OCTOBER 2003 12 7 Inside Index President's Message ...... 2 Political ............................. 3 Health & Safety ............. 6 Retirement ...................... 9 Want Ads ........................ 10 QTTP ................................ 12 VOL. 57 NO. 9 Rodeo Riders Life After Layoff Forklift rodeo drives home skill of members Members energized as they embark on new careers Members work- ing in the vehicle maintenance shop got good news – nearly a third of the 27 members that were laid-off got re- call notices in early September. The members were thrilled to be back on the Boeing payroll. 751-member Mike Abbott, who had 14 years senior- ity prior to his lay- off, declared, “I re- ally didn’t think I would ever be re- called. I’m excited to go back - especially to Plant II. Even though I knew when I was transferred to Plant II that I would be laid-off in a year, it was probably my best year at Boeing. They are an outstanding group of workers that stand up for each other.” Mike added, “I want to thank Maintenance Analyst Diana Reynolds for her work in putting together reports that show exactly the workload in our organization. She helped demonstrate the need for the recalls and truly By getting involved and taking an ac- tive role in problem solving, the Renton Site Safety Committee helped bring reso- lution to a problem that could have poten- tially impacted the health of workers on the This Auto Recall Is Good News Continued on page 4 737 moving line. HSI Site Safety Committee member Pat Kinsella and Union Business Rep Zack Zaratkiewicz played an integral role in getting results. Pat helped bring all inter- ested parties together and con- vinced Safety Health and Envi- ronmental Action (SHEA) to bring in an outside industrial hy- gienist to perform an objective analysis. Pat also worked to com- municate with all affected em- ployees, gather their input and see that they were kept informed every step of the way. Zack educated management on the importance of running the analysis tests and the need to revise the production process. In addition, he made sure that no employees were disciplined if they refused to work in the area Continued on page 7 Continued on page 2 before the test re- sults were in - this was covered by the imminent danger clause 16.5(a)(1) in our contract. The issue arose when workers on the 737 moving line began feeling dizzy and nau- seous as painters were applying the barrier coat to the area where the wings join the body. When the moving line was implemented, many procedures had to be changed to accommodate the new configuration and time line - the barrier coat painting was one of them. In the past when the barrier coat was applied, it was done in an isolated area. Because of the new schedule, this was no longer possible and was suddenly performed while mechanics and sealers were on other parts of the plane. While the painters had the correct personal protec- tive equipment, those working on other parts of the plane were being affected by the chemicals of the barrier coat. Several members mentioned their con- cerns. Union Steward Shawnee Lazzari took action to correct the situation and filed a SHEAR (Safety, Health and Environ- mental Action Request) form to elevate the matter to the proper level. A SHEAR form Second Chance to Choose Eligible employees can change their health plan during the upcoming special open enrollment 2 Union Action Improves Safety on the 737 Moving Line Above: Duane Parker reviews with Pat Kinsella (l) and Larry Brown (R) how the ventilator works to protect employees while the barrier coat is applied. Photo right: Shows ventilator in plane. Union efforts and those of Washington State paid off as we received word that Washington had made the final cut of potential locations to build the 7E7. Gover- nor Gary Locke announced the news in September. One thing is certain – Washington State would not still be considered without the tremendous effort by elected officials, community lead- ers, and our Union that brought much-needed revi- sions in the state (some that had been targeted for change for many years). Boeing CEO Phil Condit also acknowledged to report- ers that recent efforts have helped our chances. “Some real progress has been made,” said Condit, who in the past has been publicly critical of the state for a lack of progress. To keep the momentum of our campaign and public support going, the Union has scheduled a rally at the Auburn Union Hall on Friday, October 17 at 4 p.m. The rally is planned to coincide with the Boeing Board of Directors Meeting, where they may be discussing the 7E7. The event will again demonstrate commitment 7E7 Efforts Make Progress Business Rep Zack Zaratkiewicz (center) checks the area where the barrier coating is applied with Stewards Shawnee Lazzari and Rick Belden. These Stewards filed the SHEAR form that resulted in new safety procedures. Rally for 7E7 scheduled October 17 - 4 p.m. Auburn Union Hall 201 A St. SW Steward Jason Bailey (r) helps Mike Abbott bring his tool box back into the vehicle maintenance shop at Plant II after he was recalled in September. When management realized workloads were falling behind, they got approval to recall nearly 30 percent of their laid-off employees.
Members work-ing in the vehiclemaintenance shopgot good news –nearly a third of the27 members thatwere laid-off got re-call notices in earlySeptember. Themembers werethrilled to be back onthe Boeing payroll.
7 5 1 - m e m b e rMike Abbott, whohad 14 years senior-ity prior to his lay-off, declared, “I re-ally didn’t think Iwould ever be re-called. I’m excited togo back - especiallyto Plant II. Eventhough I knew whenI was transferred toPlant II that I wouldbe laid-off in a year,it was probably my best year at Boeing. They are anoutstanding group of workers that stand up for eachother.”
Mike added, “I want to thank Maintenance Analyst
Diana Reynolds for her work in putting together reportsthat show exactly the workload in our organization. Shehelped demonstrate the need for the recalls and truly
By getting involved and taking an ac-tive role in problem solving, the RentonSite Safety Committee helped bring reso-lution to a problem that could have poten-tially impacted the health of workers on the
This Auto Recall Is Good News
Continued on page 4
737 moving line.HSI Site Safety Committee member
Pat Kinsella and Union Business Rep ZackZaratkiewicz played an integral role ingetting results. Pat helped bring all inter-
ested parties together and con-vinced Safety Health and Envi-ronmental Action (SHEA) tobring in an outside industrial hy-gienist to perform an objectiveanalysis. Pat also worked to com-municate with all affected em-ployees, gather their input andsee that they were kept informedevery step of the way.
Zack educated managementon the importance of running theanalysis tests and the need torevise the production process. Inaddition, he made sure that noemployees were disciplined ifthey refused to work in the area
Continued on page 7
Continued on page 2
before the test re-sults were in - thiswas covered bythe imminentdanger clause16.5(a)(1) in ourcontract.
The issuearose whenworkers on the737 moving linebegan feelingdizzy and nau-seous as painterswere applyingthe barrier coatto the area wherethe wings join thebody. When themoving line wasimplemented,many procedures had to be changed toaccommodate the new configuration andtime line - the barrier coat painting wasone of them. In the past when the barriercoat was applied, it was done in an isolatedarea. Because of the new schedule, thiswas no longer possible and was suddenlyperformed while mechanics and sealerswere on other parts of the plane. While thepainters had the correct personal protec-
tive equipment, those working on otherparts of the plane were being affected by thechemicals of the barrier coat.
Several members mentioned their con-cerns. Union Steward Shawnee Lazzaritook action to correct the situation and fileda SHEAR (Safety, Health and Environ-mental Action Request) form to elevate thematter to the proper level. A SHEAR form
Second Chance toChooseEligible employees canchange their health planduring the upcoming specialopen enrollment 2
Union Action Improves Safety on the 737 Moving Line
Above: Duane Parker reviews with PatKinsella (l) and Larry Brown (R) howthe ventilator works to protect employeeswhile the barrier coat is applied. Photoright: Shows ventilator in plane.
Union efforts and those of Washington State paid offas we received word that Washington had made thefinal cut of potential locations to build the 7E7. Gover-nor Gary Locke announced the newsin September.
One thing is certain –Washington State would notstill be considered without thetremendous effort by electedofficials, community lead-ers, and our Union thatbrought much-needed revi-sions in the state (some thathad been targeted for changefor many years).
Boeing CEO Phil Conditalso acknowledged to report-ers that recent efforts havehelped our chances. “Some real progress has beenmade,” said Condit, who in the past has been publiclycritical of the state for a lack of progress.
To keep the momentum of our campaign and publicsupport going, the Union has scheduled a rally at theAuburn Union Hall on Friday, October 17 at 4 p.m. Therally is planned to coincide with the Boeing Board ofDirectors Meeting, where they may be discussing the7E7. The event will again demonstrate commitment
7E7 EffortsMake Progress
Business Rep Zack Zaratkiewicz (center) checks the areawhere the barrier coating is applied with Stewards ShawneeLazzari and Rick Belden. These Stewards filed the SHEARform that resulted in new safety procedures.
Rally for 7E7scheduled October 17
- 4 p.m.Auburn Union Hall
201 A St. SW
Steward Jason Bailey (r) helps Mike Abbott bring his tool box back into thevehicle maintenance shop at Plant II after he was recalled in September. Whenmanagement realized workloads were falling behind, they got approval to recallnearly 30 percent of their laid-off employees.
Page 751 AERO MECHANIC October 20032
Connie Kelliher, EditorMember of The Newspaper Guild,
CWA #37082District 751 AERO MECHANIC ( ISSN 0894-7864,USPS 008-660) is published Monthly except Bi-monthly in December/January by Aerospace In-dustrial District Lodge 751, 9125 15th Pl. S.,SeattleWA 98108. $3.50 of the annual dues goestoward a one-year subscription to the Aero Me-chanic. $4 per year for non-members by DistrictLodge 751, International Association of Machin-ists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO, 9125 15thPl. S., Seattle, WA 98108. Periodicals postagepaid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send ad-dress changes to District 751 Aero Mechanic,9125 15th Pl. S., Seattle, WA 98108
Union Offices:• 9125 15th Pl S, Seattle; 206-763-1300• 201 A St. SW, Auburn; 253-833-5590• 233 Burnett N., Renton; 425-235-3777• 8729 Airport Rd, Everett; 425-355-8821• 4226 E. Mission, Spokane (509) 534-9690 or 1-800-763-1305 Toll-free to Seattle from: Nationwide 1-800-763-1301
Tacoma 253-627-0822 Hotline: 1-800-763-1310
Web site: www.iam751.org
Craig McClureLarry BrownPaul Knebel
Tommy WilsonRay BaumgardnerTom WroblewskiErnest McCarthyJackie Boschok
Emerson HamiltonStan JohnsonJerry Shreve
Larry MongerSusan Palmer
Zack ZaratkiewiczUnion Business Representatives
Kim LeufroySergeant-at-Arms
Bruce SpaldingSecretary-Treasurer
Gloria MillsapsVice President
Mark BlondinPresident, Directing
Business Representative
REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT
751 AERO MECHANIC
District Lodge 751,International Assn. of
Machinists andAerospace Workers
Union Efforts Kept This State in Running for 7E7by Mark Blondin,District President
Union efforts to build the7E7 in Washington Statehave made a difference.Governor Gary Locke de-livered good news early inSeptember by confirmingthat Washington State madethe initial round of the selection process.
Boeing will make a decision by theend of the year, which gives us time tocontinue that momentum. The Union isplanning a second “We Can Do It” rallyscheduled for Friday, October 17. Wehope to plan the event to coincide withthe next Boeing Board of Directors meet-ing. A strong turnout will reconfirm thatBoeing workers and the community wantBoeing here long into the future. Thisrally will be held at the 751 AuburnUnion Hall (201 A St SW) at 4 p.m.Participate and do your part.
One thing is certain – without thehard work of this Union and our mem-bers, the legislative changes required forBoeing to even consider placing the planehere would not have occurred. Withoutthese efforts, Washington State would
not still be in the running.Thanks to each member whotook the time to phone or e-mail state officials, or attendor testify at legislative hear-ings. Your activities made adifference.
The “We Can Do It” cam-paign has helped turn publicsupport on the importance of
Boeing jobs to this region. Again, thanks toall that put up a yard sign, got permissionto display a poster in a local business,talked about the issue with family andfriends, wrote letters to the editor and thelist goes on. Together, we know “We CanDo It.”
Keep up the good work and “WeWill Do It” and hopefully get good newsto end the year.
All indications are that we are reach-ing the end of the layoffs. Current num-bers are much lower than previousmonths. Boeing issued 27 WARNS inSeptember to 751 members and laid-off80 members. Approximately two hun-dred mechanics had their notices re-scinded as Boeing decided to bridge thegap and reclassify those employees ratherthan laying off in these jobs codes only to
recall them several months later whenrate increases occur.
A strong case was made in the ve-hicle maintenance shop to recall a num-ber of their laid-off employees. Recallnotices were sent in September and sev-eral are already back to work. When itwas realized they had cut too deep, in-stead of subcontracting the work, man-agement did the right thing and broughtback our skilled members.
We continue to fight to preserve jobsfor our members in Eastern Washingtonemployed at Alcoa in Wenatchee. Sena-tors Maria Cantwell and Patty Murrayhave been strong advocates for our mem-bers there, working closely with theChelan PUD. Both were hopeful an agree-ment would be reached soon that wouldpreserve those jobs.
Organizing is the future of this Unionand will be instrumental to keeping jobsin this region. We need to be part of thesolution and help attract businesses. ThisUnion is in the middle of an organizingcampaign in Spokane with autodealerships. We had a recent success andwill be filing for recognition.
Finally, the Union was saddened tohear of the loss of Retired Business Rep-
resentative Bill Baker. Many of the ben-efits we currently enjoy in medical, den-tal and retirement were through the hardwork of Bill Baker. Over his 17 years asa Business Rep, he personally helpedthousands of our members with griev-ances and concerns, and was a friend tocountless members. Bill Baker certainlymentored a huge number of Union Stew-ards, Officers and advised many UnionReps over the years – including thisPresident. This dynamic individual de-voted his life to improving the quality oflife for others. After retiring, he servedthe membership as an officer of the Re-tired Club. His presence will be sorelymissed because Bill made a difference inthe lives of so many. Our thoughts andprayers are with his wife Carolyn, hisdaughter Kim, son-in-law Jim, and grand-daughters Makayla and Maranda.
Eligible hourly employees will beasked to make choices concerning theirmedical coverage between October 27and December 5th. This special openenrollment was prompted because addi-tional employee co-pays will go intoeffect in January; therefore, those im-pacted will have an opportunity to switchto the low-cost provider. If you are cur-rently on the low-cost plan (Selections),you are not eligible to change plans untilthe regular open enrollment in May.
Boeing has developed a series of mail-ings leading up to the fall open enroll-ment period. They are easily identifiedby the large orange stripe with 2004 (seesample at right).
By breaking up the information intomanageable pieces well ahead of time,people can be prepared, examine thedata on doctors, determine if they wantto utilize reimbursement accounts fortax savings, and make informed deci-sions on which medical plan to select.
In addition to the printed material thatwill be mailed, there are several newonline tools to provide additional usefulinformation that will be available begin-ning October 20. These tools includedata on doctors and hospitals and onlinecalculators to determine costs.
Members should have already re-ceived the first postcard entitled “GetReady,” which advises employees to lo-
cate their password for the “Your Ben-efits Resources” web site. If you forgotit, request a new one ahead of time so youwill be ready. The mailing should reachmembers by the end of September.
The final mailing will confirm the en-
Watch for Mailings on Health Care Enrollment
rollment choices you have made. If youmake changes online, be sure to print out aconfirmation from the computer, as well.
Again, watch for the mailings withthe colorful orange stripe and readthrough the information carefully.
Special HealthCare Open
Enrollment forEligible
EmployeesWill Run
October 27 thruDecember 5
Eligible employeesshould watch theirmailbox for brochureslike these on theupcoming health careenrollment period.Each mailing willfeature the broadorange 2004 stripewith a message suchas Learn, Choose,Examine, etc.
from the Union and surround-ing communities on the im-portance of building the planehere in Washington State.
The rally will be held atthe Auburn site to demon-strate that winning a part ofthe fabrication of the plane is asmuch a priority as getting the final as-sembly work. Auburn and Fredericksonmembers turned out in force at the Everettrally in May and hope our members up
north will support the Auburn rally.While the final site selec-tion will not be announceduntil the end of the year,our work is far from over.District President MarkBlondin noted, “Nearly
every week you hear ofadded incentives other states
are offering in hopes of gettingBoeing to pick their state. This means
our work is not over. We must not onlycontinue with the ‘We Can Do It’ cam-paign, but also keep working with fed-
Union Will Rally in Auburn October 17 for 7E7Continued from page 1 eral and state officials for ways to help
Boeing compete effectively against Air-bus, which is heavily subsidized. Wewant to ensure that Boeing not onlyremains the dominant force in commer-cial aircraft, but that Washington state isthere to share in any future success ofBoeing.”
Mark your calendar and plan to attendthe rally Friday, October 17 at 4 p.m. atthe Auburn Union Hall. Note: Stewardsattending the rally will get four hourscredit toward the required volunteerhours.
October 2003 751 AERO MECHANIC Page 3
POLITICAL ACTION
In his years as Union Steward, MattMoeller has learned in order to get resultsyou have to be involved. Matt recentlytook a pro-active approach to gettingCongressional help with our “We CanDo It” campaign.
Matt, who is a resident of the 9th
Steward Matt Moeller presentedCongressman Adam Smith a “WeCan Do It” shirt for his efforts.
Smith Meets With Member
Special thanks to the following Union members who volunteered their time on Senator Aaron Reardon’s campaign for Snohomish County Executive. Their efforts made a difference in his Primary Election success.
MEMBERS MAKING A DIFFERENCEMEMBERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
751 RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES FOR NOVEMBER 4 ELECTION
STATE LEGISLATUREState Rep, District 19, Pos. 2Brian BlakeState Senator, District 19Mark DoumitCITY OF SPOKANEMayor - Jim WestCITY OF EVERETTMayor - Frank AndersonEverett City Council, Pos. 5David Simpson
KING COUNTYKing County Council, Dist. 2Bob FergusonKing County Council, Dist. 8Dow ConstantineKing County Council, Dist. 9Barbara HeaveyKing County Council, Dist. 10Larry GossettKing Co. Fire District 40,Commissioner Pos. 5Ronnie Behnke
CITY OF AUBURNAuburn City Council, Pos. 4Nancy BackusAuburn City Council, Pos. 5William PelozaSNOHOMISH COUNTYSnohomish County ExecutiveAaron ReardonSnohomish Co. AssessorKent HansonSnohomish Co. Council, Pos. 3Donald J. Wilson
CITY OF RENTONMayorKathy Koelker-WheelerCITY OF SEATTLESeattle City Council, Pos 1Jean Godden
CITY OF SEATTLESeattle City Council, Pos. 5Tom RasmussenSeattle City Council, Pos. 7Heidi WillsSeattle Monorail Board,Pos. 8Cindi LawsSeattle Monorail Board,Pos. 9Cleve Stockmeyer
751’s Behnke on November BallotCongressional District, e-mailed Repre-sentative Adam Smith to arrange a meet-ing during the Congressional recess. OnSeptember 15, Matt met with Smith todiscuss developing a solid strategy tocombat the outsourcing and offloadingof detailed parts and assemblies not onlyon the proposed 7E7, but the existingproduct line as well.
While Congressman Smith regularlyhears from the Union’s Political Depart-ment, it is refreshing to see memberstaking the initiative to contact theirelected officials and start a personal lob-bying campaign.
Matt ended by presenting Congress-man Smith with a “We Can Do It” t-shirtand thanked him for his support on theeffort to land the 7E7 in WashingtonState, as well as his continued fight forworking families.
Matt continues to e-mail other electedofficials requesting a meeting on thesame topic - something every citizen cando, as well.
People Power Evidentin Readon Campaign
State Senator Aaron Reardon is one step closer to becoming the nextSnohomish County Executive. Aaron won the Democratic primary spot ina tight race. Despite being outspent nearly 2 1/2 times to one, Aaron provedthat people make the difference in elections. With such a low turnout in theprimary election, every vote was important.
751 endorsed Aaron almost immediately after he announced his candi-dacy in May. Aaron has been a stead-fast supporter of 751 and made family-wage jobs a top priority in every electedposition he has held. During the 2003legislative session, he sided with 751and took several tough votes with thegoal to keep Boeing jobs in Washing-ton state.
Thanks to help from many 751members, their family and friends,Aaron was successful in the primary.751 targeted the race as a top priorityearly in the summer and has had asteady stream of volunteers doing lit-erature drops, phone banks, and yardsigns for Aaron.
Aaron noted, “I have stood by theMachinists in their fight to keep jobs inthis region and am proud to have themstand with me throughout this cam-paign. It is an honor to have so manymembers willing to give their time tomy campaign. It really made a difference in the primary and is trulyappreciated.”
“I have worked hard to keep Boeing in our State and jobs in SnohomishCounty and that will be my number one priority as County Executive,”Aaron added.
751 will continue to recruit volunteers to help with the campaignthrough the November 2 General Election. If you would like to volunteera few hours to help the effort, please call Janeé on 425-267-3200 or 1-800-763-1301, ext. 3200.
751 member RonnieBehnke is running forFire Commissioner.
State Senator Aaron Reardonthanks 751 for help with hiscampaign for SnohomishCounty Executive.
Members living in unincorporated KingCounty have a chance to elect one of ourown Union sisters - Ronnie Behnke. Thisdevoted Union member is running for theKing County Fire District 40 Commis-sioner, Position 5. The areaserves Fairwood, Renton,Kent and Lake Youngs.
Ronnie noted, “This is agood way to give back to thecommunity. The Fire Depart-ment is the first call for anyemergency situation, whichrequires that they have up-dated equipment to protect thecommunity and do their job.By serving as Fire Commis-sioner, I can help make my community abetter and safer place to live.”
Ronnie was appointed to the open posi-tion in May and has been actively perform-ing the duties ever since. As Commis-sioner, you help set policy for the district,negotiate contracts with fire fighters, pur-chase insurance and equipment and have
fiscal responsibility to the citizens.Ronnie has been a long-time activist in
the Union and her community - alwayswith the goal of improving the quality oflife for others.
In the Union she has heldnumerous leadership posi-tions including Local F Re-cording Secretary, DistrictCouncil Delegate, Local FTrustee, and Local F Auditor.She has also served as chair ofthe Union’s District Legisla-tive Committee for the pastfive years, which gave herpractical experience in thepolitical field.
But Ronnie’s commitment and dedica-tion also extends to the community. Shehas been active in the PTA, in the 47thDistrict Democrats, served as a BEGNFTrustee, and currently serves as a Trusteefor the Renton Technical College.
For those living in the area, rememberRonnie Behnke as you cast your ballot.
Page 751 AERO MECHANIC October 20034
The Union lost a true friend and loyal-ist when Bill Baker passed away on Sep-tember 14th after a pro-longed illness. We willall feel the loss of BillBaker and his commit-ment to District Lodge751 and its membership.
Bill Baker beganworking for Boeing in1953, and immediatelybecame active in hisUnion (giving him 50years of membership).He held the position ofBusiness Representativefor District Lodge 751from 1977 until his re-tirement December 1,1994. When he retired,he had the distinction ofretiring as the longest serving BusinessRep in 751 (17 years). Over the years, hewas assigned to virtually every locationand did an outstanding job wherever hewas assigned.
But his years as Business Rep justscratch the surface of his commitment toDistrict Lodge 751. Bill also served asLocal 751-A President for two terms,District Council delegate for three terms,was elected several times to attend GrandLodge conventions, election chair, fi-nance committee, delegate to the Wash-
ington State Machinists’ Council andUnion Steward, just to name a few.
Before the 1995 con-tract, Bill had personallyworked on the last sevennegotiations. In fact, hewas the first and onlyLocal Lodge officer toever serve on the negoti-ating committee whilestill working on the shopfloor. Bill became anexpert on the health andbenefit package, whichled to his appointment tothe Benefits Subcommit-tee in the 1974 negotia-tions (even though he wasstill working in the shop).More recently, Billserved as Vice President
of the 751 Retired Club.Bill enjoyed life and lived it to it’s
fullest. His enthusiasm was contagious,his wit was razor sharp, and his dedica-tion was without question.
Bill is survived by his wife of 42years Carolyn, their daughter KimGeorge, her husband Jim George andtwo granddaughters, Makayla andMaranda, as well as hundreds of friendswho have grown to know and love himover the years. His presence will long beremembered at 751.
Baker Remembered forCommitment to Others
Solemn Tribute to Remember 9-11Throughout the Company, employees stopped
to remember 9-11 and honor those who died inthe terrorist attacks. Photo right: (L to R) CherylPeterson, Kelvin Weekly and Stephannie Regisled the crowd in song and prayer.
Photo below: Employees watch the flag waveproudly as our symbol of freedom.
Photo above: Renton employees gatheraround the flag pole and September 11memorial plaque to remember thosekilled two years ago.
Photo left: A closeup of the memorialplaque.
Bill Baker has the distinctionof being the longest servingBusiness Rep. Bill passedaway Sept. 14
cares about her fellow employees.”Recalls are very rare in today’s climate. Manage-
ment in the vehicle maintenance shop realized the cutshad gone too deep and the workload was falling behind.Unlike many areas of the Company, the work there isnot driven by airplane rates, but by the amount ofequipment that must be maintained.
As maintenance work began to pile up, there werethree possible solutions: recall members, subcontractsome of the work or take equipment out of service.Demonstrating a commitment to their workers, man-agement put together a case outlining the need foradditional employees, presented it to upper manage-ment and got the approval to recall employees.
Manager Dale Broughton noted, “Every departmentin the Company had to cut heads since airplane ordersare down. However, our workload and the number ofvehicles we service doesn’t necessarily correspond toairplane orders. The layoffs were based on a percentagewe were forced to make in order to meet affordabilitytargets and assumed a corresponding reduction in theamount of equipment we maintained. Proper vehiclemaintenance is really a safety issue for all Boeing
Members Recalled in Auto ShopContinued from page 1
employees. With that in mind, we put together a con-vincing case that clearly showed more people wereneeded to perform the work and got upper managementto agree. The recalls will help balance the workload atthe vehicle shops throughout Puget Sound.”
Union Steward Jason Bailey has been watching thesituation closely. Jason noted, “I’m pleased Boeing didthe right thing and recalled our members. Even thoughit might have been easier just to subcontract the work,management took the time to put together a convincingargument, present it to their bosses and then workthrough the recall process. Management showed theycared about these members, who each had over 13 yearsat Boeing.”
Jason added, “I tried to help in the effort by keepinga record of overtime hours, tracking work load, andauditing our backlog. Vehicle maintenance is importantfor the safety of other Boeing employees. ”
Word of the recalls spread quickly as a Teamsterdriver called Mike Abbott at home to find out when hisfirst day back would be since the driver wanted Mike towork on his truck.
Two others members were recalled to the shop inJuly to help with the workload, as well.
The vehicle maintenance shop recalled twoemployees in July. Front: Steward Jason (l)welcomes Bernie Igarta back on the payroll whileMarc Hudson (back l) works with Gary Schulz.
Attend a Sonics Game - Help with a Local F FundraiserAt least $10 from every ticket sold generates money for the Local FFundraiser. Proceeds to benefit Machinists Non-Partisan PoliticalLeague (MNPL - the Union’s political arm). Simply return the orderform and payment for a fun night at the Sonics.
To order tickets, please fax (206-764-0303) or mail order form to: Local F Sonics Fundraiser,Attn: Ronnie Behnke, 9125 15th Pl. S., Seattle, WA 98108. Make checks payable to: Seattle Sonics.
Orders must be received by Dec. 15. Questions??? Please call Kay at 206-764-0340 or 1-800-763-1301
Name: Day Phone:Address: Evening Phone:City:Email for future discounts: January 9, 2004 game - Sonics vs Memphis
#________ of tickets at $46 (lower level seats along the baselines/corners) = $________#________ of tickets at $46 (upper level seats 1st 8-10 rows along sidelines) = $________#________ of tickets at $24 (upper level seats along the sidelines/corners) = $________
TOTAL = $________
Please make checks payableto: Seattle Sonics
Credit Card: VISA MC AMEX DISC Exp. Date:Card # Signature:
Specially reduced tickets. Pay No Service Charge. Orders must be received by December 15. Orders received by December 15 will be mailed to the aboveaddress. Orders after December 15 will be left at Will Call. Orders are filled on a first-come, first serve basis. No exchanges or refund. Subject toavailability. If there are not tickets remaining, the Sonics reserve the right to refund payment in full.
Questions or need more info??? Please call Kay at206-764-0340 or 1-800-763-1301, ext. 3340
Seattle Sonicsvs.
Memphis Grizzlies
Friday,January 9, 2004
Key Arena - 7:30 p.m.
October 2003 751 AERO MECHANIC Page 5
Doyle Sage won theoldest bike competitionwith his classic 1972Harley FLH.
Thanks To Our SponsorsSpecial thanks to the following businesses that contributedprizes and cash to ensure the event was a success.
Riders ‘Roar In’ With Guide Dog DonationsOn a sunny Saturday in September,
over 50 motorcycles roared down thehighway from Auburn to Everett toSnoqualmie to Seattle. The end destina-tion was the Seattle Union Hall. Therethe bikes converged for the first annualPuppy Putt Motorcycle Run to benefitGuide Dogs of America. Many partici-pants shared the event with others, asthey carried passengers on the ride.James Franson even ventured to bring‘Spike the Dog’ as his passenger.
Participants raised over $10,200 forGuide Dogs of America - making it themost successful fundraiser to date. Andmoney was still coming in days after theevent was complete. The bikes were asdiverse as the riders themselves - HarleyRoad Kings, Yamaha Ventures, Hondasand even a Fat Boy.
Prizes were given in several catego-ries. Doyle Sage’s classic bike capturedoldest bike category with a 1972 HarleyDavidson FLH. Barney Joe Baker wonthe best custom bike category, and re-tired Union Steward Dan Olson received
Riders line up at the Everett start location to begin the trek to the Seattle Union Hall. Their route included a stop inSnoqualmie.
Stephanie Ulstein was all smiles asshe won one of the many raffle prizes.
the oldest rider award.Special thanks to Jim Bearden, Dave
Brueher, Kevin Mims, Hans Ulstein, RonMcGaha, Jim Kakuschke, and TerriMyette, who spent countless hours overthe past few months organizing the event,coordinating the ride, recruiting prizes,and mapping out the ride.
Prizes ranged from motorcycle hel-
mets and leather jackets to gift cer-tificates, Husky football tickets andeven a weekend at The PolynesianResort at Ocean Shores. Nearly ev-eryone who purchased a raffle ticketwon at least one prize.
Organizer Jim Bearden noted,“Our committee is excited at the turn-out and success for a first-time event.I give a lot of credit to the hard workof the committee and the many vol-unteers that turned out to help withthe event. The rides from both loca-tions were well laid-out - despite alittle construction interference inDuvall.”
Bearden added, “I want to thankBrett and Diana Wilk for acting asMC and providing music and enter-tainment for the event. I also want tothank the Hooters’ employees for theirhelp drawingthe winningraffle tickets.It was a greateffort and welook forwardto next year.”
All types of bikes adorned the Seattle Union Hall parking lot as participantswaited for the raffle prizes.
After the ride, individuals cruised the parking lot to view the other types of bikes and vote forthe best custom bike.
Taking Home the Prizes
Dan Olson took theoldest rider award andraised over $600 for theevent.
Left: BarneyJoe Bakerwon bestcustom bikewith his 93White GlideHarley(below)
Lynnwood - 425-774-3538
RMC Motorsports - 425-226-4320
• Unique Interiors, Arlington - 360-435-8991• R & R American Cycle, Auburn - 253-931-0119• North Coast Thunder Bikes, Everett - 425-252-4995• L&M Firehouse, Orting - 360-893-2482• The Polynesian Resort, Ocean Shores - 360-289-3361• Catwalk Studios, Des Moines - 206-824-2423
Burlington - 360-757-4449
Lakewood - 1-800-972-3572
Auburn - 253-854-5605
Union Plus Mortgage800-752-1403 ext. 203
Above:Peoplecheck outother bikesin the ride.
Photo left:Just one ofthe bikeswith acustompaint job.
District President Mark Blondin(l) applauds Tom Sweeney forover 10 years on the Site SafetyCommittee.
751 Lifesavers Honored at Governor’s Safety Conference
Dave Wilkinson (second from left) receivedspecial recognition for his efforts over the yearsto promote safety. Dave recently stepped downto adhoc status on the Renton Site Committee.
Photo left: Gayl Bailey (secondfrom right) was honored for hisyears as a Union HSIAdministrator (from 1989 untilearly this year when he movedto QTTP). L to R: Presentingthe award, District PresidentMark Blondin, District SafetyChair Jim Coats, 751 SafetyCoordinator Larry Brown.
Safety is one of the most important aspectsof work, yet few give it much thought. How-ever, a handful ofUnion membershave fought dili-gently to con-stantly make theworkplace andhome environ-ment safer. Theseare the individu-als that make upthe Union’s Dis-trict Safety Com-mittee. These in-dividuals repre-sent the IAM/Boeing Healthand Safety Insti-tute, Site SafetyCommittees fromeach plant loca-tion, and assignedUnion BusinessReps and staff thatwork on safety.
In August, themonthly DistrictSafety meeting honored these individuals fortheir service to the membership. Service
District Safety HonorsSite Committee Efforts
awards were broken into the following groups:1-5 years of service, 5-10 years of service and
10+ years of ser-vice (see chart forthose honored).
In addition,the Committeepresented twospecial awards.Dave Wilkin-son, who re-cently changedto adhoc statusafter servingover 10 years onthe Renton SiteCommittee , washonored for hiscommitment tosafety. In addi-tion, GaylBailey, whoserved as an HSIUnion Adminis-trator since theprogram’s in-ception in early1990 and ac-
cepted a job at QTTP this year, was recog-nized for his contributions.
As part of the Governor’s Safety Con-ference, Governor Gary Locke recognizesextraordinary action by everyday peoplewho rescue others from life-threateningcircumstances. This year, 751 had five mem-bers honored with this prestigious award:Joe Crockett, Lee Gotti, Gary Jackson, PaulKnebel and Santos Lopez. Thanks to eachof their actions, someone is alive today whomight otherwise have died.
Joe Crockett and Lee Gotti each saved aco-worker’s life at different functions wherea co-worker began choking. Both properlyperformed the Heimlich and dislodged thefood.
Santos Lopez pulled over when he saw acar and crowd of people on the side of theroad. When he realized a man had cardiacarrest, he performed CPR until the paramed-ics arrived and literally saved his life.
Gary Jackson and Paul Knebel followedup on co-workers’ concerns when a veryreliable member failed to call into work.They visited his home several times and
finally convinced police to break down thedoor. They found the member lying on thefloor where a stroke had left him paralyzed,unable to speak and severely dehydrated.
Their efforts saved his life.Congratulations to each of the heroes on
their willingness to get involved and helpothers.
Governor Gary Locke (l) presentsSantos Lopez with a lifesavingrecognition award.
751-member Joe Crockett (r)proudly accepts the Governor’sLifesaving Award for his actions.
L to R: Gary Jackson, Lee Gotti, and Paul Knebelreceived the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for theirheroic efforts that saved lives.
1-5 year Site Committee Award recipients: Greg Campos, Pat Kinsella, GaryBoulch, Cheryl Peterson, Paul Fox, Richard Frantsvog, Joe Crockett, John Carter,Jim Gillan, Brett Coty, and Otis Williams.
5-10 year Site Committee Award recipients: Bob Wolsky, Jim Schwalm, ByronPetit, Pat Augustin, Clifton Wyatt, John Lopez, Tom Plummer, Mark Little, DonDonovan, Ron Watson, Jeff Rose, Tracy Smith, John Foy and Jim Coats.
Staff, HSI Administrators and Program Managers honored: Mark Blondin, RoyMoore, Larry Monger, Dave Brueher, Ron Nielsen, Tommy Wilson, Jerry Shreve,Larry Brown, Paul Knebel, Connie Johnson Zack Zaratkiewicz, Minde Sunde, RayBaumgardner, Tom Wroblewski, Bill Stanley, Spencer Graham and Gary Jackson.
Photo left:Shane George,who placedsecond inregionals,maneuversthe coneswhile carryinga metalbeam. Shanealso competedon the Boeingteam, whichplaced thirdin the teamcompetition.
Mike McAllister participated as a member of the Boeing team competition. Abovehis part of the team competition included lifting pallets while driving through theobstacle course.
Doug Graham’s performance not only helped the Boeing team secure thirdplace, but won him first place in the individual competition, as well.
Like a real rodeo, the forklift rodeo at theGovernor’s Safety Conference showcasedthe skills of the best forklift drivers fromaround the state. Drivers had to maneuver atricky course, picking up pallets, barrels, andavoiding strategic cones on the challengingcourse. However, beyond just their skillsand avoiding the cones, participants werealso battling the clock.
751-member Doug Graham showed theexpertise of nearly 19 years driving at Boeing,as he captured first in the individual compe-tition. Yet we had other skilled drivers in thefinal round of competition as well. ShaneGeorge, who finished second in the regionals,also took part in the individual competition.
In addition to the individual competi-tion, teams of three drivers representingvarious employers from around the state
took part in a separate team competition.This marked the first time a Boeing teammade it to the finals. The team consistingof Doug Graham, Shane George and MikeMcAllister captured third place in the teamcategory. Each has years of experienceand skills. John Scott, who also competedin the regionals, served as the team alter-nate.
Although Mike is not currently classifiedas a forklift driver, he has had years ofexperience driving these machines through-out his 18 years at Boeing. Mike noted,“Forklift driving requires a certain touch. Ittakes time to learn and know the controlswithout looking at them. The skill comeswith experience, which is something all ofus at Boeing have lots of.”
Congratulations on a job well done.
G HEALTH AND SAFETY INSTITUTE
automatically gets the Union Site Safety Committee in-volved in resolution. Once the SHEAR form was filed, SiteCommittee member Pat Kinsella immediately launched afull investigation and with the help of the IAM/BoeingHealth and Safety Institute (HSI) convinced managementto bring in an outside industrial hygienist to assess thesituation.
Shawnee noted, “As Steward, I had heard a lot ofcomplaints about the fumes and people not feeling well.Union Steward Rick Belden and I began asking a lot ofquestions and doing research on the chemicals being used.It became evident there were no set guidelines to ensure thearea was safe. With the help of the Site Committee, the
painters now haveclear proceduresthey follow inpreparation for thebarrier coat paint-ing.”
Union StewardDuane Parker, whoapplies the barriercoat, noted, “Theinvestigation pro-vided us a checklistof preparation itemsthat must be per-formed each andevery time the bar-rier coat is applied.Basically, by fol-lowing the new pro-
cedures we make it an isolated paint booth, which makes itsafe for other employees working in the area and stayswithin the production schedule of the moving line.”
New set-up procedures include installing a special cur-tain manufactured by our facilities employees, using aventilation and heater to take out the fumes and pump freshair back into the plane, installing vent boxes and air shields,using a heater/blower unit, and leaving adequate time forthe barrier coat to cure.
Site Committee member Pat Kinsella noted, “Commu-nication is key to resolving any issue. Once we determinedthe proper procedures, it was important to inform theemployees of the changes. The new procedures are a start,but it is still a work in process. We see several other changesthat should be made in the near future. The Site Committeewill continue to monitor the situation and make sure thefollow-up is done to the satisfaction of the affected employ-ees.”
HSI Union Administrator Bill Stanley added, “Hazardcommunication, whether it be new materials, equipment orprocesses, is a vital procedure that should never be over-looked. It is far more efficient to make sure any plannedchanges are well communicated to all involved parties priorto implementation rather than wait for complaints or prob-lems to develop. With the moving line, we are seeing issuesthat we haven’t experienced in the past due to the complex-ity of performing tasks concurrently in a compressed timeallotment. We need to examine the health and safetyramifications with the same interest that is given to theproduction efficiencies. If the moving line concept is to bethe future of aircraft production, we must be positive that weare paying close attention to the conditions that exist in thisenvironment.”
Continued from page 1
Union Ensures Safety Is Built Into Process
L to R: Pat Kinsella, Duane Parker and Larry Browninspect the new curtain installed in the plane eachtime before the barrier coat is applied.
Steward Duane Parker (l) andPat Kinsella review the newprocedures to prepare the areafor barrier coat painting
The new protective curtain creates a makeshift paintbooth on the plane, which helps alleviate fumes forother employees working on the plane.
Page 751 AERO MECHANIC October 2003 8
IMPORTANT: Complete this couponand attach a SELF-ADDRESSEDLABEL for reply.
Mail to: IAM Scholarship Program 9000 Machinists Place Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-2687
IAM ScholarshipCompetition for 2004
The IAM Scholarship Competitionis open to members of the IAM and theirchildren throughout theUnited States and Canada.
Awards to membersare $2,000 per academicyear. They are granted fora specific period from oneto four years, leading to aBachelor’s degree or atwo-year vocational/tech-nical certification.
Awards to Childrenof Members are: $1,000 per academicyear for college. All awards are re-newed each year for a maximum of four
Print your name and address clearly:
Please send me an Application Packet for the 2004 IAM Scholarship Competition.If the proper packet is not received within 30 days, advise the Scholarship Departmentimmediately. I understand that this request is not an application, and that the Applica-tion Packet must be completed and postmarked no later than February 25, 2004.
REMINDER: Please check the appropriate box listed below and the requestedapplication will be mailed to you. As an IAM member who will have 2 years’continuous membership in the IAM as of February 25, 2004, I am requesting anApplication Form for:
IAM Member requesting a College or Vocational/Technical Scholarship
REQUEST FOR IAM 2004 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PACKET
Child of a Member requesting a Vocational/Technical Scholarship
Child of a Member requesting a College Scholarship
For many decades, it was standardpractice for Boeing and other companiesto give notices of layoff on the last day ofemployment. Without any advance warn-ing or time to prepare, workers wereforced to deal with the shock and loss ofincome.
In June 1988, during a time whenfactories across the nation were closingand laying off thousands, Senator Will-iam Roth R-Dela-ware introducedSenate Bill 2507W.A.R.N. orWorker Adjustmentand Retraining No-tification Act. S.2507 contained thelanguage that forcedemployers to give a60-day notificationin advance to the af-fected worker priorto their layoff date.Because of partisanpolitics, SenatorRoth was unsuc-cessful in bringingthis bill from com-mittee to the Senatefloor for vote and S.2507 was officially dead. Senator Rothturned to influential Senator HowardMetzenbaum D-Ohio for assistance.Three days later Senator Metzenbaum,with the help of Senator Roth, brought S.2527- W.A.R.N Act through committeeand to the Senate floor where it waspassed 72 to 23.
After the W.A.R.N. Act survived theHouse and Senate, it was sent to Presi-
dent Ronald Reagan for signature. Presi-dent Reagan was strongly opposed to theW.A.R.N. Act and vetoed the bill. Orga-nized labor came out in numbers to lobbyCongress and the W.A.R.N. Act passedboth the House and Senate by two-thirds,thus overriding President Reagan’s vetoand became Public Law 100-379 Febru-ary 4, 1989.
The necessity of electing pro-laborcandidates cannot be emphasizedenough. The two-thirds majority that
overrode PresidentReagan’s veto wouldnot have manifestedotherwise. While parti-san politics was a fac-tor, coalition buildingon both sides won in theend and the W.A.R.N.Act became a major winfor the labor movementand working America.
Here are some addi-tional provisions:EMPLOYERCOVERAGE
In general, employ-ers are covered byWARN if they have 100or more employees, notcounting employeeswho have worked less
than 6 months in the last 12 months andnot counting employees who work anaverage of less than 20 hours per week.Private, for-profit employers and pri-vate, nonprofit employers are covered,as are public and quasi- public entitieswhich operate in a commercial contextand are separately organized from theregular government. Regular federal,
years until a Bachelor’s degree is ob-tained. Vocational/technical School
awards offer $2,000 peryear until certification isreached for a maximumof two years, whicheveroccurs first.
For rules of eligibilityor to obtain an applica-tion, complete and returnthe form below. No appli-cation forms postmarkedlater than February 25,
2004, will be considered. No exceptionswill be permitted even if a third party isresponsible for the delay.
LABOR HISTORY – THE WARN ACT
by Greg Campos,Labor History Committee
Continued on page 11
Senator Howard Metzenbaumhelped ensure the WARN Act wassigned into law in January 1989.
One in eight women will be diagnosedwith breast cancer during their lifetime. InWashington State alone, more than 3,800women will be diagnosed with the diseasewhile another 700 will die in 2003. Chancesare high that breast cancer will affect you orsomeone you know!
The American Cancer Society has madesignificant progress against this disease,but needs help to do more. That is why theyare sponsoring the second annual MakingStrides Against Breast Cancer event onSunday, October 5th. The 751 Women'sCommittee is participating in this worth-while event and invites all members, theirfamily and friends, to join in the fun andwalk with us. The non-competitive walk is4 miles and will be held in Bellevue. Reg-istration begins at 8 a.m.; the walk will startat 9 a.m.
If you would like to walk along with theWomen’s Committee or make a donation,please call Janeé on 1-800-763-1301. Thiswill be counted as two hours Steward vol-unteer credit under the eight-hour policy asdirected by District President Mark Blondin.
Sign up for Making Strides AgainstBreast Cancer® and join a network ofmore than 400,000 people nationwide com-mitted to combating breast cancer. Everydollar raised through Making Strides helpsbring us one step closer to more effectiveprevention, detection, and treatment of thedisease. We hope you can come join us onSunday, October 5th, to raise money tohelp in the fight against breast cancer.
Volunteers Neededfor Cancer Walk
UNANIMOUS BALLOT FORLOCAL 1123 OFFICERS
The Local 751-F nominations for Local Lodge officerswere held at the September 10 meeting. The followingmembers were elected by unanimous ballot to a three-year term:President - Don Morris Vice President - Jon HoldenRecording Secretary - Ronnie BehnkeSecretary-Treasurer - Jim RobertsConductor-Sentinel - Victor HebertTrustees - Asuncion "Zon" Anderson, Howard M. Churchill, and Larry O. HastingAudit - Duane Roope, Sally Cunningham, and Cheryl Hughes
The Local 1123 nominations for Local Lodge officerswere held at the September 4 meeting. The followingmembers were elected by unanimous ballot to a three-year term:President - Mike Bratton Vice President - James O'BrienRecording Secretary - John R. BolmSecretary-Treasurer - Open - could be appointed laterConductor-Sentinel - Barry D. WrightTrustees - Fred W. McNeil, Fred E. Willsey and Stephen B. ReynoldsWenatchee Aluminum Trades Council - Stephen B. Reynolds
UNANIMOUS BALLOT FORLOCAL F OFFICERS
UNANIMOUS BALLOT FORLOCAL E OFFICERSLOCAL 86 ELECTIONTO BE HELD OCTOBER 9 The following Local Lodge 751 -E members were elected by unanimous ballot to a three-year term on September 3:
President - Ronald Bradley Vice President - Ira CartermanRecording Secretary - Dan MeddaughSecretary-Treasurer - Robert GiannettiConductor-Sentinel - Leroy SperryTrustees - Guerdon Ellis, Howard Riser, and Linda SperryAudit - Alan Gibson, Leslie K. Crawford, and Richard Craw
All Local 86 members in good standing, members whose
dues are paid through August 2003, and retired Union
members are eligible to vote in the October 9 election for
the following officers for a 3-year term: President, Vice
Congratulations to the following members who retired from Boeing:
Senior Politics
At the September 8th business meeting,Al Wydick called the meeting to order at11 a.m. The Lord’s Prayer was said fol-lowed by the flag salute and the singing of“God Bless America.”
Roll Call of Officers: All officers werepresent except Bill Baker, who was ex-cused. Minutes were accepted as printed.
Communications: The Club receiveda letter from Ron and Charlotte Roller,who are two of the most faithful memberswe’ve ever had. They were here everyMonday rain or shine, most of the timecoming by bus. A few months ago theirfamily decided they needed to be in anursing home, which was a good decision.Following is a letter from Ron and Char-lotte Roller:
“Dear Members: Thanks for all thosesignatures of support for Charlotte andme. Charlotte is much better. Thanks to theLord, as she was pretty bad for a while.
Boeing seems to be doing pretty well,but I hope they keep the work for the newplane in Seattle where they have goodmechanics and facilities.
I like it up here pretty well as I was bornand raised in Skagit County, but I do missSeattle and the Retirement Club. We haveso many good friends down there. TellHank H. I’m still working hocus focusevery day. It keeps my brain going. Thanksagain for all those signatures.
Love to all - Ronald and CharlotteP.S. Sorry we missed the picnic. That
was a high point of the year.”New Members: The Club welcomed
Ron Johnson and Trudy Menaly as newmembers.
Financial Report: The Financial Re-port was accepted as read.
Health & Welfare: Ill brothers andsisters this past month included: VerdaFrazer, Robert Goodspeed, NorbertHusman, Willard Johnson, ThomasCunningham, Orville Rushing, Jack R.White, Charles Etchison, Berle Brooks,Jean Dicken, Bernard Divincezo, ElaineLoudenback, Mary VanWinkle.
A moment of silence for the followingmembers who have passed away: GeraldBrowning, James Courtney, HaroldErickson, Carroll Gibson, Ralph Linn,James O’Connor, Coleman Paramore,Curtis Renaud, Robert Warner, GeorgeWright. Sympathy cards were sent to thefamilies.
Election of Officers: The Club electedthe following officers by unanimous ballot(to be installed in January).
President - Al WydickVice President - Cy NobleSecretary - Mary WoodTreasurer - Betty NessSergeant at Arms - Jim Hutchins
Retirees
RETIRED CLUB OFFICERS
President Al Wydick 253-815-9601Secretary Mary Wood 206-243-7428Treasurer Betty Ness 206-762-0725Srgnt-at-Arms Alvin Menke 206-772-1482
Merle Bogstie 206-725-3831 Louise Burns 206-242-5878 Cherie Menke 206-772-1482
Union Office: (1-800-763-1301) or 206-763-1300
OCTOBER
27
Plan to Attend Octoberfest - October 27Seattle Union Hall (9135 15th Pl. S.)- 11 a.m.
Lunch will feature sausage, German potato saladand sauerkraut. Bring craft items to sell or hobbiesto display.
Also bring gently used items no longerneeded to be sold as a White Elephant toraise money for the Retired Club.
Trustee #1 - Merle BogstieTravel: For information on the fol-
lowing trips, contact Mary King (206-363-5915) or Irene Tilford (425-432-0501).
Dec 1 - Reno/Lake Tahoe, 6 days,everything included $239
Jan. 25 - Cruise MexicanRiviera on the Carnival Pride,7 days, $699
Feb 27 - New Orleans &cruise the Mexican Caribbean,9 days, everything included(except cancellation waiver &insurance of $200 per personoptional) $1399
Feb. 29 - Special CruiseMexican Riviera, 7 days. VisitMazatlan, Puerta Vallarta,Cabo San Lucas, $699 ($200 deposit duenow)
Calendar of Events:Oct. 6 BingoOct. 13 Business MeetingOct. 20 VideoOct. 27 Music by Al MenkeGood and Welfare: Tom O’Brien
and Tom Finnnegan both talked aboutlaws that should give seniors more in theway of health care.
John Guevarra spoke to us about ourneed to be involved more with the Allianceof Retirement Americans (ARA). We willtry to have a representative speak at our
meetings.Unfinished Business: None.New Business: NoneBirthdays & Anniversaries: The Club
celebrated the following September birth-days: Leroy Miller, Helen Pompeo, DuanePorter, Paul Staley, Louise Burns, WilliamMaster, Al Menke.
While the members of Congress havebeen at home for the summer recess, thegrassroots campaign called: “Blow theWhistle,” sponsored by the Alliance forRetired Americans (ARA) has been ac-tive. A large crowd of seniors demon-strated against the Medicare bills (S. 1 andH.R. 1) in Banger, Maine; Clayton, Mis-souri; and Cleveland, Ohio chanting: “Hey,hey, ho, ho, we don’t wantyour HMO’s!”
These protests are focus-ing a lot of media attention onthe Medicare bills and, accord-ing to Alliance Secretary Trea-surer Rueben Burks, “As aresult, we are beginning to seesome movement by membersof Congress. Senator Jon Kyl(R-AZ) has finally agreed to meet with theAlliance, after three protests and sevenarrests at his Arizona office.”Reciprocal Agreement Countries
The United States has reciprocal agree-ments with some other countries about
Social Security entitlements. If you everlived and worked in another country, youmight be entitled to benefits. Each personmust apply a few months before their 65thbirthday - in some countries at age 62(Canada) and in other countries 60 forwomen (United Kingdom). It is our re-sponsibility to research and apply for over-seas Social Security.
On a personal note, my wife and Iqualify for Social Security from reciprocal
agreement countries. They are:the United Kingdom, Canadaand Holland. We have coachedand helped people to obtaintheir benefits with success. Ifthere is anyone in our Retire-ment Club who qualifies forthis type of benefit and wouldlike help in this matter, call CyNoble at 425-392-1345.
The District has asked the RetirementClub to take a straw poll for the Presiden-tial candidates. We will read the results atour next meeting.
If the election were held tomorrow,who would you vote for?
The Medicare prescription drug billscurrently being debated in a House-Senateconference committee raise huge concernsfor seniors.
First, the bills would privatize Medi-care. There are wide gaps in coverage andno guaranteed premiums, which meansmillions of seniors will be at the mercy ofprivate insurers.
In addition, the bills contain no provi-sions to bring down skyrocketing costs ofprescription drugs and would put millionsof seniors at riskof having no pre-scription drugcoverage.
Another con-cern with the pro-posed bills is em-ployers can dropexisting retireeprescription drug
Irene Tilford (l) and Mary Allen (r)help prepare a free lunch everyMonday for retirees in attendance.
At Monday Retired Club meetings members can play cards, visit with friends orenjoy the entertainment for the day. A free lunch is always offered, as well.
by Cy Noble,Retiree Legislative Chair
Also congratulations to Local 1951 member Richard Fletcher, who recentlyretired from Edwards Equipment.
Call Today and Tell CongressDon’t Privatize Medicare
CALL 1-877-331-2000Tell them give seniors a real prescription drug program
and don’t privatize Social Security
coverage.The Alliance for Retired Americans
does not support the House or Senate billscurrently being debated. However, theAlliance does support a prescription drugbenefit that is administered by and throughMedicare, not private insurers.
Call your U.S. Senators and Represen-tative toll-free at 1-877-331-2000 and tellthem not to privatize Medicare! The billsbeing debated by Congress will not helpseniors.
Each single ad must be 25 words orless. Use a separate piece of paper orad blank for each ad. Ads are freeonly to members - active, laid-off, orretired. For best response, includephone number instead of addressesin ad copy. Members' "cottageindustries" will be OK in ads, but nocommercial ads. When using ownpaper for ads, include informationrequired on regular ad blank.
AD RULES
Circle One:
Ad (25 word limit. Pleaseprint)._____________________________________________________________________________________
CONNAU BIRD – 3 years old. Large standand cage, talks – says many things. Very smart$300. 253-631-8237
40 & 10 GALLON FISH TANKS, chem freew/hoods $75 & $25, fish tank stand – metal fits40 gal $75. DOG HOUSE, vinyl 32L x 24w x23h – new $30. 253-891-9902
PERSIANS – CFA registered chinchilla andshaded silvers (Fancy Feast kitties). Pet, breeder,and show quality. Starting at $400. 360-691-7364
TACK TO YOU – Horse tack at affordableprices. All new equipment. Call Connie at 253-884-6688 for more [email protected]
STEERING COLUMNS REPAIRED, fix thatunsafe, loose, tilt or telescopic column today!Columns repaired or modified. Columns andparts for sale. 425-228-3326
TRUCKBED cover, aluminum, folding panels– Peragon brand on 200L Toyota Tundra X-tracab on truck. Can see work. Paid $500, will sellfor $250. 360-659-5375
CAR ALARM W/KEYLESS ENTRY. Newin box. 2 remotes, siren, impact sensor, etc.Can flash park lights, disable starter, more. Allmanuals included. Lifetime warranty $60.Installation available. 253-826-4378 or 206-755-7782
TURBO 400 TRANSMISSION for late 60’sCadillac. Good condition. Make offer. 253-833-7345
FIBERGLASS CANOPY for late Ford Ranger.7’3” long, tinted glass- front slider. New price$1100, will sell for $550. 253-833-3837
1969 CHEVELLE HOOD $50, front andrear brake drums with spindles & shoes $25,2 headrests $20, 2 gas shocks, rear, KYB$15, 2 front shocks for ’67 Bug, KYB $10.206-242-7891
16’ BOSTON WHALER, 50 HP mariner en-gine with E-Z Loader trailer. Fully equipped w/extras. Good condition $5300. 253-891-9902
16’ BOAT, 75 HP motor, Calkins trailer.206-244-7948
SNACK WIZARD VENDING SERVICES-have various type candy/soda machines avail-able for placement in your business. I serviceand fill machines weekly. No cost to you!Sheila 253-670-3188
TACK TO YOU – Horse tack at affordableprices. All new equipment. Call Connie at 253-884-6688 for more [email protected]
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE under $90/month per family! Save 25% - 50% on doctors,dentists, hospitals, prescriptions, vision care,chiropractors and more! Not insurance. Everyone accepted. Call 1-866-241-7843. MentionIAM&AW for discount or visitwww.ushealthadvisors.net/usaplus2
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED in buying orselling WATKINS products or would like acatalog, call Cindy or [email protected]. I deliver all areas.425-334-3876
RX DRUGS from Canada- 50% less than U.S.prices! 425-251-8168
WANT TO BUY OR SELL AVON? CallCindy or email [email protected] orwww.youravon.com/cfarrar. I deliver. 425-334-3876
R-U TIRED of living at work and working tolive? Earn up to $2K-$5K month withoutleaving your job. Call now and listen to whatthese people have done! 1-800-434-8673code DB2
PIANO – KIMBALL conselette upright. Wal-nut finish, like new, with padded bench. Deep,rich sound. Beautiful living room item. Greatfor experienced or beginner players $800. 253-927-5083
SHERMAN CLAY upright piano with bench/stool $900 OBO. Renton area. 425-228-7455
CAR ALARM w/keyless entry. New in box. 2remotes, siren, impact sensor, etc. Can flashpark lights, disable starter, more. All manualsincluded. Lifetime warranty $60. Installationavailable. 253-826-4378 or 206-755-7782
LOWERY “MAGIC GENIE” organ console.Like new, bi-level keyboard with a press of abutton. Have guitar, banjo, drums, rumba,swing, disco. Cost over $4500. Beautifulwood w/lift-up bench. Must see to appreciate$600. Bellevue/Renton area. 425-255-7963
LEXMARK PRINTER and tiny scanner – 3color inks, 1 black ink. All ready to set up.Instruction books included $150. 425-870-3759 or 425-337-3411
YAMAHA ELECTRIC PIANO – 88 keys,Clavinova PFP-100, stand and stool $700, tenorsaxophone “Armstrong”- good condition andnew case $400. 253-535-6499
CANON 5-70 CAMERA – 55 & 105mmlens, 3 close-up lens, Vivitar autoflash, 3coated filters, doubler and manual $500 ormake offer. 253-874-8072 or 253-927-5188
48” SOLID WOOD PEDESTAL round tablewith leaf, 6 chairs with fabric seats, dark stain.Less than 1-year old $750 firm. 425-357-9371
FOUR-PIECE WHITE WICKER BEDROOMfurniture $75; student desk – wood, 3 drawers$35; white and brass pots and pan rack hanger$20; microwave $20. 253-891-9902
FRIGIDAIRE CLOTHES DRYER – new,never been used $200; child’s toy box- lookslike a small davenport $30; toddler bed andmattress- new condition $55. 206-772-1752
BEAUTIFUL LAWYERS DESK – 6’ x 2’. 6drawers, solid walnut. A great buy $200. 425-226-1760
MAPLE COFFEE TABLE w/drop leaves –solid. Over 50 years old in beautiful condition$150. 425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
DRESSER WITH FULL-SIZE MIRROR –blonde with 9 drawers. Solid wood $125. 425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
MISC LIVING ROOM FURNITURE – mov-ing. $25 to $75. 425-255-7963
DOUBLE RECLINER love seat w/console –brown and beige tweed. Excellent condition$200. 425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
NEW KENMORE LARGE CAPACITY wash-ing machine $200; 18’ Frigidaire $100; girlsdresser trimmed in gold $50. 206-772-1752
WHITE EXERCISE equipment for the armsand legs $75. 206-772-1752
OAK KITCHEN NOOK w/built in storage inseat. Table included. Great for small areas.45.5” x 69”. $175. 206-932-8672
BARBER CHAIR, good cond, foot pedal pumpschair up & down. Great novelty chair- excellent forkids room or rec room. 253-863-8277
LIGHT OAK FINISH BUNK BEDS, built-indesk, shelves and dresser. Bottom bunk rollsout. Excellent condition. Paid $1200, will sellfor $400 OBO. 253-862-7495
PIANO – KIMBALL CONSELETTE up-right. Walnut finish, like new, with paddedbench. Deep, rich sound. Beautiful livingroom item. Great for experienced or begin-ner players $800. 253-927-5083
LATE 1979 24’ x 56’ MOBILE HOME infamily park. Appliances stay. Fireplace. Closeto Boeing Everett plant $555. Space $325.425-353-0564
KONA, HAWAII beachfront condo, large 2BDRM/2 bath, spectacular view. Sleeps 4.$700-$750 a week + tax, 10% discount toBoeing employees, pays taxes. 206-938-9214or www.banyantreecondo.com
FOR RENT – 2 bdrm basement house, fencedyard $950. 206-772-1752
CABIN FOR RENT. Copalis Beach, WA.Sleeps 5. Fireplace. 5 miles north of OceanShores – 2 blocks from ocean. For reservationsor information, call 253-529-5444. $75/night.
FOR SALE- 3 bdrm in excellent neighborhood5 minutes to the Renton Boeing plant. In cul-de-sac. Appraised at $179K, selling for $175K.206-772-1752
SMALL 3 BDRM/1 BATH single car ga-rage, park like shy .75 acre, Federal Way$190K. For appointment 253-529-5444
PATRIOTIC POCKET ANGELS for keeping,sharing or fundraising $1 plus stamped enve-lope. Send to P.O. Box 2864, Renton, WA98059 or call 425-228-1088. Also beautiful,unique wind chimes.
PUERTO VALLARTA 1-BDRM condoThanksgiving week (Nov 22-29). 2 adult pools,1 kiddie pool, hot tub, BBQ, gym, masseuse,siesta, restaurants, store & laundry on site.$800. 253-939-2262
CELEBRITY 4-WHEEL electric scooter. Canbe broken down for transporting $1400. Jeanette509-238-6958 or [email protected]
FIREWOOD – 1 cord of alder, cut in 16”length, dry, have had it for a year. Going to gas.You load and haul $125 firm. Everett. Talk toJeff 425-357-9371
SNACK WIZARD VENDING SERVICES-have various type candy/soda machines avail-able for placement in your business. I serviceand fill machines weekly. No cost to you!Sheila 253-670-3188
MAPLE COFFEE TABLE w/drop leaves –solid. Over 50 years old in beautiful condition$150. 425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
SHOP DUST BLOWER – in & out GeneralElectric motor, .3 HP H260 V115, Phi RPM1725Code S $75 OBO; old rusty shovels, forks,rakes, etc $1/ea; all garden ornaments, mailboxes for garden tools to be put on poles $3each. 253-852-6809
CHEVRON GAS PUMP, 1960’s Takheim –red in color, long hose and nozzle in goodcondition; hand crank, blue HIGH BOY OILPUMP that you fill with your own container.Both for $500. 253-852-6809
CHEVY TRUCK HOOD for 1957 Chevy- nodents, good condition $75; STEEL LINK TOWCHAINS with hooks on both ends 12-15’ long$1 & $2/foot; common cored BUILDINGBRICKS, gray concrete blocks and 3 holes-lots of them for foundation, etc. 35 cents each.253-852-6809
(20) 1-GALLON GLASS JARS with lids usedfor honey storage $2.75 each; 30-gallon Dadanthoney extractor with platform, 2-frame andyou flip them. Good cond hand crank $175.Ball canning jars – wide mouth, regular andpint jars $2.75 to $5.00/dozen. 253-852-6809
HOUSE PLANTS, various sizes and kinds.Also outdoor plants, crocosmia, houseleeks,hen & chicks, chives $2 to $5. Purple Heartlarge handing and pedestal plants $5 to $12beautiful plants! 253-852-6809
RAILROAD IRON PIECES used for anvils inshop- various sizes $5 each. T-DRILL .5” thru2” pipe model T55G all parts $700 OBO. 253-852-6809
DRESSER WITH FULL-SIZE MIRROR –blonde with 9 drawers. Solid wood $125. 425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
MISC LIVING ROOM FURNITURE – mov-ing. $25 to $75. 425-255-7963
DOUBLE RECLINER love seat w/console –brown and beige tweed. Excellent condition$200. 425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
WINE BARRELS – painted. Makes won-derful stools for the patio. $10 to $30 each.425-255-7963 or 425-226-1760
October 2003 751 AERO MECHANIC Page 11
PROPERTY
REC MEMBERSHIP
REC VEHICLES
SPORTING GOODS
TOOLS
VEHICLES
KIDNEY-SHAPED POOL, black. Approxi-mately 7’. Cost over $180. Like new- great forlandscaping in your yard $95. 425-226-1760
CRAFTSMAN 10HP electric start 30” mower,5-speed, rear engine rider $500 OBO. 425-438-3327 or 425-290-9738
ROLAND HP-230 DIGITAL piano, 88 keys,3-years old. Good condition $900. ROLANDAV880 synthesizer $400. 253-845-8121
PIANO – KIMBALL CONSELETTE upright.Walnut finish, like new, with padded bench.Deep, rich sound. Beautiful living room item.Great for experienced or beginner players $800.253-927-5083
SHERMAN CLAY upright piano with bench/stool $900 OBO. Renton area. 425-228-7455
WANTED: RV COVER for 30’ Class C motorhome. Reasonable. 425-255-7963
COOKBOOKS from the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’sand 80’s. Old collection, great condition. 5 for$10. 425-255-7963
EXTRA-SIZE – heavy-duty washer/dryer $25each. Complete HP computer and DeskJetprinter $650. 425-290-8404
UTILITY STORAGE BOX for back of yourRV, 2” receiver, will clear. Spare tire, wiredwith turn and brake lights. The box is blackpolyurethane $200. 360-456-3847
WANTED: Avon Cape Cod ruby red dinnerplates to complete my set. 509-760-8444
FREE: ORGAN – you haul. UPRIGHT PI-ANO $700 OBO. 425-392-4398
STEERING COLUMNS REPAIRED, fix thatunsafe, loose, tilt or telescopic column today!Columns repaired or modified. Columns andparts for sale. 425-228-3326
RX DRUGS from Canada- 50% less thanU.S. prices! 425-251-8168
PUERTO VALLARTA 1-BDRM condoThanksgiving week (Nov 22-29). 2 adult pools,1 kiddie pool, hot tub, BBQ, gym, masseuse,siesta, restaurants, store and laundry on site.$800. 253-939-2262
50+ ACRES – 10 miles south of Twisp, WA.40’ fifth-wheel, several RV hookups, building-site ready. Water, power, septic installed.Much, much more! 360-568-1168 weekdays,509-997-2346 weekends
TWO (2) ACRES on Whidbey Island atLagoona Point Road. No water view. Asking$29,900. 253-564-9045
ABBEY VIEW CEMETERY – 2 side-by-sideplots in Psalms section. $3K value, will sell for$1,300. 253-854-4251
SMALL 3 BDRM/1 BATH single car garage,park like shy .75 acre, Federal Way $190K. Forappointment 253-529-5444
CEMETERY LOTS - 2 at Greenwood Cem-etery in Renton. Holly section, includingtwo (2) vaults. $8000 OBO. 425-255-2438
PUERTO VALLARTA 1-BDRM condoThanksgiving week (Nov 22-29). 2 adult pools,1 kiddy pool, hot tub, BBQ, gym, masseuse,siesta, restaurants, store and laundry on site.$800. 253-939-2262
RESORT FOR SALE – Eastern Washington.Visit our website atwww.couleelodgeresort.com for details. Seri-ous inquiries only! $800,000. 509-632-5565
LOT ON LAKE – Lake Trask, Mason County,21’ trailer – sleeps 6. Hot showers, pool,tennis, lodge and more available to all mem-bers $4500. Cindy 425-334-3876
GOLF CLUBS, 2 COMPLETE SETS withwoods, irons, putter, bag and pull carts. Lotsof golf balls, both ready to play $300. Willseparate. 253-833-4773
1941 WILLYS COUPE Outlaw, 350, R700,air, electric windows, seats, digital dash. Ex-cellent condition $60K. 253-630-5551
TOW DOLLY – 2-wheel $750. 253-847-7618
1951 PONTIAC 2-door business coupe – two-tone grey with new chrome and grey uphol-stery, straight 8, auto, stock, sun visor, fender,skirts, hood ornament lights up. Excellent!$8500 firm. 253-630-5551
1951 MERCURY 2-door, candy apple red &pearl white, removable Carson top, air, leadsled, electric windows, seats, 350, R700. Over$90K invested! Excellent! $35K. 253-630-5551
1979 FORD 4X4 three-quarter ton flatbed w/gooseneck hitch- runs well, spokes, big tires$1200. 360-983-8312
1987 CHEVY CAPRICE - $200. 1987 OLDScustom cruiser wagon $100. Ask for Jim 253-274-8292
1988 FORD TEMPO, 83K miles, clean insideand out $1495. 206-244-7948
1991 FORD F150 XLT LARIAT TRUCK –power windows and locks, tilt-wheel, over-drive, V8, very low mileage, Back Pack canopy,all towing equipment, clean. Like new. 206-232-8348
1992 CHEVY CONVERSION MARK IIIVAN, 7 passengers, AC, TV, bed. Manyextras- must see to appreciate $5500. 253-874-5871
1994 BRONCO XLT 4X4, loaded, tow pack-age, chrome package. Upgrade wheels andtires. Black beauty $7K. 360-435-9551 Ar-lington
1995 NISSAN 200 SX, teal, 2-door, 16 valve,1.8L, new plugs & battery. Excellent condi-tion. One owner $2495. Must see to appreciate.425-226-1760
2000 LINCOLN sports car LS model withthe Jaguar engine. Silver with 12K miles,built-in phone. All leather. Paid $45K, willsell for $33K. It has everything you couldwant in a car. 206-772-1752
GENERATOR – GENERAL 5000 watt 110 &220 outlets, 10 HP Briggs & Stratton engine.Used once $450. 425-228-3326
RECONDITIONED SINGER upholstery sew-ing machine. Walking foot model #111W153.New parts, very little use. Same machine usedin shops. Large table and light. 206-363-6707or 206-200-7862
NEED A COMPACT TRACTOR? We spe-cialize in used Gray-market tractors. Yanmar,all 4-WD, new loaders, 18 to 28 HP, low hours.Implements new & used. Terry 206-255-6563
state, and local government entities whichprovide public services are not covered.EMPLOYEE COVERAGE
Employees entitled to notice underWARN include hourly and salaried work-ers, as well as managerial and supervi-sory employees. Business partners arenot entitled to notice.SALE OF BUSINESSES
In a situation involving the sale ofpart or all of a business, the followingrequirements apply. (1) In each situa-tion, there is always an employer respon-sible for giving notice. (2) If the sale bya covered employer results in a coveredplant closing or mass layoff, the requiredparties (discussed later) must receive atleast 60 days’ notice. (3) The seller isresponsible for providing notice of anycovered plant closing or mass layoffwhich occurs up to and including thedate/time of the sale. (4) The buyer isresponsible for providing notice of any
covered plant closing or mass layoffwhich occurs after the date/time of thesale. (5) No notice is required if the saledoes not result in a covered plant closingor mass layoff.(6) Employees of the seller(other than employees who have workedless than 6 months in the last 12 monthsor employees who work an average ofless than 20 hours a week) on the date/time of the sale become, for purposes ofWARN, employees of the buyer imme-diately following the sale. This provi-sion preserves the notice rights of theemployees of a business that has beensold.
The prospect of losing employment isnever an easy transition. The stressesassociated with the unknown can be over-whelming even with a 60-day advancenotice. Nevertheless, in 60 days one hasthe time to examine potential optionsrather than having to make hasty deci-sions under the duress of immediate lossof employment.
The History of the WARN ActContinued from page 8
Page 751 AERO MECHANIC October 200312
QTTP - HELPS WITH LIFE AFTER LAYOFF
Member Can ‘Breathe’ Easier After Layoff
Member Drives On to New Career
Since her layoff in December 2001, April Kramerhas earned a degree in respiratory therapy and isworking at Harborview Hospital in Seattle.
David Puki helps a student at Mt. SiHigh School understand how to spota problem with the brakes.
Laid-off member David Puki is well on his way to becoming an automotivetechnician; however, his long-term goal is to teach the subject. Above, at Mt.Si High School, he volunteers and shares his knowledge with students. Heencourages others (active, laid-off or retired) to volunteer at local schools andshare their knowledge.
751-member April Kramer, who waslaid-off in December 2001, is literally‘breathing’ a sigh of relief now that she hascompleted a two-year degree and is work-ing as a Respiratory Therapist at HarborviewMedical Center. Without her constant de-
termination and commitment, she wouldnot be where she is today.
Two weeks after her layoff fromBoeing, April sorted through hundreds ofeducation options and available schools.She chose her field, completed the re-
quired paperwork, and se-lected the Respiratory Thera-pist degree at Highline Com-munity College. Unfortu-nately, the course began inthe Fall quarter. Not want-ing to wait nearly a wholeyear to begin retraining, Aprilused her powers of persua-sion to convince the instruc-tor to make an exception andallow her to enter the pro-gram Winter quarter 2002.Because she had takenclasses in the past, she hadenough overall credits to gether degree and graduate withthe class in June of 2003.
By not taking no for ananswer, this impressivewoman moved full speedahead on a new career. “I amnothing, if not determined,”stated April. “I was devas-tated when I was handed alayoff notice in October of2001. I was worried that be-ing part of the over-40 crowd
would put me at a definite disadvantagewhen it came to going back to school andtrying to learn a whole new career. I had todecide very quickly what I would do for therest of my life. A friend suggested Respi-ratory Therapy, since I’ve always beeninterested in the medical field. After re-searching the option, I decided to give it atry.”
That same spirit of determination helpedher land the job at Harborview. During hertraining, she went on clinicals with theinstructor and visited Harborview. She wasintrigued by the fast-paced atmosphereand reputation for excellence of this well-known hospital. Initially she met resis-tance because she was brand-new to theprofession, but with her persistence andpositive attitude, she prevailed and startedwork at Harborview the Monday follow-ing graduation. While she adjusted to theintense pressure of working at Harborview,she also managed to study for her 3-hourlong state licensing exam, which she passedin July. She will now study for the Na-tional Registry Exam, which is in two partsand 6-hours long. We wish her luck andsuccess.
April admits it wasn’t easy and hadmany complications. Since she was in thefirst layoff group following 9/11, therewere no established rules or guidelines tosteer people through the process to qualifyfor Trade Act, Commissioner-Approved
Training or even steps to direct them to theproper program. Turmoil was a good de-scription, as people scrambled to plan theirfuture.
April kept faith and often turned to theIAM/Boeing Quality Through TrainingProgram (QTTP) for answers and advice.While the QTTP advisors did not alwayshave an answer readily available, theyprovided much-needed support and assis-tance that got her through the tough transi-tion period, as well as helping with otherthings throughout her training program.Since she started at Highline just two weeksfollowing her layoff, Trade Act was notavailable and QTTP picked up tuition forher first quarter.
This was not April’s first experiencewith QTTP or her first layoff from Boeing.She was a Grade 3 working in the 17-05building before getting laid-off in 1993.During that three-year layoff, she utilizedQTTP’s Education Assistance to take ma-chining classes at Renton Technical Col-lege. The effort paid off when she wasrehired as a Grade 8 NC Milling MachineOperator rather than returning to the Grade3 job. However, this time around she chosea whole new career field.
April noted, “I want to thank QTTP formaking this stressful career transition abearable experience. It’s nice to know thereis a safety net of people there for me inthese trying times.”
Layoff was all too familiar for 751-member David Puki. By the time he re-ceived his WARN notice in July 2002, heknew it was time to look for a new career.This would be his third layoff from Boeingsince he hired into the Company in 1973.
Rather than dwell on his nearly threedecades in aerospace, David viewed thelayoff as an opportunity to go a differentdirection with his life. Immediately uponreceiving his WARN notice, David turnedto the IAM/Boeing Quality Through Train-ing Program (QTTP) for help deciding hisfuture. There, he took an assessment test,analyzed his skills and interests and withhelp from a QTTP advisor decided to enrollin a Trade Act program to become anautomotive technician. However, his ca-reer plan went beyond the degree to envi-sion a long-term goal to teach automotivein a high school or community college.Judging from his current status, he willexcel in this field.
David noted, “This choice will providea long-term future. People will always needto have their cars serviced, and it’s a job thatcan’t be subcontracted. As an automotivetechnician, I won’t have to drive to Everettto make a living wage. I can work at adealership close to home.”
Once he decided on the program, he had
just 22 days to get through the paperworkbefore fall quarter began at South SeattleCommunity College. QTTP paid for hisfirst quarter tuition as he waited for TradeAct approval. Because he was registeringlater than many students, the introductoryclasses were full so he signed up for “Emis-sions”, which is one of the toughest certi-fications to obtain. David demonstratedhis aptitude for the subject by not onlygetting a top grade, but passing the statetest on the first try - something that ishighly unusual.
David’s interest in automotive andteaching surfaced long before he receiveda layoff notice. While working secondshift at Boeing, he had regularly volun-teered at Mt. Si High School because hischild was a student there and he enjoyedhelping kids with their education. Afterassisting the Mt. Si Technology Center,Dave took an active role to help in therevamping of its auto shop, as he envi-sioned a school-to-work program thatwould inspire students to pursue careers asauto technicians. Dave spent at least twohours a week in the auto shop, dedicatingmany hours helping rebuild and repairmost of the equipment there. He also par-ticipated in numerous Saturday career days.Little did he know this volunteer workwould play a significant role in determin-ing his future.
In addition to taking a full class load atcollege, David still manages to volunteerat Mt. Si High School, tutor disabled stu-dents at South Seattle Community Col-lege, chair the Auto Advisory Committeefor Snoqualmie Valley and IssaquahSchool Districts and maintain a part timejob – not to mention being a single fatherof a teenager. Because of the restrictionsof Trade Act, he cannot work more than 13hours a week. Therefore, he volunteers asa tutor to help others, which provides himpractical experience doing what he has
learned in the college program.David noted, “At Boeing, I primarily
worked second shift so I could volunteer atschool. It is so rewarding to help a childrealize their potential and teach them some-thing they can use their whole life.”
His positive attitude is contagious as heencourages others to follow their dreams.David emphasized, “Even if you don’tknow what you want to do, volunteer at alocal school and share your skills andknowledge. Besides helping the students,it could help you decide your future.”
His passion to help others is evident ashe speaks about his activities. Currently heis researching various grants to financeadditional improvements for the Mt. SiAuto Shop. David has made a lasting im-pression at both Mt. Si and South SeattleCommunity College.
Roxanne Tillman, who recruits indi-viduals for the South Seattle Community
College tutor program, noted, “David isexceptional. He has a knack for drawingthe students out. He displays incrediblepatience. I could tell immediately what agiving person he is because it is a part ofwho he is. I am really impressed with hisskills. There is nothing he can’t do with anengine, and he always gives 100 percent inclass and while tutoring.”
Jim Adams, who runs the Mt. Si AutoShop, stated, “David helped make thisinto a viable automotive program. He isgenerous with his time, recruited tooldonations, personally bought and do-nated equipment, as well as spendingcountless hours researching curriculumand grants to fund equipment. He isalways willing to share his skills andhelped rebuild a lot of the machines sothey are in working order for the stu-dents. He has made a tremendous differ-ence in the lives of our students.”
