October 2011 Steel Industry Update 267

September Steel Industry Update 266

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The AFL-CIO union movement represents 12.2 million members, including 3.2 million members in Working America, its community affiliate. We are teachers and miners, firefighters and farm workers, bakers and engineers, pilots and public employees, doctors and nurses, painters and plumbers—and more.

Working America, community affiliate of the AFL-CIO, is a powerful force for working people. We combine the strength of 10 million union men and women and millions of workers without the benefit of a workplace union who share common challenges and goals to fight in communities, states and nationally for what really matters–good jobs, affordable health care, world-class education, secure retirements, real homeland security and more.

]]> http://www.uawlocal3303.org/2010/12/16/youre-connected/feed/ 0 http://www.uawlocal3303.org/2010/12/14/gimmefive-program/ http://www.uawlocal3303.org/2010/12/14/gimmefive-program/#comments Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:11:27 +0000 Donna http://www.uawlocal3303.org/?p=1225

“The real reward is a stronger union that has the power to win justice for working families.”

UAW President Bob King

GimmeFIVE simply ask you to re-commit to your Union by devoting five hours of volunteer time in the following areas: organizing, mobilizing and political action.  You are also asked to recruit five members to do the same.

Our hope is that the GimmeFIVE Programs national scope, use of new technology and increased participation will generate renewed commitment for the work of our union.  It will  also broadcast our greater solidarity to the public.

Sign up now at www.gimmefiveuaw.org

“The Labor movement and the United Way have a lot in common – we have a rich history and heritage of caring about human needs, justice, fairness and opportunity.  We succeed together when we put our community first.”

Brain A. Gallagher, President and CEO United Way of America

Contributions from employees in workplace related campaigns account for approximately two-thirds of the funds that United Ways raise each year.

UAW Local 3303 membership is encouraged to volunteer their time and contribute their resources to United Way campaigns.  If you don’t already contribute through payroll deduction, please contact the Union office at (724) 284-2949

Social Security provides benefits to 52.5 million Americans. Nearly 14 percent of people 65 and older rely on Social Security for 100 percent of their family income. About 50 percent of the people in this age group count on benefits for 50 percent of their income. The important role played by Social Security is simple to understand, but the program itself can be complicated. If you’re approaching retirement, or even if you’re already there, here are 10 things you need to know about Social Security.

Is Social Security just for retired workers? No. In December 2009,15 percent of Social Security beneficiaries were disabled workers; 8 percent were children; 8 percent were widows, widowers and parents; and 5 percent were spouses. The remaining 64 percent of beneficiaries were retired workers.

At what age can I start collecting Social Security benefits? Workers can begin receiving benefits at age 62, but your benefit will be greater if you wait until your full retirement age (currently 66) or later. Widows, widowers, surviving children, the disabled and children of the disabled can start collecting earlier. Full retirement ages are based on the year of your birth.

How do I sign up for Social Security benefits? Apply for Social Security benefits online, at your local office or by phone at 800-772-1213. To collect your full retirement benefits, apply to the Social Security Administration (SSA) three months before you wish to receive your first payment.

How long do I need to work to become eligible for benefits? If you were born in 1929 or later, you need to work at least 10 years to become eligible for Social Security. The SSA determines eligibility with a system of credits. Basically, you earn up to four credits for every year worked, and you need a total of 40 credits to qualify for Social Security.

Must I stop working to collect Social Security benefits? No, you can receive benefits while working. But, if you are younger than the full retirement age (currently 66) and earn more than a certain amount, your monthly benefits will be temporarily reduced. Once you reach full retirement age, however, your benefits will be increased to make up for what was lost.

If you’re turning 66 in 2010, the amount you can earn without a reduction in benefits is $37,680. If you’re younger than 66 for all of 2010, the amount you can earn without a reduction in benefits is $14,160. After you reach your full retirement age, you keep all of your benefits no matter how much you earn.

What’s the maximum monthly Social Security benefit? For a worker retiring in 2010 at the full retirement age of 66, the highest monthly amount is $2,346. In December 2009, the average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,168.

Can I receive Social Security benefits based on the earnings of a former spouse? Yes, as long as you were married for 10 years and you aren’t remarried. If so, you’re eligible to claim Social Security benefits under your ex-spouse’s earnings if they turn out to be higher than your own.

How can I boost the amount of my Social Security check? Bottom line: The longer you wait to start collecting after you become eligible at 62, the higher the amount you’ll receive. For each year you delay, your Social Security benefits will increase between 7 percent and 8 percent annually up to age 70.

How should I receive my Social Security payments? Your best bet is to sign up for direct deposit into your bank account. Paper checks can get lost in the mail. The SSA plans to do away with paper checks altogether by 2013 in favor of direct deposit and debit cards.

When someone dies, how does the Social Security Administration know? The SSA receives reports of beneficiary deaths from family members, funeral homes and other government agencies. You should inform the SSA within a month of someone’s passing.

Copyright 1995-2010, AARP. All rights reserved.

UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals and private non-profit organizations.

The UAW has approximately 710,000 active members and over 500,000 retired members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Here is a profile of the UAW membership by sector:

Automotive: The UAW represents skilled trades and production workers at General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler. In addition, the UAW represents several thousand salaried employees — including engineers, designers and draftsmen — at DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors.

Workers at new United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI), a GM-Toyota joint venture; and Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America Inc. (MMMA) also belong to the UAW.

In addition, the union has a major presence in the automotive parts industry, including such firms as Delphi, Lear, Kelsey Hayes, American Axle, Thyssen Budd Automotive, and numerous tool-and-die firms and suppliers.

Aerospace and Defense: In the aerospace and defense industry, the UAW represents workers at such major firms as General Dynamics, Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, Honeywell, Raytheon, General Electric, Rolls-Royce Allison, Bell Helicopter, AM General (Humvee) and others.

Heavy Trucks: The UAW represents skilled trades and production workers at five leading manufacturers of heavy trucks: Freightliner, Mack, Navistar, Peterbilt and Volvo North America, as well as engineers, draftsmen designers and other salaried employees at Mack, Navistar and Volvo North America.

Farm and Heavy Equipment: The UAW represents workers at several of the world’s leading manufacturers of farm and heavy construction equipment, Deere & Co., Caterpillar and CNH Global.

Other Manufacturing: The UAW represents workers in a wide range of industries, including household appliances, brewing, lawn and garden equipment, tools and hardware, firearms, boats, modular housing, toys, musical instruments, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food processing and writing instruments.

Among the well known consumer products made by UAW members are Kohler bathroom fixtures, Maytag appliances, Murray lawn mowers, Miller beers, Colt firearms, Master Loc locks, Revlon cosmetics, Land O’ Lakes dairy products, Folger’s coffee, Libby’s and Crosse & Blackwell canned foods, Selmer and Yamaha musical instruments, Planter’s nuts and snacks and Scheaffer pens.

Technical, Office and Professional (TOP): The UAW represents a large and growing number of technical, office and professional workers at manufacturing companies as well as in the public sector, health care, schools and universities, telecommunications and news media. The UAW’s technical, office and professional members work in a wide range of occupations, including draftsmen, industrial designers, engineers, graphic designers and illustrators, computer specialists, health care professionals, social service workers, journalists and writers, curators and librarians, graduate teaching assistants and state and local government employees.

If you are interested in organizing your workplace with the UAW, contact our Organizing Department or call 1-800 2GET-UAW (1-800-243-8829). You’ll be connected to (or get a call back from) a UAW organizer who can answer questions and tell you what it takes to organize a union at your workplace.

If you’re in Canada, call 1-800-387-0538 to reach UAW Local 251, a Canadian UAW local union that helps Canadian workers organize.

www.uaw.org

© Copyright 2010 UAW. All Rights Reserved

Why Organize?

To gain better working conditions, better pay,benefits and a voice in your workplace.

“Because we want fairness for everyone, at all the casinos.”

— Neal Anderson, Dealer, Greektown Casino, UAW Local 7777

“Because of our patients. We needed a union because the hospital started taking away our vacation and increasing our patient loads.”

— Jane Wooton, St. Vincent Hospital, UAW Local 12

Let’s help our non-Union brothers and sisters organize their workplace!

UAW Local 3303 Retiree Chapter will meet on  Tuesday, February 28,2012 at 12 noon at American Legion, Lyndora, PA.

Lunch provided by UAW Local 3303.

Please call the Union office for more information (724) 284-2248.

Please plan to attend the Open Membership meetings on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 7:45am or 3:45pm at the American Legion in Lyndora, PA.

These important meetings provide our members with the information and tools to be better Union members and to be  proactive in our safety and health, contract issues and community projects.

Hope to see you all there..
January 2012 OPEN MEETING NOTICE

November Open Meeting Notice

October 25, 2011 Open Meeting Notice

September 2011 Open Meeting Notice

August 2011 Open Meeting Notice