Membership Update: Jan. 24, 2025

Brothers and Sisters,

We continuing to work on reducing the number of layoffs and have chipped away some more. We’ve had one pass the Top Rate MCS test, and the Hotline has requested to keep an additional 2 employees. So, as of now, the reduction number has been moved to 9. There is more Top Rate testing occurring in the next couple of weeks and hopefully some successful candidates will again reduce the number even more.  The Company is continuing to negotiate to bring in additional business that hopefully will also help reduce this number. 

Payroll continues to be a disaster. The final 8 hours that is owed for the missed Christmas Holidays is supposed to be paid out to several members on next week’s check. If your still missing pay and you have not already reached out to payroll, your Department Chair, your supervisor, or someone else in leadership, please do so ASAP. We need to get your issue identified to the company and get them working on it. The further it gets away the harder it is to get issues like this resolved. This is going to be a main topic for our 1/24 Labor/Management meeting and hopefully get some solutions to this ongoing problem.  

The election for Trustee occurred on 1/23/2025 and the results are that Devin Pratt and Aaron Crowder will be the newest Trustees on the E-Board, and Jared Marsh will be the North Plant Chair starting tomorrow. Thank you to everyone that came out and voted.

Due to some other resignations over the past few weeks, we also have 2 new Department Chairs. Michelle James is now the Hotline Chair and Ray Weekly is the North Transportation Chair. Both members were the Vice Chairs of their respected departments have accepted to step up into the Chairperson role.

On 1/22/2025, around 10pm we had a very serious incident in the plant. We had a member get their hand crushed that has resulted in the amputation of their right index finger. By the time that you get this message everyone in the plant should have had a Stand Down or at least an update through a toolbox meeting, if you have been in the plant working over these last few days. If you have not had a Stand Down or had a communication about the incident, please contact your Department Chair or Plant Chair and let them know immediately.  

Last week, 5th Steps were held, and we expect answers for these hearings to come back in a couple of weeks. 

Next round of arbitrations is scheduled for 2/13/2025. We will be taking 4 cases: Holiday Pay, one discipline case, Attendance Policy, and CRT Placement. 

Please continue to request the SWIs and follow them. Check the dates and be sure that if there have been any revisions that they have come through the proper channels and committees for approval. We have been finding that some of the SWIs have been revised and then not communicated through the proper committees. 

If you have mobile equipment that is faulty be sure that you get with management and tag it out. If you have any push back on tagging broken equipment out and getting it fixed, please contact your Department Chair or Plant Chair immediately. You do not have to work with broken equipment!! 

Our next Top Table Labor/Management meeting has been set for 3/11 and 3/12/2025 at our facility. The other 3 Locals in our master will be traveling here for the meetings.

Just a reminder that our member benefit program with Alcoa Tenn Federal Credit Union is now up and running. If you would like to participate, just come by the Hall during our normal business hours and we will get you the letter needed to be accepted into the program.  

Please keep the family of Dennis Lynn in your thoughts and prayers. Dennis passed away last week. Dennis had been employed at the plant since 1969 and worked in the Machine Shop. He will be greatly missed.