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Another sick-leave grievance arose, this time in the Milwaukee office involving Local Secretary Cindy Tuczynski. Cindy was denied use of sick time to attend to an ailing spouse. Like two other similar grievances, the Local prevailed on the issue, this time at Step One of the Grievance Process.

The number of responses to the Health Insurance Survey was modest. No overwhelming number of complaints were expressed although approximately 10% of the membership had complaints about diminished coverage or claims processing.

Lasik eye surgery continues to be covered and paid for at least for now although we have been hearing for awhile that it will not (or no longer be) covered.

3 Year Trustee Nominations forms were mailed last week. Responses are due 8/23/01 (post-marked date). Phil Hart (Illinois) is the incumbent.

The Constitutional Amendment provisions were approved by the membership. Final approval of AFSCME International President, Gerald McIntee, is now pending.

New Field Captain in Indiana/Kentucky:
Phil Hart (Illinois) is succeeding Laurel Richardson (Ft. Wayne, IN) as Indiana/Kentucky Region Field Captain. Laurel remains as Area Rep. in the Ft. Wayne area.

This arbitration has had to be rescheduled. Plan presenter, Deb Brouwer, had a fall and became injured Monday night. The extent of her injuries are not known at this time. More info to follow.

Kathleen Perry Arbitration to be heard Tuesday 7/24:
The Kathleen Perry/Real Estate practice Arbitration is scheduled to be heard in Cleveland. It is expected to be a one day hearing, probably taking no more than half a day. Vice President Tim Holder will testify about the history of attorneys doing part time work and how it does not interfere with their work with the Plan. Grievant Kathleen Perry will also be there to testify. AFSCME Council 66 Rep Peter Nickles will present the case.

The Local will run an election this year for one position:
the 3 year Trustee position presently held by Phil Hart (Illinois). Nomination forms will be sent by mid-August.

Health Insurance Survey: The Union has posted an online Health Insurance Survey and urges members to complete it and return it to the Local as soon as possible. The Survey is designed to gather necessary information to frame and support potential grievances over health insurance issues.

Indy Merger Items: Local #3357 has received $6,000. in funds representing the close-out of balances of the former AFSCME Local #2441 in Indiana, due to the merger of that Local with ours. An upcoming vote of the membership to revise the 3357 Constitution to ratify expansion of our jurisdiction will completely formalize the merger, if approved.

Arbitration Updates: The Local has 2 grievances scheduled for arbitration: on 7/24/01, a hearing in Cleveland, Ohio will occur on Kathleen PerryÍs (Mansfield, Ohio) right to engage in a part-time real estate business. On October4 -5, 2001 a hearing in Toledo, Ohio will be held on whether the Plan was justified in filing an unsatisfactory work performance notice regarding former Local President, M.J. Van Sickle (Defiance, Ohio).

Health Insurance Survey: A survey of memberÍs opinions and experience the Plan-provided Great-West Insurance health coverage will be sent to members soon. A key issue is whether Great-WestÍs refusal to cover elective lasik eye surgery is in violation of the CBA agreement. Some people had such surgery paid under the coverage provided by Allmerica, the predecessor health insurance carrier. All members are urged to respond to the survey.

The Kathleen Perry (Mansfield, Ohio) Grievance objecting to the Plan's prohibition of a part-time real estate sales practice done outside of Plan time and office is scheduled for arbitration July 23, 2001.

The M.J. VanSickle (Defiance, Ohio) Grievance objecting to the Plan's Notice of unsatisfactory work performance was voted to arbitration by the Grievance Committee last week.

The New Florida Staff Office appears to be beset by caseload difficulties. More information is available on the Message Board.

The Local expects to submit a survey to all Members by the end of this summer soliciting from Members information, comments, problems, etc. in order to determine what issues need to be addressed now by the Local.

The Spring Newsletter will be mailed soon containing, among other things, a ballot regarding the Executive Board approval at the New Orleans meeting of Constitutional revisions. Also, each member will soon receive an individual pocket-size copy of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

WebMaster Report: Log analysis reports available to us indicate the following visitor traffic on the site since it was revised in mid-December 2000:

New Arbitration: The Local has elected to take a new case to binding arbitration. The Plan is prohibiting a staff attorney from doing realty sales on her own time citing the CBA prohibition on outside legal practice. More details on the message board.

Grievance Wins: The Grievance Chairman, Roger White, reports recent favorable Union decisions in two grievances involving use of FMLA leaves and sick leave. Details on the message board.

2001 MEETING SITE ANNOUNCED: Meeting Coordinator Bruce Valen, St. Paul, has announced that the Local's Annual Meeting for 2001 will be held in Orlando, FL on October 19 - 21. More details are on the message board.

NEW FIELD CAPTAIN APPOINTMENT: Laurel Richardson of the Ft. Wayne, IN office has assumed the Field Captain role for the Indiana region. Former Field Captain, Steve Hofer, continues as Area Rep for the Indianapolis East and West office grouping and is expected to contribute content for this website.

GENERAL MEETING: The 2000 General Meeting was held in New Orleans, LA 10-26 thru 10-29-2000. All members were invited. More details can be found on the Meeting Information page and the Photo page.

Out-going President, M. J. VanSickle receiving an award for dedicated service from new President, Ralph Johnson,(rt) and former President, Tim Holder,(left).

APPOINTMENTS: New President, Ralph Johnson, has made the following committee appointments:

Executive Committee: President, Ralph Johnson; V-P, Tim Holder; Treasurer, Paul Colevecchio (Canton); Secretary, Cindy Tuczynski (Milwaukee); and John Suda (Rochester, NY).

Grievance Committee: Roger White (Texas), as Chairman; Tim Holder (Cleveland),John Suda (Rochester), Ann Snitzer (St. Louis), Lynn Detrie (Milwaukee), Phil Hart (Illinois), Joel Ross (Syracuse), Ralph Johnson (Janesville).

Elections Committee: Lynn Detrie (Milwaukee) and John Suda (Rochester) in affiliation with Peter Nickels, Afscme Council 66 Representative.

ELECTION NEWS: Ralph Johnson of Janesville, WI won the President's office by a vote of 38 to 22 over St. Louis' Ann Snitzer.

Tim Holder of Cleveland prevailed over Mike Silver of the same office for the Vice President position by a talley of 38-21.

Jaime Swisher garnered 4 of 5 ballots cast for the Cleveland office Area Representative position.

All other Union positions were uncontested with the initial nominees automatically appointed to their respective positions.