3-14-03 The Local is preparing to file arbitration demands regarding two open policy grievances. The first pertains to the Plan's inability or unwillingness to provide health coverage booklets to the membership, as required by the CBA. The Plan is self-insured, but has an outside entity handling the claims - Great West. The Plan has promised numerous times to provide such a booklet, as in the past, but has not done so.

The second grievance pertains to the Plan's failure to notify and post notices of open attorney positions in each office, again, as required by the CBA.

1-22-03 Another leave-related grievance has been filed, this time from St Louis. Issues of the FMLA and the CBA are involved.

10-30-02 The Local held its 2002 General Membership Meeting in Las Vegas October 18 -20. Newly-elected President, Paul Colavecchio, chaired his first Local Membership meeting and greeted a large turnout of Area Reps., Trustees, Grievance Committee, and Executive Committee Members, and general members.

Also present were representatives of Michigan Local #3069, our colleague attorney union with the Plan.

More details are contained in the Message Board area.

9-26-02 The Cleveland Area Rep election is now complete after a runoff between incumbent Jamie Swisher, and Jordan Delmonte. Delmonte has prevailed by a 4-2 count.

9-26-02 The members have approved the recent Constitutional amendment proposals, which are now being reviewed by AFSCME International for their approval.

9-16-02 Ballots were counted on 9/16/02 for the 2002 General Election. Catherine Gloeckler (Janesville) is elected as Trustee by a talley of 14 -8 (over Kathleen Gately) (IL).

Members planning to attend the Las Vegas meetings (Oct. 18 - 20, 2002) should book NOW!

8-6-02 The Local is in the midst of a general election right now for most offices, including President. Forms were mailed to all members at the end of last week seeking nominations for all open Union officers.

7-27-02 The Local's Executive Board has approved a small handful of constitutional amendments, all in the nature of "housekeeping", or involving updates to administrative practices. Ballots will be going out soon to all members.

7-27-02 The Local's next elections will be for all officers, except two of the three trustees. Nomination forms will be mailed to all members within the next week or so.

7-5-02 The 2 Florida office Lasik surgery grievances, already scheduled for arbitration, have been settled. Details will follow.

7-5-02 Proposed Constitutional amendments, primarily in the nature of "housekeeping" and minor updates, are being considered now by the Executive Board in an electronic meeting/voting process. Any approved amendments will be submitted to the membership by snail-mail for its consideration prior to the General Membership meeting in October.

5-27-02 July 19, 2002 is the scheduled date for a hearing in the Lasik surgery coverage grievance arbitration. The arbitration will be held in Detroit, Michigan.

5-27-02 Suzanne Kronke has assumed the Area Rep position for the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Kelli Hinkle-Briggs is the new Area Rep for the Kokomo/Anderson Indiana area, replacing Jody Donaldson, who has left the Plan.

3/21/02 The Janesville, WI office has filed a grievance alleging unsafe and unhealthy work conditions in their staff office. Unresolved complaints of water-soaked ceiling tiles, mildew growth, etc. prompted the filing. The matter is at step one of the grievance process.

3/21/02 A number of Local 3357 representatives will meet with representatives of our colleague attorney bargaining unit-Michigan Local 3069-the weekend of 5/18 in Cleveland to discuss common issues and concerns, including upcoming bargaining matters.

WebMaster Report: Log analysis reports available to us indicate the following visitor traffic on the site since the last report in August 2001:

February: 41

January 2002: 49

December: 53

November: 34

October: 50

September 2001: 52

2-21-02 The Arbitration in the Kathleen Perry grievance matter has upheld the Plan's efforts to prohibit Perry from acting as a real estate sales person while active as a Plan Staff attorney. The decision was based on an ethical ground (raised for the first time at the arbitration hearing) involving the Plan's interest in preventing any conflicts of interest between her, her realty affiliate, and Plan clients. The CBA and Plan policy provisions on "Private Practice" apparently were not affected by the decision and remain enforceable.

More details will follow later.

1-15-02 Lasik Surgery: After a recent request by a Florida office staff attorney for insurance coverage for elective lasik eye surgery was denied by Great West/the Plan (note: the Plan is primarily self-insured for medical expenses and Great West is merely a service agent now), the Local filed a Policy Grievance with the Plan.

Based on a rather lengthy history of insurance coverage for such surgeries, the Local has taken the position that such coverage has been, and is, a component of our medical insurance benefits under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Plan's recent response is that most, if not all, of such prior reimbursements were made when the Plan did have true insurance coverage in place and that such reimbursements were mistakenly made.

The original insurance benefits manual (Massachusetts Mutual Insurance) provided coverage "for medically-necessary procedures due to injury or disease". The Plan says it will continue to pay for such procedures but not for "cosmetic" - motivated lasik surgeries.

The Plan articulated this position by notice to former Local Grievance Chairperson, Andrea Green, in September 1999. The Plan's position is that reimbursement for elective lasik surgery never has been part of the bargained medical insurance coverage, is not a customarily-covered expense of most group health policies, and is not now reimburseable despite (alleged mistaken) reimbursement to a fairly large number of persons in the past.

The Local is evaluating its position and will respond accordingly. Member input and responses are welcomed.

The Local's next General Membership Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Las Vegas, Nevada in mid-October 2002. Details will be posted when available on the Meeting Page.

Reports of caseload matters from the Florida office indicate that substantial improvements have been made. Case numbers are down and work pressures have eased. More needs to be done and the Plan has announced a new program of support-staff training. Updates will be posted as available.