It’s Time to Come Together in 2010

By Robert Ledford, Chief Steward, Chattanooga chapter

Just wanted to touch base with you to let you know that we are still here and going strong. We will be doing a lot this year to help our Union grow and we would like for you to help us if you can.

This year when the budget comes back up for review, we will be asking you and your union co-workers to show up at the City Council meetings and come together to let our elected officials know that we’re tired of hearing them say that there isn’t any money in the budget for employee raises. We’ve heard that two years in a row now, and yet somehow, when the city “needs” to buy something like public art or another building, they always seem to find the money for those things. The council and the Mayor need to hear from us so that they know that we need a raise to buy food for our families and pay our bills. Who cares if the North Shore gets new sidewalks if we cannot feed our families?

Raises are only one of several issues that your Union is working on to help city employees. We are working on overtime issues, benefits, a good and safe work place to work in, getting the MOU passed by the City Council, and many more but it takes the help of you the members to do this.

We are getting ready to conduct Steward elections soon and we need new people with new ideas to make this Union stronger than it has ever been. We will be asking all the members of Local 205 here in Chattanooga to come out to the Union meetings and listen to what we have to say. Our meetings are held the 4th Thursday of every month starting at 5:30 at the IBEW (electricians union) meeting hall off of Bonny Oaks Drive. Come and join us and give us your ideas and input about how we can make things better in your workplace.

Remember, “Union” starts with a “u” and we need “you” to make it stronger. Thanks.