Volume 57, No.
4 April 2010
Bargaining Committee resolves
Optional Life Insurance issue
Joe Hoagland
President
We have resolved the issue
of the Optional Life Insurance
buy-in without evidence of in-
surability (EOI) by employees
who were laid off-reduction in
force (LOR) during the initial
sign-up period last December.
This problem came to my at-
tention through contact with a
laid off member who was denied
the opportunity to buy the insur-
ance because of his LOR status.
The insurance agreement
states: “The Company will pro-
vide all employees an opportu-
nity to purchase an additional
$50,000 of optional life insur-
ance to insure the life of the em-
ployee. Evidence of the insur-
ability will not be required if
this optional life insurance is
elected during the first enroll-
ment window for the newly of-
fered benefit.”
The Company pointed out
that our Tentative Agreement
Summary, along with the price
chart for the insurance stated
“active employees”.
Also, the negotiation tran-
script reflecting the Company’s
acceptance of our proposal in-
cludes a comment by their chief
negotiator that, “ ..it would ap-
ply to all active associates as of
1-1-2010.”
All of this hinges on what
we, and the Company, consider
“active”. Within our Union, we
talk of active members and re-
tired members. Active members
certainly include LOR members
in good standing.
I believe that is what our
Summary alluded to. The agree-
ment states “All employees” but
the transcript holds the intent of
the parties.
The Company offered this
resolution:
• Bargaining employees who
were laid off during the initial
sign–up period who did not have
the opportunity to elect this ben-
efit will be eligible to elect it
upon their recall to active em-
ployment without EOI.
• Employees who have been
recalled from LOR from January
1, 2010 until March 31, 2010
will have until April 30 to enroll
without EOI. Those employees
will be notified by Metlife (our
life insurance carrier).
• Employees who are re-
called from LOR after April 1,
2010 will have 30 days after be-
ing recalled to make the election
without EOI.
The Bargaining Committee
agreed that this would resolve
the issue. We feel that this may
be more beneficial to laid off
members.
Layoff numbers
As of April 5, 2010 we have
263 members on indefinite lay-
off, 35 from the Steel Plant and
228 from the Bearing Plant.
Drug testing
A reminder about recalls:
When you have your medical
exam, you will be tested for al-
cohol and drugs.
A hair test will be done. A
urinalysis (USDC) and a Breath
Alcohol Test (BAT) may also be
performed.
If you take a prescription
medication and test positive for
that, you must provide docu-
mentation of the prescription
name and number.
If you can’t, or don’t, pro-
vide this information, your test
result will remain being treated
as a “positive” and you will be
placed in the Drug and Alcohol
Program.
 Part 2
Making Social Security fun
By Chris Tunney
Associate Editor
Last month, I wrote about
Social Security Retirement Ben-
efits, and a brief overview based
on Robert Fenn’s presentation
during February’s Steward’s
classes.
To conclude this month, I
will finish with a summary from
the SSA Publication No. 05-
10035 regarding Retirement
benefits for family members,
and Medicare.
Family Benefits
If you are getting Social Se-
curity Retirement benefits,
some members of your family
also can receive benefits. In-
cluding:
• Spouses aged 62 or older;
• Spouses who are younger
than 62, IF they are taking care
of a child entitled on your record
who is under age 16 or disabled;
• Former spouses, if they are
aged 62 or older, unmarried, and
the marriage lasted at least 10
years;
• Children up to age 18 or up
to age 19 if they are full time stu-
dents who have not yet graduat-
ed from high school;
• And disabled children,
even if they are 18 or older.
A spouse who has not
worked or who has low earnings
can be entitled to as much as
one-half of the retired worker’s
full benefit.
2 April 2010
NOTE: Your current spouse
cannot receive spouse’s benefits
until you file for retirement ben-
efits.
Some of your benefits
may be taxable
If you are younger than full
retirement age, $1 in benefits
will be deducted for every $2 in
earnings you have above the an-
nual limit.
In the year you reach full re-
tirement age, your benefits will
be reduced $1 for every $3 you
earn over an annual limit until
you reach full retirement age.
Once you reach your full re-
tirement age, you can keep
working, and your Social Secu-
rity benefit will NOT be reduced
no matter how much you earn.
About one-third of people
who receive Social Security
have to pay income taxes on
their benefits. If you want more
information on how earnings af-
fect your retirement benefit, ask
for Publication No. 05-10069,
which has current annual and
monthly earnings limits.
Our retirees do not have in-
clude their pensions in these cal-
culations, because if you receive
a pension from work when you
paid Social Security taxes, that
pension will NOT affect your
Social Security benefits.
Medicare
Medicare is a health insur-
ance plan for people who are age
65 and older. People who are
disabled, or have permanent
kidney failure, or have Lou Geh-
rig’s disease can get Medicare at
any age.
Medicare has four parts:
Part A is the hospital insur-
ance that helps pay for inpatient
hospital care and certain follow-
up services.
Part B is medical insurance
which helps pay for doctors’ ser-
vices, outpatient hospital care,
and other medical services.
Part C is Medicare Advan-
tage Plans, and Part D is the pre-
scription drug coverage.
Our retirees need only be
concerned with Parts A and B.
Parts C and D are covered
benefits under our Union-nego-
tiated Insurance Agreement.
If you are already getting So-
cial Security benefits when you
turn 65, your Medicare starts au-
tomatically. If not, you should
sign up three months before your
65th birthday, even if you are
not ready to retire.
How do you sign up for So-
cial Security? You can apply for
retirement benefits online at:
www.socialsecurity.gov or call
toll-free, 1-800-772-1213.
You also can make an ap-
pointment to visit any Social Se-
curity office, or contact the
Golden Lodge.
 Union & Company hold
first joint safety meeting
By Ron Roberts, Chairman
Golden Lodge Safety Committee
During the course of bar-
gaining for the 2009 Basic Labor
Agreement, the Negotiating
Committee attempted to estab-
lish a joint Union/Company
safety committee.
Such committees are com-
mon in Union-represented
plants including many of
Timken’s competitors. The Ne-
gotiating Committee was suc-
cessful in establishing quarterly
meetings with the Company to
address safety concerns. The
first of these meetings was held
March 5.
Goals for the meetings were
agreed to include:
• To increase participation in
Timken Company safety initia-
tives.
• To increase reporting of health
and safety hazards to manage-
ment and communicate resolu-
tion.
• To focus on improvements for
the future to provide for a safer
workplace.
• To increase communication
between the Union and the Com-
pany.
The Union submitted an
agenda of specific issues out-
lined by the safety committee
members from the plant divi-
sions. Some of the issues were
immediately addressed and
some are still in process as “ac-
tion items”.
April 2010
The Company members for
the meetings are Larry Marks-
GSP. Carolee Vanicek-HSP,
Nick Valentine-FSP and Vicki
Fulimeni-Timken Co. Industrial
Hygienist.
The Union representatives
were President Joe Hoagland,
Sean Els- HSP, Trish Hostetler-
GSP and Ron Roberts-FSP.
We intend to rotate members
of our safety committee to these
meetings. These meetings are
baby-steps to the ultimate goal
of making our workplace safe. If
you have concerns that should
be topics of discussion at the
joint meetings, please contact a
member of the Union safety
committee or call the Union
hall. The next meeting is sched-
uled for May.
Steel Mill steel toe
shoe allowance
Speaking of negotiations, we
bargained for a yearly $100 safe-
ty shoe allowance towards the
purchase of safety footwear. The
Company declined.
Recently they have started a
$100 voucher program for spe-
cific steel toed shoes, not previ-
ously provided, for the steel mill
purchased from Stauffer Safety.
The dates for purchase are
April 1-16, FSP, April 19-30,
HSP and May 3-14, GSP. Shoes
will be replaced on a as needed
basis after that.
One of the vendors is
Thorogood shoes. Some styles
GOLDEN LODGE NEWS
GOLDEN LODGE NEWS STAFF
Tom Sponhour, Editor
Joe Hoagland, Managing Editor
Ron Roberts, Associate Editor
Chris Tunney, Associate Editor
LOCAL 1123 OFFICERS
Joe Hoagland, President
Dan Ellington, Vice President
Pat Eslich, Recording Secretary
Joey Shearer, Financial Secretary
Kathy Boyd, Treasurer
James Schweitzer, Trustee
Susie Camper, Trustee
Keith Strobelt, Trustee
Paul McKenzie, Guide
Bill Webler, Outside Guard
Bob Seward, Inside Guard
Published monthly, except July, by
the United Steelworkers, Golden Lodge
Local 1123, AFL-CIO, in the interest of
its members and to further the aims and
programs of the Union.
USW Local 1123 represents bar-
gaining unit workers at the Canton, Gam-
brinus, and Faircrest Ohio plants of The
Timken Company.
USW Golden Lodge Local 1123
1234 Harrison Ave. S.W.
Canton, OH 44706
(330) 454-6137
Fax (330) 454-3461
Email - golden@neo.rr.com
are Union-made in the USA. If
they cost more than $100, it may
well be worth the investment.
Questions?
Comments?
Suggestions?
(Address changes, too)
Contact Golden Lodge
by email at:
golden@neo.rr.com
3
 Setting the record straight:
What you need to know about
Health Insurance Reform
President Obama has signed historic health insurance reform legislation, a massive bill that will help
most Americans have health care. The International Steelworkers Union in Pittsburgh is working hard to
dissect every word to determine what it means for you and your families.
Here’s what we can tell you now:
What this means right now for union-negotiated plans and VEBAs:
· You will NOT lose your union-negotiated private health insurance plans because of reform. Nothing
in this bill changes our right to collectively bargain health plans and employers cannot drop existing
plans because of reform.
· Current collectively bargained plans are grandfathered, meaning much of the new law does not
apply to those plans until after they expire.
· We will NOT let employers or insurance companies use reform as an excuse to bully us into unneces-
sarily expensive premium hikes. Don’t let them threaten or intimidate and keep our members informed to
combat this.
· NO high-cost benefits will be taxed under provisions in the Senate reconciliation or “fixes” bill until
at least 2018, and the impact of the tax on insurers should be lessened through a variety of changes and ex-
emptions. That bill is expected to be passed by this weekend.
Here’s how reform helps you and your family this year, even under current collec-
tively bargained plans:
· Children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance coverage. In the
coming years, pre-existing condition discrimination will become a thing of the past for everyone.
· Health care plans will allow young people to remain on their parents’ insurance policy until their
26th birthday.
· Insurers will be banned from dropping people when they get sick.
· Adults who are uninsured for six months or more because of pre-existing conditions will have access
to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool.
Here’s how reform helps our retirees:
· Effective 1/1/11, co-pays for preventive screenings will be eliminated to help older Americans more
quickly and affordably identify and treat diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
· Cuts wasteful spending to extend the life of the Medicare Trust Fund so seniors can better afford pre-
miums which have doubled over the past eight years.
· Reduces costly health problems by assisting pre-Medicare retirees with insurance costs and banning
discrimination based on pre-existing conditions.
· This year, this bill will provide help for early retirees by creating a temporary re-insurance program
to help VEBAs and employers offset the costs of providing healthcare benefits for retirees age 55-64.

4 April 2010
 Reform immediately begins to lower health care costs for American families, small
businesses and retirees:
· This year, small businesses that choose to offer coverage will begin to receive tax credits of up to 35
percent of premiums to help make employee coverage more affordable.
· This year, new private plans will be required to provide free preventive care.
· The Secretary of Health and Human Services will set up a new Web site to make it easy for Ameri-
cans to seek affordable health insurance options. The site will also include helpful information for small
businesses.

Ohio will not challenge Health Reform law

Ohio will not join other state lawsuits filed to prevent implementation of H.R. 3590, the Patient Pro-
tection and Affordable Care Act, Attorney General Richard Cordray has announced.
“Based on my review of Ohio law and H.R. 3590, and my experience with federal constitutional law, I
do not believe that the lawsuits filed against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have any le-
gal merit whatsoever,” Cordray said. “As a result, I believe it would be a waste of taxpayer resources for
Ohio to join any such lawsuit, and we will not be doing so.”
Cordray said he drew upon his experience as an appellate lawyer and law professor to research the re-
quest and make his decision. “I had the good fortune to clerk for two United States Supreme Court justic-
es, Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. These justices – appointed by Presidents Kennedy and Reagan,
respectively – each taught me to review constitutional challenges to federal laws with great care, always
keeping in mind the proper balance of power between the states and Congress within our federalist sys-
tem.”
Cordray addressed the two constitutional claims raised in the lawsuits:
Commerce Clause: “For 70 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has read the Commerce Clause broadly to
authorize Congress to address our most pressing national economic concerns. In fact, during George
Washington’s first term as President, under the Second Militia Act of 1792, Congress explicitly required
many Americans to make an economic purchase: of a gun, ammunition, gunpowder and a knapsack to be
properly prepared for military service. In the health care law, the individual mandate is inextricably inter-
twined with the comprehensive economic approach that Congress adopted to fix the deep flaws in our
current health insurance system, which affects one-sixth of the American economy.”
Tenth Amendment: “For those who contend that the states alone can address insurance problems,
the logic of their position is that we are condemned, forever, to an unsatisfactory ‘patchwork quilt’ of
conflicting provisions and mixed results. This is precisely why our Founding Fathers rejected the anemic
Articles of Confederation as inadequate, authorized Congress to legislate on matters of interstate com-
merce, and then made its laws supreme, notwithstanding any state laws to the contrary.
Nobody can seriously argue that the health care industry operates only in ‘intrastate’ commerce, and
the mandate provisions in this bill cannot be effectively disentangled from the comprehensive economic
approach that Congress adopted to fix the deep flaws in our current health insurance system.”
“Critics of the new law argue that the Tenth Amendment does not permit Congress to require states to
establish insurance exchanges. But the law does not require that; it provides the states with a choice, and
if they decline, the federal government will take on that responsibility. Just as Medicaid is a voluntary
federal-state program whose constitutionality has been upheld by the courts, the health care reform law is
entirely consistent with the Tenth Amendment.”

-From the Ohio AFL-CIO, the Workers’ Voice

April 2010 5

SOAR NOTES
Ohio Alliance for Retired
Americans takes action
By Jim Reed
The Ohio Alliance for Re-
tired Americans (OARA) of
which Soar Chapter 1-27 is a
member, has taken action in re-
tirement security causes.
In Canton, retirees and
former workers at Stark Ceram-
ics have finally found a law firm,
and filed suit against the owners
and top management of the
bankrupt firm.
This company organized by
the Steelworkers, went bankrupt
several years ago, and offered
workers COBRA to keep health
insurance. The workers paid the
COBRA costs but the company
never purchased the insurance.
Workers found out they had
no coverage when they were in
the hospital facing major health
incidents like cancer, and a heart
attack. The lawsuit is a solidari-
ty action of unionized and super-
visory workers to gain back cov-
erage, and the ability to be cov-
ered.
Since the company did not
buy the insurance for more than
MAY LUNCHEON
City Chicken
Scallop Potatoes
Carrots
Salad
Sherbet
6 April 2010
I.W. Abel
Chapter
1/27
a 60 day period, the pre-existing
condition precluded them from
coverage, and has caused the
workers medical debts.
One employee that was inter-
viewed, had 35 years of service
when he found out the company
was going to file bankruptcy. He
lost his pension, and insurance
coverage, and ended up with a
heart attack. Since then, he has
lost his home, and all his sav-
ings.
This is what the ARA is
fighting for. It could happen to
any one of us. The ARA is in op-
position to Medicare Advantage
plans.
The Medicare Advantage
program is designed to draw se-
niors away from Medicare, and
into private plans, and by receiv-
ing higher payments from Medi-
care for its services.
The Ohio ARA is against the
move by pension systems to
force all Medicare eligible retir-
ees into advantage plans while
wasting taxpayer dollars, and
weakening Medicare.
This short-term monetary
savings is the invention of those
who want entitlement reform,
and the privatization of Medi-
care.
To add insult to injury, Hu-
mana, has taken a large chunk of
the retirees from Medicare and
forced them into the Humana
Advantage Plan, such as the OP-
ERS, which my wife belongs to.
She has already seen changes in
her coverage.
The corporate arrogance of
Humana is another example of
why health insurance reform is
needed.
United Health Care is anoth-
er top health insurance compa-
ny, supported by AARP, that
threatened patients in Central
Ohio and with the loss of access
to their doctors, and hospitals
when it did not get its way in
price negotiations with Ohio
Health Care.
The Ohio Department of In-
surance fined the corporate gi-
ant a quarter of a million dollars.
What to say when someone
says health reform is bad for
seniors:
1. Tell them that it will begin
closing the “Doughnut Hole” in
Medicare Part D.
2. Tell them that health re-
form is a change to allow Medi-
care to negotiate for volume dis-
counts.
3. Tell them that it will end
wasteful taxpayer dollars to the
private insurance companies
who run Medicare advantage
plans.
4. Tell them that it provides
help for lower income seniors so
Just a Thought
Change is the way of life,
And those who look only
To the past or present,
Are certain to miss the future.
-JFK
they can better afford their Part
D premiums.
5. Tell them that it will allow
you to change your Part D plan
anytime during the year, so you
won’t have to wait until open en-
rollment if your medical needs
change.
The truth is, Medicare Ad-
vantage plans are overpaid at
least 15 percent more than they
should be.
The recent snow storms
caused another cancellation for
our program, but President Max-
ine Holmes made some calls and
we had some fine entertainment
before our regular meeting was
held.
A group known as “Jim Gul-
lian and Friends,” had feet tap-
ping, and hands clapping, and
even dancing to some down
home country, bluegrass, and
gospel music.
The weather may have been
cold outside, but they warmed
things up on the inside. Jim did
the vocals, and played guitar,
while his other brother played
the Mandolin.
Once in awhile they would
trade instruments. Jim said his
other brother was the brother
that his mom didn’t know she
had.
A bag auction was later held,
and some lucky members went
home with some nice gifts.
Celebrating Birthdays:
Linda Kisela, James Jackson,
Dan Rossetti and Harold Pyle.
Get Well Wishes to Jess
Payne and Marge Phillips.
New Member: Harold Pyle.
April 2010
Recent
Retirees
Golden Lodge congratulates
the following members who
have recently retired and will
FRANCIS J. “FRANK” STEWARD, 82,
Dept. 67, 216 Harrison Ave. SW, Canton, passed now enjoy their union-negotiat-
away March 2, 2010. Brother Steward joined ed retiree pension and health-
the Union in 1948 and retired in 1986. care benefits.
JAMES P. O’CONNOR, 74, Dept. 129, 167
Valleyview NW Canton, passed away March 7, Paul L. Barnes, Jr.
2010. Brother O’Connor joined the Union in
1964 and retired in 1982. David L. Haas
ROLAND REHA 70, Dept. 350 passed Away William C. Howenstine
March 7, 2010. Brother Rhea joined the Union
in 1974 and retired in 1999. Lawrence I. McFarland
JAMES C. BRACKEN, 88, Dept. 36, 3181
Folsam Rd. NW Carrollton, passed away March
7, 2010. Brother Bracken joined the Union in
1941 and retired in 1971.
CHARLES R. DeROY, 68, Dept. 67, 1982
Masters Point Cr. SE, Massillon, passed away February 3 Meeting
March 12, 2010. Brother DeRoy joined the
Union in 1964 and retired in 2001. Nick Kotema
RICHARD TALBERT, 78, Dept. 72 2061 *Jeff Spurrier
Neimans Ave. SE, East Canton, passed away *Michael Kemp
March 15, 2010. Brother Talbert joined the *Scott Jacob
Union in 1959 and retired in 1994.
**Brett Govins
CARL WILLIAMS, 81, Dept. 129, 4656 5th
St. NW, Canton, passed away March 16, 2010. February 17 Meeting
Brother Williams joined the Union in 1953 and Chuck Morris
retired in 1991.
Andy Schneider
THEODORE HUFFMAN, 91, Dept. 82, 1998
Central St. #409, Ashland Ohio, passed away Tony Wojtaszek
March 16, 2010. Brother Huffman joined the Carol Klemens
Union in 1942 and retired in 1981. Mike Volak
JAMES JOHNSON, 69, 915 Summerdale Ave.
NW, Massillon passed away March 23, 2010.
March 3 Meeting
Brother Johnson joined the Union in 1969 and Mike Volak
retired in 1999. Dean Sills
LESTER M. JONES JR., 62, Dept. 72, 1934 ***Paul Muller
Superior NE, Canton, passed away March 23,
2010. Brother Jones joined the Union in 1966 ****Chris Tunney
and retired in 2000. ****Scott Albertson
DANIEL KOVACH, 86, Dept. 350, passed March 17 Meeting
away March 24, 2010.
****Sean Els
JOHN J. ABEL, 82, Dept. 188, passed away
March 25, 2010. Brother Abel joined the Union ^Brenda Bain
in 1949 and retired in 1987. ^Chuck Morris
DERALD E. POWELL, 78, Dept. 13 211 ^Steve Cowley
Donald SW, Canton, passed away March 26,
Jim Klemens
2010. Brother Powell joined the Union in 1955
and retired in 1991. *Donated to Red Cross Haiti Relief
FRANCIS KAHRIG, 72, Dept. 72, 923 Woutat **Donated to Meals on Wheels
Cir. SW Massillon, passed away March 28, ***Donated to Angelo Ginella
2010. Brother Kahrig joined the Union in 1965 ****Donated to Steelworkers Haiti Relief
and retired in 1995. ^Donated to the USO
7
Workers’ Comp Institute prepares
union delegates for the real world
“Duke” Ellington
Vice President &
Workers’ Comp
Committee Chair
The week of March 8, 2010,
Golden Lodge Workers’ Com-
pensation committee members
Ron Roberts, Scott Jacob and I
attended the 40th Annual Ohio
AFL-CIO Workers’ Compensa-
tion Institute in Columbus,
Ohio.
Over 230 delegates partici-
pated, with representatives from
public and private sectors, as
well as many building trades
unions.
The sessions dealt with pre-
paring and processing claims
and preparing and presenting a
hearing.
Mock hearings were con-
ducted which illustrated to new
Workers’ Comp representatives
what happens during an Indus-
trial Commission hearing.
Ron, Scott and I were asked
to represent an employee whose
claim was disallowed at a Dis-
trict Hearing (1st level) and ap-
pealed to a Staff Hearing (2nd
level).
Industrial Commission Staff
Hearing Officer Matthew Finne-
gan heard the case and Mark Ad-
ams, an attorney from the law
firm of Adams & Gast represent-
ed the employer.
8 April 2010
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
NON-PROFIT ORG.
PERMIT NO. 973
CANTON, OH
After hearing the facts from
both sides the staff hearing of-
ficer issued a ruling in favor of
the employee allowing the
claim.
Special guest speakers in-
cluded Ohio Attorney General
Richard Cordray, Bureau of
Workers’ Compensation Ad-
ministrator, Marsha Ryan, In-
dustrial Commission Chairman,
Gary DiCeglio, and Ohio Secre-
tary of State candidate
Maryellen O’Shaughnessy.
_________________________________
Steelworkers Local 1123, Golden Lodge
One reoccurring piece of ad-
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
vice from many of the speakers
was the importance of reporting
work place injuries when they
1234 Harrison Ave. SW
occur.
Canton, OH 44706
An injury reported immedi-
ately is more likely to be allowed
than one that is reported two or
three days after it occurred.
We would like to thank the
Executive Board and the mem-
bership for this excellent oppor-
tunity to increase our knowledge
of the Workers’ Compensation
May 4
system.
Please call the Union Hall at SOAR Meeting
330-454-6137 when you have 12:00 noon.
questions pertaining to work re-
May 5
lated injuries.
Regular Union Meeting
7:30 p.m.
May 12
Stewards Classes
9: 00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
May 19
Regular Union Meeting
9:00 a.m.