Category Union Times

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. The celebration this year will be much different than those we’ve celebrated for our entire lifetime since we’re still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and protests are ongoing around our country due to the gross injustices that have occurred.

The Local 223 Executive Board asks you to remember, regardless of how you decide to celebrate or have your voice heard, remember to be safe this holiday.

Please continue to maintain social distancing of six feet and wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We’ve seen reports of several places in Michigan, including East Lansing and Traverse City where they have traced individuals who were out in public and unknowingly spreading the coronavirus. In Texas, one surprise birthday party resulted in 18 family members getting COVID-19, with the father hospitalized in ICU.

Local 223 has partnered with the Hantz Group to help prepare our active and retired members in making educated life decisions. With everything, we are forced to endure, (the pandemic and civil unrest) we need professionals we can trust to work in our best interests. Local 223 has vetted the Hantz Group and feel they offer solutions to many of the problems we face in our lives. Visit this link and take a few minutes to watch the presentation, to see if there is anything that can help you.

Conference call dates are being finalized and should be available soon.

Local 223 General Council selected Bill Dyer as the Local 223 Treasurer on June 3. The General Council selected a new treasurer because of the time frame to the next election in January, according to Local 223 Trustee Leroy Huckleberry who oversaw the selection process.

The selection was an historic and unusual event due to this happening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The voting occurred on the first hot, humid day this year. We did selection in the parking lot and people were very understanding considering the circumstances we’re in due to the coronavirus,” said Huckleberry. “We practiced social distancing and brought people into the hall in small groups to vote due to the need for secret ballots. Everyone wore masks, gloves, and we gave out individually wrapped lunches with sandwiches and bottles of water.”

Dyer has served as Fermi 2 Board Chair for more than eight years and six years prior to that as the Chief Steward. He has worked at Fermi 2 for 19 years.

Prior to Local 223 and DTE Energy, he served in the United States Navy for 10 years and was a Hull Tech Nuclear Welder, E-6.

Congratulations Bill! We look forward to your leadership!

Help protect others from COVID-19 by practicing social distancing, and by wearing a cloth face covering that fits snugly and reaches above your nose, below your chin, and completely covers your mouth and nostrils. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2R9av5m

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations.

• Cloth face coverings may slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
• Cloth face coverings can be made from household items.

Information provided by the Michigan.gov Secretary of State website on absentee voting.  

All eligible and registered voters in Michigan have the right to vote by mail due to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3. All eligible and registered voters can request an absent voter ballot without providing a reason. It’s a safe way to vote and protect your health, and the process is secure and accurate. 

To vote by mail, fill out the application below, print and sign it, and then mail or email it to your local clerk (Find their address and email here). When filling out the application, you can check the box to be added to the permanent absent voter list. If you do this, an application mailed to you before every election. There’s no commitment to vote by mail even if you have applied. You can change your mind and vote in person. 

Absent voter ballot applications

• Download an absent voter ballot application 
• Download an absent voter ballot application – Fillable Version
• Download an absent voter ballot application – Large Print Version
• Click here to locate your clerk then send your absent voter ballot application to that office 

Check your voter registration at Michigan Voter Information Center Michigan.gov/Vote

To give you a much needed break, we’ve added a new feature to give you something to smile about.

What happens when cabin fever gets the best of a quarantined former NASA engineer?  Watch this video to find out:

Building the Perfect Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder By Mark Rober 

Students write and illustrate a book called Across the Distance

Take time this weekend to share this sweet book written and illustrated by children ages 3 through 13 with your kids or grandchildren.The students share their thoughts on how to deal with social distancing during these difficult times. Happy page-turning!

Restricted