We know that we as an Executive Board, along with Stewards, and other Union activists often speak of the importance of being a Union Member.

We’d like to offer this example of why it’s so important.

For the past three years, when we go into meetings with management and address concerns that you the bargaining unit brings to our attention and want addressed, we often hear from management that:

"Management doesn’t believe that these are concerns of all the staff, that only a few of the staff have these concerns. Since your Union is only 60% organized, Management believes that the 40% that’s not in the Union agree with and support the decisions made by Management. If these were real issues that staff felt strongly about, the Union would have more members."

It’s unfortunate that Management has taken the stance that the Union is against them, it’s further disappointing to see that management has taken the attitude that if you’re not in the Union, you’re not against us, so you’re with us.

Please keep this in mind when you speak to non members. Management has made it clear that if staff are not in the Union, then the non-union staff are in full support of everything management does. Management has taken the stance, "if you’re not in the Union, then you support management and think everything’s OK.

Also, please remember to congratulate Local 148's new Chief Steward Craig Wheeland.