55796_EB_Sept.qxd 10/20/09 4:46 PM Page 1 SEPTEMBER 2009 USS Springfield Arrives at Shipyard For Maintenance, Modernization Chief Docking Engineer Bob Judd directs the placement of USS Springfield (SSN-761) in Graving Dock 2 as the submarine arrives at the Groton shipyard earlier this month for maintenance and modernization work. (See related story, page 5.) INSIDE Earned Hours • 3 $125,000 To Be Raffled In COMMUNITY SERVICES FALL CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF It All Counts Program • 4 OCT.19 Marine News Roundup • 5 EDITOR’S NOTE: With the 2009 What are the goals of this year’s campaign? Employees Community Services Welcome To Electric Boat • 5 Nardone. We’re currently at 78 or 79 percent participation annual fall fund drive scheduled and our goal for this year is to push that rate to the mid 80s. School To Career: to run from Oct.19 through Nov. Full Circle For One Mentor • 6 6, Groton campaign chairmen We’ve done well with new hires over the last few years. Starting with the orientation process, the union leadership talks to them Navy Department Leadership Bob Nardone, VP of Human Tours Electric Boat • 7 Resources & Administration; about Community Services Association and United Way. So Bob Canova, president of the really from day one, we start to educate new employees about Health Matters • 8 / 9 MDA-UAW; and Ken DelaCruz, the services provided by both organizations. We also want to Retirees • 9 president of the MTC, partici- increase the contribution each employee makes. pated in an EB News interview Classified / Ethics • 10 to discuss details of the cam- Canova. There’s also leadership giving ($1,000 per year or more). Our goal this year is to increase the membership in this Service Awards • 11 paign and its importance to the community. group – the Spinnaker Club – by 30 individuals. In addition, Safety Performance • 12 continued on page 2 55796_EB_Sept.qxd 10/20/09 4:46 PM Page 2 Community Services Fall Campaign Kicks Off Oct. 19 continued from page 1 cut, but some of it is funneled to other we’re encouraging the 343 current mem- United Ways on the basis of employees’ bers to increase their weekly or bi-weekly zip codes. So actually, the money goes amount or their level of contribution. back to your community. DelaCruz. I think it’s important to The Community Services Association mention what Community Services is keeps some money that’s used for emer- about. It’s a combination of labor and gency loans to employees, fuel assistance, management working together. While and layoff assistance, for example. Com- there are some issues we have disagree- munity Services also makes direct dona- ments on, over the years labor and man- tions to charitable organizations in the agement have made great strides working area that aren’t United Way agencies. together to benefit our community. All segments of the organization are What percentage of each involved. employee’s contribution actually goes to these charitable We have volunteers in every organiza- Ken DelaCruz, president of the MTC tion – hourly, salaried, union, manage- organizations? ment – who conduct employee meetings Canova. 100 percent of the dona- and talk about the cause of Community tions collected at Electric Boat go to the Services and United Way. Community Services Association. There are no costs taken out of the contribu- Canova. There’s a core committee tions. Electric Boat provides whatever that’s been working in the background money is needed for administration and for the last several months to prepare for overhead. So every dollar of what you the campaign – to get the volunteers, the give goes to the charitable agencies. presenters, to set up the times and loca- tions for the solicitation meetings. How do you persuade employee Employees attending those meetings view to participate in the campaign, a joint Community Services/United Way given the challenging economic video, and hear the presentations from environment we’re in? their fellow employees. We’ll also bring in DelaCruz. The most effective people who’ve benefitted from United approach is when people from Electric Way to talk to the groups. Boat or outside the company get up in Bob Nardone, VP of Human DelaCruz. The success of the Com- front of the employee groups and talk Resources & Administration munity Services fund drive is really due about how the services have impacted to the volunteers who make the cam- their lives. I think in this economy, every- paigns work smoothly. These are the peo- body recognizes that there’s a lot of pain ple who talk to their co-workers about and suffering going on, that there are a how their donations will affect the lives lot of people who aren’t as lucky as we of people less fortunate than we are. I are who don’t have good, full-time pay- take my hat off to them as well as all the ing jobs. The compassion of the Electric people who contribute. It’s a wonderful Boat people is invigorating – every year, program and I really enjoy being a part they add just a little bit more to their of it. contribution. We’re helping better the lives of a lot of people in the commu- Where does the money go? nity who are suffering. Canova. All the money collected Electric Boat employees across the goes to the Electric Boat Employees organization understand that the contri- Community Services Association, which bution they make will help someone Bob Canova, president of the is a joint union/salaried organization. who’s a little less fortunate than they are. MDA-UAW The bulk of the money goes to the I’m overwhelmed by the level of contri- United Way of Southeastern Connecti- continued on page 3 2 I September 2009 I ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS 55796_EB_Sept.qxd 10/20/09 4:46 PM Page 3 Dan Barrett, Editor Bob Gallo, Gary Slater, Gary Hall, Photography Electric Boat News is published monthly by the Public Affairs Department, 75 Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT 06340 Phone (860) 433-8202 Fax (860) 433-8054 Email [email protected] Earned Hours: Where We Stand continued from page 2 bution that’s made every year – this is Electric Boat Receives something that we at Electric Boat have worked on constantly and Commendable Rating improved. Canova. The unique part of the In Industrial Security Inspection Community Services campaign is that there’s no line beween hourly, salaried, lectric Boat received a “Commendable” rating following the union or management. EB employees Industrial Security Compliance Inspection performed earlier this – no matter what the challenge is – get Emonth by the Defense Security Service. The focus of the inspec- the job done. The Community Serv- tion was the company’s compliance with DoD requirements for the han- ices campaign is no different. We as a dling, marking and safeguarding of classified information. group always choose to rise up and “This result is a clear indication of the meet the challenge. Our employees This result is a clear effort and awareness exhibited by Electric understand that the dollars they con- indication of the effort and Boat employees in the execution of their secu- tribute add up and go to the commu- rity responsibilities,” said Director of Security nities where the money is needed. awareness exhibited by Kevin Cassidy. “The nature of our business Nardone. We had a record year Electric Boat employees in requires that we maintain a security program ‘‘ that safeguards the sensitive information last year and it’s not because of the three of us. We have an internal cam- the execution of their received and generated as a result of our con- paign committee that organizes the security responsibilities tract performance.” group meetings and ensures that During the audit, particular emphasis was thousands of employees hear the mes- placed on classified processing on Automated Information Systems and sage. That’s no small feat. They and how Electric Boat deters counter intelligence threats. our employees deserve a lot of credit. “As Electric Boat continues to perform on classified contracts, it is criti- They make it happen. cally important that’’ employees are aware and comply with their responsi- Canova. It’s going to be a chal- bilities to properly process and safeguard classified information,” Cassidy lenge this year because of the econ- said. Any questions regarding your security responsibilities should be omy. Can we do this? I think the sim- addressed to the Industrial Security Compliance Office, ext. 38449. ple answer is, yes we can. ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS I September 2009 I 3 55796_EB_Sept.qxd 10/20/09 4:46 PM Page 4 $125,000 To Be Raffled In It All Counts Program between Dec. 1, 2008, and Nov. 30, 2009: Please note: one entry per reminder to all employees: Smoking Cessation Program employee/spouse. The company health Electric Boat’s It All (Smoking cessation programs must be plan, UnitedHealthcare, will record when Counts program is under A approved by the facility’s medical director.) you or your spouse has an annual physical way. This health and wellness initiative and/or completes the health risk question- An on-line Health Risk Ques- provides opportunities for employees to naire. tionnaire (Log on to myuhc.com.) maintain good health and win one of House Calls and Know Your Num- nearly 150 prizes totaling $125,000. A complete annual physical bers entries will be tracked by the Yard The program is open to all employees. from your primary care physician Hospital at Groton and the Medical Dis- Spouses covered under one of EB’s House Calls / Know Your Num- pensary at Quonset Point.