As one of the senior remaining members of the existing Executive Board I wish to recognize our outgoing Officers of Local 7804. President Dick Godwin, Vice President Denese Dolan, and Secretary-Treasurer Kathy Fox, will be handing over their duties as the end of December.
I would personally like to extend my thanks to each of our officers for their dedication, leadership, guidance, and personal sacrifice over the years they have given to our members in the name of solidarity and brotherhood. They have shown us examples of hard work, diligence, fairness, equality for their peers, members, and those they have dealt with of our respective employers. They have earned respect, instilled fear, and, yes, given us all a reason to laugh together or fight together over the years.
Dick Godwin has been an active member of this local for the thirty plus years of his telephone career. He has done nearly every outside craft job in the "phone company" during his career, and owns a wealth of experience and knowledge. Dick began as a steward many years ago, under the leadership of past Presidents such as Al Burzlauf, Barney Willard, and Jack Davis. Dick has also been active in the Labor Community. He has served as a delegate to the Pierce County Labor Council. He served on the Tri-State Committee for CWA, and has attended many Presidents’ meeting in Denver, in which he has communicated the truth to the Corporate leaders of our various companies.
He belonged to the Executive board, was a Vice President, and President of this local as well over the past fifteen years. Dick led us through strikes in 1971, 1983, and 1986 with AT&T, and recent unrest at Lucent, and, of course, the last one with USWest in 1998. He dealt with office closings, such as the Business Office, the Phone Centers, AT&T Operators closing at 757 Fawcett and their relocation to the Sea-Tac Burien area. Reengineering and Consolidation also kept Dick involved as well as Denese Dolan who WA on a regional committee to oversee the fair and thorough force adjustment and rearrangements. Dick has gone to bat for many members over the years. Whether it was behind the scenes of an all out attack in front of management, you could always rest assured, you as a member were getting every bit of "your dues" when Dick was representing you. He has saved many jobs that many will never know about. Dick is feared and respected by both our members and those from the companies who employ us, as he is a brilliant negotiator. He has always kept the member in mind while looking "downstream" at the big picture.
During Dick’s tenure, we have gone from a Local near 1,000 members to less than 400. Through his leadership, and that of his fellow officers and E-boards, this local has withstood economic loss. The budget has remained solvent, the building is paid for, and the Local has sailed through several audits with flying colors.
He has recently told me he is at the point in life where it is time for someone else to have the job. Dick is looking forward to spending more time with his family, grandchildren, and his hobbies. He is also looking to remodel his home, as well as work with his hunting dogs and his avid interest in sport shooting. Thank you Dick for your unwavering leadership and your many years of service to the members of this local. You have put Tacoma on the map, and made it evident we are a local to be reckoned with.
Denese Dolan has been the Vice President for two terms. She also spent many years as a steward and Executive Board member prior to taking office. Denese began her career as an Operator and spent many years in the Central Office environment prior to her recent retirement. As Vice President Denese oversaw the steward organization and was responsible for the assigning of grievances. Prior to her stint as Vice President, Denese also served two terms as Treasurer of this Local while past President Jack Davis was in office. As stated earlier, Denese sat on a regional committee during the reengineering of USWest in the early 90’s. Denese also was on the Credentials Committee for the CWA National Convention several times. Denese served as the Mobilization Coordinator for this Local for many years, and was a State wide Coordinator as well.
We will miss her cheerful smile and always friendly personality at the hall. Denese has become quite a computerist and photographer while enjoying retirement. She has many interests, hobbies, and loves taking care of young children. She will be close by and promises to stop by and help out or visit when she can. Thanks Denese for all your years of service to this local!
Kathy Fox has definitely been a hard worker for this Union. She has been the "glue" that has kept the office together over the past years she has been an officers. I asked her recently what got her started with her interest in our Union. She replied, several years ago, she was asked to be a Pathways advocate. She agreed and fulfilled this position with great success. The rest is history, as it has been for many of us as well. It seems once you fill in as a volunteer to help out, you get asked to do a little more and a little more, and it before you know it, you are immersed in being an activist for the local. Kathy has served as a steward, one term on the Executive Board and two terms as Secretary Treasurer.
Kathy also began her career as an Operator. She, like Denese, is a Central Office tech, and has over 30 years of service. Like Dick, she has stated it is time for someone else to do the job. I for one admire her unwavering effort and hard work serving the interests and needs of this local. Kathy, you have done a wonderful job.
Please join me in thanking Dick, Denese, and Kathy. If you see them on the job or talk to them over the phone, let’s all remember to give them a salute, a pat on the back, a handshake, a good word for their many years of service to each and every one of us!
Because it has been over a year since CWA reached an agreement with USWest to instruct its members not to wear black armbands in customer contact areas, we wanted to provide an update on the status of the continuing dispute with USWest over protected concerted activities.
Several legal actions are currently pending concerning this issue. CWA and USWest originally agreed to submit the issue of whether bargaining unit members may wear black armbands in customer contact areas to an Arbitrator. This arbitration hearing was held in March, 1999, and written briefs were submitted in May, 1999. We have not yet received the Arbitrator's decision.
At the same time the agreement was reached to arbitrate the black armbands issue, USWest filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to curtail CWA’s mobilizing activities. CWA then filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, arguing that USWest was bypassing the contractual grievance and arbitration procedures, and illegally attempting to limit the protected concerted activities of its members and retaliate against those who engaged in such activities. Arguments continue to be pursued in both of these arenas, and no decisions have yet been rendered.
We will keep you posted on the progress of all of these actions. In the interim, please remember that while these matters are pending, CWA members may not authorize, encourage, engage in, or participate in any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, boycott, sympathy strike, or picketing or wearing of arm bands while in contact with USWest customers. This agreement between CWA and USWest has been entered with the U.S. District Court as a temporary restraining order pending the resolution of these issues, and any violation may result in penalties to CWA.
Any new notices will be posted on our website either here or in the News section.
There is information on several scholarships available through the Local. Information on the Ray Hackney Scholarship Fund, The Joseph Anthony Beirne Memorial Foundation and the Union Plus Credit Scholarship is available at the Local’s office (see contact information on page 1) or you may access the information here.
Scholarship awards can be up to $4,000 in a one-time grant or $3,000 a year for two years.
Don’t forget to take a break for fifteen minutes twice a day. This is your right earned for you by the Union. You deserve it and need it to work effectively, safely; and taking a break gives you a chance to relax and put a new perspective on your day. Whatever you like to do, drink a cup of coffee or read or do crossword puzzles, it doesn’t matter, but it does matter that you do something. It is a fact that a more productive, safer, and healthier employee is one that can learn to relax and take time to do something else than the usual tasks.
Something else taking a break does is not cheat your fellow employees by skewing your production numbers. While you may not think about it, beside cheating yourself, you are doing the same to your fellow workers by making them appear to be doing less than you are. Think about that next time you skip breaks, skip lunch, start early without charging overtime, or anything else you do that gives your pay back to the company for gratis. You wind up creating a false picture of yourself and your fellow Union members.
So remember to take a break; a break for yourself and your fellow Union employees. That way we will all be pulling together.
The National Advisory Coalition for Telecommunications Education and Learning (NACTEL) has developed an Associate’s Degree in Telecommunications offered entirely over he internet to prepare workers for inside and outside network technician positions. The Telecom Associate’s Degree is available entirely on line.
To learn more about this opportunity please view the information online here.
Or to learn more and to discover if this program is a good match for you visit the NACTEL web site at www.nactel.org. This user-friendly site provides complete information and is a great place to find out more.
CWA-The Union for the information age
by Dennis Garrett
For those of you who are not sure of who I am let me introduce myself and for those that are in the know, for good or bad, just hang in there.
My name is Dennis Garrett. I have 33 years of PNB/US West employment as a construction splicer, maintenance splicer, air pressure tech, hi-cap const and maintenance tech and am currently working in fiber optics.
In all of my 33 years I have been involved in union work as a steward, executive board member, and safety committee chairman.
Most of you are more familiar with me wearing the safety hat.
For the last four years I have been the CWA co-chair to the Washington CWA/USWest Committee, CWA rep on the Labor and Industries WISHA Telecommunications Safety Advisory Committee, Communications Committee chairman for the Governor’s Safety Conference, but for the last 15 years my efforts have been directed at working for the local as chairman of the Tacoma Safety Committee.
I have now accepted the new challenge of vice president of Local 7804. This position will only enhance my on going safety efforts and provide myself and my new fellow officers Clay Bowlby and Randy Grams with the basis to represent all of you to the best of our abilities.
To the outgoing officers - Dick Godwin, Denese Dolan and Kathy Fox let me say from the bottom of my heart - thank you! Your dedication and hard work over the many years have seen this local through some of the most trying times in its existence. For myself I know that I will be calling on them from time to time to utilize their knowledge and expertise. They will also still be available to everyone in their shop steward capacity, all except Denese, my mentor, who will finally start taking full advantage of her retirement.
I want all of my fellow employees to feel free to call on me as a shop steward and officer, but especially as their safety representative.
Over the next three years there will be many changes coming especially with the pending merger with Qwest but keep one important fact in mind - the contract is the contract and it will be honored and respected by whoever controls the company. Most importantly though is the fact that your safety and well being will never be compromised either because of CWA efforts or OSHA/WISHA. We, as the officers, e-board members, and stewards will always fight the good fight but to be successful we need your participation and your vigilance.
CWA is a team effort and there is no "I" in team.
Yours in unionism and safety,
Dennis Garrett
Back to the newsletter archives.