Monday, June 30, 2008

Regular Membership Meeting Tuesday July 1st

Don't forget the regular membership meeting is Tuesday at 4:30PM at the district hall. See you all there.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Brother Mark Plenge Passes

Good Friend and Brother Mark Plenge passed away Thursday, June 26th. Mark was a longtime elevator technician for USA. Mark was a dedicated Union man and our Local will miss him. Services will be Sunday, June, 29 at Settle-Wilder Funeral Home, 406 South Orange Street, New Smyrna Beach. Visitation will begin at 2pm followed by services and burial at 3pm. Mark was a brother-in-law to Local 2061 member Roger Thomas of the USA HVAC shop.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Link To Launch

The website for Link to Launch is : http://www.linktolaunch.org/

The website contains maps and information to the rally on Monday.

Senator Bill Nelson is to address the rally participants prior to the Senate Subcommittee being seated.

It is very important to have a strong showing from everyone at KSC and anyone who cares about Space Exploration. If you are planning on attending, please wear a Union shirt and feel free to make a tasteful sign!

If you cannot attend, please ask your family to attend. Also bring anyone with you as the more in attendance the better.

Hope to see alot of Union tshirts in the crowd!

Services for Gary Kenny

Gary B. Kenney, 50, of Merritt Island, devoted husband, father, and son, died suddenly on Monday evening, June 16, 2008. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Sharon, a daughter, Amanda; sons, Darryl and Joshua; his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. John Kenney Jr., of Merritt Island; his brothers, Craig, John and Ronald, and his sister, Denise. Visitation at Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home Friday June 20th, 6 - 8 p.m., with a memorial serv ice at Wylie-Baxley Chapel on Saturday, June 21st at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers please send dontatons to Garys nephew, Jason Kenney, who is a missionary to Chile, c/o Macedonia World Baptist Missions, Inc., PO Box 519, Braselton, GA 30517.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

NASA Awards Kennedy Space Center Institutional Services Contract

From Nasa's website ; http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/jun/HQ_C08039_KSC_Installation.html

WASHINGTON -- .NASA has selected EG&G Technical Services Inc, of Gaithersburg, Md., to provide institutional services at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The contract begins Oct. 1, 2008, with a five-year base period, followed by five one-year options. It is a cost-plus-award-fee contract. The maximum potential value of the contract is approximately $1.5 billion.

EG&G Technical Services will perform facilities operations, maintenance and engineering; propellants and life support operations; logistics; transportation; and laboratory management for Kennedy.

Selected services also will be provided at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. The company will furnish resources, including management, personnel, equipment and supplies to support Kennedy's work at those locations.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov

American Jobs are important and our Government is starting to wake up to the fact.

"In a blow to Northrop Grumman Corp's hopes of building a new aerial refueling tanker for the Air Force under a $35 billion contract, the General Accountability Office Wednesday said Boeing Co. -- the competitor for the deal -- deserves another chance to bid on the project.

The Northrop Grumman contract would add jobs on Long Island and elsewhere in New York State, but the GAO said the Air Force made "a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome of what was a close competition" between the two companies."

http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bztank0619,0,4502205.story


This only happened because people across the country complained about our jobs being sent overseas. The fight is not over yet but atleast there will be a chance to keep our defense and jobs in the USA.

Thank You to all the members who have taken the time to email our reps and ask for a review of the contract award. It's all of us collectively who have made a difference. Our children depend on what we do now to secure a good life in the future. It's nice to know Americans still have the guts to say NO to shipping our manufacturing away.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

RALLY TO SAVE OUR JOBS

Brothers and Sisters;

Come join Union members from all over the state in a rally prior to and during the U.S. Senate Committee hearings on the future of OUR JOBS at KSC (see prior blog post). The rally will begin at 8:00am, Monday June 23rd at the Canaveral Port Authority building (formerly the Premier Cruise Line headquarters) at Port Canaveral. Parking will be at Lot 1 (PortFest parking area) at the port. Follow the signs. Shuttle will be provided. Also, water and portable restrooms will be on site. Bring your signs and noisemakers (NO fireworks) and wear your Union tee shirt. Senator Nelson will address the rally prior to the hearing. Let's show the U.S. Senate and the rest of the country how important our jobs are to our families, our community and our country. Our jobs are worth investing four hours of personal leave. Come join us. If you have any questions, call me at 321-446-7092.

Lew

Rest in Peace Brother Gary Kenney

Gary, our thoughts and prayers are with your family. Your brothers and sisters from LL2061 are deeply saddened by the terrible news of your passing. You will be missed by all of us.

U.S. Senate Hearings on Shuttle Workforce at Port

Sub-Committee Chairman Bill Nelson (D,FL) will conduct a hearing of the U.S. Senate sub-committee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences (a sub-committee of the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee) to examine issues surrounding the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the transition to the Orion/Ares system. This hearing will focus on workforce related challenges at Kennedy Space Center and analyze potential solutions to mitigate the transition's effects on the community. The hearing will be Monday, June 23rd at the Canaveral Port Authority Commission Room, Port Canaveral Maritime Offices, 445 Challenger Road, Port Canaveral beginning at 9:00 am.



Witnesses;



Michael Griffin, Administrator, NASA

William Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator, NASA

Doug Cooke, Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, NASA

Steve Kohler, President, Space Florida

Randy Berridge, President, Florida High Tech Corridor Council

Lisa Rice, President, Brevard Workforce Development Board, Inc.

Lynda Weatherman, President and CEO, Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast



Sub-Committee Members;



Bill Nelson, Chair

David Vitter, Ranking Member

John Kerry

John Sununu

Byron Dorgan

Roger Wicker

Mark Pryor

Ted Stevens

Daniel Inouye

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Limited Edition Knife Raffle


See your steward for tickets, drawing to be held at the July 1st membership meeting. Also, you can email iamwebsteward@gmail.com if you would like to get tickets. You do not have to be present to win the knife, the tickets require a name and phone number to contact the winner.

Your ISC Negotiating Committee

Last night there were nominations and then an election to set the representatives for the ISC contract negotiations. The meeting was a little hot due to a vehicle accident taking power out at the hall, which led to some members leaving before the vote results were known. So without further delay, your elected committee is as follows;

Murray Caldwell
Phil McPherson
Linda Donahoe
Steve Ching
and
Meri-Beth Chewuk