Attention Local Lodge 1487 Members!
Please Read
This post will be lengthy due to the subject and importance of the information.
Subject: This post is to inform the membership of a proposal for the floor for a due increase.
I, David Roderick am the elected Recording Secretary for Local Lodge 1487, I am very grateful to be ran unopposed for my position for the past several elections, including this upcoming term.
Thank you to UAL Customer Service Tricia Gaughan and UAL Ramp Service Art Schwarz in making the nomination for not only myself but also Mike Finn the Local Lodge 1487 Secretary Treasurer who has also been unopposed for his past several terms.
We would like to acknowledge that the membership of Local Lodge 1487 believes that we have been very upfront in the progress in keeping Local Lodge 1487 moving forward.
It is a very serious responsibility to be an elected official to a Local Lodge. It is also very important that any elected officials perform their duties in order to assist in the recommendation which places your dues to the best use possible.
I have had the honor to be selected by Local Lodge 1487 President Mark Frisch and on behalf of the Local Lodge 1487 Executive Board to address any questions or concerns regarding a by-law change proposal which could increase your union dues from the normal per capita tax imposed through the District and Grand Lodge. After discussing this with our Financial Secretary Mike Finn he stated also that he would like to be included as a point of contact to address any questions which may arise.
Once an active dues paying member makes a motion from the floor it must be voted on and followed through.
One of our Southwest members and Local Lodge Auditors Sister Cheryl Taylor made a motion during the Tuesday, November 15, 2016 regular business meeting to propose a dues increase.
Sister Taylor explained in detail the purpose for this recommended increase. She explained that through her years as being head Auditor she has seen how all the dues money which is collected is spend and recommends how an increase will only help Local Lodge 1487 membership. She recommends a $2.00 per month increase, that is less than the $3.00+ an hour pay raise which most of us just received, which is just under 6 ½ cents per day.
Sister Taylor stated that currently from you monthly dues which the Local Lodge keeps only a flat $5.00, the proposals is for the Local Lodge to retain a flat $7.00.
With the increase of cost to operate our Local Lodge it has gotten more difficult to make ends meet.
Your union hall, Local Lodge 1487, is in need of dire repair and upkeep in which there is just not enough funds collected on a monthly basis to achieve.
Also, due to the fact that building upkeep is our number one focus, the cost limits the Local to have any additional fund to support the membership for necessary training which we MUST have to better represent our members.
When the motions from the floor come annually to send members to attend these training classes and conferences, the Financial Secretary Mike Finn gives a report to the Executive Board to recommend who needs the training first. And how many members the Local may send based on the financial status of the Local Lodge. (These training classes include “EAP” Employee Assistance Program, Grievance Committee and Shop Steward training, along with training from the Human Rights, Women’s group, IAM Young workers, Community Service, Legislative and Machinist Non-Partisan Political League “MNPL”, and so many more) without the proper training our Local Lodge will fail and appear not actively providing the best services for our membership for which your dues support.
We as Officers hear frequently, what does the Local do for me/us? Why dose the union only collect dues and we get nothing back? Why doesn’t the Local Lodge have more events in which the membership can participate and many more questions. Well the reason is that through the years we just do not have the funds to sponsor these types of events unless we solicit from outside vendors. Many of the other Local Lodge within the IAMAW does indeed hold many functions throughout the year which they give back to the membership and their families.
How is that possible? Well one reason their dues are structured to budget in extracurricular activities. Also, many Local Lodges do not require to have a building/property of our size to which we need to accommodate the membership. (If most of you homeowners think your property/building taxes are high, then you must understand what ours are).
Local Lodge 1487 is also a very old building which we are constantly try to repair to keep in it good shape for the membership. This is the responsibility of President Mark Frisch and his Executive Board to approve the work required to maintain your Local Lodge.
Some members have inquires – Why don’t we just sell the Local Lodge in order to keep cost down?
Well the answer is this, it is not that it has not been considered, but through the years of research in order to find a convenient location for the majority of our members it would be very difficult especially with the parking requirements which we need on important elections days.
Local Lodge 1487 represents more company’s than most of you may be aware, besides United Airlines which is the majority of our membership, we also have Southwest Airlines, US Airways, British and Alaska, along with several others.
The convenience for the majority of United Airlines members is self-explanatory, however if we had to relocate, in order to find a location to accommodate our needs we could be placed in a situation like Southwest Airlines already has, that is, the inconvenience of traveling from the Midway Airport area (usually in city traffic) in order to attend our meetings, which I must add many dedicated SWA members do attend. And through past research we have not been able to secure a site which would result in any cost savings.
Also, when we have the need to conduct election (Grand Lodge, District Lodge and Local Lodge officers, along with contract ratification and any other business which may require a vote, we need the parking on our location to accommodate our needs.
There are also other needs of our facility, Local Lodge 1487 host one of the Largest Retirees Clubs within the IAMAW, many of your friends and family belong to the club which gives retirees a time and place to socialize monthly and stay informed with the importance of up to date information which is provided to assist with our retirees concerns, without this where would they go, we are talking over 400 retirees in our Local Lodge Club.
I knew that there is no short why to explain the importance of your Local Lodge and the cost it takes to operate. However I hope this provides you with some of the question which you may have.
Please reach out to myself Dave Roderick or Mike Finn, and through the guidance from your Local Lodge President Mark Frisch and the entire Executive Board, the membership will decide what they want from their union and direction in which it will take.
Thank you for your time on reading this message, we hope it will answer most of your concerns.
Please attend your Local Lodge Union Meetings and also express your concerns.
You can contact us in person at
50 West Oakton Street, Des Plaines, IL 60018,
call 847-299-8144 or
email: LL1487RS@gmail.com
David Roderick LL1487 R/S
Mike Finn LL1487 S/T