SPECIAL NOTICE         SPECIAL NOTICE         SPECIAL NOTICE

 SPECIAL CALL MEETING

Wednesday December 3, 2025 @ 7:00 PM

To discuss money needed to immediately fund our health plan.  This meeting will be for discussion and motions.  The motions will be voted on by the membership before the regular December meeting.  Please see letter that was sent in the mail for more information.

1300 Bowman Rd. Lima, OH 45804

SPECIAL NOTICE         SPECIAL NOTICE         SPECIAL NOTICE

 Secret Ballot Vote

Wednesday December 17, 2025

For motions made at the December Special Call Meeting

POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM 3:30 P.M. TO 7:00 P.M.

1300 Bowman Rd. Lima, OH 45804

Should a tie result, a runoff election will be held on Tuesday December 23rd, 2025 at 1300 Bowman Rd., Lima. Ohio

POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM 3:30 P.M. TO 7:00 P.M.

Local 776 Christmas Party

The Local 776 Christmas Party will be on Saturday December 6^th from 1-4pm at Westgate Lanes.  Please call Melissa to sign up!

Retiree Breakfast

The next retiree breakfast is scheduled for December 19^th.

The breakfast will be at Westgate Lanes beginning at 9 am.

 Fraternal News

• Death: I am saddened to report the death of Brother Benny Wukusick. Brother Wukusick was initiated into the UA on January 26, 1949, and he retired February 1, 1992. Benny passed away on November 23, 2025 at the age of 95 after being a UA member for 76 years!.  Benny served as Business Agent of Local 776 from 1970-1975 and as Business Manager from 1975-1980.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Wukusick family.
• Death Benefit: We are on Death Benefit #379 Joseph “Benny” Wukusick. Death Benefits can be paid over the phone, in person or online at ualocal776.com.

 Future Events to put on the Calendar

• Special Call Union meeting: Wednesday December 3^rd, 2025 at 7pm
• Union Meeting: Wednesday December 17^th, 2025 at 7pm
• Social: There will be a social after the December 17^th union meeting!
• UA Weld Test: Saturday December 27^th, 2025 at 8 A.M.
  Please call Melissa no later than noon the Thursday before to sign up and to check on the status of the test session.
• Christmas Party: December 6^th from 1-4 at Westgate Lanes. Please call Melissa to sign up.

JATC

• Mental Health Awareness: The JATC will be holding a new mental health awareness class on February 3^rd that the UA has put together.  This class will be open to the entire membership as well as contractors, family members and the public.  Three different classes will be held at 9am, 12pm and 6pm to accommodate everyone’s schedules.  The UA has named it VitalCog, please see the enclosed flyer for more details.
• Financial Aid: John Hancock is putting on a financial literacy class in February and it is open to the membership. If you are interested in learning more, please call Kiel Dennison to sign up.
• Backflow Certification: Backflow certification class is scheduled for January 12-February 2, 2026. If you are interested in getting your backflow certification, please call the hall and talk to Melissa or Kiel to sign up.  Classes will be from 5-9pm.
• Local 776 Open House: The open house was held on November 11 and was a great success!  Thank you to all the volunteers that came out to help spread the word about union apprenticeships!
• Application Deadline: The next application deadline for apprenticeship is January 31, 2026

Business Manager Comments   

Recently I have sent a flyer to all active members in the local about a special call meeting scheduled for December 3, 2025.  If you received one of these flyers, I encourage you to attend.  Our Health plan is continuing to suffer financially due to excessively high claims and we need to make a change to help get this plan moving in the right direction.  Please come out for open discussion and if you have an idea that may help, this would be the place to present it.  We will have the H&W plan consultant on hand to help answer any questions and also present some expected costs for the upcoming plan year.  This is not easy for anyone to deal with, but at the end of the day, we need to step up and protect the health plan that has been good to us for so many years.

 Chewy’s Corner

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all thru the site,
Not a grinder was sparking, not even a light.
The Chain falls were hung in the Gang box with care,
In hopes St. Nick would soon appear
The welders were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of perfect beads danced in their heads,
And I in my hard hat, hi-vis on my back, had just settled down from changing a steam trap.
Then out in the laydown came a clatter of steel,
A rig rolled up rumbling-could this be for real?
Out stepped St. Nick with sparks in the air, A hood on his head and a tool belt to wear.
He filled all the gang boxes with fittings and gear.
Then striking an arc that glowed merry and bright
He shouted,
Merry Christmas, Fitters! keep your joints tight!

Fraternally,                                                                                                                                                   In Solidarity,

Brad P. Wendel                                                                                                                                            Nick Butorac

Business Manager/ Financial Secretary – Treasurer                                                                          Business Agent