USW 309 Membership Update 5/9/25

Brothers and Sisters,

Please keep the family of Darryl Collins in your prayers.

Darryl passed away on 5/7/2025. He was an MCS on the Hotline. We will communicate arrangements as soon as they are finalized.

Raffle Update

We’ve encountered a snag in the raffle drawing, and additional ticket sales are now underway. If you would like to purchase tickets, please contact Ronnie Amos ASAP!

Overtime Guidelines

New overtime guidelines will take effect on 5/12/2025. The plant and department chairs will have all the information regarding any changes your department may experience. Some departments will see no changes, while others will notice a significant difference in how overtime is managed. Additionally, Out-Of-Area overtime will resume at the N. Plant as it used to be, with calls made by Eye-In-The-Sky.

5th Steps Update

The 5th Steps were held on 5/7/2025, with 15 Contracting Out cases and 8 disciplines involved. It will take approximately 3–4 weeks to receive the answers.

Pre-Qualification Class for the CDP-E Group

A pre-qualification class for the CDP-E group will be offered to prevent hiring externally for these positions. Testing for this class will be held on 5/21 and 6/4 at 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM, with 15 slots available per testing session. The cutoff to sign up is 5/19 at 4:00 PM for the May 21 session and 6/2 at 4:00 PM for the June 4 session. You can sign up for a testing slot at the kiosk where transfer bids are placed. If a testing session fills up, the slots will be awarded based on seniority. Class enrollment will also be determined by seniority, with each class limited to 10 spots. Classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM for 7 weeks at Pellissippi. These sessions will take place on members’ own time, and the Company will make accommodations for members that are scheduled evening shifts on class days.

Amalgamated Report

Brookfield: Negotiations will begin in August, as their contract expires in November. They have recently hired 4 ground crew members, all of whom have signed cards and are members.

Rockwood: There are up to 22 members, although one has not signed a card. Additionally, 10 members currently in probation will soon be eligible to sign cards.

Veterans of Steel & Mission Phoenix Event

Our Veterans of Steel will be running a hydration station at Mission Phoenix’s 6th Annual “Ride to Remember.” This event, which is for veterans and first responders, will take place on 5/24/2025. If you would like to help or participate, please contact Pam Neubert at (865) 414-8516.

Mold Abatement Notice

We will need to conduct mold abatement in the basement in the very near future. We should have the schedule soon and will notify everyone as soon as possible about the duration and the affected days.

NextGen Committee

Our NextGen Committee has several events in the works that will be coming up soon, so be on the lookout for more details. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for 6/4/2025 at 3:30 PM for anyone who would like to get involved.

In Solidarity,
Nick McCarter
President, USW Local 309
(865) 254-6252
Nmccarter@uswlocal309.net