Line Clearance Tree Trimmer report
Utility Tree Service has now gained territory due the absence of Asplundh Tree Expert Company. All ATE contracts have been issued to UTS under the same management teams as before. Region 0173 will hold the same areas as before. All ex-Asplundh areas fall under Region 0174.
We are expecting to set the next Grievance Review Committee (GRC) in May in order to finalize the remaining open grievances system-wide.
We have not heard any bad things about the change-over and employees have not complained. All seems to be going well. Employees have asked about the 401K: that is, if it’s still active and if they are still eligible. I read an e-mail from Mr. English which stated that there was a freeze on it for now.
Trees Inc. — The company has been holding steady in regard to the projected layoffs from earlier in the year. Crews have been working all over the system in-order to continue to be working. We are getting complaints of vacation not being carried over from year to year. We expect to discuss this matter with the company. We are expecting to set the next GRC in May.
We have met with supervisors in various areas and have taken them out to lunch on several occasions. They have been much easier to work with. V.C. crews have no complaints. I met with Mike Myers, their supervisor, and his group. They are getting ready to move to Tejon Ranch up by the Grapevine.
Davey Tree Surgery — We were provided an updated Paid-Time-Off (PTO) tally sheet to show the membership last month. We completed passing out this information. On April 11, we held a Labor-Management Meeting (LMM) in Livermore to discuss concerns over the calculations of the PTO. The company assured us that corrections are being made, and an update will be forthcoming. Issues regarding Line Clearance cards were a topic of discussion with assurances of assisting those in need of problems in passing the exam.
There have been no more layoffs; however, they have brought back 10 employees in the North area and Los Padres Division. Davey tells us there will be more and we believe almost all will be offered work although some will have found other work and choose not to come back. The fact that there has been no recent real reduction in the number of trees that need trimming, and that past reductions of inventory were mostly small trees (leaving larger more difficult trees), did not justify the layoffs.
Lineco problems have calmed down. Employees are being told to get their C.D.L. Air Brake Endorsement License and they are trying to acquire.
We have not heard back from Curtis Whits Turn Tree Service. We will continue to try and make contact and talk to him to find out where he’s at in regards to signing up with the union.
Mario’s Tree Service – We were told he had to lay off a couple of employees because of lack of work.
Osmose —We have sent the company a list of who we show as their employees and asked to get a list of employees so we can better track our union members. Everything else seems to coming along fine.
Soccer 2013
On April 13, 2013, approximately 84 members from tree companies in Angels Camp, Bakersfield, Fresno, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Stockton and Visalia and their extended families participated in the southern soccer tournament at Ada Givens Park in Merced. It was a great day. Thanks to all who made it possible. The second tournament will be held in Fairfield at Alan Witt Community Park on May 4.