While the ILWU was in Hawaii holding their Convention and Longshore Division Caucus, Bobby O Jr’s equalization con was put into play.
A new category of “super duper longshoreman” has been created.
If your are on the Crane Board you are now guaranteed 10 hours of crane pay no matter what job you do, as long as the crane jobs get covered.
You will get paid a lump sum payment for the 2 hours, plus differential if applicable, and no hours will be reported so you don’t have to add them to your total for dispatch and the Employers don’t have to pay the benefits assessments on the extra hours they pay to these super duper longshoremen.
This is Bobby O’s and Frank Ponce’s equalization formula designed to enhance the solidarity between the steady men and the hall men.
In order to sweeten the pot for the steady men, Bobby and Frank also eliminated the secondary crane board so only trained/certified longshoremen are eligible to take crane jobs.
Now the steady men can go out right after the Crane Board and get more hours that do not count against their guarantee, in addition to the extra $55/day they get just for being steady.
Too bad for the other Skill III equipment operators who are good enough to earn top pay, but not good enough to get the super duper guarantees given to the Crane Board.
Bobby’s and Frank’s new solidarity campaign is off to a flying start and should help the organizers who are out there selling the benefits of being a member of the ILWU.
The agreement to pay the new super duper longshoremen is in the Local 13 Port Supplement the membership approved, without even being given a copy.
Interesting how the CHP Commercial Division truck inspectors use creepers to go under the trailers/chassis when doing their roadability safety inspections, but according to the Letter of Understanding ILWU & PMA mechanics are forbidden from going under the chassis they inspect during the on-the-dock readability safety checks required by the PCL&CA.
I’ll bet the trucks being inspected by CHP Inspectors are required to have the engines turned off before the CHP Inspector goes under the chassis on a creeper. The ILWU/PMA letter says the driver cannot get out of the cab, and says nothing about turning off the engine.
Does anyone else have a problem driving next to a 40 ton container sitting on a chassis that was not properly inspected for roadability safety?
Who did Big Bob have to threaten to get this letter signed?
I don’t think David Miller would have allowed the PMA to forbid Union mechanics from doing their jobs, but Big Bob “fixed” that.
Do you think someone will have to be killed before PMA decides to do proper safety inspections?
How can any self-respecting Union man vote yes on the Tentative and back Big Bob’s despicable treatment of one of his members?
If the members refuse to stand up against the injury being done to Brother David Miller, who do they think is going to stand up for them when they need help?
What exactly does an injury to one is an injury to all mean, if the rank-and-file refuses to do the right thing?
WOW……
If Secretary of Labor, Tom Perez knew about this and did nothing, shame on him, and shame on PMA for not doing the right thing.
Do you think the longshoremen who got tummy tucks for their wives (or girl friends) will have to pay it back?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2015
SANTA ANA, California –A federal jury has convicted two Southern California residents in connection with a scheme to defraud union and private health insurance programs by submitting bills for more than $71 million – and receiving over $50 million in payments – for medically unnecessary procedures performed on insurance beneficiaries who received free or discounted cosmetic surgeries.
A large number of the fraudulent claims were submitted to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Operating Engineers Union health insurance plans. Other victim insurers included Aetna and Anthem.
The two defendants found guilty yesterday are:
Theresa Fisher, 45, of Tustin, who was found guilty of five counts of mail fraud; and Lindsay Hardgraves, 30, of San Pedro, who was found guilty of two counts of mail fraud.
The evidence presented during a six-day trial showed that members of the scheme lured insured “patients” to a surgery center in Orange with promises that they could use their union or PPO health insurance plans to pay for cosmetic surgeries, which are generally not covered by insurance. The surgery center was known at various times as Princess Cosmetic Surgery, Vista Surgical Center, and Empire Surgical Center.
Marketers such as Hardgraves referred “patients” to the surgery center, where they were told they could receive free or discounted cosmetic surgeries if they underwent multiple, medically unnecessary procedures that would be billed to their union or PPO health care benefit program. Fisher was a consultant at the surgery center who scheduled procedures after telling the “patients” about the free cosmetic procedures they could receive and coaching them to fabricate or exaggerate symptoms so that their medical procedures would be covered by their insurance.
The unnecessary procedures typically performed on the “patients” were endoscopies (usually sophagogastroduodenoscopies, or EGDs), colonoscopies and cystoscopies. Once the health care benefit program paid the claims, the patients were given free or discounted cosmetic surgeries, including “tummy tucks,” breast augmentations and liposuction. In some cases, the surgery center simply billed cosmetic procedures (such as tummy tucks) as if they were medically necessary procedures (such as hernia surgeries).
Fisher and Hardgraves are scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton on May 29.
A third defendant in this case – Vi Nguyen, 31, of Placentia, another consultant at the surgery center – pleaded guilty in January to four counts of mail fraud and faces sentencing before Judge Staton on July 10.
At sentencing, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of mail fraud.
This case is the product of an ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General.
Release No. 15-023
If I were Jerry Avila or Chris Viramontes, I would be worried.
Or, is this a case of never mind, they are longshoremen, they can do anything and get away with it?
Local 23’s ILA roots were showing at last night’s Union Meeting in Tacoma (Fife).
When it came time to discuss the NLRB charges related to the Proposed Settlement Agreement, one of Local Caucus Delegates took the microphone and started bad mouthing the Local 13 member whose rights were violated without the member being present, something that is not allowed in Local 13.
Although no one told the speaker to not talk about a member who is not present, one member did point out that the speaker was the one that refused to allow the Local 13 member to work at the SIM, that the Executive Board and every other Official said they thought the member should be able to work.
Against the recommendation of the Executive Board the speaker and the past President presented a motion to pass a rule to prevent the Local 13 member from working, then had the membership approve it.
That rule was challenged and the NLRB found merit to the charges.
If the speaker would have kept his mouth shut and followed the Executive Board recommendation, there would have been no NLRB charge.
Lessons learned: it is not nice to talk about people who are not there to defend themselves, the Executive Board does know what they are doing, and longshoremen are not in the business of hurting other longshoremen.
Now all members, including Local 23 members, can work at the SIM if they ever get put on no-dispatch by PMA.
The guy’s running Local 23 got so upset about my posting the NLRB’s Proposed Settlement Agreement that they called the NLRB and complained.
What, they don’t like that I am shining a light on their bully tactics?
They don’t have any problem denying a member their dispatch rights, and bullying the shit out anyone who even questions them about why they are doing what they are doing.
When the NLRB issues a Proposed Settlement Agreement, it is not a wish list or a negotiable document, it is a thought out well crafted attempt to resolve what they believe is a violation of the ACT.
Local 23 does not like it that I am exposing their bully tactics, and they think they can bully me and my website.
Today Local 23 was sent the following proposed Settlement Agreement regarding dispatching members on PMA no-dispatch to the SIM rail ramp in the Port of Tacoma and the Internet Posting rule passed last year.
Of course signing the Settlement Agreement is not an admission of any wrong doing, but they do agree to stop doing what they were not doing to begin with.
Welcome to the wonderful world of the NLRB.
If Local 23 does not agree, there will be a trial in June.
What kind of show is Bobby Bridges Jr. going to put on for the membership when he explains the Tentative Agreement and then tells them how to vote.
Which Bobby will show up?
Will it be the Bobby who lead the ILWU parade shouting fuck PMA, or will it be the Mayor’s new buddy ready to single handedly fix all the congestion problems with his steady workforce and new FMCS Arbitrator?
Rest assured, what ever Bobby does will be best for Bobby and his steady crane driver and mechanic buddies.
Time to register some future Bobby voters? Yes, yes it is.
