W W W . I B E W . O R G

The unveiling of the IBEW’s utility Codeof Excellencemore than two years agoopened up a new chapter in labor-management relations in the North

American power industry.Building on the Code of Excellence in the

construction branch, the utility code is a callfor all IBEW utility members to meet the chal-lenges of a changing industry—an industrythat is confronting a generational turnover, astruggling economy and a growing alternativeenergy economy.

“The code is a bold restatement of themost fundamental principles of our union: afair day’s work for a fair day’s pay and a com-mitment to excellence in everything we do,”said International President Edwin D. Hill.

From redoubling members’ commitmentto safety and quality work to developing a non-adversarial relationship with management,locals across the United States and Canada aretaking up the Code of Excellence with membersandmanagement as a first step in guarantee-ing good union jobs for utility workers now and

in the future.

A Wake-Up Call

For Madison, Wis., Local965 Business ManagerTony Bartels, the Codeof Excellence was a“wake-up call.”

Bartels says he was concerned thatmanymembers had grown complacent, taking forgranted a secure role for the IBEW. “If we wantthe IBEW to be part of the future of the industry,we have to recommit ourselves to excellence ona daily basis.”

His interest in the code began soon after itwas unveiled in construction in 2007, a yearbefore it rolled out in the utility branch. Bartelsset up ameetingwithmanagement at AlliantEnergy to talk about implementing its principles.

Management was cautious at first, particu-larly about the idea of using company time topromote a union-developed plan. But Bartlesdidn’t give up, finally getting a chance to sitdownwith Alliant’s vice president of operations.

The Alliant executive was impressedwith the code’s efforts to improve employeeattendance and productivity, but Bartels

I N T H I S I S S U E

F I R S T P U B L I S H E D I N 1 8 9 3

I N T E R N A T I O N A L B R O T H E R H O O D O F E L E C T R I C A L W O R K E R S Vol. 4 | No. 6 | June 2010

CODE OF EXCELLENCE continued on page 2

2 | The Utility Code: How it works

3 | Misclassifying workers for profit

4 | A book for electricians, by an electrician

N.Y. manufacturer grows

6 | North of 49°

7 | Teacher earns advanced degree

8 | Organizing Wire

Safety spotlight

9 | Circuits

10 | Local Lines

18 | Editorials

19 | Letters to the Editor

Who We Are

20 | LMRDA notice

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The IBEW’s utility workers are adopting a new standard of professionalism.

PhotoCredit:SteveSalt

StandoutUtility Locals

PromoteCode of Excellence

StandoutUtility Locals

PromoteCode of Excellence

2 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u n e 2 0 1 0

Code of Excellence

Continued from page 1

reminded him that that the code isa two-way street: he couldn’t callon his members to live by the codeunless management was willing todo the same.

“There has to be a mutual levelof trust for it to work,” he said.Management agreed and allowedthe training on company time andproperty. Members and manage-ment watched InternationalPresident Hill’s video message;Bartels helped answer members’questions.

Since 2008more than 1,300members of Local 965—more than90 percent of the local—have gonethrough the orientation. Bartels alsoput on a session for salariedman-agers, who “came out raving aboutthe program,” he said.

It has also been implementedat Wisconsin Power and Light.

Since then, Bartels has noticeda different attitude frommanage-ment. “If there is an issue with anemployee, a lot of managers willnow to come to the union first to seeif we can work out a solution insteadof resorting immediately to discipli-nary measures.”

The local has seen a big drop inemployee grievances, frommorethan 40 a year down to 12.

TheWorkForce of Choice

Soon after President Hill’s live videobroadcast launching the Code ofExcellence, Detroit Local 17 BusinessManager Kevin Shaffer approachedmanagement at DTE Energy aboutadopting it.

While there was some skepti-cism from some of his ownmembersinitially about whether or not thecompany was serious about holdingup its end of the bargain, the mostcommon refrain he heard after thetraining was: “It’s about time.”

Since then, more than 400members of Detroit Local 17 havegone through the Code of Excellenceorientation.

Although utilities are cuttingcosts, Shaffer said he is hopefulthat the company can avoid resort-ing to wage and benefits cuts orrelying on nonunion contractors byincreasing employee productivityand attendance.

The state of the economy callsfor a more cooperative labor-man-agement paradigm, he said. “Wehave to find ways to work together toimprove performance so we remainthe work force of choice.”

AProfessional Image

The struggling economymeans cus-tomers are giving extra scrutiny to

their energy bills, making promotinga professional image for utility work-ers more important than ever.

Collinsville, Ill., Local 309 hastrained nearly 100 utility workers,mostly at AmerenIP and AmerenCIPS,in the Code of Excellence since 2008.BusinessManagerScott Hassall saysthat the code is a vital tool in improv-ing the public’s perception of theunion and helping to improve cus-tomer relationships.

“It’s a key time in the industryand we need to make sure that weare putting our best face out there,”Hassall said.

Management also participatedin the training sessions. “I had a lotof supervisors asking for DVDs ofPresident Hill’s video presentation,”he said.

Safety is Key

ForCedar Rapids Local 204BusinessManagerDavidGeorge, excellence onthe jobmeansmaking safety a priority.

“Every worker is part of ateam,” he said. “This is a very dan-gerous job and everybody needs topull their own weight.”

Local 204, which representsmore than 1,300 members at utili-ties and power co-ops throughoutthe state, started implementing thecode more than two years ago.

Since then, it has been incorpo-rated into the local’s yearly stew-ards’ training school, with a sessionlast year attracting one of its biggestattendances ever.

Stewards get evenmore exten-sive training in the code, with atten-dees role-playing different scenarios,from dealing with problem employ-ees to difficult managers.

“It’s gained the union a lot ofrespect from the companies we rep-resent,” George said. “The messageis pretty straightforward: we’re thebest, most professional and safestwork force around and we’re willingto put it into writing.”

Bartels says that the key to suc-cessfully implementing the code iswinning buy-in fromall partiesinvolved: local officers, stewards, andmanagement. “Because it’s all aboutbuilding a relationship based on trust,you have tomake sure that everyoneunderstandswhat the code is allabout and supports its goals before itcanbe successful,” he said. �

“[The Code of Excellence has] gainedthe union a lot of respect from thecompanies we represent. The messageis pretty straightforward: we’re thebest, most professional and safestworkforce around and we’re willingto put it into writing.”– David George, business manager, Cedar Rapids Local 204

www.ibew.orgFrom breaking news tovideo stories, ourupdatedWeb site hasinformation not availableanywhere else. Visit us toconnect with the IBEWonFacebook and to followInternational PresidentEdwin D. Hill on Twitter!

IBEW on theHuffington PostPresident Hill has a blogchampioning green jobsandmore. Read it atwww.huffingtonpost.com/edwin-d-hill.

YouTubeThe IBEW has its ownchannel on YouTube,devoted exclusively tovideos about the unionand its members.Watch online atwww.youtube.com/user/theelectricalworker.

HourPowerIntegrity, familyand quality areimportant to theIBEW, but alsoto Klein Tools.Go towww.IBEWHourPower.com tohear about this Americaninstitution’s dedication tomaking the best tools.

ElectricTVHow is theNECA-IBEWteamattractingtomorrow’s constructionmanagers? By reachingout to students across theU.S., especially those atColoradoState University.On electricTV.net, weshowyou howwe’rehelping to build educationin the 21st century.

IBEWMEDIAWORLD

Inaddition to yourmonthlyissue of The ElectricalWorker, check out thewealth of IBEW-relatedinformation in cyberspace.

Union’s Responsibilities

��� Zero tolerance for safety violations��� Ensure members uphold their responsibilities under

the contract

��� Address bad work habits of members��� Set standard for excellence in work performed��� Zero tolerance for unauthorized work stoppages��� Confront issues before they become problems

Employer’s Responsibilities

��� Provide adequate supply of equipment and tools��� Maintain a positive working relationship with union��� Ensure proper project planning��� Provide quality supervision��� Maintain safe workplace��� Take responsibility for management failures

Utility Code of Excellence

T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u n e 2 0 1 0 3

W W W . I B E W . O R G

Cheating Workers Out Of Rights, BenefitsLawmakers Go After Employers Who Misclassify Workers as Contractors

Nearly three years ago,Warren, Ohio, Local 573Business Manager MarkCatello found out the

hard way how rampant is the illegalpractice of misclassifying workers asindependent contractors to circum-vent labor law and cheat on taxes.

The local tried organizing cableworkers at Baker Communications, asubcontractor for Time WarnerCable. Organizers got the majority ofthe 40-person unit to sign unionauthorization cards, but theNational Labor Relations Boardkilled the unionization drive afteragreeing with the company thatmost of its employees were inde-pendent contractors, making themexempt from the right to collectivelybargain. “It’s a scam,” Catello said.“All the employees had to follow thecompany’s manual, wear the com-pany’s uniform with the BakerCommunications logo on it and fol-low their work schedule.”

Federal and state officials arenow starting to aggressively crackdown on employers who mislabeltheir employees as independentcontractors—an act that cheats bothtaxpayers and workers out of billionsof dollars.

According to Steven Greenhouseof the New York Times, more than twodozen states are stepping up theirenforcement of employment laws byincreasing penalties for employerswho misclassify workers as contrac-tors. And Congress recently intro-duced tougher legislation to punishlawbreakers.

‘Widespread Practice’

The practice is extensive, says JamesParrott, chief economist of the FiscalPolicy Institute in New York. He testi-fied earlier this year before the stateSenate that an estimated 10 percentof the state’s workers are misclassi-fied as independent contractors.

According to the Bureau ofLabor Statistics, that number hasbeen estimated to be as high as 30percent in some states. Lax enforce-ment of the rules has only encour-aged the practice.

In 2007, the GovernmentAccountability Office reported that10 million workers were classified as

independent contractors, anincrease of more than 2 million injust six years.

Misclassification ends up cost-ing federal and state authorities bil-lions in lost revenue. Companiesthat report employees as independ-ent contractors avoid paying SocialSecurity, Medicare and unemploy-ment insurance taxes.

But misclassifying workers alsocheats workers out of their rightsand benefits. Laws regarding over-time, workers’ compensation, sickdays and minimum wage don’tapply to independent contractors.

“This denies many workers theirbasic rights and protections andmeans less revenues to the Treasuryand competitive advantage foremployers who misclassify,” JaredBernstein told the New York Times.Bernstein is a noted economist andaide to Vice President Joseph Biden.“The last thing you want is to give acompetitive advantage to employerswho are breaking the rules.”

The practice is particularly com-mon in trucking and some sectors ofthe construction industry. It is alsofound in the telecommunicationsindustry, particularly in satellite dishand cable installation.

And it’s not just fly-by-night oper-ations that are guilty. Corporate giantsFedEx, Target and Comcast have allbeen sued for misclassifying workers.

Counting their workers as con-tractors has also proven to be aneasy way for employers to preventunionization.

‘Keeps Them FromJoining a Union’

For Eighth District Organizer BobBrock, a crackdown on industry vio-lators is long overdue.

Brock has been trying to organ-ize workers who install home satellitedishes for more than a year. Many ofthese workers—located mostly inIdaho, Montana and Colorado—endure long hours, low pay, dracon-ian work rules and unsafe workingconditions. But according to theiremployers—including Direct TV andStar West Satellite—they are theirown bosses.

“Most of these (satellite) com-panies operate a whole separate

wing, which they staff with what theycall independent contractors,” Brocksaid. “But they have to follow thecompanies’ regulations, their workhours and use their equipment.What kind of boss is that?”

Brock says that the IBEW hasbeen successful in getting many ofthese workers to talk with organizers,but until their job status is changed,they can’t legally form a union.

He says he has seen workplaceswhere two different workers are doingthe exact same job, but one islabeled an employee while the otheris an independent contractor. “It’s aselective way for the company to getout of paying benefits and taxes andto keep them from joining a union.”

Educating Workers onTheir Rights

But the IBEW hasn’t given up onorganizing the satellite sector. TheEighth District has started an organi-zation—Satellite Techs Allied for aNew Direction—which bringstogether satellite workers to improvetheir working conditions. Organizershelp workers document what’s goingon in their workplace so they haveevidence to back up their claims thatthey are full-time employees.

STAND also helps misclassifiedworkers with tax advice and how toavoid being preyed on by unscrupu-lous insurance agents who try to sellthem overpriced liability policies.It’s a long-term strategy, Brock says,but the campaign is starting to pickup steam. “The word is spreadingthroughout the industry. A lot ofthem don’t know about their rightsand they are hungry to find out.”

The campaign is now movinginto lobbying mode, with organizerstalking to state leaders about ram-pant abuses in the satellite installa-tion industry. “This is a good time,because with the budget shortfalls,politicians are more eager to crackdown on tax cheats,” Brock said.

Rampant Abuse

Broadcasting is another industrywhere the practice has become wide-spread. “Many broadcast techni-cians will work for one of the bignetworks, be considered an

employee, but then go work foranother network, do the exact samejob, and all of a sudden they becomecontractors,” said BroadcastingDepartment Director Ro Wratschko.

Many smaller production com-panies are also notorious for mis-classifying employees to give themunfair advantage over local signatorycompanies. “They are bidding forthe same work as our union shopsbut they are illegally getting out ofpaying the same taxes we do, sothey have a leg up,” he said.

While not as rampant in the elec-trical construction industry as it is inother trades, many inside locals haveconfronted nonunion contractors try-ing to pass off their employees as con-tractors. Last fall, Dublin, Calif., Local595 helped bring to light one Bay Areacontractor who cost the state and heremployees millions of dollars by ille-gally misclassifying them.

“It’s the primary means fornonunion contractors to get out oftheir responsibilities to theiremployees and try to cut into ourmarket share,” said KirkGroenendaal, Special Assistant tothe International President forMembership Development.

Federal prosecution of compa-nies that misclassify their workersas contractors was nonexistentunder the Bush administration, saysPolitical and Legislative DepartmentInternational Representative DanGardner, but the tide is turning.

President Obama has prom-ised to hire an additional 100 inves-tigators to look at companiesaccused of misclassifying workersand the Internal Revenue Serviceannounced in February that it waslaunching a three-year nationwideinvestigation of the practice.

On Capitol Hill, MassachusettsSen. John Kerry (D) has introducedthe Taxpayer Responsibility,Accountability, and Consistency Actof 2009—with Rep. Jim McDermott(D-Wash.) sponsoring a House ver-sion—which beefs up enforcementof worker classification regulationsand closes tax loopholes used byunscrupulous employers.

In April, Ohio Sen. SherrodBrown (D) introduced a similar bill—the Employee Misclassification Act—that focuses on tougher enforcementof the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Department of Labor alsorecently announced tougher regula-tions of worker classification regula-tions, calling on employers to discloseto their employees their work status.

State authorities are also inten-sifying their crackdown. In Iowa, asix-month investigation by the labordepartment recently found morethan 100 companies guilty of mis-classifying employees, while inCalifornia, Attorney General JerryBrown is aggressively going afterlawbreakers, recently filing a $4.3million lawsuit against a construc-tion company with several publicworks contracts that he sayscheated workers out of wages.

In Nebraska, a bill is underserious consideration that wouldtarget trucking and constructioncompanies that abuse the inde-pendent contractor label.

Gardner said that the IBEW isworking closely with NECA contrac-tors and other businesses to pushCongress to endorse Sens. Kerry’sand Brown’s legislation to crackdown on lawbreakers. “It’s wrong forworkers, wrong for taxpayers andwrong for the businesses that playby the rules and follow the law.” �

San Francisco labor activists protest a construction contractor found guilty of cheating its employees out of wages and benefits.

You should write a book.”Years ago, says Al Cutter,his fellow members ofNew Brunswick, N.J., Local

456, suggested that he glean thelessons from years of intense self-education in computers and elec-tronics into a book to helpelectricians upgrade their skills.

Cutter’s co-workers knew that ajourneyman electrician with adegree from a technical high school,who taught himself over 30 com-puter languages, had patentedinventions, and worked in China andGermany for New Brunswick’s nativeJohnson and Johnson Inc., couldbreak complicated control systemsdown to understandable bites, giv-ing them a needed edge to stay mar-ketable in a tough economy.

Cutter’s first book, ElectriciansGuide to Control and MonitoringSystems, was published by McGraw-Hill this spring.

“Thomas Edison said thateverything comes to he who hustleswhile he waits,” says Cutter. Thegrandson of electricians on bothsides of his family, Cutter is alreadyworking on two more books to helpelectricians get proficient on alterna-tive and emerging energy applica-tions. He has plans for five morebooks covering building automationsystems and other technologies.

In a forward to Electrician’sGuide to Control and MonitoringSystems, Michael Callanan,Executive Director of the NationalJoint Apprenticeship and TrainingCommittee, says that Cutter’s book“goes a long way towards helpingthe next generation of electriciansmaster the latest electrical/electronicsystems that control and monitorprocesses that are critical to so verymany industries, including the auto-motive, pharmaceutical, petro-chem-ical and engineering community.”

“My books are by and for electri-cians,” says Cutter, who progressedfrom relays to card lock (programma-ble boards) to programmable logiccontrollers (PLCs) and ended upteaching college-level courses at hiscounty’s community college and atLehigh University, years after firstbeing introduced to electronics onscoreboards at Rutgers University anddata systems in nursing homes.

While most textbooks are writtenby engineers, “I’m looking through theeyes of an electrician who wants toknow the performance and function ofa circuit,” says Cutter, who was trainedby Allen-Bradley in PLCs, by RCA as avideo technician and Bogan SoundSystems as an audio technician. Hisbook takes completed drawings andbreaks them down line by line.

Unlike when he entered thetrade, now “electricians can’t justdo one thing—you need to have abreadth of knowledge,” says Cutter,who spent three years in Chinabuilding a financial accounting sys-tem that tied together seven Asiannations. Knowledge pays off. Somecomputer data centers now haveIBEW-trained personnel maintainingthem, he says.

Single copies of Electrician’sGuide to Control and MonitoringSystems: Installation,Troubleshooting and Maintenancecan be ordered from Amazon.com.Bulk copies for training centers canbe ordered from McGraw-Hill. �

4 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u n e 2 0 1 0

‘My book is by andfor electricians,’ the New Brunswick,N.J., Local 456,member says.

Author Al Cutter

New York Lighting Fixture PlantExpands Despite Hard Economy

With more stories than can possi-bly be told about the outsourc-ing of U.S. manufacturing, isn’t ittime for a tale about “in-sourc-

ing,” a company expanding its work force andprofitability and even gushing about its relation-ship with the IBEW?

That’s the improbable story of SeluxCorp., a high-end commercial lighting manu-facturer north of New York City that opened itsdoors in 1983 with a skeleton crew—assem-bling parts made elsewhere into fixtures—andis now completing its third expansion of facili-ties and people.

“We have a pretty good relationship,” saysJoe Till, shop steward, New City, N.Y., Local 363.“When information needs to come down, thecompany’s president, Veit Mueller, has noqualms about calling us all together and openingup.” Till began as an assembler at Selux in 1992and now works in the machine shop.

A May 2 story in the Poughkeepsie Journalreports on an April party at Selux whereMueller told local officials and other gueststhat his company’s 20 percent average annualgrowth rate and sales of more than $30 millionin 2009 were achieved by “our union laborforce [who] are your neighbors.”

Till, who was one of only 20 workers in 1992, including salesmen andengineers, says that the steady growth to nearly 100 bargaining unit mem-bers was due to a “lot of hard work,” and to a company president who is“personally involved” in selling the plant’s products.

A large export order, coupled with somesmaller ones, has helped Selux weather eco-nomic hardships that have left 10 percent ofworkers in surrounding Ulster County unem-ployed. Selux supplies private and public sectorcustomers—including stadiums and newsorganizations—with outside and inside lighting.The company is now concentrating on marketingsolar-powered lamps.

Directly after its founding, Selux recog-nized Local 363, which represents employeesat a vast majority of lighting manufacturers inthe Hudson Valley and has a reputation forbeing fair with employers and providing out-standing advocacy for members.

Signing a collective bargaining agree-ment with Local 363 gave the company theopportunity to apply the IBEW union label ontheir fixtures. This is especially important inmarketing products in New York City, whereLocal 3 has, for generations, promoted thequality of union-made, domestically-producedelectrical supplies. Selux says that 85 percentof its materials are sourced from the U.S. andCanada.

“When business is good, Selux recipro-cates in bargaining. They are one of the mostprogressive employers in the Hudson Valley

region,” says Local 363 Business Agent Sam Fratto. “There are now many long-time IBEW members who work at the plant under a great contract who wouldcertainly certify that the IBEW and Local 363 is the way to go when choosing aunion to represent you.” �

New City, N.Y., Local 363 member Oliverio Espinosaremoves a part from the line at Selux.

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N.J. Member Writes Electrician’s Guide to Controland Monitoring Systems

Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________

City and state __________________________________________________________________________________________

Zip code ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number __________________________________________________________________________________________

E-mail address __________________________________________________________________________________________

Local union number ______________________________________________________________________________________

IBEW card number ______________________________________________________________________________________

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FIRST PLACE . . . . . . . . . . $200

SECOND PLACE . . . . . . . . $150

THIRD PLACE . . . . . . . . . $100

HONORABLE MENTIONS . $50

2010 IBEW PHOTO CONTESTGrab your camera. We challenge you to capture a scene, a portrait,a moment, in pursuit of the soul and spirit of the IBEW. It’s time for theIBEW’s annual photo contest.

We received hundreds of submissions last year, thanks to the online toolthat allows members to upload entries electronically, with a limit of five.As always, you can also send in your prints via the mail.

At the contest’s close, we will narrow the entries down to 15 finalists,which we’ll place on the IBEW Web site for the final judging by

members and the public.

Keep in mind what our judges look for in a good photo:technical quality, clarity and composition. As for subjects,

we’re looking for pictures as diverse as our unique andvaried membership.

Future issues of the Electrical Worker and the Website will announce when the judging will begin.

DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 30, 2010CONTEST ENTRY FORMPRIZES

1. The contest is open to active or retired IBEWmembers only.The person submitting the photo must be the person who tookthe photograph. Members may enter more than one photo.

2. International Officers and staff are not eligible.3. Photos can be submitted as digital files of at least 300 dpi,

in color or black and white, on slides or prints. The preferredprint size is 8x10.

4. All submissions become the property of the IBEWMediaDepartment.

5. Photo entries must have an IBEW theme of some sort,with IBEW members at work, engaged in a union-relatedactivity or subjects conveying images of the electricalindustry or the union.

6. If members are featured in the photo, they should be identi-fied. If large groups are pictured, the name of the group orthe purpose of the gathering (e.g. a safety committee, alineman’s rodeo, a union meeting) can be submitted inplace of individual names.

7. Photos previously published in IBEW publications or theWeb site are not eligible for submission.

8. All entries must include a completed contest entry form.Please note that photo entries may be submitted throughthe IBEWWeb site at www.ibew.org.

9. Please fill out the contest entry form and affix it to eachphoto you submit for the contest and mail it to the IBEWPhoto Contest, 900 Seventh Street NW, Washington,DC, 20001.

PHOTO CONTEST RULES:

T h e E l e c t r i c a l W o r k e r | J u n e 2 0 1 0 5

W W W . I B E W . O R G

The announcement lastOctober of a deal to sell offNew Brunswick’s publicutility company, NB Power,

set off alarm bells for employeesand consumers across the province.

The sale would have put thejobs of more than 2,200 IBEW mem-bers at risk, and while initially freez-ing rates, would have had anunknown rate impact on thousandsof New Brunswick consumers andbusinesses.

As the union representing amajority of the workers at the utility,Fredericton Local 37 was poised toplay a key role in the movement tostop the sale, but the challenge fac-ing Business Manager Ross Galbraithwas this: how do you inform andmobilize a membership dispersedacross an entire province?

Galbraith says he was initiallygoing to mail letters to the member-ship detailing the situation, but aftertalking with his newly-hired stafferMary Williamson, he decided thatsomething more was needed.

“We set up a camcorder in myoffice and I spoke about the saleand what the IBEW’s position was,”he said.

The six-minute message wasthen posted to YouTube—the popu-lar Internet video network. Within aweek it had more than 1,000 views.“I’m not so sure we would have hadthe same impact with a mailed let-ter,” Galbraith said. “You can conveya lot more information using video.Viewers can really see how you feelabout an issue.”

YouTube would become one ofLocal 37’s top communications toolsin the “Stop the Sale” campaign. Thelocal would post more than 10 videosover the next five months, fromupdates from Galbraith to rally cover-age and town hall meetings. Socialmedia messaging also alerted mem-bers to rallies and other publicevents, increasing IBEW involvement.

“The whole campaign wasdone with a sense of urgency,” saidWilliamson, who serves as thelocal’s membership and organiza-tional development lead. “Wewanted to reach the membership

immediately and make them feelplugged in. YouTube turned out tobe a very effective way to do that.”

Other groups opposing the salealso utilized social media, with agrassroots Facebook site serving as afocal point for over 28,000 peopleopposing the sale and another well-organized group, called the “NB PowerNot for Sale Coalition” also using thesame tools to organize rallies andlobby elected officials. These effortspaid off when Premier Shawn Grahambacked off the deal in March.

Now Galbraith is looking toexpand their social media toolboxfor future organizing opportunities.

“I’ve just started using Twitter,”he said, referring to the micro-blog-ging site. “It allows me to post briefnotes about some of the items I’mdealing with.” Galbraith says that hismembers appreciate having moreways of communicating with thelocal. “With Twitter, Facebook andblogging we can inform membersabout different activities and issues,and also talk about some of the big

picture issues facing the local.”Local 37 is exploring even more

options, looking at the possibilitiesof using text messages, virtual meet-ings and online chats to connect andinform members.

Social media has also allowedthe IBEW in New Brunswick to pro-

mote itself on the wider Web. “Thesedays, if someone wants to find outabout something, they turn toGoogle,” Galbraith said. “If you wantto get your message out there, socialmedia should be one of the toolsyou’re using.”

And with more journalists getting

6 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u n e 2 0 1 0

North of 49° | Au nord du 49° parallèle

New Brunswick Local Taps Into Social Media to Mobilize Membership

Une section locale du Nouveau-Brunswick a recours aux médiassociaux afin de mobiliser ses membres

Vers la fin du mois d’octo-bre, l’annonce d’uneentente prévoyant lavente d’actifs de la

société de service public ÉnergieNouveau-Brunswick, a sonnél’alarme chez les employés et lesconsommateurs de toute la province.

Une telle vente aurait mis enpéril l’emploi de plus de 2,200membres de la FIOE et malgré le geldes tarifs résidentiels prévu initiale-ment, nul ne peut prédire l’impactqu’elle aurait eu sur des milliers declients et d’entreprises du Nouveau-Brunswick à plus long terme.

La section locale 37 deFrédéricton au N.-B. représente lamajorité des travailleurs de cette en-treprise de service public et à cetitre, elle était prête à jouer un rôle-clé dans l’action visant à arrêter latransaction; le gérant d’affaires RossGalbraith devait toutefois relevertout un défi, soit celui d’informer etde mobiliser des membres disper-sés à travers la province.

Le confrère Galbraith a d’abordeu l’idée de faire parvenir une corre-spondance à tous les membres en

exposant la situation en détail mais,après en avoir discuté avec MaryWilliamson, une nouvelle venue ausein de son personnel, il a plutôt dé-

cidé qu’une mesure plus percutantes’imposait.

« Nous avons installé un camés-cope dans mon bureau et j’ai enreg-istré un message portant sur la venteet sur la position de la FIOE à cetégard. » dit-il.

Le message d’une durée de 6minutes a été affiché sur YouTube—le site de vidéos très populaire.Après une semaine, on comptaitplus de 1,000 visiteurs. « Je ne croispas que l’envoi d’une lettre aurait eule même impact. Nous pouvonstransmettre beaucoup plus d’infor-mations de cette manière. Les visi-teurs reçoivent mieux le message carils peuvent voir votre réaction sur unsujet » déclare le confrère Galbraith.

Le site de YouTube est devenu un

des meilleurs outils de communica-tion de la S.L. 37 dans sa campagne « Non à la vente! ». Au cours des cinqderniers mois, plus de 10 vidéos ont

été placés sur le site, que ce soit surles mises à jour par le confrèreGalbraith ou les reportages sur lesrassemblements et les assembléespubliques locales. La messagerie élec-tronique des médias sociaux a servi àéveiller l’attention des membres en lesinvitant à des rassemblements et àd’autres évènements publics, intensi-fiant ainsi l’implication de la FIOE.Selon la consoeur Williamson, qui agità titre de responsable du développe-ment organisationnel pour les mem-bres de la S.L., toute la campagne aété menée avec un sentiment d’ur-gence. Elle ajoute : « Notre objectifétait de rejoindre nos membres le plusrapidement possible pour qu’ils sesentent impliqués et YouTube s’estavéré un moyen très efficace. »

D’autres groupes opposés à lavente ont aussi utilisé les médiassociaux. Le site populaire deFacebook a été un point central pourplus de 28,000 personnes. Unecoalition de citoyens du N.-B. op-posés à la vente d’Énergie NB a aus-si eu recours au réseau social pourorganiser des rassemblements etdes opérations de pression auprèsdes élus. Ces efforts ont porté fruitcar le Premier ministre ShawnGraham a abandonné l’entente aumois de mars dernier.

Le confrère Galbraith a bienl’intention de développer les outilsde réseau social en vue de futuresopportunités de syndicalisation. « Je suis un nouvel utilisateur deTwitter. Ce service me permet de diffuser de courts messages concer-nant certaines affaires dont je m’occupe » déclare-t-il, en référantau site de microbloggage. Les mem-bres apprécient avoir de nouveauxmoyens pour communiquer avec laS.L. « Avec les sites de Twitter,Facebook et les blogs, nous pou-vons informer nos membres sur lesdiverses activités et autres sujets,

YouTube would become one ofLocal 37’s top communicationstools in the “Stop the Sale” campaign.

Le site de YouTube est devenu un desmeilleurs outils de communication de la S.L. 37 dans sa campagne « Non à la vente! ».

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For St. Louis Apprentices,There’s a Doctor in the House

St. Louis Local 1 memberLinda Little finished adaunting, decade-longdoctoral degree program

in curriculum development at St.Louis University—all while workingfull-time as an instructor at the city’sNJATC electrical training center.

“Getting a Ph.D.—I think insome ways it’s a lot like climbing amountain,” Little said with a laugh.“I just wanted to see if I could meetthe challenge.”

Little’s 12 years of experienceteaching IBEW apprentices helpedshape her dissertation, titled “Impactof High School Math Preparation inan Electrical Trades Program.” The100-page paper draws heavily on in-depth interviews from area highschool guidance counselors to exam-ine the link between students’ matheducation and their levels of profi-ciency in the electrical trade.

She hopes her work will pro-mote awareness among counselorsand high school students—espe-cially to graduates planning to gointo the trade—about the impor-tance of getting a solid foundation ingeometry and algebra.

“I want potential apprentices toknow before they apply what kind ofrigor is required of them when they getinto my class,” Little said. “And beingat the top of your game can only helpyou in the future. Apprentices shouldsee all the opportunities there are inthe industry. I tell them, ‘Set yourselfup so that someday down the line,you’ve got the choices—whether youwant to open your own shop, moveinto the office or anything else.’”

Little’s journey with the IBEWhas been atypical.

In 1980, she worked for lowwages as a bank teller when herbest friend’s father—a union pipefit-ter—suggested she should look intothe electrical trade. “He told me itwould be a way to make a good liv-ing and allow me to use my brain,”Little said. She joined Local 1 thatyear as an apprentice and toppedout in 1985.

Over the next few years, Littleracked up degrees in math and engi-neering science, dividing her timebetween IBEW jobs and education.She spent three years teaching highschool math and chemistry whileworking the trades during summer

vacations. Between college classes,papers and studying, she loggedtime as an adjunct instructor withthe JATC before signing on for a full-time job in 1999.

Journeyman wireman DanaEvans, one of Little’s first students,said Little’s background in educa-tion was a boon to apprenticeslearning the ropes.

“She went above and beyond tomake sure nobody fell behind,” Evanssaid. “And I think that it’s reallyadmirable that she stuck with it andgot her Ph.D. It’s hard to work a job,be a mom and go to school all at the

same time. She’s a good role modelto men and women in the IBEW.”

Little has also been a pioneerin another area of the trade. A nine-year member of the NationalElectrical Code Panel, she is the firstwoman from the IBEW to serve asone of the 19 principals of the groupthat sets the guidelines for safetyand excellence in the electrical field.

She temporarily traded herhard hat for a mortar board whenshe accepted her diploma lastmonth. While Little says she hasn’tyet reached the summit of her edu-cation—she plans on taking morecourses in solar technologies—she’shappy to take time now to focus onher family and students.

“This industry has not only pro-vided me with the skills to make agood living, but it has given me themeans to pursue my dream of gettinga doctorate,” Little said. “I am veryfortunate to be in a position to use theskills I have learned to give back byhelping others in the classroom.” �

St Louis Local 1 member LindaLittle, center, recently earned her doctorate.

their news tips from tweets instead ofpress releases, the local’s engage-ment with new media has resulted inincreased news coverage for the IBEW.“One day I received a call out of theblue from a reporter with the CanadianBroadcasting Corp. who was followingme on Twitter,” Galbraith said.

His advice to business managerslooking to start in social media is toexperiment with the different toolsavailable to see which ones best fit theneeds of your members. “None of thistakes the place of building real face-to-face relationships, but it can be a great

tool to help facilitate them.”“We are facing a younger gener-

ation of members who aren’t neces-sarily engaged with the union,”Williamson said. “We recognize theirvalue and importance, so we’vemade it a real priority to try and findnew ways to reach out and get theminvolved in helping shape the futureof their union—Local 37.”

To check out Local 37’s YouTubechannel, go to www.youtube.com/user/IBEW37. To follow RossGalbraith on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/RossGalbraith �

en plus de discuter des affairesglobales auxquelles fait face la section locale. »

La Section locale désire mêmeexplorer d’autres options. Elleétudie les possibilités d’utilisationde messages textes, d’assembléesvirtuelles et de clavardage pour in-former les membres.

Le réseau social a égalementpermis d’augmenter la visibilité de laFIOE au Nouveau-Brunswick, sur lavaste toile. « De nos jours, lorsqu’onveut obtenir des renseignements àpropos d’un sujet quelconque, oncherche sur Google. Alors lorsquevous avez un message à diffuser, leservice de réseautage social s’avèreun des outils à prioriser » affirme leconfrère Galbraith.

Considérant que de plus en plusde journalistes ont recours auxsources électroniques, telles que lestweets plutôt qu’aux communiquésde presse, l’engagement de la S.L.dans les réseaux sociaux a donc ré-sulté en une couverture médiatiqueaccrue pour la FIOE. « J’ai même reçu,à ma plus grande surprise, un appeld’un journaliste de la Société Radio-

Canada qui me suivait sur Twitter. »Le confrère Galbraith conseille

aux gérants d’affaires intéressés àrecourir aux services de réseautagesocial de tenter l’expérience avecles différents outils disponiblesafin de trouver celui qui répond lemieux aux besoins de leurs mem-bres. « Cela ne remplacera jamaisles bonnes relations qui peuventêtre établies en personne, maispeut s’avérer un bon instrumentpour les faciliter. »

« Avec la venue d’une plus jeunegénération de membres dont nous re-connaissons la valeur et l’importance,mais qui ne sont pas nécessairementimpliqués dans le syndicat, notreprincipale priorité est de trouver denouveaux moyens pour les rejoindreet les inciter à s’impliquer en nousaidant à façonner l’avenir de leur sec-tion locale 37 de la FIOE. » explique laconsoeur Williamson.

Pour voir les vidéos de la S.L.37 sur YouTube, allez auwww.youtube.com/user/IBEW37.

Pour suivre Ross Galbraith surTwitter, allez au http://twitter.com/RossGalbraith �

8 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u n e 2 0 1 0

Organizing Wire

Mississippi LocalReclaims MunicipalWorkers Lost toOutsourcing

When municipal workers in MossPoint, Miss., were left without aunion after the American Federationof State, County and MunicipalEmployees departed the state in theearly 1990s, they turned to IBEW’sPascagoula Local 733.

City workers, who had beenmeeting in 733’s hall, appreciatedthe IBEW’s reputation for effectivelyrepresenting hundreds of workersat the massive shipyard operatedby Northrop Grumman ShipSystems, located just a stone’sthrow to the south.

Jim Couch, Local 733 businessmanager, remembers visiting with thecity’s mayor following AFSCME’sdeparture. After the IBEW asked themayor to be recognized as the work-ers’ bargaining agent, the mayorquestioned what would happen if hedidn’t honor the union’s request. “Wetold him we would get real, realactive,” says Couch. The mayor agreedto recognize IBEW and continue theterms of the AFSCME contract. “Webuilt on it from there,” says Couch.

In 2008, after successfully repre-senting the bargaining unit for morethan 25 years, the IBEW was notifiedthat the city had decided to outsourcethe maintenance of streets, sewersand gas lines. Workers with at least 17years of seniority remained workingfor the city. But other membersretained their jobs with a private firm,Utility Partners. All were then workingwithout union representation.

In 2009, supported by a labor-friendly majority on the city council,Moss Point’s new mayor reviewedthe municipality’s experience withoutsourcing and concluded that ithad failed to save money and hadactually created new problems. LastAugust, Utility Partners ended itsmonth-to-month contract with thecity. The privatized work was broughtback into the public domain.

The city offered Local 733 theopportunity to be restored as repre-sentatives of the bargaining unit.About 90 percent of the bargainingunit—which had dwindled from 65to 40 members—voted to supportIBEW representation.

“We felt like the work could bedone in-house,” says Mayor AneiceLiddell. There were problems withthe management of city serviceseven before privatization thatLiddell, a former alderman, hopes tosolve through the recent hiring of afull-time civil engineer to directdepartments. “There are so many lia-bilities that you still incur [after priva-tizing],” says Liddell, at the helm of aonce-vibrant industrial city severelytested by manufacturing plant shut-downs and Hurricane Katrina. “Youalways have the question of who isat fault, the city or the contractor.”

Liddell is targeting improvedworker training in her dialogue withunion representatives. “We are look-ing at the possibility of apprenticeshipprograms and cross-training,” shesays. “I have to look out for the better-ment of the city. If the unions can helpme and I can help them, I see no

problem. I know these guys and Ihope to have a great partnership.”

James Ratcliff, a 24-year heavyequipment operator and acting super-visor in the sewer department,worked as a member of AFSCME, thenLocal 733 and most recently as one ofthe senior city workers without unionrepresentation. Ratcliff was dismayedthat—under Utility Partners—newly-hired employees started out at lowerrates of pay than under the union’scontract and paid holidays were notcounted toward overtime hours.

The overtime issue was recentlyresolved prior to the conclusion ofnegotiations on a new contractbetween Local 733 and Moss Point.“I’m glad to know that the city ishonoring changes prior to signingour contract,” says Ratcliff. “Withouta union, we could voice our opinion,but there was nothing we could doto change things,” he says. �

Pain. Fatigue. Wear and tear. For journeymanwireman Fernando Sierra, such symptoms can bepart of the job, especially when doing tricky over-head electrical work.

“You’re operating a handheld drill aboveyour head and looking up as dust and particlesfly in your face,” said Sierra, a member ofPortland, Ore., Local 48. “Plus, it tires out yourarms, shoulders, back—it can be very challeng-ing, especially if you’re up on a ladder.”

But a state-of-the-art overhead drill press indevelopment at the University of California’sergonomics laboratory in Berkeley could helpSierra and his fellow workers by eliminatingmuch of the physical stress that accompanies rig-orous construction projects.

Featuring a wheeled tripod base, an extend-able shaft that can reach an 11-foot-high ceilingand a rapid action hinge that makes bits easy tochange, the press allows workers to bore intostubborn concrete or metal ceilings with easefrom the safety of the ground.

Dr. David Rempel is part of a team ofresearchers from UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco who have studied waysto reduce fatigue and injury resulting from overhead drilling. Rempelworked with Sierra and other IBEW Local 48 members—plus members ofthe sheet metal and pipefitters unions—to test and refine the device,which has been five years in the making.

“We wanted to reduce the associated musculoskeletal disease for

workers doing this task,” Rempel said. “If some-one does this work for many years, it can lead toarm and shoulder injuries.”

Typical overhead drilling requires a workerto apply 55 pounds of pressure to a hand drill.The new press cuts that amount down to sixpounds. Workers have also noted increased sta-bility, reduced vibration and easier maneuverabil-ity when using the new device.

“It allows you to work smarter, not harder—which always pays off.” Sierra said.

The press is currently in small-scale produc-tion in the Bay Area, and researchers are hopingthe prototype device gets picked up by a largemanufacturer. Two major companies haveexpressed interest but are waiting for the econ-omy to rebound before deciding how to proceed,said Mary Watters of the Center for ConstructionResearch and Training.

Members of various locals working for BayArea-based Cupertino Electric are already testdriving the new equipment. Cupertino is the firstsignatory contractor to employ the device in the

field, and union leaders hope other companies will follow suit once thepress becomes available nationwide.

“It’s inexpensive, it’s ergonomically sound, and there’s no reason whyit can’t revolutionize the way many journeymen do a significant amount oftheir hardest work,” said IBEW Safety and Health Director Jim Tomaseski.

To see the drill in action, visit http://ergo.berkeley.edu/. �

New Drilling Tool Eases Physical Stress on Wiremen

Portland, Ore., Local 48 members helped testand refine a revolutionary new tool for tacklingtough drilling projects.

Spotlight on Safety

James Ratcliff, a 24-year employee of the sewer department in Moss Point,Miss., says he is pleased to be a member of Pascagoula Local 733.

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Circuits

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

13 Bankers: The WallStreet Takeover and the Next MeltdownBy Simon Johnson and James Kwak

Even after the finan-cial meltdown thatnearly brought oureconomy to thebrink, the top WallStreet firms thathelped orchestratethe disaster aremore powerful andricher than everbefore. And withoutsubstantial con-gressional reformto reign in the power of Wall Street,they are poised to lead our countrydown the road to another crash.

This is the conclusion of econo-mists Simon Johnson and James Kwakin the book “13 Bankers,” a study ofhow Wall Street—including firms suchas Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, andWells Fargo, among others—landedour economy in the worst recessionsince the Great Depression. It is aneye-opening history of unfetteredfinancial greed run amok.

Economics is not an easy sub-ject and many of the financial devicescreated by Wall Street—derivatives,hedge funds, credit default swaps—are too complex for even experts tocomprehend, but Johnson and Kwakmake high finance accessible to thelay reader.

“13 Bankers” is also a politicalhistory, a chronicle of how the finan-cial sector grew in both power and

money starting in the ’80s. The bigbanks used that power to influenceelected officials, who then institutedmuch of the financial deregulationthat allowed the banks to grow evenbigger by engaging in risky behav-

iors—such as subprimemortgage lending—thateventually crashed theeconomy in 2008.

While praisingaspects of PresidentObama’s financial reformpackage, Johnson andKwak argue that the pro-posed regulations don’t gofar enough. Avoiding bail-ing out another financialfirm that is “too big to fail”

will require capping the size of bank-ing giants so their failure won’timperil the whole economy.

A recent amendment spon-sored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Ted Kaufman (D-Del.)would have done just that, but itwas defeated by a bipartisan major-ity in the Senate, again proving thatWall Street still exercises a powerfulhold on Capitol Hill. �

Hydro Ottawa WorkersHelp Co-Worker,Community

For members of Toronto, Ontario,Local 636, helping a fellow employeeat Hydro Ottawa was the right way tospend their weekends.

The workers volunteered to dothe electrical work during construc-tion of the Rotary Home, a facilitythat provides respite care for the

families of physically and mentallychallenged children.

Volunteers got the idea for theproject after seeing a picture of a co-worker’s son on a billboard for thehome. Eighteen-year-old Brett Jeffrieshad a severe form of cerebral palsy.His family used the home’s servicesuntil Brett passed away late last year.

“I was extremely proud to seemy colleagues donate their time andexpertise,” said Brett’s father Lance,a director at Hydro Ottawa. “Actionslike these highlight the characterand quality of our employees.”

For the Kitchener Local 804members who also volunteered onthe project, their work is both a last-ing tribute to Brett’s memory and anongoing service to other families.

“This endeavour was a greatexample of how members contributeto making their community a betterplace and was made possible via theleadership and support shown byIBEW Local 636,” Lance Jeffries said. �

Win a Triton Boat Withthe USA

The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance andTriton Boats want to cast away yourshore-bound blues with a new U.S.made TR-18 SE bass boat poweredby a Mercury engine and a day offishing with Triton Founder and CEOEarl Bentz.

All active and retired IBEWmembers can enter to win this spe-cial package on the USA Web site:www.UnionSportsmen.org/Triton.Current USA members are automati-cally entered in the promotion.

Widely acknowledged as one ofthe most creative individuals in thefiercely competitive sports-fishing boatindustry, Bentz is equally as patriotic.That’s one of the reasons he partnered

with the USA to award a member witha Triton boat in 2008 and why he issupporting a second USA promotion.

“USA members are our customerbase, and we’re proud of this associa-tion,” Bentz said. “Our boats aremade in America, the Mercury engineis made in America and these unionmembers are here in North America.”

In addition to this new promo-tion, Triton developed a unionappreciation program for any mem-ber who purchases a Triton boatpackage. The package includes afree one-year USA membership or

one-year extension of an existingmembership, a custom engine coverfeaturing the USA logo and a gift cer-tificate of up to $300 to spend onTriton merchandise.

“Union members have madeconcessions to keep American com-panies competitive within the inter-national market. They have madesacrifices and fought hard to keepjobs in this country,” Bentz said.“Last year was one of the most diffi-cult economic environments, so weasked ourselves what we could do tohelp those who give so much.” �

Enter to win this made-in-the-U.S. Triton boat in the USA giveaway.

Brett Jeffries, center, with the IBEW members who helped build a house forfamilies of physically and mentally challenged children.

Local Lines

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Community Service VolunteersL.U. 6 (c,i,st&u), SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Members ofLocal 6 have reached out once again to our commu-nity to improve the lives of people in need and theorganizations that serve them.

In partnership with the San Francisco ElectricalContractors Association, our industry workedtogether to provide labor, service vans and materialto 13 projects in conjunction with Rebuilding TogetherSan Francisco. Steve Powers, Paul Mitchell, Jim Reedand Tom Burrows are commended for their efforts inorganizing this outreach, as are the many memberswho volunteered their time and labor to enhance thelives of others.

Work in the jurisdiction is still slow. We extendheartfelt thanks to our sister Locals 595 and 617 forproviding employment opportunities to our appren-tices during this difficult economic time.

Phil A. Farrelly, Pres.

Tribute to a BrotherL.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OH—Local 8 and our Toledo Electrical JATC are pleased toannounce that the JATC’s welding lab has been ded-icated to the late Bro. Kevin Flagg. A plaque honor-ing Kevin is placed at the lab entrance. As a welderhimself, Kevin was a hard-working, dedicated unionmember and officer who worked tirelessly toadvance the JATC, Local 8, and our industry. We areproud to give him tribute in this way.

We hope to see a few more job opportunitiesin coming months as the weather warms up. Thebook is moving slowly for now, but we anticipate alittle more movement in the latter months of thisyear. Some projects we expect to start this year willbe a boon to the Toledo area, as they will not onlyprovide work for us, but also will bring permanentjobs for the area work force. Let’s keep in mind thework that went into getting these jobs to this area.Politics do pay!

Ben “Red” Tackett, P.S.Jim Kozlowski, B.M.

‘Foundation for the Future’L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN—On Dec. 13, 2009, IBEWLocal 16 celebrated its 110th anniversary of givingsouthern Indiana the highest quality, best trained elec-tricians available anywhere. Many changes have comeand gone in the electrical industry since the union’shumble beginning; however, the pride and integrity of

its membership remains strong and continues to serveas an excellent foundation for her future.

Special thanks to the following, who puttogether a portable solar/wind generator training lab:Mike Weinzapfel, Jeff Brady, Greg Ward, Dan Lasher,Mark Bittner, Brad Arney, Jeff Barr, John Bogan, MarkMarshall, Will Brenner, Robin Haskell and RogerClark. It was used to power the IBEW/NECA display atFantasy of Lights. This equipment was donated bythe LMCC and has the potential of generating andstoring enough power to independently supply thedisplay. The unit uses a 1,000-watt wind generator,four 200-watt solar panels, and it saved the EasterSeals Rehabilitation Center approximately $600 inelectricity during the 2009 season.

Local 16 was again recognized by the NJATC forthe large number of journeyman wiremen who havevoluntarily given their time to broaden their skillsthrough advanced journeyman training classes.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

Welcome, IUPATL.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD—Local 24 isextremely proud to have members working on theheadquarters and dormitory buildings for theInternational Union of Painters and Allied Trades.Brown & Heim is the signatory contractor awardedthe project. The project is located at the IUPAT’sHanover, MD, complex.

The three-story headquarters building willhouse the offices of the IUPAT international officers.The 36-room dormitory building will house IUPATmembers sent to attend the existing training facil-ity, also located on the Hanover complex. Not only

are our members proud to be helping construct theIUPAT facility but we also welcome their interna-tional to the area.

Gary R. Griffin, B.M.

Historic OccasionL.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC—Local 26 is extremely proud of a historic event thatoccurred here in February. Pres. Barack Obama choseLocal 26 to use as a backdrop to announce plans fora new nuclear power plant to be built in Georgia andhe also toured our training facility. You can see avideo of his speech and photos of his visit on ourWeb site www.ibewlocal26.org. This was an awe-inspiring and unprecedented event for our local!

Local union officers and agents remain very

busy. The Minority Coalition held its Annual BlackHistory Month celebration; we attended the IBEWConstruction Conference and the National BuildingTrades Conference; the golf outing preparations arein full swing; and we are planning our Manassas,VA, and Edgewater, MD, picnics scheduled for June19 and Aug. 7, respectively. When you receive thisarticle, results of the Local 26 elections will beknown. Officers will be sworn in at the July generalmembership meeting.

We mourn the recent deaths of members JohnW. McKnett, Ronald J. Windsor, Daniel W. Riggs andRichard L. Chilcoat.

Best wishes to recent retirees: Roy L. Burgess,Donald W. Frantz, Maurice B. Griffin, Randolph E.Ramey Jr., James L. Wallace, Rudolph C. Worch, DavidM. Anderson III, Roy W. Curtis, Benjamin C. Judd Jr.,Sidney G. Marsh, Ronald A. McConkey, Charles D.Meadows and John W. Hull Jr.

Charles E. Graham, B.M.

‘That’s a Wrap 2009’L.U. 40 (em,i&mps), HOLLYWOOD, CA—With the closeof 2009, Local 40 celebrated by throwing our annual“That’s a Wrap” Luncheon. More than 200 membersand spouses as well as 20 guests attended. At theluncheon, Int. Vice Pres. Michael S. Mowrey spokeabout the difficult economy, but also noted the posi-tive direction in which Local 40 is headed. Int. Rep.Tim Dixon spoke about how nice it was to breakbread with newly signed Commonwealth Studiosmanagement, Chief Executive Officer BernieWeitzman and Chief Operating Officer John Marshall,and expressed hopes that much more work comesLocal 40’s way.

Local 40 Bus. Mgr. Bill Brinkmeyer reportedthat although we are experiencing higher than nor-mal unemployment, Local 40 had a near-record yearof construction hours reported and 2010 looks to bejust as promising.

We also introduced another successfulapprentice class at our luncheon. Congratulationsto Outstanding Apprentice Award winner JohnSmolonvich and fellow graduates Scott Billingsley,Michael Stobo, Bruce Milligan, Juan Rodriguez Jr.,Peter Diamond and Ray Garcia. We wish these newlyminted journeymen long and prosperous careers.

Service pins were also presented, as well asLongevity Awards, presented to Albert Norris, for 62years of union membership, and Samuel Shanman,for 55 years of service.

Marc Flynn, R.S.

Trade Classifications(as) Alarm & Signal (ei) Electrical Inspection (lctt) Line Clearance Tree Trimming (mps) Motion Picture Studios (rr) Railroad (spa) Sound & Public Address

(ars) Atomic Research Service (em) Electrical Manufacturing (lpt) Lightning ProtectionTechnicians

(nst) Nuclear Service Technicians (rtb) Radio-Television Broadcasting (st) Sound Technicians

(bo) Bridge Operators (es) Electric Signs (o) Outside (rtm) Radio-TelevisionManufacturing

(t) Telephone

(cs) Cable Splicers (et) Electronic Technicians (mt) Maintenance (p) Powerhouse (u) Utility

(catv) Cable Television (fm) Fixture Manufacturing (mo) Maintenance & Operation (pet) Professional, Engineers &Technicians

(rts) Radio-Television Service (uow) Utility Office Workers

(c Communications (govt) Governmentmow) Manufacturing Office Workers

(so) Service Occupations (ws) Warehouse and Supply

(cr) Cranemen (i) Inside (ptc) Professional, Technical &Clerical

(s) Shopmen

(ees) Electrical Equipment Service (it) Instrument Technicians (mar) Marine (se) Sign Erector

Efforts are made to make this list as inclusive as possible, but the various job categories of IBEW members are too numerous to comprehensively list all.

At the IUPAT headquarters project, IBEW Local 24 Bus. Mgr. Gary Griffin (left) and Brown &Heim Executive Vice Pres. Jack Shiloh (second from left) join the Local 24 crew for a photo.From left: Griffin, Shiloh, Steve Langrill, Tim McGuigan, Dave Cummins, Paul Buchanan-Wollaston, Brandon Ingram, Jason Gilliland, Dayne Thomas, Jason Smith, Tim Legg, Charles L.Bradley, Tony Kontogeorgos, Brandon Cassady, Steven E. Smith, William Wilking, JohnnyWallace, Foreman Phil Gerber, Gen. Foreman Mike Kinn and Project Mgr. Jeff Cornelius.

Local 26 Bus. Mgr. Chuck Graham (left)presents Pres. Barack Obama a personalizedIBEW Local 26 jacket during the president’sFeb.16 visit to the local.

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‘Big Footprint’L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO—Perhaps we should ask our-selves just how large we want our union footprint tobe. Unions are never covered enough in the ‘majormedia’ for the positive impact we make. We need toget the word out that our union makes a positive con-tribution to the community; that we do the right thingwhen it comes to making things better for the workingclass; and that when something is good for workers, itwill be good for business. Our footprint isn’t bigenough. Please visit www.UltimateElectricians.comto help make it bigger.

The OSHA Alliance quarterly recognition andawards dinner was held April 8, with 65 in atten-dance, including state Rep. John Soper, OSHA liai-son Chris Matthewson and OSHA Deputy RegionalDir. Nancy Smith.

Speakers included Adeeb Khan from theAmerican Red Cross, who spoke about automaticexternal defibrillators. IBEW 68’s delegate to theNational Safety Council, Chris Griego, reportedabout the recent NSC convention. NECA board mem-ber Rusty Gonzales accepted, on behalf of NECA, anappreciation award from Dwayne Adkins, executivedirector of Labor’s Community Agency, for NECA’srecent golf tournament fundraising effort for LCA.Also in attendance were 27 apprentices whorecently completed the OSHA-30 class. A specialaward was presented to Erv Krueger, recently retiredOSHA labor liaison, for his longtime positive influ-ence on workplace safety.

We extend condolences to the families of ourrecently deceased brothers: Charles Elfeld, MaddieRobertson, Paul M. Mettam and Norman Young.

Ed Knox, Pres.

‘Summer More Promising’L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA—Work has been slow instarting through the spring. Contractors have beenawarded several jobs, which have not yet brokenground. Hopefully, an improved economy and betterweather will lead us to more work starting in thecoming months. Work continues at the SentaraPrinces Anne Hospital, with many of the recent callsgoing there. Several other contracts awarded makethe summer look more promising.

Most contractors now are requiring pre-employment drug screenings. Anyone who fails adrug screening will lose their place on the out-of-work list. Failure of a drug screen not only tarnishesyour name, but also every other person in the IBEW.If you feel you cannot pass a screening, turn the calldown and make sure you are able to be clear for thenext job. As slow as work has been over the pastyear, no member needs to be denied the opportunityto earn a wage for a reason they can control. Don’tlet yourself be the one to embarrass our union.

W. Dennis Floyd, P.S.

Member Receives Badger AwardL.U. 94 (lctt,nst&u), CRANBURY, NJ—Local 94 mem-bers congratulate Bro. Gene Kobuszewski on hisrecent retirement. Gene retired on April 1, with 42years of service at PSE&G. He served Local 94 as asteward and a chief steward at the FleetMaintenance location.

At the March 4 union meeting, Bro. Kobuszewskiwas awarded the Badger Award, an honor the localpresents to a member who has provided outstanding

service to the local and the membership. Thank you,Gene, for your hard work and dedication to the union.We wish you the best in your retirement.

Chip Gerrity, P.S.

High-Speed Rail LineL.U. 100 (c,em,i,rts&st), FRESNO, CA—The high-speed rail line in California is coming directly throughLocal 100’s jurisdiction, with northern and southernSan Joaquin Valley sections both connecting toFresno, and we have an excellent opportunity to cap-ture the work. Local 100 has its own labor represen-tative, Chuck Riojas, on the “Fresno Works”high-speed rail committee. He and many others haveworked diligently on the proposal to build the HeavyMaintenance Facility that supports the high-speedrail in Fresno County. The committee includes laborleaders and representatives from the City of Fresno,Fresno County, area businesses and others. The com-mittee submitted its first-round proposal to theCalifornia High Speed Rail Authority. The proposal isavailable for anyone who wants to view it at the unionhall. Visit Web site www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov formore information.

Congratulation to the 2010 apprentice gradu-ates. The new inside wiremen are: Guillermo Arce,Lonnie Barnes, Ryan Barnett, Andrew Cuthbert, JamieEvans, Luis Flores, Rene L. Garcia Jr., Timothy Harven,Thomas Heisdorf, Timothy Johnson, Kham Lo, AdamNoble, Natcho Ramirez, Christopher Rodriguez, MiguelRomero, Aaron Schiebelhut, Justin Taylor, Eric Turpin,Charles Watson, Richard Whaley, Bryan Wilson andRueben Sadler. The VDV graduates: Christian Duran,Hector Gonzales, Brian Jones, Sarita Ham, JamesRamirez, Simon Rubalcaba and Kenneth Xayaboupha.

Think safety always.

M.A. Caglia, R.S.

Advertising Quality Labor ForceL.U. 102 (c,catv,i,it,o&t), PATERSON, NJ—Our localpresident is promoting a publicity campaign byadvertising our skills on billboards on the majorroads across our jurisdiction. The billboards intro-duce a positive image of our local—by explainingthat we are part of the community and noting thebenefits of choosing local union labor for upcomingelectrical projects. Pres. Bernard Corrigan also saysthat soon we will take ads out in a New Jersey busi-ness weekly magazine and possibly start doingcommercials on the radio and cable TV.

The message we wish to communicate is sim-ple. We must explain who we are and promote theexcellent quality, skill and knowledge we offer com-pared to our nonunion competition. This is vital forour survival as a union. We will explain the trainingrequired to become a journeyman electrician and atthe same time offer apprenticeship opportunitiesfor the community. We will let the end user knowthat we are trained for the green work of tomorrow,

and we can proudly showcase the projects we havecompleted. If we don’t do this, no one else will.

Ed Fredericks, P.S.

Flood Disaster KitsL.U. 104 (lctt,o&u), BOSTON, MA—On April 3, IBEW104 members and their families helped out the RedCross handing out flood disaster clean-up kits inWrentham, MA. Massachusetts and Rhode Islandwere devastated after three days of record breakingtorrential rains.

Many thanks to all the volunteers for theirassistance.

Chris Blair, P.S.

Kansas City Local Goes GreenL.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se&spa), KANSAS CITY,MO—Local 124 has gone green. Beginning March 17,the local sponsored a solar-powered entry in theKansas City St. Patrick’s Day parade. Currently, 70rooftop panels supply 15 kW of sun power to our unionhall. Wiremen from last winter’s photovoltaic classinstalled the panels and earned credits toward photo-voltaic/solar certification. Any excess power can besold back to the utility for use elsewhere on the grid.

On April 8, Local 124 hosted the 2010Sustainable Green Energy Conference at our unionhall. More than 120 prospective customers, archi-tects, engineers and contractors attended an all-dayseminar exploring renewable energy strategies. Topicsincluded: LEED green building rating systems, smartgrid applications, and solar PV and wind energy.

Fifteen experts in the field of renewableenergy presented materials on design and develop-ment of green communities, construction and main-tenance of renewable energy projects, and more.Keynote speaker was Greg Searle, executive direc-tor, BioRegional North America.

We remember recently deceased members:Robert N. Gentry, Frank W. Hays, Gary S. Olson,Claude T. Owen, Glenn A. Long, Robert P. Long,Gerald R. Morriss, Kenneth E. Powell, Anthony D.Powers and Cyril T. Williams.

Congratulations to recently retired members:Gary M. Bly, William E. Hansen, Charles K. Harnar,Jackie M. Holiman, Ronald Hughes, Peter V. Inzerillo,William F. Joyce, Thomas M. Lacy Jr., Maurice T.Livingston, Glen Leehy, Gary L. McGill, Michael G.McCormick, Nicholas Polallis, Joseph E. Powell, GaryA. Ryan, Charles M. Turner and John H. Wise.

Frank D. Mathews Jr., P.S.

Illinois State IBEW ConferenceL.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL—We congratulateBob Schloz, Joe Woolums and John Taylor on theirrecent retirement. The local thanks these brothersfor their years of service.

Four members recently completed the annualUnion Communitee Activist Network (UCAN) train-ing. Congratulations to Curt Young, Chad Young,Lynn Richards and Chris Hays.

Several officers, accompanied by Bus. Mgr.Shad Etchason, recently attended the Illinois StateIBEW conference. We were honored to hear speak-ers including Gov. Pat Quinn, Speaker of theIllinois House Mike Madigan, and several otherstate dignitaries and candidates. On the secondday of the event, Local 146 member and Illinois

AFL-CIO Pres. Michael T.Carrigan addressed theconference. All spoke onhow it is so very impor-tant to elect labor friendlycandidates in November.

Upcoming eventsinclude the annual golfouting in June, the DecaturCelebration in August, andthe popular Poker Run.

Our condolences goto the James Shell family.Bro. Shell was a 41-year

IBEW member and will be missed.

Rich Underwood, R.S.

Picnic Date SetL.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL—The workpicture continues to be very slow. Changes to thereferral system have allowed for a more even distri-bution of what work there is and the new systemseems to be working as intended. We need toremember that we are all in this together.

Recently Bros. George Eberhardt, Ken Taylor andDave Williams retired. We wish you long and healthyretirements. Enjoy yourselves; you‘ve earned it!

Please remember if you are hurt on the job anaccident report is supposed to be filled out by the con-tractor and remitted to the hall as per our agreement.This allows the Safety Committee to make recommen-dations to avoid these accidents in the future.

Local 150’s annual picnic will be held June 26,2010, at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda.Please lend a hand and work a shift doing some-thing that day and help make it a pleasant day forall who attend.

Contract negotiations continue; it is going tobe another bumpy ride. The negotiating committeehas already met several times.

Don’t forget our local elections. If you don’tvote, you shouldn’t complain. Make your voice count.

Wendy J. Cordts, P. S.

Local 94 recent retiree Bro. Gene Kobuszewski (foreground, center) received an award at theMarch 4 union meeting.

Local 104 officers, members and families assist Red Cross effort.From left: Local 104 Treas. Hugh Boyd, Jake McCaffery, Terry Place,Sarah Boyd, Ryan Boyd, Local 104 Pres. Jeff Place, Red CrossPartner Service Administer Jerry Sirk, Local 104 Organizer ChrisBlair, Christina Blair and Jesse Blair.

Local Lines

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Stewards TrainingL.U. 160 (lctt,o&u), MINNEAPOLIS, MN—On March 6,the local hosted our annual stewards training. JoeHerbulock, from the firm of Hauer, Farigione, Love,Landy & McEllistrem, again this year gave aninformative update on workers’ compensation. JimKlatt of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance explainedthe benefits of membership in this hunting/fishingconservation group. Tony DeAngelis from LaborEducation Services, University of Minnesota,detailed the role of the steward. Local 160 thanksthese trainers for putting on a wonderful seminar.The educational instruction was followed by a lunchand raffle drawings. The local also extends manythanks to the 42 members who attended this train-ing and to all our stewards for the great job you do!

Members are reminded that Minneapolismeetings are held the first Thursday of the month atthe new hall—2909 Anthony Lane, St. Anthony, MN.Becker meetings are held the third Thursday of themonth. Check the Web site www.ibew160.org fordates and times of all meetings.

Daniel S. Seawell, P.S.

‘Clothes for Haiti’L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ—Volunteerism isstrong and well at Local 164. Hundreds of membersturned out on four Saturdays in March to lend a handand a strong back for a “Clothing for Haiti” drive.

The project was the brainstorm of attorneyThomas Wells. His charitable foundation, the WellsMountain Foundation, the Ridgewood YMCA, theParamus Sunrise Rotary Club and Local 164 part-nered to collect, box and load ten 40-foot contain-ers to ship to Haiti. Clothing, shoes, etc., werebrought to Behnke’s Lumber Warehouse on CenturyRoad in Paramus, NJ.

On the first two weekends clothes weresorted, boxes palletized and staged for the twoweekends that followed. This is when the Local 164members really stood out. We loaded five 40-footcontainers on both March 20 and 27. There was an8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. shift both days, with 60 to 90members volunteering each shift! Other partners onthe project were blown away by the teamwork andtasks performed by our folks.

After the clothing is distributed, the 10 con-tainers will be transformed into temporary livingquarters for needy Haitians who lack shelter.

Hats off to all who helped. We all had a greattime and we hope thousands of Haitians will bene-

fit from our efforts. Special thanks to Bro. JoeLicinski, who was there for every shift and was agreat “general foreman.”

Well done, sisters and brothers!

John DeBouter, Pres.

Fundraiser A Great SuccessL.U. 176 (es,i,rts&spa), JOLIET, IL—Heart 176 Clubheld its 9th Annual Sick, Injured and Needy CashBash Fundraiser on March 5. The club was formedin 2002 to provide assistance to Local 176 membersfacing financial hardship due to illness or injury.

Over its nine-year history, Heart 176 has paidmore than $200,000 to members in need. Thisyear’s fundraiser was another huge success, raisingmore than $20,000. Despite high unemploymentand the difficult economic times, our memberscame through to help their brothers and sisterswho may need it more.

Many thanks go out to Bus. Mgr. DaveUdstuen, his staff, 176 West Catering and Local 176members who contributed to the event. Specialthanks to local member/attorney Marc Bessette forhis generous donation and his constant support.Most importantly, I thank club members Jeff Farrar,Neil Craig, Steve Newcomer, Greg Hess, BarryAldrich, Greg Boyer, Doug Eungard, Steve Tutt, DeanGoselin, Dennis Lovato, Chuck McBroom, Ed Ferry,Jim Ryan, Jeremy Haddon, and Doug Fowler for theirhard work and dedication. I am proud of thesemembers and the work they do.

Mark Ferry, V.P.

Sun Shines on NAPA CountyL.U. 180 (c,i&st), VALLEJO, CA—The local has sup-ported renewable energy since back when it wasseen as a “fad.” Involvement has included: hostingthe local utility, PG&E, to present a four-day class onenergy audits; a Give-a-Watt (PV to nonprofits) pro-gram; and the Green Employer Council at the localcommunity college. We have worked hard to helpothers train people for the green-collar jobs that donot duplicate or displace our members. Rather,we’ve supported the training in the occupations thatcreate projects and return our members to work.

Relationships were bolstered as an outcome ofvarious “green” meetings over a few years. We havesigned a memorandum of understanding to create aGreen Tech Academy within our Training Center withthe Asera Group, a local renewable energy devel-oper. We now have a partnership with Asera for thepending 6-megawatt photovoltaic farm in Napa andare undertaking joint business development forfuture renewable projects exceeding 110 megawatts.

This could not be possible without the sup-port and assistance of our NECA partners and theJATC. Furthermore, NEBF is reviewing funding for theNapa projects and we look forward to their supporton greening our area.

Michael C. Smith, B.A.

Contract NegotiationsL.U. 196 (govt,mt,o,t&u), ROCKFORD, IL—Outsideconstruction in our local is still much slower thanusual as of this writing.

We are currently involved in several contractnegotiations in our jurisdiction, where we have 15separate agreements with cities, villages and gov-ernmental districts. These negotiations have beenespecially trying over the past year and a half as aresult of the disastrous state of the economy nation-wide, and especially here in Illinois, which hasresulted in a very negative impact on the employers.Illinois currently has a $13 billion budget deficit andthe pension plans are grossly underfunded.

Working people did not create this problem.We will continue to do everything in our power toprotect the wages and benefits that have beennegotiated over the last several decades by thisoffice. The membership, through their expertiseand quality work, are the ones who on a daily basisnegotiate their future agreements and conditions; Iam simply their voice at the bargaining table.

The IBEW has put much time, effort andmoney into helping “labor friendly” candidates winelections and we need to remind them that we arestill here and paying attention when legislation thatwill affect working families needs their support.

Eric Patrick, B.M.

Training ClassesL.U. 222 (o), ORLANDO, FL—The economy, as we allknow, is still moving very slowly but with a smallglimpse of hope in a few areas. Local 222 still has alarge proportion of the membership unemployed.We remain strong in our union commitment and lookforward to a more prosperous time in the future.

With regret we report the passing of severalmembers: Kirby Joiner, Oscar Mathis and JackButler, all journeyman linemen. Jack Butlerattended the February meeting and donated a line-man statue, which will be on display at the Local

222 hall (see photo). These brothers and their long-time support and working contributions will bemissed. We salute them and bid Godspeed.

To provide information and training to our mem-bers, Local 222 has held training classes for Code ofExcellence, OSHA E-T&D and CPR/First Aid, as well as apilot class for crane certification, in recent months.Our goal is to continue to have a safe, trained and cer-tified work force that is capable of meeting the highexpectations often demanded of them.

Remember to attend your local union meeting,work safe and promote fair trade.

Fredrick Morgan, P.S. Pro Tem

Scholarships AwardedL.U. 234 (i&mt), CASTROVILLE, CA—We recently com-pleted our annual scholarship essay contest for grad-uating high school students from each of the threecounties that make up our local. Each student sub-mitted a 500-word essay on one of the following top-ics: What is the IBEW and what has it done toenhance organized labor? Why is the organized labormovement important in the United States today?How has the union movement played a key role inthe life and well-being of my family member who is orwas in a union? What is the Employee Free Choice Actand how will it benefit organized labor? We receivedmany good essays, which made the decisions of ourExecutive Board all the more difficult.

Local 234 Bus. Mgr. Ken Scherpinski will attendeach of the school’s award ceremonies and presentscholarships to the winners: Kyle Pelot of North SalinasHigh School, Michelle Chatley of Anzar High School,and Robby John Pappas of Santa Cruz High School. Weare proud to extend our congratulations to each of thewinners, their parents and their schools. We are hon-ored to assist in the students’ future success.

Stephen Slovacek, P.S.

Volunteers Support CommunityL.U. 280 (c,es,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR—“Communities support us, so we need to supportour communities.” These words were spokenprophetically by Bus. Rep. Tom Baumann to news-papers about the outstanding volunteer efforts atthe historic “ZCBJ” meeting hall in Scio, OR.Volunteers on Saturday, Feb. 27 installed light fix-tures, stage lighting, receptacles and basic electri-cal upgrades to this well-loved building. EC Electricdonated the electrical permit and our Local 280Public Service Fund donated more than $1,000 inmaterials for a very worthwhile effort.

Local 222 journeyman lineman Jack Butler(left) presents a statute of a lineman to Bus.Mgr. Mike Bell for display at the union hall.Bro. Butler recently passed away.

IBEW Local 164 volunteers turned out in force to assist a major “Clothing for Haiti” drive.

Local 176 Vice Pres. Mark Ferry (left)congratulates Heart 176 grand prize winnerWayne Lewandowski and Wayne’s wife, Becky.The local’s annual “Sick, Injured and Needy”(S.I.N. Bash) fundraiser took place in March.

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This is just a small fraction of what Local 280members give back to our area. Our Public ServiceFund has donated more than $500,000 to suchnonprofit groups as Habitat for Humanity, youthprograms, 4-H, sports complexes, etc. Our volun-teers have donated many thousands of hours, soplease tell them thank-you when you get a chance.

Work in the local is still very slow but the calls forthe “Facebook” project have started. Bro. Jeff Fowlds isthe steward on the site and has projected 80-100 wire-men over a 14-month period. Bro. Jeff has praisedRosendin Electric for their professionalism and respectfor the highly trained craftsmen of the IBEW.

Work safe and have a great spring and summer!

Jerry Fletcher, P.S.

Outstanding Apprentice AwardL.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS,MN—The Minnesota Statewide Limited Energy JATCand Training Dir. Sam DiPaola announced that MikeRasmussen of IBEW Local 292 received the 2010Outstanding Apprentice Award. The MinnesotaStatewide Limited Energy JATC program providestraining for the following IBEW local unions: Local292, St. Paul Local 110, Le Sueur Local 343, DuluthLocal 242, and Hibbing Local 294.

Mike graduated in April at the top of his classfrom the three-year, Limited Energy InstallerApprenticeship Program. He is one of 49 graduatesin the 2010 graduating class. The complete list ofgraduates can be found at the Statewide LimitedEnergy JATC Web site www.statewidelea.org.

On his last day of classes, Mike received a cer-tificate of achievement and a LinkMaster PRO XLtest meter presented by senior sales manager GaryShantz from Ideal Tools. Thank you to Shantz andIdeal Tools for being a great industry partner.

The future of our industry depends on individ-uals like Mike who are eager to learn and take pridein their craft to produce the highest levels ofachievement possible. Congratulations to Mike andto all the graduates of 2010 on a job well-done andfor all of their hard work.

My thanks to Limited Energy JATC Training Dir.Sam DiPaola, who provided information for this article.

Tony G. Maghrak, B.M.

Kudos to IBEW Members at CVPSL.U. 300 (govt,i,mt&u), MONTPELIER, VT—CentralVermont Public Service met all of its service qualitystandards in 2009, the sixth straight year itachieved that goal. IBEW Local 300 represents sev-eral hundred CVPS employees.

“We believe that’s the best record inVermont,” said Joe Kraus, senior vice president forengineering, operations and customer service.

CVPS has 17 service quality measures. CVPSmeasures and reports to state regulators on every-thing from how quickly it answers calls to bill accu-racy, customer service, outage numbers and duration,and safety. All Vermont utilities are required to fileannual performance reports with state regulators.

In the Customer Information Center, CVPSemployees answered 87.8 percent of calls within 20seconds, beating the standard. Not one call wasblocked due to system overload. Other key meas-ures: 92 percent of customers said they were satis-fied following customer-initiated contact; CVPSreported an average of 1.9 outages per customer,lasting 2.3 hours, excluding one major storm—beat-ing standards of 2.5 outages per customer lastingan average of 3.5 hours.

“Our members at CVPS put it all on the lineevery day to ensure that a utility with one of themost rugged, rural service areas in the country staysonline,” said Local 300 Bus. Mgr. Jeffrey Wimette.“We are so proud of the exemplary customer servicethey provide to Vermont ratepayers.”

Matthew Lash, P.S.

Local 340 Sisters UniteL.U. 340 (i,rts&spa), SACRAMENTO, CA—In March,17 out of 32 female Local 340 members got togetherto meet one another and discuss the importance ofthei