December 2023 Issue Highlights:
Northwestern Medicine Employee Assistance Program (888) 933-1327
As we look to wrap up 2023 with our final community project of the year you can feel the holiday spirit beginning to swell. We are partnering with Celestial Ministries Association for our 5th annual Angel Christmas Tree.
For those who aren’t familiar with the program it focuses on assisting families with an incarcerated parent, who would otherwise have a less than merry season. The Ministry works with Painters’ District Council 14’s C.O.R.E. program to provide a list of children signed up by their incarcerated parent. PDC14 Volunteers contact each child’s caregiver to confirm permission for the child to participate and to discuss appropriate gifts. Each child’s age and list of gift suggestions is written down and hung on the Angel Tree awaiting your generosity. You simply purchase a gift and deliver it to the district council.
Members, their families or friends interested in giving this holiday season should contact Helen Chung at helenchung@pdc14.com or (312) 421-0046. She will match you with someone needing your help to make their holiday a little brighter.
Then come join us for a brief celebration followed by food, drinks and the gift giving live:
Date: Saturday, December 16th, 2023
Place: Celestial Ministries Association | Chicago | IL
We will be following current guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety!
We know the event will be a success based on the amazing support you all continue to provide for our community support projects. May you and your families enjoy well-deserved peace and goodwill throughout the holidays and into the new year!
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I would like to take the time to clear up some rumors and false information that has been going out to our membership regarding your Local Union.
There have been discussions regarding the decline in Local Union meeting attendance and how we can find solutions to engage the members to participate at their Local Unions. Some of these suggestions were to merge some of the Locals to create Four main Locals located in the North, South, Central, and Downtown areas of our jurisdiction, or merge all the Locals into one under District Council #14. These discussions are just that, discussions. It was never decided that any of these suggestions were happening at this time, and I assure you they are NOT happening at this time.
These are hard conversations to have but we need to take action to make a better and stronger Union. There are many reasons to attend your Union meeting. It provides members the opportunity to regularly meet as a group, learn about your union and what benefits it provides, debate the issues facing our work force, air gripes and frustrations on the jobs, make proposals and have input, or get updated on events and programs that are offered through the Union. Bottom line it matters what you do. If you attend meetings and become more involved your Local Brothers and Sisters will see you and recognize your efforts. They will have your back, go the extra mile for you, help you while everyone else watches or walks away, give you advice and give you a hand up when you need it.
I’m a proud Thirty-Five-year member of Local Union 265 and never thought that we would be discussing ways to increase our Local Union meeting participation. I know that some of our members take great pride in their Local Union and love being involved in all it has to offer. I know that possibly losing your Local Union to a merger is disappointing and frustrating. These conversations are taking place because of the significant decline in attendance and participation at the Local Unions.
If you want to be part of the solution to become a stronger union, you must take the time to attend and participate at your local meetings. I know everyone has a busy schedule, but we are only asking for 1 or 2 meetings a month, which is only a couple hours of your time each month. I will be randomly attending different local meetings to discuss this matter and hear your input. Remember every person does make a difference, so don’t sit on the sidelines complaining that your Local Union is not heard. Remember silence is not golden, it can be deadly.
So, for now the plan is to keep all the current Local Unions and meetings the same. Attend your meetings, stay strong, stay union proud.
In Solidarity
Joseph Rinehart
Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer
Painters District Council #14
Mental Health is just as important as your Physical Health. Reach out to someone. It’s OK to ask for help.
Call 1-888-933-1327
Do you or a family member need to talk? Please call the DC14 Assistance hotline. 1-888-933-1327
Help and support is available for members and their immediate family. Free and ALWAYS confidential. Call 1-888-933-1327
