[00:00:00] Anne Larson:
Welcome back to on the Fringe. I'm your host, Ann Larson.
This is a special out of studio episode. We went down to the NECA IBEW Employee Benefits Conference in January and we asked some of our colleagues there to sit down with us and record their views on just what matters most to them in their work and personal growth. It was a little surprising to me how hesitant people were to sit down, but we had a really good time doing it and I think everybody was really happy in the end. I think you'll enjoy this one too. Here it is.
[00:00:38] Speaker B: My name is Kevin Moran. I'm the executive director at American Line Builders Chapter, neca. And the biggest part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is supporting my contractors so that they can be successful and ultimately provide jobs to the employees and the workers and also take care of their customers. So we have a long, long term success.
One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention is making sure that we get it correct so people have their health care and their benefits on time and in the right places.
One belief about work or life that's changed for me over the years is finding that work life balance, making sure that you, you know, take care of things that you need to, but enjoy your weekends and your time off and your family. It's important.
[00:01:26] Jack Savage: My name is Jack Savage. I am the executive director of the Eastern region of neca.
And the first question, the part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is, well, in my role with Nika. Typically when, when an issue gets to me, it's where the local parties have not been able to resolve things. Sometimes there's some tension there, sometimes it could be pretty intense.
And so I think that myself and my team do a pretty good job of easing the tensions, bringing people back together, hopefully mending relationships if it's needed, and helping those parties to resolve the issue in a way that makes the most sense for the industry and hopefully in a way that doesn't leave people with bad feelings and keeping those relationships intact. So I think that's maybe our biggest impact on people.
Number two, one issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention.
Well, I think that mental health is something that has really been talked about more and more in recent years and I think that's a really, really good thing. I think everybody has issues that they deal with and nobody really likes to talk about them. And there's some sometimes stuff stigma around that. I think we're, we're starting to try, you know, get rid of those things and encourage people to get Help, if they need help, there's nothing wrong with that. And so I think that's a good message and we're starting to get that message out and hopefully we'll do more of that in the future. Number three, one belief about work or life that's changed for me over the years is, well, I certainly think a lot more now about benefits or at the benefits conference, but retirement. I am, you know, in my mid-50s now. I don't like to admit that, but, you know, retirement is something that I'm thinking about. I did not think about that in my, you know, 20s and 30s and even 40s probably. So the importance of, you know, the benefits that, that we get is certainly something that's more. More important to me now. And yes, I think I've spoke long enough.
So thank you.
Thank you very much.
[00:03:38] Lina Jariri: So my name is Lina Jariri. I'm the manager of human resources at the National Electrical Contract Association. We go by neca. The part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is the communication and the generational of insurance coverage plans and the benefits. I think different generations understand different things, and for the younger generation, they don't understand what benefits are, are or what they're receiving. So I make it a goal of mine to make sure that they have education, they understand what they're receiving.
One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention is not just mental health, but also the understanding, the compassion, and what you say and what you do makes an impact on envisions.
One belief about work or life that changed for me over the years is be who you are and don't change.
Keep your purpose and keep driving.
[00:04:33] Darrell Miller: My name is Darrell Miller. I'm business manager and financial secretary of Local Union 558 in Sheffield, Alabama. The part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is when you see that member who's happy. It's a rewarding event like you can never explain to anybody. We all can find fault in most everything in today's world, but when you do help that one person and hopefully help our industry too, that's the rewarding part.
One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention is health care. That. I mean, we've got to do something nationally to convince politicians that our country is in a dire need for health care. And once we get to that point, I think everything else will straighten out. The pharmaceutical companies are just charging us through the nose with the prescription pills that people have to have, and we've got to stop the bleeding somewhere. One belief about work or life that's changed me for over the years is the fact that I've matured. Things don't bother me quite as bad as they once did. What was a significant problem as an early man is not quite as significant. I go on a 10, 10 and 10. How's this going to affect me in 10 seconds? How's this going to affect me In 10 minutes? And how is this going to affect me in 10 years? And if it's not in those categories, anything fatal, then I can, I can probably get through.
[00:05:54] Bill Blackman: My name is Bill Blackman. I'm the business manager for IBEW Local 136 in Birmingham, Alabama.
The part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is trying to keep benefits flowing and moving, especially health benefits. One issue around employee benefits that deserve more attention is it's hard to narrow it down to one, but I guess my biggest issue with employee benefits is wanted the United States see fit to make the health of their citizens a for profit business. And then the third thing, one belief about work or life that changed for me over the years. Well, I've gotten older and a little more mellow and a little less radical and all that. But that's it. That's my answers.
[00:06:39] Michael Waychowsky: My name Michael Waychowsky. I am regional vice president of sales for Med Impact a PBM and I've been here for about a year and a half. The part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is I would say probably making their lives easier by them knowing that they can get their prescriptions filled in a timely manner with the most amount of ease. One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention is, well, wow. I would say aside from my business of prescription benefits, probably going to having folks going to their primary care doctor, some medical benefits. It's one aspect of employee benefits that does deserve more attention is getting people to a primary care doctor. Like I think it's like 35% of Aetna Aetna members don't go to a primary care doctor or haven't seen one in the last year. So if you're not going to go to your primary care doctor, you can have a whole lot of problems. And then of course pharmacy benefits because that's what I, I do. But I think there is a lot of focus on that. But I think we got to get people to doctors more. And number three, one belief about work or life that has changed me over the years.
I would say networking probably is really easily talked about but is overlooked practically. Like what is networking? What does that look like. I think it's not just like going on LinkedIn and like clicking the button, but like talking with people, getting to know them. Because you never know if that person is going to have an opening for you or think about you or vice versa. You're going to have an opening for that person or at least know where to point that person if they're looking for work. It's like networking, but like actively networking all the time, maybe with even without specific agendas in mind and just talking with people. So that's it.
[00:08:26] Daniel W. McInerney: So my name is Daniel McInerney. I'm the business manager for IBW Local 488 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. We cover Western Connecticut with EPR Live. The part of my work that has the biggest impact for me personally is when contractors are looking for benefits letters that say that they're up to date so they can get paid. I can go into EPR Live and make sure that they are paid to date. And it really works very well with me. I don't have to make any phone calls. I don't have to do any research with anybody else. I can just go right online and get it and it works perfectly for me. One issue around employees benefits that deserves more attention, that's. I don't know, that's a tough one because there's actually no way to work this one. It's when I have a member that's working out of the jurisdiction in the reciprocation process, it's like they're two different things. So if there was a way that EPR Live could get involved on the reciprocation process, that could be like one stop shopping for me. So that's just selfishness on my part. One belief about work or life that's changed for me over the years is the difference when I became a business manager is there's a lot of headaches. But when you can help a member when they really need it, that's very fulfilling.
[00:09:46] Jeffery J. Hiemerl: My name is Jeff Hiemerl. I am the business manager of IBEW Local 292 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The part of my work that has the biggest impact on people currently, I think, is our recovery group. We started a drug and alcohol recovery group at our hall and we're working with other locals and our international to bring. Bring the recovery groups to the IBEW kind of nationwide. So that's something we've been working on. We actually had a recovery group meeting here at the benefits conference. I wish I would have got in touch with our director a little earlier. So we could, could have had it all three days, but we just had one this morning, so it's picking up steam. And I think that, you know, destigmatizing the drug and alcohol use and its correlation with mental health issues is something we gotta work on in the construction industry.
So I think that's something that has the biggest impact on people right now.
One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention, you know, the rising costs of health care in the country, I think is always a big topic, but I think the way we, our healthcare system in the United States, where we treat the symptoms rather than the causes, is something that we really need to focus on. And I think our union benefit plans could really benefit from root cause diagnoses rather than just treating symptoms.
One belief about work or life that's changed for me over the years is I can't do it all. I, I put a lot of pressure on myself over the years.
I was a business representative for six years and I put a lot of pressure on myself and I try to change the world all by myself. And the reality is I can't do that. I took a little hiatus and I went, went back to school. School furthered my education and I came back into this position as business manager. And when I did that, I came back with a different attitude and attitude that's like, I'm going to utilize the team and try and build the team and get more people on board with trying to make organized labor have a bigger impact in our country. Not trying to do it all myself.
[00:12:02] Eric Cionka: Eric Cionka Pharmacy consultant at Foster and Foster the part of my work that has the biggest impact on people is helping individuals obtain their medications at an affordable cost. One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention is prescription drug costs. One belief about work or life that's changed for me over the years is to remain calm and patient.
[00:12:27] Renee LaMonaco: Renee LaMonaco Executive Director with Western New York NECA the part of my work that has the biggest impact on people I think would definitely be working with the JTCs and the apprenticeship board and just allowing young individuals to have the opportunity to start their career. I think that being part of that is definitely what I would say would be the biggest impact.
One issue around employee benefits that deserves more attention is I would answer that with mental health. I think everyone's moving in the right direction and the conversation started, but I think we have a lot of work to do there.
And then one belief about worker life that's changed for me over the years is I think as I've gotten older, I've realized that, you know, everyone uses the term work life balance, but nobody understands that it's more difficult to balance work life balance than just say that you're going to do it or talk about it. And so just making sure that you're advocating for yourself when it comes to being able to assure that you do have work life balance.
[00:13:38] Anne Larson: Thanks for listening. I'm Ann Larson. If you or someone you know has an idea for a future episode, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an
[email protected] or you can connect with me or Corellian software on LinkedIn.
