The holiday season is here once again, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and a Happy New Year. This holiday season is a time of giving and there is nothing better than seeing the look on a child's face when they open a present or get to meet Santa, especially when he decides to stop by Local 1109. As union members, we are fortunate. This year we extended our contract with Verizon & Verizon Wireless, ensuring labor peace for our Verizon workforces for four more years. We also saw a first contract for 350 new Local 1109 members at Aclara Technologies. At Altice (Cablevision) we are in the process of early bargaining for a new contract The Staff of 1109 hope that everyone enjoys their holiday and gets a little extra time to spend with their friends and family. Enjoy this time with them and I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday.