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Retiree Luncheons Schedule
*We are no longer accepting r.s.v.ps for the Washington luncheons*
Invitation letters were mailed to all retired members on May 15 Washington
DISTRICT 1 - Thursday, July 2, 2009: Bothell Union Hall, 18701 120th Ave. NE, Bothell, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT 2 - Thursday, July 9, 2009: Best Western Cottontree Inn, 2300 Market St., Mt. Vernon, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT 3 - Thursday, July 9, 2009: Aberdeen Eagles, 200 W. Market, Aberdeen, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT 3 - Wednesday, July 15, 2009: North Kitsap Eagles, 4230 NE Lincoln Rd., Poulsbo, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT 4 and DISTRICT 5 - Wednesday, July 8, 2009: Operating Engineers Training Center, 1629 Vantage Hwy., Ellensburg, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Alaska
DISTRICT 6 - Thursday, August 27, 2009: Anchorage Union Hall, 4001 Denali St., Anchorage, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT 7 - Wednesday, August 26, 2009: Westmark Hotel, 813 Noble St., Fairbanks, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT 8 - Tuesday, August 25, 2009: Juneau Travelodge, 9200 Glacier Hwy., Juneau, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
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New website feature
There's a new feature on our website called "Member Spotlight". It's a place where we can post articles and photos to recognize and appreciate Local 302 members who get involved in their communities, with contests, or other activities outside of work. View the first installment of Member Spotlight under the Member Resources section. We welcome your ideas, so please send your stories and photos to: searly@iuoe302.org
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Washington Legislative Wrap-up
 Submitted by Randy Loomans, Local 302 Government Affairs Director
I believe 2009 will go down in history as a defining year for labor and politics in Washington State. The Worker Privacy Act and Unemployment Reform were in trouble from the start. Neither the House nor the Senate wanted to deal with Worker Privacy. Business was adamantly opposed to it, and too many moderate Democrats did not want to vote for it. To top it off, an unfortunate e-mail surfaced that provided the excuse needed to do away with the bill, burning organized labor in the process.
With regard to unemployment insurance, once the temporary stimulus portion of the Unemployment Reform bill passed, business put forth its own bill containing permanent tax breaks. Labor asked for amendments that would give workers a permanent benefit. We asked that the multiplier be returned to 4.0 from 3.85. The multiplier is part of the formula used to determine unemployment benefits. It was at the 4.0 percentage level for almost 35 years until 2005. For workers entitled to receive the maximum weekly unemployment benefit, increasing the multiplier would have raised those weekly benefits by about $18. The bill was stripped of the labor amendments by the Senate, and the House concurred. There was a lot more to this bill and the fight that went along with it. But at the end of the day we did receive the temporary raise in benefits until the end of this year. These temporary benefits will amount to $70 per week extra on unemployment checks until the end of 2009 ($45 from State stimulus and $25 from Federal stimulus dollars). Depending on the health of the economy in 2010, the Federal stimulus may be extended. One other thing that business was able to achieve in this bill was to have a Supreme Court decision overturned that previously allowed the Commissioner of Employment Security discretion to determine” good cause quits” on a case-by-case basis.
In conclusion, I think you will find that 2009 was a good session for bills that will have a direct impact on our members. The transportation projects along with Sound Transit projects will keep Operating Engineers working for years to come.
View my complete report here: 2009 Washington Legislative Wrap-up
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 Alaska Legislative Wrap-up
Submitted by Robert Peterson, District 8 Representative & Local 302 Treasurer
2009 will not go down in history as a defining year for labor and politics in Alaska. Several pieces of legislation – including Right-to-Work (for less) and the falling price of oil to far below the budgeted amount of $75 per barrel - keep the State from moving forward. With little or no movement on the Trans Canada pipeline, the Governor of Alaska has brought forward legislation and funding requests that lay the groundwork for an in-state gas pipeline. A four phase plan for the development of an in-state pipeline was presented by the administration on March 3. Work continues on the legislation that will form the initial statutory framework for the development of the project. The legislature approved $7.1 million to continue work on the in-state gas pipeline. The federal stimulus package helped to bolster an otherwise austere capital budget. Senate Bill 1, Minimum Wage, passed the legislature which sets the wage at $7.25 an hour until 12/31/09. Afterward, the Alaska minimum wage will be no less than .50 above the Federal minimum wage. Senate Bill 97, Crane Operator Licenses, is stuck in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, and is not getting any support from other unions. In fact, they may possibly be trying to defeat it behind our backs. Senate Bill 170, Unemployment Compensation, amended unemployment insurance so that the State would qualify for stimulus money by changing the UI qualifying period. House Bill 37 (Right to Work) legislation had a couple of hearings in the House Labor and Commerce Committee, and will remain there for the time being, but the committee chair has said he will hold hearings on it through the interim. House Bill 185, Labor Neutrality for State Contractors, received one hearing in the House Labor and Commerce Committee. The bill would stop the State or cities from being able to require a PLA on any project that has State dollars in it. It makes the PLA a voluntary option on a project to all contractors. House Bill 105, STEP Program, passed in the last hours of the session. It no longer has a sunset on the program and the AWEB Board will make the decisions on the grant awards. Our apprenticeship program in Alaska receives about $500,000 annually from this program. House Resolution 5, Opposing the Federal Employee Free Choice Act, is in the House Rules Committee awaiting 21 votes to pass. Please contact me if you have any questions about this report at (907) 586-3850.
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LOADLINE - Second Quarter 2009
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The Loadline is a quarterly publication that covers issues which directly impact the work of our Operating Engineers in Washington and Alaska.
Click on the link above to view
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What is a TWIC card and why do I need one?
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now requires workers who have unescorted access to seaports, airports or any other Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) regulated facility to be in possession of a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). For more information, please visit the TSA website.
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A Message about our Pension Trust from the Operating Engineers Local 302 The current financial market crisis has caused anxiety for savers and investors, and retirement plan participants. We want you to know that your Board of Trustees have been discussing these issues with our financial experts and we want to share with you why we feel your pension program is safe and secure. The broad stock market lost nearly 40% over the last year. This followed five years of a very strong market compounding at 13% per year. Market declines of this magnitude are traumatic but not unique. They happened most recently in 2001-02 and before that in 1973-74. This decline has been driven by a meltdown of the Sub Prime Mortgage Market. It has brought down large financial institutions including Bear Stearns, Lehman, Washington Mutual and Wachovia, and restructured many others: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, and Merrill Lynch. Congress has passed dramatic legislation and the Federal Reserve has acted to support a recovery of the banking and financial industry. Most believe the recovery will happen but that the volatility is not over yet. Previous recoveries in 2003 and 1975 resulted in dramatic rebounds of the markets. The Trustees of the Operating Engineers Pension Plan maintain a broadly diversified investment portfolio. It is constructed in a manner that is consistent with the long-term actuarial assumptions that underlie the Plan’s benefit structure. Due to the investment program’s design and professional oversight and monitoring, it has been successful throughout the years and in all types of market conditions. For the past 5 years it earned 12.9% per year ranking in the top 5% of other plans. The Trustees employ an asset valuation method that provides for the “smoothing out” of fluctuations in the value of invested assets due to market volatility over time. Participants should also take comfort in the fact that the Pension Plan continues to operate from a very strong funded position and is well-poised to contend with the current volatility. Your Plan was recently certified as a well-funded “Green Zone” plan under the Pension Protection Act and has amassed a substantial credit balance over time against the Federal government’s minimum funding requirements. In summary, the Pension Plan is well-positioned to meet its future obligations and weather market volatility along the way. The long-term nature of this defined benefit pension program and the prudent measures and policies employed by the Trustees allow for uninterrupted operation in turbulent times and retirement security for its participants and beneficiaries. We will be having a Trust meeting on the 30th of October and will update you if there are any changes to the Trustees’ opinion on this matter.
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