It's Time to Flip the Switch!

When people talk about IBEW L.U. 733, the conversation is usually followed by this statement:
"This isn't a REAL union."

I think we can all agree it's time for this perception to change!

About Vito

Jason "Vito" Vitosky is a Mississippi native, raised in Gulfport, MS and now living in the St. Martin / Ocean Springs area with his wife and three sons. Vito has worked at Ingalls for nearly 10 years, on every shift, on all four ships (LHA, LPD, DDG, & NSC), from the outfitting hall to the bays to the hill and all the way to the waterfront, and he's even worked for Temporary Services (Lights & Alarms).

Long before Ingalls, Vito attended St. John High School and Tulane University for Computer Engineering. He did HVAC work, started numerous entrepreneureal ventures, including an online forum to discuss matters of Law & Commerce, which led to him even campaigning to run for offices in both the Mississippi State Senate and U.S. Congress.

Vito is now campaigning again to represent IBEW L.U. 733 as its Business Manager, because it was obvious that we were not being represented during the last contract vote and that the company was always two steps ahead when it came to organizing our own union. The union meeting held between the two contract votes in late 2021 filled the union hall with angry union members who were incredibly upset that we needed to vote on the same exact contract twice, so Vito did what he could by himself to fight for better pay. Unfortunately, the company won but with the union's "L", we learned many valuable lessons. Primarily, our union needs new leadership and more modern means of organization and communication. Even with these upgraded tools, the results that we want still depend on more active engagement from union members.

More info on...

Vito's Plan

Contract Platform

- Minimum 30 days to review new contracts before a vote

- NEVER vote twice on the same exact contract

- $1 Minimum Raises EVERY year (only a 3.2% increase over 2025 wages)

- Increase the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) cap from 3% to 6%

- Make it easier for employees with school children to get off 2nd Shift

- Paid sick days

- Separate first shift into 3 separate start-end times (e.g. - 5:30 AM to 2 PM, 6 AM to 2:30 PM, and 6:30 AM to 3PM)



Local Platform

- Build a communication platform that includes reminders for Meetings, Elections, Picnics, & other events

- Build a website for L.U. 733 that includes a secure, private discussion forum to share information and make collective decisions

- Increased transparency & improved feedback loop in union operations

- A bilingual day-shift chief steward to ensure equal representation and advocacy for our Spanish-speaking members

- Serve food at EVERY monthly meeting to encourage attendance and foster a *real* brotherhood under the same roof

- An Emergency Fund [with approval from E-Board & International President] can provide financial support during challenging times

- A comprehensive "Wizards of Wire" Training Program should provides standardized knowledge for all members (from JC-Bs to 1st Class), covering tips for cable pulling, foundation and stud run layouts, equipment installation & grounding, as well as basic lighting hookup. This knowledge should create a culture of pride and excellence so that our union is recognized for 1st time quality work.

Events

  • Send Mail-In Ballots by June 7th (they must be received by Saturday, June 10th)
  • Other Unit Officer Elections will take place at the Next Union Meeting on June 6th @ 3:30 PM
  • Additional Meetings will be EVERY first Tuesday of the Month (excluding the July 4th holiday, so July's meeting will be the *second* Tuesday)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The short answer is that the Union Business Manager is the elected union representative that handles contract negotiations, grievances, and financial management of the union itself.

  • I can make no promises other than to represent what the union members are actually asking for and submit those requests to the company in written form. The company might say that some of these requests are not doable, but all of them are 100% workable. Every solution has a problem, and keeping workers happy and healthy is definitely a solution to one of the company's problems of finding and keeping enough qualified craft employees.

  • One of the functions of the union is to provide qualified craft workers to the company. You've probably heard the saying, "In order to get, you've got to give." I believe it's entirely possible to train individuals who know nothing about electrical work (such as JC Bs) in less than a few hours. Providing qualified employees to the company that are ready on day one secures the worth of the union, making the union and each of its members more valuable.

    Essentially, I am proposing that all new-hires who signup with the Union undergo a "Wizards of Wire" training program, where they will be taught the basics that any QA inspector will be checking for -- how to translate correct blueprint dimensions to the ship; how to layout, install, & bond/ground equipment; how to properly layout stud runs; how to pull cable correctly (working from top tier down, inside of tier to outside, tie wrapping every tier, especially before and after turns, while leaving plenty of radius, etc.); and how to hook up basic lighting components.

  • It's entirely possible that health insurance costs will increase. Just as an example, however, if wages increase by $1/hr ($40/wk base pay) and health insurance increases by $15/wk, you are still coming out ahead. And if you work overtime, a $1/hr increase turns into $1.50 extra per hour and even $2 extra on Sundays. Not to mention wage increases lead to more money in your pension / 401k. It's worth it to the workers, and it's worth it to the company to have enough qualified workers to fulfill contracts.

  • It's merely an idea that has been floated around for at least a decade or more. The idea is that several thousand people entering and leaving the parking lots at the same shift times, while bottlenecked to only TWO lanes in one direction at a time, leads to hour long traffic jams and people running in the parking lots (even tho the company says that running in the yard and bicycles in the parking lots are not safe!). So having three shifts (e.g. -- 5:30 AM to 2 PM, 6 AM to 2:30 PM, and 6:30 AM to 3PM) would alleviate the necessity for rushing both in and out of the parking lots. For simplicity's sake, First Shift "A" could be Craft X, First Shift "B" could be Crafts A & B, and First Shift "C" could be Crafts Y & Z.

    Won't everybody just want to work the earlier shift? Perhaps so, but even those on a shift that starts at 6:30 AM have the benefit of sleeping in yet also parking close to the gate as 3rd/4th shift employees leave at 6 AM. Many people get to the parking lot 2 hours before their shift, just to secure a spot closer to the gate so they can leave faster.

    Additionally, foremen are already scheduled to be at work from 5:30 to 3:00, so minimal changes will be needed for them. So long as they prep the day before, they shouldn't be greatly affected.

    Seeing as how this would provide for safer travel to and from the parking lots, as well as a better state of mind and well-being for craft employees, and more assurances that people will not be held up by morning or evening accidents thanks to the Ingalls 500... many people believe this is an issue that the company should consider. Ultimately, if the workers were to choose this solution in a democratic manner, then I would ask: "Why not give the people what they want?"

  • In the year 2025, when the next contract comes up for vote, a $1 raise is ONLY a ~3.2% increase over the wages seen in that year. Inflation was historically 2% to 3% until Covid, so a 3% cap on the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) made sense at that time. True prices of food, housing, transportation, gas, etc. has increased anywhere from 25% to 50% on average in just the past 2 to 3 years. Wages that do not keep pace with consumer price inflation means that we are losing purchasing power. When OUR company makes millions in profits and increases dividend payouts to shareholders, all while most workers are living paycheck to paycheck, it's obvious that those profits will not sustain as both our quality of life and our quality of work decline.

Contact

Contact Vito anytime!

Text or Call:

601.557.2899