FENTANYL HAZARD FOR LEOs

 

Extreme Caution is Required when Testing or Handling Unknown Substances

Law Enforcement officers are encouraged to use extreme caution when handling any unknown substances in the field, jail or prison. The story below highlights the dangers all our LEOs are exposed to everyday while executing their duties and responsibilities to protect and serve, and provide care and custody for those detained or incarcerated. Make sure you have the appropriate equipment on hand to safely handle these dangerous and deadly substances. If the appropriate equipment is not currently available, please contact your Business Agent and steward for immediate action.

http://turnto10.com/news/local/aci-correctional-officers-rushed-to-er-after-fentanyl-exposure

Camp Allen 2017 – A Special Day for All

Every year, for the last 45 years, Teamsters Local 633 sponsors a special day for Camp Allen attendees. Camp Allen hosts individuals of all ages with developmental and physical challenges.  Principal Officer Jeff Padellaro stated that this year’s event was once again a great success. Jeff credited the many active and retired Teamsters who volunteered their time to make this event a success. Other partners that contributed to the success of this event include First Student who provided transportation for the attendees; and Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Bimbo Bakeries who provided beverages, snakes and desserts. Associated Grocers provided transportation of all the food and supplies along with the campers’ equipment in addition to their very generous donation. 

Jeff stated that it was rewarding to see the many campers enjoying the event with laughter and smiles. He also noted that many of the volunteers also looked very happy as they observed their impact on their guests for the day. 

Principal Officer Jeffrey Padellaro expressed his sincere thanks for the many Teamsters Local 633 who volunteer their time each year to make this event a success. 

 

Scholarship Winners are Announced for 2017

 

Secretary Treasurer Jeffrey Padellaro and the Executive Board are pleased to announce the Local Union’s 2017 Scholarship Awards. 12 families were notified on July 25, 2017, that their children would receive a scholarship from Local 633.  These families were eligible for the scholarship by simply filling out the Scholarship Form that could be found on this website. As one recipient stated, “College is expensive and this scholarship is greatly appreciated.” Jeff Padellaro encourages all our members to fill out the scholarship application when it is made available for the 2018 school year.  

The Scholarship Winners are:

W. Douglas Bowen of UPS for Justin;

Noreen Cochrane of First Student Belmont for Nicholas;

Paul Farrell of Bimbo Bakeries (Thomas’) for Molly;

Deborah Foley of First Student Nashua for Aidan;

Edouard Isabelle of UPS for Brianna;

Michael Leigh of UPS for Madison;

Raymond Lord of Anheuser Busch-Inbev for Bailey;

Lawrence Macleod of Bimbo Bakeries for Colin;

Nicole McCarter of UPS for Aryssa;

Marc Riendeau of ABF Freight for Tyler;

Ronald Robinson of Derry Public Works for Chloe;

Bryan Stanley of UPS for Molly.

Congratulations to our 2017 Scholarship Winners! 

 

Teamsters Local 633 Summer Lake Tour

Left to right:   Jason Proulx, Dennis Rinki, Don Stengle, Wayne Blais, Joe Rienert, Pete Pitman, Local 633 Business Agent Rick Laughton, Karen Delph, Armand Proulx, John Gagnon (Not shown is photographer Kelly Proulx.)

On Saturday, July 29th, Teamsters Local 633 Business Agent Rick Laughton joined a group of members, retirees, and guests on a day- long ride through the Lakes Region. The ride started at the Union Hall in Manchester, NH and the group completed a 200 mile loop through the Lakes Region. Some of the lakes visited were Winnipesaukee, Wentworth, Lovell, Squam and Province. It was a perfect day for the ride with clear skies and dry roads. The lakes were in sight most of the day starting in Alton into Wolfeboro, then heading east through Wakefield to the Maine state border before looping north to Ossipee. The group enjoyed lunch together at the Yankee Smokehouse. The ride then continued from Moultonborough to Laconia and Belmont before heading back to Manchester. A great time was had by all and plans may be in the works for another ride in the early fall.   If interested in joining a fall ride, please reach out for Rick Laughton.

Keith Judge Visits AG with New CBA

Keith Judge, Teamsters’ Field Representative, visited the Associated Grocers facility located in Pembroke at 12:30 a.m. on July 14, 2017, to meet with our Teamster members. Keith was joined by Steward Rich Charity, a 5- year employee of AG, in meeting with the drivers as they reported for work. As always, the Teamster representatives wanted to hear from the members regarding any concerns or questions they may have had. Each driver was handed a printed copy of their new Collective Bargaining Agreement which is in effect from February 26, 2017, through October 15, 2021. Keith Judge, with the assistance of Business Agent Rick Laughton and the negotiating team, successfully negotiated a contract that included substantial raises while protecting their Health Care and Pension Benefits.  Keith and Rich remained onsite until 6:00 a.m. in order to personally talk to every Teamster driver who was scheduled to work that day.  Prior to becoming a full-time Field Representative for the Teamsters, Keith Judge worked at AG from 2006 through 2015. 

NH DOC Unsustainable Overtime – A Snapshot

Jeff Padellaro has made the Governor aware, through direct communication, that the current staffing levels of the Department of Corrections are unacceptable. The overtime necessary to maintain critical staffing for the Concord facility on July 8th and 9th was beyond unacceptable. On the 8th of July over 49% of the posts were filled by officers working overtime; on July 9th, over 47% of the posts were filled by officers working overtime. The majority of those officers are forced to work double shifts several times a week. The men and women who work for the Department of Corrections are dedicated professionals who have continually reported to work knowing that their 8- hour shift will more likely than not result in an 16- hour stay. The state has failed to recruit a sufficient number of recruits to reverse this dangerous trend. The only way to increase recruitment in this tough and dangerous profession is to offer a compensation package that is comparable to other law enforcement opportunities that exist in NH or close-by in Massachusetts.  Jeff Padellaro, along with your negotiating team made up of veteran COs, will continue to educate the state and the public regarding the need to properly fund this department and support the men and women who make it work.

CHESHIRE COUNTY CORRECTIONS OFFICERS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTE FOR TEAMSTERS

Cheshire County Corrections Officers held a vote on June, 22, 2016, to determine whether or not they would vote the Teamsters Local 633 as their exclusive representative. The vote was scheduled by the NH Public Employees Labor Relations Board. Joint Council 10 Organizer Roger Travers organized the group under the direction of Secretary Treasurer David W. Laughton. The Cheshire County Corrections Officers voted overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters. Principal Officer Laughton was extremely pleased to welcome this professional group of law enforcement officers to the Teamster family. Laughton stated, “These men and women chose a difficult vocation and deserve the respect and support of the County which we will ensure through collective bargaining.”

Organizer Roger Travers spent many days outside the corrections facility speaking with and addressing the needs and concerns of the proposed bargaining unit members. The proposed group was subjected to a “Mandatory Collective Bargaining Informational Meeting” where the County’s legal counsel discussed the pitfalls of joining a Union. At the direction of David Laughton, the Teamsters held a voluntary informational meeting at a local hotel conference room to discuss any concerns the proposed members may have had after listening to a one-sided presentation. The meeting was hosted by Organizer Roger Travers, Business Agent Jeffrey Padellaro and Attorney William Cahill. A dozen or so correctional officers stopped in during the day to discuss issues they may have had.

Dave Laughton stated, “Local 633 is uniquely positioned to represent law enforcement officers with our staff consisting of Business Agents who have been representing police departments and correctional officers for decades along with legal counsel who has worked as a state correctional officer and police officer. We look forward to representing our brothers and sisters working at the Cheshire County Correctional facility.”

UPS Wage Discrepancy Issues

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

It has come to my attention that numerous employees have unwittingly gotten themselves into a situation where they owe the company money. This has resulted from members being mistakenly overpaid for the time worked. In some cases, this has amounted to thousands of dollars which can be a shock to any family’s budget.

Please check your paychecks on a regular basis to ensure that the amount paid is commensurate with the time worked. It is unacceptable for the employer to shortchange you or overpay you for your hard work.

Your Teamsters National Negotiating Committee headed by Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa along with Co-Chair General Secretary/Treasurer Ken Hall have successfully negotiated safeguards to protect UPS members. Specifically, Article 17, states:

When an employee notifies the Employer in writing of any ongoing over-payment, the employee’s increasing liability will cease five (5)working days after the date of the written notification. The notification shall be provided to the employee’s immediate supervisor or manager.

Attached you will find a form to accomplish this requirement. This form should be immediately completed and delivered to your manager when any over-payment is discovered by you. A copy should be retained by you for your records and a second copy should be forwarded to my attention. If you have any questions regarding this matter do not hesitate to notify your Steward and contact me at foley@teamsters633.com or fax it to the Union Hall at (603) 625-6767.

 

Fraternally,

 

Kevin P. Foley

Business Agent

DiscrepancyForm

Dave Laughton Supports the Manchester Principals and Assistant Principals

On, October 20, 2015, Secretary/Treasurer and Principal Officer Dave Laughton attended a meeting before the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen in support of our members. The Manchester Principals and Assistant Principals made a presentation concerning the resumption of the Joint Committee consisting of Aldermen, School Committee Members and representatives of the Teamster Principals.  Upon Dave Laughton’s arrival he was recognized and acknowledged by At-Large Alderman Daniel P. O’Neil. The issue of Alternative learning programs and environments was also discussed. The Teamsters support the Manchester Principals and Assistant Principals in their quest to provide a safe learning environment along with the core principle of a Free Appropriate Public Education to all of Manchester’s student population.

Concord Prison Tour August 19, 2015

On August 19, 2015, Business Agent Jeff Padellaro, Attorney Bill Cahill, CO Frank Logan and CO Glenn Bergeron (NCF) toured the Concord facility. Bargaining Unit Members were advised of the status of the state budget and the efforts by the Teamsters to fund the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). An issue was raised that the Interim Warden was attempting to see what Full- Time Positions could be eliminated from the  facility. The membership was informed that this issue would be addressed immediately with the Commissioner’s Office. It has been, and continues to be, the position of Local 633 to increase the staffing levels as supported and recommended by the Performance Audit issued in November 2012. In fact, this study was used in bargaining to ensure that the new overtime rules in effect for other Unions  will not negatively impact our members until overtime hours are reduced and staffing are increased significantly in Concord. The new CBA has specific benchmarks which must be met and maintained in order for the state to make any changes to, when and if, unscheduled sick time affects overtime with regard to accruing time worked.  As always, we greatly appreciate the input from the members during these visits and several members identified issues that would be addressed with the Department. The Polo shirts looked very professional by those who chose to purchase them and we thank the LMC Committee members who championed the issue along with Business Agent Jeff Padellaro.

Message from Business Agent Rick Laughton

Associated Grocers is one of our larger single site employers with over 200 members working out of their Pembroke NH warehouse location. From there, the drivers cover all of New England and designated areas of New York and Pennsylvania. This company’s operations are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and has had a contract with Teamsters Local 633 for decades providing our members with comparatively competitive Pension and Health and Welfare Benefits.