To answer any questions concerning CHANGE; Change is here and we always beleived that change could and will happen. Now we, (Rank in File) have set a higher standard with the notion of " leading by example" in our Local 140 for all other Locals in the state of Florida to follow.

 On Aug.10 2009 at our monthly union meeting, Rank in File put a motion on the floor to change the V.O.C.(Volunteer Organing Committee) to V.O.C (Voices Of Carpenters). The motion was seconded, discussed ,voted on , and was unanumously passed. From there, it was taken by your Delegates to the Regional Council on Aug.15,2009, along with your Southern district Vice President,Danny Maples ,who was present at the meeting. It was presented to all the Delegates in the state on what LU 140 has done.Your  Delegates then put a motion on the floor and it was seconded and open for discussion . It was then voted on, and once again, it was passed unanumously. Your Delegates then asked for ,EST Rhoades and ,Vice President Maples, to take the new V.O.C.(Voices Of Carpenters) to the International and present it as a motion to try and get it passed . They   agreed to do so.

It just goes to show you , just a little thing like changing the V.O.C. in our Local, has had a rippling effect in changing the V.O.C. thru out the whole state.

Congradulations Rank in File ,you did something that has never been done before in this Local.   You created CHANGE.

8/20/09

LABOR DAY PICNIC

Carpenters Local 140 will be holding their annual Labor Day Picnic at Picnic Island Park on Labor Day, Monday September 7, 2009 from 11:00am till 4:00pm. There was a typo on the Local 140 newsletter that said the picnic was on Sept 11, Labor Day is Sept 7. Our apologies on that. There will be food, drinks, and things for the kids to do. There is a lifeguard on duty if you want to bring some swimming trunks and go swimming in Tampa Bay. This is the time for all the members of Local 140 to get together and celebrate our holiday. See you there.

Click here for map Picnic Island Park

8/18/09

At the August 15th Regional Council Delegate meeting EST Jerry Rhoades was elected to another four year term. Brother Rhoades and the Executive Committee were endorsed by Local 140.

The Executive Board

President             Al Araya

Vice President      Steve Cothron

Warden                James Banks

Conductor            Mike Brewer

Trustee                Gary Cothron

Trustee                Edd Holiday

Trustee                Marcia Gonzales

Executive Committee             Elizabeth Dietrich

Executive Committee             Dan Mendoza

Executive Committee             Curly Richardson

Local News 8/7/09

There will be a picket at the Dons Cezar Hotel in St. Pete Beach on Aug 8 from 9 til 12 pm. We will be meeting at the hall at 7:00am to organize a car pool to the site. We are protesting the Loews Hotel chain use of unresponsible contractors to do their constuction work. We have been bannering them for some time so everybody please come out and help. See you at the hall Saturday morining.

LocaL News 6/22/09

Carpenters Local 140 put up there first banner on FifthThird Center on Kennedy Blvd in Downtown Tampa on Monday June 8th for most of the morning. They were there to let the public know that 5/3rd was using unfair contractors who are not paying the area standards. VOC chairman Mike Bokesch as well as apprentices Jason Cabrerra and Mike Reyes held up the banner and handed out handbills. Before the brothers took the banner down 5/3rd corporate headquarters in Cinncinati had called the Council office in Hialeah to request a meeting with EST Jerry Rhoades to discuss how to resolve the situation. EST Rhoades explained to the 5/3rd representatives that the Carpenters had invested $15,000,000 in 5/3rd and our contractors were never considered. 5/3rd has already contracted out all the construction work for 2009 but will use our contractors on upcoming work next year. We shall hold them to their word. Congrats to the brothers for their efforts in turning some nonunion work union.

We have just started to flex our muscles. We have been bannering TIAA Cref's Tampa headquarters on Fletcher Ave for the last two weeks. They are also being bannered in Miami. They have four office buildings in the Tampa area that results in lots of tennant improvement work. That is a lot of carpenter work if we can get then to pay area standards.


We need more volunteers though. The more members that get involved the more we can get done. Banner duty only lasts about 3 or 4 hours. If everyone could banner just once a week we could keep banners up all over the Tampa Bay area. To help offset some of the cost associated with banner duty the VOC gives 10 union bucks and a 10 dollar gas card. So if you read this news please come and volunteer. The health of your local union depends on it.

Local News: 1/16/09

Important Notice.  As of Feb 1, 2009 the United Brotherhood of Carpenters International raised the per capita tax paid by local unions one dollar. Also at the Jan special called meeting of Carpenters Local 140 the members voted to increase the monthly window dues an additional one dollar. So as of Feb 1, 2009 the new monthly window dues are increased to $19.50 a month. If you paid your dues ahead of time you will owe the additional two dollars per month for the months paid after Feb. If you have any questions about if you owe additional dues money please call the local and check with the secretary to see if you do in fact owe more money. We all know that times are tough right now but the members who attended the special called meeting felt that the local needed the additional revenue. That is why special called meetings are very important. Decisions are made that affect the whole local are made by the few people that show up.

If any members are having trouble getting through to the unemployment office to ask about extended benefits they can call the Govenor's office at 1-850-488-7146. They will ask you to leave your name and number and somebody will call them back from the main office in Tallahassee.

Robert McCoy

Business Agent Local 140