AKIMA Negotiations Update for July 2014

AKIMA LOGMET Contract Negotiation Team
Joe Gould, Mark Mishler, Eugene Jemison, Derek Blackburn and Vince Coston

Local 24 and AKIMA met July 22-25 for Contract Negotiations. Eugene Jemison, the union’s spokesperson on the team, reported that things went as well as expected .

“We did get a lot of non-economic issues resolved, and a lot of our proposals were approved. A lot of the process is cleaning up language and updating information, like updating references to new regulations and manuals. We do have one major hiccup to overcome before we start discussing economics. We want to get our job descriptions added to the CBA.”

“We will continue to work hard to get this done in a timely manner. Your negotiation team thanks you for your support.”

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on August 11-15.

The IAM&AW Retirees, Community and Member Services Department recently added a Military Veterans page to our website. We are grateful and proud of everyone, including many members, who have sacrificed for and served our Country. IAM Veterans Page

If you want to be notified by email of Local 24 news please send the webmaster your email address using the “contact” link at the bottom of our main website page, just hit home and scroll to the bottom for the link. Most of us have had our work emails changed recently so please update your information if you want to keep recieving updates. You can also join our Facebook page by clicking the link on our website.

There has been some concern amongst our members concerning a new respiratory virus that has appeared in the middle east, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus or MERS. Dyncorp has put out information to its employees concerning the MERS threat and has given us permission to post it to our members.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS)

Recent reports have highlighted a relatively new virus that has impacted Saudi Arabia* over the past two years: the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS). Because DI is a global operation with personnel who travel frequently, familiarizing yourself with the signs of and facts about global health issues is always important. Although the total number of people infected with MERS remains relatively low, all DI personnel should review the basic facts and know where to go for information.

Who Is At Risk of Contracting MERS?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO),people who are immune-compromised, or have a pre-existing medical condition that could affect the immune system, should take care when visiting farms, barns, marketplaces, or other settings with livestock/non-household animals. MERS can spread between people who are in very close contact; it does not, however, seem to spread as easily as SARS or many strains of the flu.

In general, Americans visiting Saudi Arabia who are not working in a health care setting or with livestock/non-household animals are considered to be at very low risk for exposure to MERS.

What Are the Symptoms?

According to a memo distributed by the Embassy of the United States of America in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, symptoms include:

.         Fever, cough, and shortness of breath

.         Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea

.         Kidney failure

Note: Many otherwise healthy, young or middle aged individuals who tested positive for the virus have not experienced any symptoms, or suffered from only mild respiratory illness, recovering without incident.

What Can I Do To Limit My Risk?

The CDC recommends that individuals take the following measures to prevent respiratory illness:

.         Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

.         Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and then throw the tissue in the trash.

.         Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

.         Avoid personal contact, such as kissing, or sharing cups or eating utensils, with sick people.

.         Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as toys and doorknobs.

Where Can I Find More Information on MERS?

There are several sources of information where you can learn more; they include, but are not limited to:

CDC websites: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers

<http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers>  and

WHO website:

www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/en/index.html

<http://www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/en/index.html>

This information is provided for general awareness only; DI does not provide medical advice, nor is the Company making a medical inquiry with this communication. If you have additional questions, please contact DI Care’s Mike Warren <mailto:Michael.Warren@dyn-intl.com> .

*Per the Center for Disease Control’s website; Cases of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) have been identified in multiple countries in the Arabian Peninsula.   Countries considered in the Arabian Peninsula and neighboring include: Bahrain; Iraq; Iran; Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and Yemen.

AKIMA LOGMET Contract Negotiation Team attended negotiation preparations training at the IAM&AW’s Training Facility the Wimpingsinger Center: (L-R) Eugene Jemison, Joe Gould, Derek Blackburn, Mark Mishler, and Vince Coston

The Joint Base Andrews, IAM&AW Local 24, AKIMA / LOGMET contract negotiation committee has started meeting once a week in May 2014. We are currently reviewing our current AKIMA and LOGMET contracts to make sure we are getting our fair share of benefits. Contract negotiations should start with AKIMA July 7, 2014, and LOGMET negotiations will start a couple of weeks later.
Local 24 members provide the supplies for the military and the fuel for the jets on Joint Base Andrews.

Mark Mishler is the committee chairperson. The committee welcomes input from the membership.

We have been asked to pass along contact information for a law firm that our District recommends.

Did you know that Maryland has it’s own Department of Veterans Affairs?

MARYLAND VETERANS SERVICE PROGRAM

The Veterans Service Program is concerned with veteran benefits. These include education, home loans, insurance, pensions, and compensation for service-related disabilities, as well as benefits for health care, burial, and surviving family members. Through the Program, the Department’s service centers advises, assists, and represents Maryland veterans, their dependents, and survivors seeking federal, State and local veteran benefits. It helps them develop, prepare, submit, and approve claims for these benefits enumerated by federal, State and local law. To achieve these purposes, veterans service centers operate throughout the State

Trained in veteran laws and regulations, Veterans Service officers present and prosecute claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. They represent claimants by power-of-attorney through the adjudication and appellate processes.

If you live in Maryland and have questions about your VA benefits you may contact the;

CAMP SPRINGS SERVICE CENTER
Clayton Smith, Veterans Service Officer (301) 248-0463
Harriet Hunter Building, 6420 Allentown Road, Camp Springs, MD 20748
e-mail: clayton.smith@maryland.gov

http://veterans.maryland.gov/maryland-department-of-veterans-affairs-service-benefits-program/

Presidential Proclamation — Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2014

PRAYER FOR PEACE, MEMORIAL DAY, 2014

– – – – – – –

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Constant in the American narrative is the story of men and women who loved our country so deeply they were willing to give their all to keep it safe and free. When a revolution needed to be won and our Union needed to be preserved, brave patriots stepped forward. When our harbor was bombed and our country was attacked on a clear September morning, courageous warriors raised their hands and said, “send me.” On the last Monday of each May, our Nation comes together to honor the selfless heroes who have defended the land we love and in so doing gave their last full measure of devotion.

Today, we pause to remember our fallen troops, to mourn their loss, and to pray for their loved ones. Though our hearts ache, we find a measure of solace in knowing their legacy lives on in the families our heroes left behind — the proud parents who instilled in their sons and daughters the values that led them to serve; the remarkable spouses who gave our Nation the person they cherished most in the world; and the beautiful children who will grow up with the knowledge that their mother or father embodied the true meaning of patriotism. To those we lost, we owe a profound debt that can never be fully repaid. But we can honor the fallen by caring for their loved ones and keeping faith with our veterans and their fellow brothers and sisters in arms.

The security that lets us live in peace, the prosperity that allows us to pursue our dreams, the freedom that we cherish — these were earned by the blood and the sacrifices of patriots who went before. This Memorial Day, as we near the end of more than a decade of war, let us never forget their service and always be worthy of the sacrifices made in our name. And today and every day, let us pray for and hold close the families of the fallen.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 26, 2014, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

I request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA