President from 2003 to 2006 and Local Union President from 2006 to 2016. In addition to his Local Union positions Carlos has been appointed to the Resolutions Committee in 2008, the Law Committee in 2012 and 2016 and elected to the 2010 and 2014 Western Hemispheric Conference. Carlos has attended the GMP Summer School at West Virginia University as a 1st and 2nd year student and also attended Grievance Arbitration at the University of Wisconsin.