Ballots for the local election for Vice President were mailed out on November 17, 2004. If you haven't received your ballot by now, please let me know either in person, by leaving a note for me with the dispatcher, or email me. Include your correct name and address. Please remember when you fill out your ballot that you must put your name and address on the ballot return envelope. If you do not your ballot will not be counted. The envelope marked "A" will protect the secrecy of your vote. The ballots will be counted on Friday, December 3, 2004 at about 10:00AM. All votes must be in the Post Office box before that time. If you have any questions, let me know. Mike Byrne Treasurer@UTU1558.com

Due to the recent promotion of Ken Faley, nominations for the position of Local Vice President are being accepted at this time. Nominating petitions must include the signatures of five active members of Local 1558 and should be submitted to Local Secretary/Treasurer, Michael Byrne. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at our next regular Union meeting on November 5, 2004 at the Dumont Union Office. Nominations will be CLOSED at that time. A mail referendum election will then be run to fill this position until the next regularly scheduled election in the fall of 2005.

RUN PICK RULES 1. Schedules will be posted in both garages. The pick will be held in the Union Office at 170 Washington Avenue, Dumont, unless otherwise noted. Operators not present at their scheduled time will be bypassed at the time the next Operator is scheduled to pick. Operators arriving within one hour late will pick behind the Operator currently picking. If you are more than one hour late, you will go to the bottom of the list for that day and will be assigned by the Committee. 2.Operators who work their day off must insure that this work does not conflict with their pick schedule. We cannot relieve day off operators. 3. Each operator will have a maximum of fifteen minutes to pick, Please come prepared. 4. Only two operators in the office at a time, the one picking, and the next scheduled operator (strictly enforced). 5. Check your scheduled pick time. Notify the Committee immediately (not the dispatcher) if your pick time conflicts with your regular work schedule. 6. Mon-Fri runs may be broken only if you pick days off other than Sat.- Sun. Runs can be broken only once (no more than two operators on a run Mon-Fri.) Days off must coincide with the work availability. 7. DOT regulations cannot and will not be violated. You must have eight hours off between sign off and check in, the next day. 8. No other business will be conducted or discussed at the run pick. 9. The Union Office Phone number is 210-501-0256. The Committee

All Union Meetings will now take place at the Dumont Union Office at 170 Washington Ave. at 8:30 PM on the first Friday of the month.

An all day special meeting for the purpose of contract ratification was held Monday June 30th. All four represented crafts, Clerical, Dispatchers, Maintenance and Drivers narrowly voted in favor of acceptance. The Committee thanks all of you who participated, no matter which way you voted. It is through member participation that a Union gets it's strength. Fraternally, The Committee and Officers of UTU Local 1558

The company has stated that they will not pay overtime for drivers that don't punch the time clock at the end of their assignment. They will not accept the RDM readout as proof of what time you finished your run. Please remember to punch out and complete all paperwork so we don't have to fight to get you the money you have coming to you.

. We had sixteen hearings on Thursday, March 13th for log violations. The company promises more to come. PLEASE make sure you fill out your logs ACCURATELY and completely and turn them in every day so we can avoid this kind of marathon. It is a Federal regulation and it just takes a few minutes a day. Right now the Committee's time would be better spent negotiating the contract instead of dealing with this. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated.