The Electrical Worker July 2009

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W W W . I B E W . O R G IN THIS ISSUE FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1893 I NTERNATIONAL B ROTHERHOOD OF E LECTRICAL W ORKERS Vol. 3 | No. 7 | July 2009 Go “Green!” with our e - Edition Get your Electrical Worker delivered each month via e-mail. It’s convenient & helps cut down on paper waste. Go to www.ibew.org and sign up today! IBEW Members Repair Hurricane- Ravaged Texas Chemical Plant 2 | Broadcasters cut TV news jobs 3 | Members fight utility take-backs 4 | Training centers open their doors IBEW cards arrive 5 | North of 49° 6 | Circuits IBEW On Duty 7 | Organizing Wire 8 | Local Lines 16 | In Memoriam 18 | Joint editorial 19 | Letters to the Editor Who We Are 20 | IEC meeting A s the U.S. presidential election cam- paign captured the world’s atten- tion last September, Hurricane Ike ripped through the Gulf Coast. Far away from the cameras, Beaumont, Texas, Local 479 surged into action, helping its own members recover from the catastrophe and welcoming travelers to bring a battered ExxonMobil chemical plant and a lesser-dam- aged adjoining refinery back to operation. Work on the chemical plant, which pro- duces six different substances from petroleum, was completed in late May, putting back to work more than 1,500 production workers and return- ing much-needed capacity to the U.S. market for synthetic oil. At its peak, the project employed more than 700 journeymen working for Newtron Inc., one of the largest U.S. signatory electrical contractors, and 70 instrumentation techni- cians at Paton Engineering and Design Group. Working seven-day, 12-hour schedules, they completed two years of work in four months at the chemical plant that had been flooded with 10 feet of water. Local 479 invited electricians to live at the union hall for up to seven weeks—until housing opened up in the area— and served meals on several occasions. Many of the electricians slept on the floor of the hall or in tents and trailers in the parking lot. The IBEW’s work was “monumental,” says Joey James, a 27-year Local 479 journeyman wire- man and project manager of Newtron Inc., which has performed maintenance in the refinery and chemical plant for many years. Complicating every aspect of the job was the fact that blue- prints and computers were destroyed by the flooding. “Everything was soaked in sea water for four days until we got the water out,” says James. James, whose own home was without electricity for a long stretch, recalls the hard- ships faced by many of the residents and trav- elers. After finding out that workers were taking showers from a hose in the janitor’s room, James worked with Local 479 Business Manager David Gonzales to set up an eight-stall portable shower house. The chemical plant job was the first con- struction project for Paton, a 25-year-old nonunion firm. Managers contacted Local 479 soon after the hurricane flooded the chemical plant in Beaumont. Despite potentially severe dangers on the job—including pipelines that remained pres- surized and “live” (explosive) hydrocarbons— only two OSHA reportable injuries, a broken arm and a twisted ankle, were recorded. At safety meetings each morning, James, journeyman Silver Robles and Shop Steward Kirby Smith, Jonesboro, Ark., Local 1516, passed the hat for a fund to help hurricane vic- tims. They collected more than $120,000 over the course of the job. “Nothing goes in the bank,” says Robles of the fund that disburses money within a week of collection and is run by a volunteer committee of travelers. TEXAS PLANT REPAIR continued on page 2 Celebrating the completion of the Hurricane Ike recovery project at Beaumont Mobil Chemical Plant are Kirby Smith, left, shop steward, Jonesboro, Ark., Local 1516; Joey James, Newtron Inc. project manager; Richard Townsend, BMCP plant manager; and Beaumont Local 479 Business Manager David Gonzales.

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Page 1: The Electrical Worker July 2009

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

I N T H I S I S S U E

F IRST PUBL I SHED IN 1893

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. 3 | No. 7 | July 2009

Go “Green!”with oure-Edition

Get your Electrical Worker delivered eachmonth via e-mail. It’s convenient & helpscut down on paper waste.Go to www.ibew.org and sign up today!

IBEWMembersRepair Hurricane-RavagedTexasChemical Plant2 | Broadcasters cut TV news jobs

3 | Members fight utility take-backs

4 | Training centers open their doors

IBEW cards arrive

5 | North of 49°

6 | Circuits

IBEW On Duty

7 | Organizing Wire

8 | Local Lines

16 | In Memoriam

18 | Joint editorial

19 | Letters to the Editor

Who We Are

20 | IEC meeting

As the U.S. presidential election cam-paign captured the world’s atten-tion last September, Hurricane Ikeripped through the Gulf Coast. Far

away from the cameras, Beaumont, Texas,Local 479 surged into action, helping its ownmembers recover from the catastrophe andwelcoming travelers to bring a batteredExxonMobil chemical plant and a lesser-dam-aged adjoining refinery back to operation.

Work on the chemical plant, which pro-duces six different substances from petroleum,was completed in lateMay, putting back to workmore than 1,500 production workers and return-ingmuch-needed capacity to the U.S. market forsynthetic oil.

At its peak, the project employed morethan 700 journeymen working for NewtronInc., one of the largest U.S. signatory electricalcontractors, and 70 instrumentation techni-cians at Paton Engineering and Design Group.Working seven-day, 12-hour schedules, theycompleted two years of work in four months atthe chemical plant that had been flooded with10 feet of water. Local 479 invited electriciansto live at the union hall for up to sevenweeks—until housing opened up in the area—and served meals on several occasions. Manyof the electricians slept on the floor of the hallor in tents and trailers in the parking lot.

The IBEW’sworkwas “monumental,” saysJoey James, a 27-year Local 479 journeymanwire-manandprojectmanager of Newtron Inc., which

hasperformedmaintenance in the refinery andchemical plant formanyyears.Complicatingevery aspect of the jobwas the fact that blue-prints and computerswere destroyedby theflooding. “Everythingwas soaked in seawater forfour days until we got thewater out,” says James.

James, whose own home was withoutelectricity for a long stretch, recalls the hard-ships faced by many of the residents and trav-elers. After finding out that workers were

taking showers from ahose in the janitor’sroom, James worked withLocal 479 BusinessManager David Gonzalesto set up an eight-stallportable shower house.

The chemical plantjob was the first con-

struction project for Paton, a 25-year-oldnonunion firm. Managers contacted Local 479soon after the hurricane flooded the chemicalplant in Beaumont.

Despite potentially severe dangers on thejob—including pipelines that remained pres-surized and “live” (explosive) hydrocarbons—only two OSHA reportable injuries, a brokenarm and a twisted ankle, were recorded.

At safety meetings each morning, James,journeyman Silver Robles and Shop StewardKirby Smith, Jonesboro, Ark., Local 1516,passed the hat for a fund to help hurricane vic-tims. They collected more than $120,000 overthe course of the job. “Nothing goes in thebank,” says Robles of the fund that disbursesmoney within a week of collection and is runby a volunteer committee of travelers.

TEXAS PLANT REPAIR continued on page 2

Celebrating the completion of the Hurricane Ike recovery project at Beaumont Mobil ChemicalPlant are Kirby Smith, left, shop steward, Jonesboro, Ark., Local 1516; Joey James, Newtron Inc.project manager; Richard Townsend, BMCP plant manager; and Beaumont Local 479Business Manager David Gonzales.

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Texas Chemical Plant Repair

Continued from page 1

Robles, amember ofCoosBay,Ore., Local 932, tookhis first referral inBeaumont inOctober. Itwashis lastjob before retiringwith 39 years in theelectrical trade,much of it spent onthe road.The jobwasa last chance toworksomeovertime to build uphisretirement average.

After almost four decades oftraveling, the Beaumont job standsout as special, says Robles, whosays that Project Manager James“should get an award, somethinglike ‘IBEW Brother of the Year.’”

“If anybody has a chance to goto Beaumont for work in the future,they should help out. This local has aproven track record of brotherhood,”says Robles, who was presented witha gold watch by Gonzales at aJanuary retirement party attended by100 co-workers.

Many local members weredriven out of their homes by the hur-ricane, says Gonzales. Some hadbeach cabins that were wiped away.“But they andmembers from out oftown still exhibited the quality andthe sense of responsibility that everyBrotherhoodmember brought to thisjob.” The solidarity extended to thecommunity surrounding the plants.

WhenBeaumontheldavolunteerworkday,Local479donated1,600lunchesandelectriciansofferedhun-dredsofhoursof freeelectricworktoresidentswhosehomesweredamaged.

Camaraderiewashigh, despitethe tough living andworking condi-tions, says James,who laughswhenhe recalls directing journeymenon thebus to get to theworksite after safetymeetings.With all of their lunches andtools, the first on the bus couldn’toccupy the front seatswithoutblock-ing their co-workers. “Back to thefront,” yelled James eachmorning.

With 15,000 homes along thecoast flooded, Gonzales knew thatmany of his ownmembers werehurting. While directing the clean-upof the union hall to better servethem, he received a phone call fromPaton Engineering and Design Grouprequesting workers.

Travis Poe, a Local 479 journey-manwiremanwho topped out of hisapprenticeship in 2000andwent toworkas aplanner-scheduler for Patonin 2007, toldmanagers the IBEWcouldsatisfy their needs. Poehad completedthe local union’s 16-week instrumen-tation course and knewhis peers’range of talent. He set up ameeting.

“I gave a sales pitch on the ben-efits of using union labor,” says

Gonzales. Paton agreed on the spotto pay union wages and benefits.Gonzales dispatched six instrumen-tation technicians the next day. Sincethe engineering staff was “stressedto themax,” says Poe, some of thedesign work and programming func-tions were turned over to journey-men. “It was bold of ExxonMobil totrust a new contractor with fullresponsibility to repair and testvibration equipment that will signalproblems in the plant,” says Poe.

Power panels, motors and high-voltage switch gears all had to bedried chemically, re-terminated andre-tested. “This is a job you wouldsee on the A&EChannel,” saysJames, who has worked at Exxon as asite manager for six years.

The plant’s electrical systemneeded to be loop tested to validatethat all equipment, including

alarms, sensors and flow valveswere working to specifications.

In the final stage of the project,electriciansperformedamechanicalintegrity procedure checking everydevice individually tomake certainthat itwould properly shutdown in theevent of a future catastrophicevent.

The work at ExxonMobil haspositioned Local 479 to reap the ben-efits of one of the largest markets forconstruction in the U.S. Before thefinancial meltdown, over $15 billionof projects—primarily in petrochemi-cal and refining—were anticipatedfor the region over the next five years.Work could be spread out over alonger time span, but prospects forconstruction are still promising.

With 125 instrumentation techni-cians already on the books, Local 479is preparing for newprojects. Classesare filledmonths ahead of schedule.

At a Business Roundtableluncheon, Gonzales says, ExxonMobil gave full credit to the IBEW forthe start-up of the chemical plant.The safety record on hurricanerestoration is another testament tothe productivity of IBEW labor. “Intoday’s market, if you don’t havesafe work practices, they won’t letyou in the gate,” says James.

IBEW International PresidentEdwin D. Hill said during a time whencorporations are spending millionsof dollars to bash unions, our deedsmust speak louder than their money.“There is no better testament to theheart and soul and spirit of organ-ized labor than the work of IBEWmembers in Beaumont, Texas, afterHurricane Ike.” �

TVNewsConsolidationThreatens IBEW Jobs

“There is no better testament to the heartand soul and spirit of organized laborthan the work of IBEWmembers inBeaumont, Texas, after Hurricane Ike.”– Edwin D. Hill, IBEW International President

In Boston, one of the top televisionmarkets in the country, local TV newsused to be a cutthroat business. The competition was so fierce to reportthe big story of the day that a news photographer’s job wasn’t just to getthe exclusive video, it was tomake sure the competition didn’t get it.“You had to fight for the story, for the exclusive aspect,” said Boston

Local 1228 BusinessManagerAndyDubrovsky, a former television news photog-rapher. His local represents photographers and production personnel at eightBoston-area stations. “It used tomean somuch for us to beat the competition.”

But times have changed. A shaky economy, massive drops in localadvertising revenue and advances in technology are drastically reshapingthe local TV news game. Suddenly, competition is being replaced by coopera-tion. Stations that used to stop at nothing to beat their competitors are nowsharing resources, including work done by union employees.

For the thousands of IBEWmembersworking at television stationsnationwide, there is a looming threat.Consolidation of news-gatheringmeansbroadcasterswill need fewer people to report and distribute daily stories.

In Philadelphia, stations owned by NBCand Fox Broadcastingannounced a partnership in January that pools union photographers fromeach station’s newsroom to cover routine events like press conferences. Bothstations then use the identical video in their newscasts.

InWashington, D.C., three stations, owned byGannett, Fox and NBC, haveannounced a similar agreement. A news event that, in the past, would havebeen covered by three competing union-represented photographers, nowwillbe covered by just one. Again, the same video is distributed to all stations.

“I believe thatmany companies are using the economy to take advan-tage of the situation,”Dubrovsky said. “Today, they share two photographers,but we can see it being four, five or six in the future. This is just the beginning.”

There is a battle to hold on to jobs, said Robert Wratschko, Director ofBroadcasting andRecordingat the IBEW’s InternationalOffice inWashington,D.C.

“The stations will get all the video coverage they need for the news.Unfortunately, the number of techniciansmay be diminished,”Wratschko said.

In some places, union jobs are already disappearing. A local manage-ment agreement signed in St. Louis in 2008 combined nearly all of theresources of KTVI-TV, owned by Local TV LLC, and Tribune-owned KPLR-TV.

More than two dozen IBEW workers were laid off when the two stationsmerged their newsrooms in October. The layoffs included KPLR photogra-phers, editors, reporters and most of the station’s main anchor team.

“Everybody was crushed,” said Clark Bowen, a former KPLR photogra-pher and shop steward.

After 12 years with the station, Bowen, like many of his colleagues, losthis job in a matter of minutes. “They just called us into a room and said,here you go, your services are no longer required,” Bowen said. He is nowworking on freelance projects while searching for full-time work.

Union leaders in cities across the country are trying to keep similarscenes from playing out in their local newsrooms.

In Boston, where two stations announced a deal to share photogra-phers and a news-gathering helicopter starting this summer, Local 1228 isfighting the consolidation trend at the highest levels.

The union took the issue to the National Labor Relations Board inMay, alleging that CBS-owned WBZ and Fox-owned WFXT violated theNational Labor Relations Act by entering into the news-sharing agreementwithout consulting the union.

The union filed a grievance against WBZ, where an IBEW contractexpired last fall, and an unfair labor practice charge against WFXT, wheremore than 100 workers were organized in March 2008. The union accusesboth stations of changing working conditions without negotiating them.

“We’ve been told at the table that no one will be laid off,” Dubrovskysaid. “But we’re staring at a huge tidal wave change in this business. We allhave to stand up and fight to preserve our jobs.” �

Top: Beaumont Local 479 memberDonna Havern, left, welcomed travelersDeb Melcomson, Denver, Local 68, andLee Vigil, Boston Local 103.

Bottom: Joey James, projectmanager, Newtron Electric, left, andSylvester Robles, Coos Bay, Ore.,Local 932, helped collect over$120,000 to help hurricane victims.

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In a surge of activism, mem-bers of utility locals are takingon some of the sector’s mostprofitable companies, reject-

ing their mandates for concessionsin benefits, wages and working con-ditions as contracts expire.

Some utilities are counting ondiminished public support for themen and women who keep the lightsand appliances on in cities and smalltowns across North America.

“When people are hurting, it’ssometimes harder to get them toidentify with other folks trying todefend what they have,” saysInternational Representative DonHartley, IBEW Utility Department.

Utility locals are patientlyspreading the message that to givein to the greed of still profitablecompanies will only add to the hurtof surrounding communities.

The utility industry historicallyhas not been hit as hard as other sec-tors during recessions. Domesticdemand for electricity has always keptutilitiesmore stable than other eco-nomic sectors. In the 1981-1983 reces-sion, for example,manufacturing jobswere reduced by 13 percent.Constructionwas reduced by 17 per-cent. But utilities lost only 2.5 percent.

In the current downturn, utili-ties have actually increased by13,000 additional workers.

The nation’s industrial loadfor electricity is downmore than 12percent in 2009, compared to 2007.But revenues are down only 1.2 per-cent. Overall revenues are up 10 per-cent in 2009, compared to 2007.

Here’s how local unions aredealing with today’s reality.

CentralMaine Power(Energy East-Iberdrola)

Members of Manchester, Maine,Local 1837 have voted to authorize astrike at Central Maine Power, a sub-sidiary of Energy East, which isowned by Spain-based Iberdrola,the world’s fourth largest utility.Negotiations are continuing beyonda May 15 contract expiration.

Seventy percent of the local’smembership rejected the com-pany’s first contract proposal, whichcalled for steep cuts in health careinsurance for active and retired work-

ers and the elimination of a definedbenefit pension plan for new hires.

“If there’s any way to break upa union,” says 12-year CMP linemanSamGrodin, “it’s having two classesof citizens in the same local union.”

CMP had a healthy 10-percentprofit margin last year, sending $55million to Spain to fuel Iberdrola’sexpansion across the globe.

A local union press releasechallenges Iberdrola’s bargainingposition: “CMP’s proposed conces-sions may very well mean that someof their workers will be forced toseek some form of public assistancefor healthcare, thereby shifting thisexpense from CMP to the taxpayers.This could pose a long-term threat toMaine’s economy.”

Rochester Gas and Electric,also an Energy East subsidiary, hasbeen in negotiations with Rochester,N.Y., Local 36 on a new contract sinceMay 31, 2008. The NLRB has alreadyissued a complaint charging the com-pany with an unfair labor practice for

instituting unilateral changes to itshealth insurance plan, covering 380unionmembers.

International President EdwinD. Hill attempted to reach an under-standingwith the company’sCEO tobring in a special independentmedia-tor to reach a comprehensive contractsettlement. His requestwas rejected.

Local members have over-whelmingly authorized a strike.

FirstEnergy

More than 500 Johnstown, Pa., Local459 members went on strike againstPenelec, a Pennsylvania subsidiaryof FirstEnergy on May 21.

“Our members will not submitto the philosophy of FirstEnergy, acorporation that made $1.3 billion in2008, telling us that they can’tafford a decent wage increasebecause they only expect to make $1billion in 2009,” said Don Hoak,Local 459 business manager.

Alongwithmeagerpayincreases, FirstEnergywants to imposeaworkschedule thatwould “takeusback to 1910,” saysHoak.Contractpro-posalswould givemanagers total flexi-bility in settinghoursofwork.

Support is strong in the commu-nity served by Penelec. “Everybody istired of the corporate greed and theywant to stand up against it. Many just

don’t have the avenue that we do,”says Hoak.

Florida Power and Light

The contract between 11 locals ofSystemCouncil U-4 and FPLexpiredlast October. “FPL isn’t losingmoney,”says the council’s BusinessManagerGaryAleknavich. “They just aren’tmaking asmuch as theywant.”

The parties have agreed to aone-year contract extension. FPL isseeking cuts inmedical insurancebenefits and limitingwage increasesto 2 percent per year. The utility alsowants tomodify the bargaining unitposition of nuclearwatch engineer,reducing the payof future engineers by$5perhour.

On May 19, approximately 25members of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,Local 759 picketed an FPL facilityprotesting the company’s wage offer.Linemen are already paid 8 percentbelow the national average for simi-lar employees, while FPL has paidbonuses to executives.

Members of the council’s 11locals are voting on a new contractproposal, with results due after ourpress date.

Alliant Energy

Alliant Energy has shut down itsRock River Power Plant in Wisconsinas part of a cost-cutting plan. Thirty-

one members of Madison, Wis.,Local 965 will lose their jobs at the50-year-old former coal-fired genera-tors that were converted to naturalgas in the past decade.

Local 965 Business ManagerTony Bartels says that the averageage of 1,300 members at Alliant is50 years old. Alliant will be laying offskilled workers who will be neededover the next few years.

“It’s crazy,” says Bartels. “Theywill be letting third-year apprenticesgo today and hiring new apprenticesnext year.”

While Alliant’s demand hasdropped due to the shutdown of aGeneral Motors plant and support-ing businesses, the company stilldeclared first quarter income of$72.6 million.

Moving ForwardTogether

International President Edwin D. Hillapplauds the efforts of local unionsin the utility branch to stand up forreasonableness and far-sightedsolutions to problems.

“The IBEWdidn’t formulate ourCode of Excellence for the utility indus-try to have ourmembersmarginalizedandunderminedbyshort-sightedmanagementpolicies,” saysHill.“With a transmission grid to build andrenewable energies to explore, theIBEWand the utility industry need tomove forward together.” �

IBEWLocalsStandUp

Profitable Utility Companies Exploit Economic CrisisIBEW 1837members fromCentral MainePower Leo Plante(top) and DickRogers (bottom)make their point topassing motoristson Augusta’sWestern Avenueduring a recentdemonstration.

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If renewable energy is the waveof the future, then the Interna-tional Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers is letting everyone

know that itsmembers are the best-trained green work force around.

Local International Brotherhoodof Electrical Workers training centersrecently opened their doors to policymakers andmembers of the public tolearnmore about the union’s exten-sive green job-training programs.

“I hope I saw the future and Ibelieve that I did,” Connecticut Sen.Joseph Lieberman told the MeridenRecord Journal after touring NewHaven Local 90’s training center.

Legislators were in their homedistricts for Congress’sMemorial Dayrecess andmany eagerly acceptedthe IBEW’s and the National ElectricalContractors Association’s invitation totour their local joint apprenticeshiptraining facilities. More than 90mem-bers of Congress attended openhouse events.

In Warren, Ohio, state and localleaders got a first look at plans for anew solar photovoltaic system andwind turbines to be installed at Local

573’s Electrical Trades Institute,while in Tennessee, Rep. Jim Cooper(D) called Nashville Local 429’sapprenticeship training center andits green-skills program a “ticket to

the future,” after touring its facility.In San Diego, more than 120

community, local and state leadersvisited Local 569’s Electrical TrainingCenter, including representatives

fromSen. Barbara Boxer’s and Rep.Susan Davis’s offices. The centerfocuses on solar power, which allowsapprentices to earn professional cer-tification in photovoltaic installation.

Local 569 is also planning toopen a new green-training facility inneighboring Imperial County to helpstaff its rapidly growing solar andwind market. The local’s programwas featured in the San Diego UnionTribune newspaper as part of its hot-jobs list for new college grads.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.)dedicated a new photovoltaic dis-play at Denver Local 68’s trainingcenter. Perlmutter told guests thatrenewable energy will “rebuild thecountry and the middle class.”

The 18-kilowatt panel was origi-nally displayed at last year’sDemocratic National Convention inDenver. The local plans to add windturbines to the facility soon.

More than 200 apprentices fromRichmond, Va., Local 666 are learningspecialized skills in solar and wind,one of the fastest growing job sectorsin central Virginia. “We’re the bestkept secret in the industry,” Business

Manager Jim Underwood toldWWBT-TV during the local’s open house.

Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.), stateSenate Majority Leader Tony DeLucaand representatives from theDelawareEconomic Development Office andothers checked out Wilmington Local313’s green-training facilities duringthe local’s open house.

Recently instructors from Local313 helped 90 inside wiremen com-plete a state certified solar trainingclass. The journeymen got hands-onexperience with photovoltaics byassembling a 1.4 kilowatt solar array.

Newopportunities are openingup in the renewable energy sector asmillions of federal stimulusdollars aremade available for training and invest-ment in the newenergy economy. Butthe expected rapid growth of greenjobs—covering everything from retro-fitting buildings for energy efficiency toinstalling andwiring solar panels andwind turbines—means that our econ-omywill require thousandsof trainedelectricianswho can safely andprofes-sionally carry out thework.

It’s a demand that is alreadybeing met by the IBEW. “Renewableenergy is not the wave of the future,it’s already here,” said HonoluluLocal 1186 BusinessManagerDamien Kim. “Ourmembers andapprentices will be going into theworkplace with skills that areexpected of them as wemove towarda new energy economy.” Rep. NeilAbercrombie (D-Hawaii) toured Local1186’s facility which features trainingin photovoltaics, wind turbines andautomated building operations.

“The IBEW has the curriculum,facilities and instructors needed tolead the new energy revolution andwe’ve been doing it for nearly adecade,” said International PresidentEdwin D. Hill. “And wemake sure thatgreen-collar workers and their fami-lies get a decent wage and benefitsso they can take their place in themiddle class.”

More than 70 IBEW trainingcenters offer training in renewableenergy, with more and more facili-ties incorporating green power intotheir curriculum.

Check out additional mediacoverage of green-job open housesacross the country atwww.ibew.org/WorkingGreen. �

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IBEWGreen-JobTraining FacilitiesAround the CountryOpenDoors to Public

Local 68 Business Manager Dennis Whalen, left, and Denver Local 68President Ed Knox and help dedicate a new photovoltaic array at DenverLocal 68’s training center.

Membership Cards Land inMailboxesAcross theBrotherhood

T he massive job of sending membership cards to every IBEWmemberwill be completed this month. Now the ball is in your court: registeryour card online and put it to work for you.

Since June, more than 1,000 members per day have logged onto thesystem to complete the registration process.

“It’s vital that everyone register their card, because it’s the best way tomake sure your personal information is accurate and up to date,” saidInformation Technology Department Director Darren DeMarco.

The card connects members to a comprehensive database at theInternational Office which will soon allow everyone who signs up to changeaddresses, phone numbers and other personal information, as well as toconfirm training information.

As always, members’ personal information remains secure and confi-dential at the International Office, even if the card is lost. Only the card’s reg-istered user can access his or her record.

If you have received a card and you’re not sure what to do, here is thestep-by-step process for activating your card:1. Go to https://my.ibew.org. Make sure the URL is typed directly in the

browser’s address bar, not into a search engine like Google or Yahoo. Youcan also access it by going to the IBEWWeb site and clicking on theMyIBEW.org button on the upper right-hand corner of the page.

2. Click on the Register Account button.

3. Enter the personal key that came with the letter you received. If the codeis not clear, look at the back of your card. If you are still unable to read it,please call (202) 728-6231 or e-mail [email protected].

4. You will be prompted to verify your name, card number and local union.Click start registration.

5. You will need to type your e-mail address twice and pick a password foryour account, using a minimum of six characters.

6. You will receive an e-mail confirming your registration.

An online tutorial, accessed through https://my.ibew.org also outlinesthe process.

For “A” members whose retirement is in their near future, the card alsoallows them to calculate pensionbenefits. A card is planned for retirees next year.

As theprogramexpands, youwill be keptupdatedofnewchanges throughyour e-mail address on file, so it’s important to keep your address current.

Call (202) 728-6231 or send an e-mail to [email protected] if you haveany questions or problems. �

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They are some of the coldestand most remote lands inNorth America, but theIBEW considers Canada’s

Northwest Territories fertile organiz-ing ground.

The NWT, one of three Canadianterritories in northwest Canada, area vast expanse of land stretchingfrom the 60th parallel north to theArctic Circle. They are sparsely popu-lated—about 40,000 people in all—but include some ripe targets. AnIBEW delegation visited Yellowknife,the gateway to the NorthwestTerritories, in mid-May to attend theannual trade fair, join the labourfederation and formally re-establisha presence in the vast region.

During their five days inYellowknife, the group visited localnonunion contractors and investi-gated other targets on the profes-sional and industrial side, whichproduced several leads for organiz-ers, said First District Lead OrganizerDarrell Taylor.

“A lot of themwere amazed thatwe were up there talking to them,”said Edmonton, Alberta, Local 424Organizing Director Al Brown.

The group also met withWhitehorse, Yukon Territory, Local1574 members, employed byNorthwest Telecom.

Diamond mines, a gold mine,gas and oil exploration, and schooland hospital construction representsome of the most promising oppor-tunities, Brown said. Organizers seeother non-construction openings inmining, such as in security and sup-port staff at the mines, as well asthe mining jobs themselves. Theyare also talking to pilots for thesmall airline carriers that transportpeople and supplies acrossNorthwest Territories and neighbor-ing Yukon Territory, Taylor said.

One obstacle is the ChristianLabor Association of Canada—anundemocratic pro-employer associ-ation making inroads acrossCanada, including the oil sandsprojects in Alberta.

“CLAChas been runningunchecked for so long, no one hasreally taken an interest,” Taylor said.

“But if you leave it alone, thenonunion will grow and grow and itmakes it so much more difficult toget a foot in the door later.”

CLAC represents some of thenon-construction workers in themines, but organizers have otherchallenges in reaching the workers:mine companies control both accessto the property and the airfields thatserve them. “Some of these minesare 500 miles from anywhere,”Brown said, adding that outsideorganizers would need a court orderto allow them on site.

That’s where the work of salts—

IBEWmembers working inside themines—comes in. Once constructionwork picked up in themines over thepast couple of years, members fromother parts of Canada, primarily theMaritimes, traveled West for work.Their help is being enlisted to con-vince othermine workers to signIBEW authorization cards.

That effort was moving alonguntil December, when the globalrecession finally reached the North-west Territories and layoffs hit thediamond industry, slowing the organ-izers’ work of the past 18months.

“Wehad good traction going, but

a lot of theworkwaspostponed in thediamondmines. Nowweare rebuild-ing,” Brownsaid. He isworking closelywith the home locals of thememberswhowill be the first to be called backfollowing the shutdown. “Byand large,theywant to help otherswin the samebenefits andprotections they enjoy asIBEWmembers,” Brownsaid.

The four diamondmines, whichcan employ up to 800 people each,are a great target, particularly for aconstruction union. Always pushingthe depths for more diamond explo-ration, the mines are constantlyunder heavy construction. Conditions

are tough, with workers pulling 12-hour shifts and temperatures plung-ing to minus 50 degrees Celsius.

Most are not entitled to pen-sion plans or reciprocal benefits.And for the difficult conditions andremote location of the work, manyare being paid substandard wages,Brown said.

“We’re up there now plowingthe fields and planting the seedsand it’s going to be a long-term proj-ect,” Brown said. “You never knowwhen it’s going to pay off. But if youdon’t start something, nothing willever happen.” �

North of 49° | Au nord du 49° parallèle

Northern Exposure: FrozenTundraNoDeterrent for IBEWOrganizers

Exposition auNord: La toundra glaciale n’a pasd’effetdissuasif sur les recruteurs syndicauxde la FIOE

La FIOE considère lesTerritoires du Nord-Ouestcomme une région propiceà la syndicalisation des tra-

vailleurs, bien que ce soit une desrégions les plus éloignées del’Amérique du Nord avec un climatparticulièrement rigoureux.

Les T.N.-O., l’un des trois terri-toires situés dans l’Ouest duCanada, couvrent une vaste superfi-cie au nord du 60e parallèlejusqu’au cercle Arctique. Dans cetterégion peu peuplée—environ40,000 habitants—plusieurs entre-prises ont été ciblées en vue de lasyndicalisation des travailleurs. Unedélégation de la FIOE s’est rendue àYellowknife, porte des Territoires duNord-Ouest, à la mi-mai, afin d’as-sister à l’Exposition annuelle desmétiers spécialisés, de se joindre àla fédération du travail et de rétablirofficiellement une présence danscette vaste région.

“Au cours des cinq jours passésà Yellowknife, le groupe a rencontrédes entrepreneurs locaux non syn-diqués et a examiné d’autres objec-tifs possibles dans le secteurprofessionnel et industriel; plusieursindications ont pu être fournies auxrecruteurs syndicaux suite à cettevisite.” déclare le confrère DarrellTaylor, responsable de la syndicali-

sation pour le Premier District.“Plusieurs d’entre eux étaient

très étonnés que nous soyions venusles rencontrer dans une région aussiisolée”, dit le confrère Al Brown,Directeur de la syndicalisation pourla S.L. 424 d’Edmonton en Alberta.

La délégation s’est égalementrendue à Whitehorse, dans leTerritoire du Yukon pour y rencontrerles membres de la S.L. 1574 à l’em-ploi de Northwest Telecom.

“Parmi les meilleures possibil-ités de syndicalisation, notons lesmines de diamant, unemine d’or,l’exploration pétrolière gazière, laconstruction d’une école et d’unhôpital.” souligne le confrère Brown.“Les recruteurs syndicaux envisagentd’autres possibilités en-dehors de laconstruction, ciblant les préposés àla sécurité et le personnel de soutiendu secteurminier, de même que lesemplois dans lesmines. Ils ont aussiapproché les pilotes à l’emploi depetites compagnies aériennes assur-ant le transport des gens et des pro-visions à travers les Territoires duNord-Ouest et le Territoire du Yukon,son voisin.” ajoute le confrère Taylor.

L’obstacle qu’il faudra surmon-ter: L’Association ouvrière chréti-enne du Canada, une associationanti-démocratique pro-employeurqui a fait une percée importante à

travers le Canada, y compris sur lesprojets de production de sablesbitumineux en Alberta.

L’Association ouvrière chréti-enne (AOCC) représente des tra-vailleurs d’entreprisesminières (horsconstruction)mais nos recruteurs syn-dicaux auront bien d’autres défis àrelever pour rejoindre les travailleurs.Ces entreprises contrôlent l’accès auxemplacementsminiers ainsi qu’auxaérodromes qui les desservent.D’après le confrère Brown, certainesde cesmines sont situées à plus de500milles de distance et il faudraitune ordonnance de la cour pour queles recruteurs syndicauxde l’extérieurpuissent avoir accès sur le site.

C’est là qu’entre en jeu le rôledes membres de la FIOE travaillantdéjà dans les mines (salt work).Lorsque les travaux de constructionont repris dans les mines au coursdes dernières années, des membresd’autres provinces canadiennes,principalement des Maritimes, sontvenus travailler dans l’Ouest. Nousnous sommes assurés de leur con-cours pour convaincre les autres tra-vailleurs de signer une carteautorisant la FIOE à les représenter.

Cette démarche allait bon trainjusqu’à ce que la récession mondi-ale touche les Territoires du Nord-Ouest au mois de décembre dernier,

entraînant des mises à pied dansl’industrie du diamant. Les recru-teurs syndicaux qui travaillaient surcette campagne depuis dix-huitmois ont dû ralentir leurs activités.

Les quatre mines de produc-tion de diamant peuvent employerjusqu’à 800 travailleurs chacune;elles représentent donc une cibletrès intéressante, en particulier pourun syndicat de la construction. Lesconditions sont difficiles car les tra-vailleurs doivent effectuer desquarts de travail de 12 heures à destempératures pouvant descendrejusqu’à moins 50 degrés Celsius.

La plupart d’entre eux n’ontpas droit à une pension de retraiteni à d’autres avantages par ententede réciprocité. D’après le confrèreBrown, malgré les conditions diffi-ciles et l’éloignement des sites detravail, plusieurs travailleursreçoivent une rémunération nonconforme aux normes.

“Nous avons commencé àlabourer les champs et à planter nossemences et nous sommes con-scients que nous entreprenons unprojet de longue haleine. On ne saitjamais quand la récolte serafructueuse. Si nous ne commençonspas quelque part, il ne se passerajamais rien.” conclut-il. �

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6 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u l y 2 0 09

Circuits

Quick-ThinkingMemberSavesWoman’s Life

Safety on the job saves lives in thecommunity, too. Just ask CindeeGoodling, who passed out at amovie during church in February.Goodling’s life was saved by SouthBend, Ind., Local 153 electricianFrank Emery. The six-year member,who had volunteered to help withthe film showing, jumped in andapplied cardiopulmonary resuscita-tion training that he had beenafforded under his local’s collectivebargaining agreement.

Emerydidn’t just saveGoodling’slife. At a Local 153 lifesaving award cer-emony for Emery in lateMay,Goodling,whowas eightmonthspregnant, heldup anultrasoundphoto of the babythat also could have perishedwithoutEmery’s quickaction.

Goodling, who has a rare heartcondition that occurs during preg-nancy, told the South Bend Tribune,“If I’d been at home I wouldn’t behere. My husband knows it (CPR)now. But he didn’t then.”

“I didn’t think about it. I justdid it,” says Emery, who receivedCPR training two years earlier.Goodling had slumped in her chair.With help, Emery got her to the floorand performed chest compressionswhile an off-duty policeman didresuscitative breathing. Goodlingwas connected to a defibrillator afteran ambulance arrived.

“Others in the church whoknewCPR just froze, but Frank actedquickly,” saysMike Compton, Local153 businessmanager. Since Emery’sinstruction included updated tech-niques, says Compton, he was evenmore effective than a retired doctorwho was on the scene but had beentrained earlier.

“I hope that I never have to dothis again,” Emery says. “But I’mhappy Goodling is alive.”

Emery says that the experiencehas changedhis feeling about theimportance of knowing proper resusci-tation techniques. He tooka refreshercourse after the incident andhopes tobecomeaCPR instructor. �

LargestOffshoreWindFarm inU.S. Plannedfor Delaware

The waters off of Rehoboth Beach inDelaware may soon be home to thelargest offshore wind farm in theUnited States.

Legislation to allow the construc-tion ofmore than 150wind turbines adozenmiles off the shore of Rehobothwas passed by the Delaware legisla-ture and signed into law last summer.

Each turbine will stand morethan 250 feet above the water andextend 90 feet below sea level.

Delmarva Power, the state’sutility, expects the wind farm will

power approximately 50,000 homesa year when it’s completed in 2012.The Energy Department recently saidthat nearly 20 percent of our domes-tic electrical supply could be pro-vided by offshore wind.

In addition tomore clean energyfor Delaware residents, thewind farmwill mean green jobs for IBEWmem-bers.Wilmington Local 313 signed aproject labor agreementwith FluorCorp.—a construction contractor—andBluewaterWind LLCto construct andmaintain the turbines. Installation ofthe farmwill requiremore than 200electricians, while itsmaintenancewill require approximately 20.

The wind farm needs to com-plete environmental impact studiesand clear federal regulatory hurdlesbefore construction can begin.

“Weworkedwith Bluewater tohelpmake it happen,” said Local 313BusinessManager DouglasDrummond. Instrumental in gettingthe project approvedwas stateSenateMajority LeaderTonyDeLuca, formerLocal 313 businessmanager, whoguided negotiationswith the utility,elected officials and Bluewater.

“Our coasts are rich in windpower, and our members have theskills and training needed to tapinto it,” Drummond said. “It justshows how important our green-training programs have become.” �

Cable PlantWorkersRake in Accolades

A leading trade magazine showeredapplause on an IBEW-representedNew Hampshire cable plant.

Nearly 150 Fall River, Mass.,Local 1499members who operate theGeneral Cable factory inManchester,N.H., helped the company score a top10 ranking in IndustryWeek’s 2008list of best plants nationwide.

“It’s very nice to have gottenthe award,” said Local 1499Business Manager Mike Perry. “Itreally shows the kind of quality workthat a union team can produce.”

Workers at the plantmake elec-tronic cable andwiring for use insecurity systems, professional audio/visualmarkets and other areas. Perrycredits themembers’ improved labor-management relationswith healing arift between the bargaining unit andthe company.While arbitrations andgrievances used to be routine,General Cable brought in newman-agement four years ago, yielding “a100 percent turnaround in labor rela-tions,” Perry said. “They’ve shown theIBEWmembers a lot of respect.”

Workers are now gettingmoreadvanced training and are allowedmore autonomy to run their equip-ment than in years past, a develop-ment that Perry says is helping the

company remain successful despitedecades of decline in themanufac-turing sector. Productivity is up.Waste—especially expensive cop-per—is down. Even with the recenteconomic tailspin, the company isgettingmore orders than it has in twoyears, and employeemorale is high.

“The whole plant is on board,”said Second District InternationalRepresentative John Faria, who col-laborated with Perry to improve work-ing conditions at General Cable. “Ourmembers are really ensuring thatquality workmanship contributes tosuccess for everyone.”

Company brass is impressedwith the IBEWmembers’ output.“One of the keys for us to stay com-petitive is to have a great work force,”said PlantManager Paul Furtado.“Our union employees here really getit—they understand that change iswhat you need to stay viable in theindustry. They were instrumental inus receiving this prestigious honor.”

About 350 applicants were inthe running for Industry Week’sawards. The magazine rated plantsaccording to quality, customer rela-tions abilities, employee participa-tion, new technology application,environmental and safety standardsand other criteria. The Manchesterfactory also won the company’s2007 Plant of the Year award.

South Bend, Ind., Local 153Business Manager Mike Compton,left, presents award to journeymanwireman Frank Emery for savingthe life of Cindee Goodling.

IBEWOnDuty

MarylandWiremanAnswers the Call

For Rich Karge, freedom and service go hand in hand. An ArmyNationalGuardsman since he turned 18, the Cumberland,Md., Local 307memberstepped up to volunteer for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief and servedan eight-month tour in Kuwait at CampDoha—themain hub for newly-arriv-ing troops during the earlier days of the war in Afghanistan.

InMay, Karge got the call again. Thismonth, the journeymanwiremanships out to Iraqwith the 115thWest Virginia ArmyNational Guard to put hisIBEWskills to the test in combat zones. His knowledge of cable splicing,transformer and panel terminating and other taskswill be valuable assetsas he helpsmaintain infrastructure stability at variousU.S. bases over thenext year.

“For me, my biggest thing is my freedom,” Karge says. “I’m willingto do whatever it takes to protect my country. I’m proud to go.”

At 27, Karge has impressive military, educational, volunteer and workcredentials. He found that with his busy service schedule, pursuing a col-lege degree to become an electrical engineer wasn’t exactly feasible. “I

also knew that sitting behind a deskwasn’tgoing to bemy thing,” Karge said. So heentered the IBEW apprenticeship program in2003, topping out last year.

“The union was great about giving metime to catch up on my coursework while Ivolunteered in Louisiana after Katrina,”Karge said. His instructors worked with himto ensure that he wouldn’t be delayed anextra year for taking time out to performnational service. “I appreciate everything mylocal has done for me.”

Karge said he’s also grateful for theemergency leave time he’ll take in August when his wife Ashley givesbirth to the couple’s first child. “We’ll do whatever we can to help Richand Ashley during this time of separation,” said Local 307 BusinessManager Rich Carder. “He’s been an asset to our local and to the IBEW,and we pray for his safe return.” �

Local 307 memberRich Karge

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Page 7: The Electrical Worker July 2009

T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u l y 2 0 09 7

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

Kentucky-basedGeneral Cableoperates 46 sites in 23 countries, withannual revenues clearing $6 billion. �

Union Constructors ElectNewPresident

Robert W.Santillo waselected presi-dent of theAssociation ofUnion Construc-tors at the

group’s leadership conference inMay.In his acceptance speech, he

called on union contractors to workwith industrial business owners andlabor leaders to create a new set ofaction plans for business in thismodern world.

“We have entered a challengingera…an era in which union construc-tion needs to rise from the ashes ofa reduced market share and reclaimits dominant position in the mar-ket,” Santillo said. “If we act strate-gically, this could be the beginningof a millennial era of union mainte-nance and construction.”

Santillo is president of BeaverFalls, Pa., -basedMcCarl’s Inc. andhasmore than 30 years of experiencein themechanical contracting,main-tenance and fabrication fields. He hasbeen an activemember of the associ-ation formore than 20 years, and hasserved in a variety of capacities on theboard of directors. TAUC itself consistsofmore than 2,500 union contractors,local union contractor associationsand vendors in the industrialmainte-nance and construction field.

A graduate of Clarion University,Santillo has anMBA from Duquesne

University. He is also a graduate ofthe Small CompanyManagementprogram at Harvard University. �

TennesseeWiremenServeDisabled IraqVeteran

Formembers of Nashville, Tenn., Local429, brotherhood doesn’t stop at theunion hall or on the job site. Scores ofmembers spent nearly twomonthshelpingwith the local’s “Volunteersfor Veterans” program,wiring a newwheelchair-accessible house for dis-abledNational GuardsmanSgt. KevinDowns, whowas seriously injuredwhile serving in Iraq in 2005.

“I’m excited that so manymembers in our local stepped up tohelp a hero in need,” said Local 429Business Manager Bobby Emery.

Local 429members provided allof the wiring for the house, includingclose-to-the-ground outlets, a high-tech security system, outside lightsand a special shower.

“This projectwas one of thegreatest things I’ve takenpart in as aunionmember,” said Local 429mem-ber Larry Parnell, who lives close toDowns’ family in KingstonSprings—about 20miles southwest of Nashville.A superintendentwith BroadwayElectricCo., Parnell usedhis businessconnections to drumupabout$8,000in donatedmaterials from local con-tractors and electrical supply houses.Parnell also coordinated thewiringjob,which yieldednearly 400man-hours of volunteered union expertise.

“Everyone was happy to help aman who gave so much for his coun-try,” Parnell said.

Downs’ newhomewas finishedinMay, and hemoved in lastmonth. �

www.ibew.orgFrom breaking news to video news stories, ourupdatedWeb site has information not availableanywhere else.

IBEW on the Huffington PostInternational President Edwin D. Hill has a newblog on the Huffington Post. Read it monthly atwww.huffingtonpost.com.

IBEW on TwitterPresident Hill has joined the latest socialnetworking scene. Find out what’s on his mind athttp://twitter.com/IBEW_IP.

YouTubeThe IBEW has its own channel on YouTube,devoted exclusively to videos about theIBEW and its members.www.youtube.com/user/theelectricalworker.

HourPowerThis week on the IBEW’sonline videomagazine,Labor Secretary Hilda Solistells us why IBEW labor isvital to the future ofAmerica’s economy.www.ibewhourpower.com.

ElectricTVAs America looks to us for leadership onrebuilding the nation’s electrical grid, theNECA-IBEW team is more than ready totake on our part of the work. electricTV.net.

IBEWMEDIAWORLD

In addition to your monthly issue of TheElectrical Worker, check out the wealth ofIBEW-related information in cyberspace.

OrganizingWire

KansasTreeTrimmersGoUnion

Aaron Fullerton was happy enoughworking as a nonunion line clear-ance tree trimmer with Asplundh.But when the company abruptlydecided last November to ax healthbenefits for Fullerton and his co-workers, the married father of twodecided to phone the IBEW.

“I knew that the union wouldgo to bat for us,” Fullerton said.He’d been an IBEWmember for 10years with Wichita, Kan., Local 1523starting in 1993, but he later begandoing nonunion work closer to hishome in El Dorado—about 30 milesnortheast of Wichita.

In February, Fullerton and hisco-workers voted 4-0 in a NationalLabor Relations Board-supervisedelection for representation withLocal 1523. “The company didn’t putup too much of a fight,” Fullertonsaid. “It wasn’t a real hard sell.” Theworkers hope that a contract willhelp mitigate the $500 in healthcare coverage fees each worker isnow getting hit with every month.

“Health care is incrediblyexpensive when workers are payingfor it out of their own pockets,” saidLocal 1523 Business Manager MervWiltshire. While Wiltshire agreesthat the company didn’t appear touse any union-busting tactics priorto the NLRB vote, “I still see a poten-tially hard fight ahead at the bar-gaining table,” he said.

Wiltshire is also working oncollective bargaining agreementsfor Asplundh units in the cities ofCoffeyville and Winfield and ButlerCounty who recently voted for IBEWrepresentation. His goal is to getthe company to accept a patternagreement that would streamlinenegotiations.

Whether or not Asplundhpushes back at the table, Fullertonalready sees benefits for himselfand his co-workers.

“I feel a lot more secure know-ing I have some backing from theunion,” Fullerton said. “Before, youcould complain about problems onthe job but there was nothing youcould really do to solve them. I’m ina much better situation now beingback with the IBEW.” �Nashville, Tenn., Local 429 members donated labor to wire a wounded

warrior’s new home.

Page 8: The Electrical Worker July 2009

Local Lines

8 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u l y 2 0 09

RetiredOfficerMournedL.U. 1 (as,c,ees,ei,em,es, et,fm,i,mt,rts,s,se,spa,st&ws), ST. LOUIS,MO—With regret Local 1 announcesthe passing of retired former businessmanager DonBresnan. Bro. Bresnan passed awayApril 1 atSt.Anthony’sMedical Center. Hewas 78. The burial washeld at Jefferson BarracksNational Cemetery.

After serving in the KoreanWar, Bro. Bresnanwas initiated as amember of Local 1 in 1946. He ini-tially worked in production and the residential indus-try, and became a journeymanwireman in 1968. Donserved Local 1 tirelessly in numerous capacities,including as Examining Boardmember, recordingsecretary and business representative. He was busi-nessmanager from 1978 until his retirement in 1994.He devoted his energy to themembers and their fam-ilies, dedicating his life to Local 1. Don’s charismaand passion for Local 1 and itsmembers will foreverbe remembered.

We mourn the following members’ deaths:Frank D. Feldewerth, Donald G. Woolwine, LeonardC. Hagedorn, Rosario Pagano, Lee Roy L. Sander,Jerry C. Simpson, Samuel Tessler, Alfonso Vigna,Donald J. Bresnan, Jerry E. Linneman, Harold V.Krueger, Arthur E. Huether, Norman E. Eisenmann,Donald M. Hoenemeyer, Ronald H. Burckhart, AmosK. Meyer, Kelly A. O’Leary, Paul W. Powers, MichaelA. Johnson, Edward F. Schira.

Matt Gober, P.S.

Picnic&GolfOutingL.U. 9 (catv,govt,lctt,o&u),CHICAGO, IL—Itwas a fullhousewhen Local 9 celebrated the newest retiredmembers at our annual ‘OldTimers’ party. TheApril 3party held inCountryside, IL, drewover 1,000mem-bers, friends and guests to the traditional Harrington’scornedbeef and cabbagedinner. Those in attendancehelped raisemore than$1,700 for Komen for theCure,a breast cancer awarenessprogram.

The Local 9 golf outing is Aug. 8. Get your four-some together and call the hall to sign up. The out-ing always sells out so get your reservations.

Our family picnic will be Sept. 12 at MillerMeadow in Maywood. Make sure you attend thisgreat family outing. Food, music and fun are guaran-teed for all.

Local 9 hopes Chicago will be selected as hostcity for the 2016 Summer Olympics. TheInternational OlympicCommittee will announce thehost city in October. Hosting the Olympics wouldopen many jobs for Local 9 and all the other IBEWlocals in the Chicago area if our city is picked.

John Conroy, Pres.

TownHallMeetingL.U. 11 (i,rts&spa), LOS ANGELES, CA—U.S. Secretaryof Labor Hilda Solis attended a town hall meeting,on “America’s Veterans and the Jobs They Deserve,”held in Los Angeles at Union Station. The event washosted by the Los Angeles County Federation ofLabor, AFL-CIO. Local 11 members and staff as well asmore than 1,000 trade unionists attended. Local 11Bus. Mgr. Marvin P. Kropke, a decorated Vietnam vet-eran himself, addressed the gathering.

The District 4 Organizing Committee cele-brated six years of service to the local with refresh-ments served after the Unit 4 meeting. Severalmembers displayed their union pin collections.

The organizing department has five bannercrews targeting Land Mark Electric projects through-out Los Angeles, in a campaign to inform the publicand customers that Land Mark Electric pays lessthan area standard wages and benefits to itsnonunion employees.

Thanks to members who volunteer at variousfunctions. Your dedication is appreciated and weare proud of the work you do.

Bob Oedy, P.S.

Happy Fourth of JulyL.U. 15 (u), DOWNERS GROVE, IL—OnMay 1, we cele-brated our 15-year anniversary since amalgamationof former System Council U-25 into Local 15.

During threeweeks in April, ourmembersemployed atMidwestGeneration PowertonStationparticipated on a “RebuildingTogether” project andcompletely rehabilitated a home in the Peoria area.The company suppliedmaterials; the employees,management and union alike donated themanpower.

On April 28, Local 15 participated in a WorkersMemorial Day event in Rockford. More than 150

gathered to remember those killed or injured on thejob. Bro. Alex Collazo, who died Dec. 9, 2008, washonored at the ceremony.

Like most electric utilities, ComEd EnergyDelivery has experienced a sharp decline in newbusiness work. Through negotiations and discus-sions, plans were agreed upon that redeployed ourmembers to other departments needing extraemployees. We hope work soon picks up to keepour members employed. The company is scheduledto begin a “pilot program of smart meters” in latefall. We are discussing with the company how tobest use our members to install and maintain thenewmeters and associated infrastructure.

The recently established Local 15 IBEWScholarship Award Fund for members and theirfamilies was approved by the membership at Aprilunit meetings. Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dean Apple is nam-ing a Selection Committee. Awards winners will beannounced soon.

Ronald V. Welte, P.S.

MobilizationSeminarL.U. 21 (catv,govt&t), DOWNERSGROVE, IL—Stewardsandmobilization coordinators attended a two-dayseminar to prepare for upcoming contract negotia-tions with AT&T. They received training in preparationfor what are sure to be our toughest negotiations inyears. The seminar was highlighted by a visit fromInt. Pres. Edwin D. Hill and Telecommunications Dir.Martha Pultar. Local 21 Bus. Mgr./Pres. Ron Kastnerannounced a historic agreement was reached withother IBEW locals currently representing “LegacyT”AT&Tmembers. Those locals changed their contracts’expiration dates tomatch our expiration date of June27, 2009. Working with these locals and the IBEWInternational, Local 21 was also able to get AT&T toagree to nationwide bargaining.

Our stewards and mobilization coordinatorsleft the seminar fired up with the tools to educatemembers on the issues which their employer is

expected to attack during bargaining. Our unionand the System Council T-3 stand united. We’re “setto talk and ready to walk.”

Bro.SteveYatsushiro, anAT&Temployee, shopsteward, activist and leaderwasnamedbyour IBEWInternational as awinner and co-recipient of the 2008FoundersScholarship.We recognizeBro. Yatsushiro forhis activism, leadership, broad vision and rock-solidworkethic.We are proudSteve is a Local 21 brother.

Thomas Hopper, P.S.

FundDrive for FamilyL.U. 23 (u), ST. PAUL, MN—As a result of an initiativestarted by IBEW Local 23 Pres. Tim Block, a funddrive was started to benefit the late Bro. AndyReichwein’s wife and daughter. Andy, a lineman forConnexus Energy and a member of Local 160, diedon the job while he was working to restore powerduring the big winter ice storm that hit Kentucky.[See June 2009 Electrical Worker, pg. 12.] Anamount of $2,000 was collected from Xcel Energyemployees. We hope this will help the familythrough this extremely difficult time.

Bruce Ohmann, P.S.

Local HonorsMembersL.U. 37 (em,o&u), FREDERICTON,NEWBRUNSWICK,CANADA—Formore than 20 years, IBEWLocal 37 hashelped support charitable organizations in a very spe-cial way. Each time aunionmember or a closememberof their family passes away, Local 37makes a charita-ble donation to theCanadianDiabetesAssociation inthe deceased’s name. In 2008, the uniondonatedover$1,100 to theCanadianDiabetesAssociation inmemory of those lost. The regional office of theDiabetesAssociation recently acknowledged Local 37’skindness and support. [See photo, pg. 9.]

Ross Galbraith, B.M.

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

IBEW Local 11 Bus. Mgr. Marvin Kropkeapplauds U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis,who is speaking at a town hall meeting inLos Angeles.

Local 21 Bus. Mgr./Pres.Ronald E. Kastner(second from left) thanksInt. Pres. Edwin D. Hill forhis inspiring speech atthe Local 21 MobilizationSeminar. At right is Asst.Bus. Mgr. Gerald Gast.

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

September Events PlannedL.U. 41 (em,es,govt,i,se&spa), BUFFALO, NY—Congratulations to another graduating class of jour-neyman wiremanmembers. It’s amazing how fastfive years go by. I thank all our instructors for theirtime and dedication given to our apprentices.

Wehavebeenbusynegotiating new contracts inrecentmonths forNiagaraTransformer, BuffaloNews,InsideWireman’sAgreement and awage re-opener forthe ResidentialWireman’sAgreement. Hopefully bythe time this is printed, everythingwill be complete.

At the April meeting, the membership votedoverwhelmingly to adopt the CW/CE classificationsinto our bylaws. We hope this will be a tool our con-tractors can use to put our members on more jobsthat we are not currently working on.

On Sept. 12, the annual outing will be held atthe VFW Post #8113 (the Chicken Coop) in WestSeneca, NY. Also, the Annual Charity Golf Outing tobenefit Mercy Flight will be held Sept. 19 at TheLinks at Ivy Ridge in Akron, NY. More information onboth these events will be provided in the future.

Onbehalf of our officers and staff, I wish all ourmembers and their families a happyand safe summer.

Anthony S. Coppola, B.M./F.S.

St. Patrick’sDay FloatL.U. 43 (em,i&rts), SYRACUSE, NY—Work hasimproved slightly for the membership. Some stimu-lus money and early school work has started tomove Book I. Unfortunately at this time the workpicture in Local 43 doesn’t look as bright for ourtraveling brothers and sisters. If we do get into BookII, it would be late July or August.

In March our apprentice classes were issued achallenge for the annual Syracuse St. Patrick’s Dayparade. They were asked to construct a float andparticipate. Well, they were certainly up to the chal-lenge. One young man proudly wore his tam, vestand full kilt as he and his wife pushed their childahead of our float. With over 50 members, spousesand children participating it was a glorious day! Afull gallery of pictures can be viewed on our Website www.ibew43.org.

Jim Corbett, P.S.

Bus. Rep. Peterson RetiresL.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,rtb,t&u),SPRINGFIELD, IL—Bus.Rep. Tom Peterson hasannounced his retirement.Bro. Peterson, a Vietnamveteran, was initiated intoLocal 51 on Sept. 1, 1972,as an employee of IllinoisPower Company inLaSalle. After serving hisapprenticeship, Tombecame a journeymanlineman on July 16, 1982, aposition he held until join-ing the staff of Local 51 in

January 1998. As a staff member, in addition to hisrepresentational duties where he served themem-bership well, Bro. Peterson was instrumental inorganizing several municipalities in the local’snorthern jurisdiction.

On behalf of the staff and membership ofIBEW Local 51, I would like to thank Tom for his serv-ice to our Brotherhood and wish him a long, healthyand well-deserved retirement.

As of this writing, our work scene remainsslow with 14 journeyman linemen on Book 1 and 46on Book 2. Hopefully when summer arrives, ourwork picture will improve.

Remember, brothers and sisters, to work safe,give eight hours’ work for eight hours’ pay and attendyour unionmeetings for this is where it all begins.

In Solidarity,

Dan Pridemore, Pres.

Report onNegotiationsL.U. 111 (em,govt,lctt,mt,o,,rtb,spa&u), DENVER, CO—PSCO (Xcel Energy) general negotiations came to anabrupt end on April 29 when, during a sidebar withJonathan Adelman, Xcel Energy director, HR BusinessConsulting &Workforce Relations, he gave the unionan ultimatum to either agree with the company’s con-

cessions (over $9.6million), or negotiations wereover. Bus. Mgr. Michael Byrd would not agree tothese concessions and insisted the processmove tofederal mediation for resolution. This is a result of thecompany’s continual stalling and surface bargainingduring the negotiations process. At this writing, fed-eral mediation was scheduled forMay 27, 2009.

On a positive note, 19 tentative agreementswere earlier reached between the parties.

Dennis Z. LeTurgez, P.S.

ColoradoSprings LocalGoesSolarL.U. 113 (catv,ees,em,i,mo&o), COLORADOSPRINGS,CO—With completion of its rooftop solar panel proj-ect onMarch 26, IBEW Local 113 took a bold step intothe 21st century. The Astralux system, which consistsof 144 Sharp solar modules and three DCpowerinverters, is now the largest solar generating systemconnected to the Colorado Springs Utilities grid.

AstraluxEnvironmentalSolutions is aBoulder-based company that helps individuals andbusinessesassess the process of implementing solar power.Sharp solar products are nowbeingmade, by IBEWmembers, in a clean factory inMemphis,Tennessee.

Ours is a direct use system,whichmeans thatpower is used as it is generated. Unlike other systems,whichmayalso store createdpower in battery banks,ours ismore directly suited for businesses—wheremost of the energy consumption occurs during the day.

After an immediate $93,330 rebate, throughthe Colorado Springs Utilities Renewable EnergyRebate Program, the project cost Local 113 members$164,226. While this seems like a lot, for theamount of time it could take for the system to payfor itself, there is no telling what the benefit couldbe down the road—both for contractors and Local113 members, who we hope will be installing a lotmore of these systems in the future.

Joe Collins, P.S.

2009Scheduled EventsL.U. 125 (lctt,o,t&u), PORTLAND,OR—The local hasavarietyof eventsandeducational opportunitiesavail-able this year. Please contact the IBEWLocal 125busi-nessoffice at (503) 262-9125 foradditional information.

July 25: Bring your family for a day of competi-tion, food, and fun—join us in Gresham, OR, for the16th Pacific Northwest Lineman’s Rodeo.

Aug. 14: Join us in Bend, OR, for our annualtournament to benefit the Oregon Burn Center.

Aug. 15-16: Please join us for another family-friendly weekend of softball during our annual two-day tournament in Bend, OR.

Sept. 19: Career Development—Howmanymembers have considered applying for other posi-tions but didn’t because of concerns about résumésand interviews? Join us at the IBEW Local 125 businessoffice to get practical interviewing experience andwalk awaywith the tools to build an effective résumé.

Nov. 7: AdvancedShopSteward Training—Thiscourse will focus on investigations and preparing forarbitration. To learnmore about the investigationprocess and logic behind determining which griev-ances will be pursued via arbitration, plan on attend-ing this course at the IBEW Local 125 business office.

Marcy Putman, P.S.

‘RebuildingTogether’L.U. 153 (em,i,rtb,rts,se,spa&st), SOUTH BEND, IN—April 18 was the 21st annual Rebuilding Togetherevent, a community-based volunteer effort to pro-vide needed home repairs and upgrades. The proj-ect is a partnership among the University of NotreDame, the City of South Bend and the St. JosephValley Building & Construction Trades. More than 40IBEW Local 153 members and retirees volunteeredto upgrade and rewire homes in South Bend’s RiverPark community. Local 153 has been active in thisgreat project since its inception. Last fall to cele-brate the 20th anniversary of Rebuilding Together inSouth Bend, the area building trades did a rebuildof two homes for retired building trades members.

Local 51 Bus. Rep.Tom Petersonannounced hisretirement.

Canadian Diabetes Association RegionalDir. Jake Reid (left) thanks IBEW Local 37Bus. Mgr. Ross Galbraith for the union’ssupport in 2008. Local 37 represents morethan 2,100 New Brunswick workers in avariety of fields including utilities,broadcasting and administration.

Local 43 members and officers assemble for the St. Patrick’s Dayparade in Syracuse, NY. Among those shown are Pres. Don Morgan(front row, right) and Executive Board members Jim Corbett (frontrow, third from right) and Al Marzullo (front row, fifth from right).

IBEW Local 111 PSCO Negotiating Committee.

At IBEW Local 153’s first HELP Committee Chili Cook-Off, contestants and taste testers are joined by guest speaker U.S. Rep.Joe Donnelly (back row center, white shirt).

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Local 153 was founded April 21, 1914. Werecently held a banquet to celebrate our 95thanniversary. More than 600 people attended and76 retired members were guests of honor. Guestspeaker U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly congratulated thelocal and reaffirmed his support for blue-collarworking families and the Employee Free Choice Act.

In February, the Local 153 HELP Committeeheld its first annual Chili Cook-Off. Chris Wilson wonthe prize for best chili. The fundraiser brought inover $1,300 to help our members when a time ofneed arises. Thanks to all who helped make thisand other union events a success!

Troy D. Warner, B.R.

July ActivitiesScheduledL.U. 159 (i), MADISON, WI—Although the work pic-ture has shown improvement from last summer, weare far from where we would like to be in getting allour members back to work. It has been a very diffi-cult economy for all of us. Hopefully better days areahead for all our brothers and sisters.

We do have some things to look forward to inJuly. On July 12 we will have our annual “IBEW Day attheMallards.” TheMallards are our local semi-probaseball team. Baseball and hotdogs; what could be

better? Also, on July 18, we will have our annualSuchomanScholarship Golf Outing. Proceeds helpus to offer a full one-year college scholarship to aLocal 159member or an immediate family member.

Happy 4th of July! We hope the remainder of2009 brings a better work outlook for all of us.

Joel Kapusta, B.A.

IBEWLifeSaving EffortsL.U. 191 (c,i,mo,rtb&st), EVERETT, WA—In MosesLake, WA, on March 17 the quick thinking of MarkDavis, an IBEW Local 280 member, may have savedhis tool partner’s life. Bro. Davis and Bro. RobertScoggins, from Local 291, were working as travelerson a Local 191 job with RECSilicon Inc. When Robertsuffered a heart attack on the job, Mark remem-bered the nitroglycerine pills Robert carried and putthem under his tongue, then administered CPR.Thanks to Mark’s heroic efforts, Robert is at homewith his family enjoying a second chance at life.

On April 30 and May 1 the LMCChosted a part-nering meeting with IBEW and NECA at the new,union-built Tulalip Casino Hotel. The meetingincluded input from participants including appren-tices, journeymen, foremen, general foreman, busi-ness reps, organizers, the JATC, and small and big

contractors. We all learned that to be successful wemust promote cooperative and mutually beneficialworking relationships. The partnering involved com-mon objectives, shared risk taking, mutual respect,trust and a team approach. The meeting adjourneda success with new tools to build a stronger workingrelationship. Thanks to all who attended to advancethe future of our industry together.

Work has been slow. Thanks again for all thetravelers’ help.

Robert De Velder, P.S.

Groundbreaking for NewHallL.U. 193 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u),SPRINGFIELD, IL—ThenewLocal 193 unionhall groundwasbroken onMay 15.Thenewhall will house the administrative offices, trainingfacility andmeeting room.

Our work scene has 80 on the Inside Book 1and 300 on Book 2.

The new City Water, Light & Power DallmanUnit 4 and Dallman Unit 1 rebuilds are progressingto their goals.

Local 193 thanks TomSchafer and the appren-tices who are rewiring and updating the ComputerBank, a great charity that our local supports.

Habitat for Humanity has four houses to bewired. The Local 193 contractors are: Carmean Electric,Egizii Electric, B&B Electric, and Lewis Electric. Thanksto all memberswho participate.

The apprentice party was heldMay 30 at TheAnchor Boat Club. Graduating this spring were 14from the Inside apprenticeship, six from theCityWater, Light & Power apprenticeship, two Residentialapprentice graduates, and oneTelecommunicationsapprentice graduate. Congratulations to all.

Local 193 extends condolences to families of thefollowing brotherswho passed away: Donald Arnold,WilliamHeaden, JohnHofman,Seymour Jones,Willard A. Prewitt, Ovid Reed and RobertSmith.

Don Hudson, P.S.

ApprenticeGraduatesL.U. 197 (em&i), BLOOMINGTON, IL—Congratulationsto our newest class of journeymen and residentialwiremen graduates. We topped out another class offuture leaders. [See photo, above.] Tim Kubiak tookthe highest GPA for the inside class andClint Johnsontook top honors in the residential class. Each wasawarded a new set of Klein hand tools.

The Wal-Mart on the west side of Bloomingtonchose to do a remodel using nonunion, out-of-townworkers. Thanks to all who showed up at Wal-Marton May 2 to protest the company for not using IBEWand other union trades. Please do not shop at the

Wal-Marts of the world and persuade your familyand friends likewise.

Twomembers, KurtNeuleib and FrankHarold,are currently serving inAfghanistan. Bypress time,SeanTibbs, a second yearTeledata apprentice, willalso be serving inAfghanistan.Thanks to these threebrothers for keeping us safe backhome. Let’s keepthem in our thoughts andprayers and look forward toseeing themon the job again as soon aspossible.[Please watch for an “IBEW on Duty” article in anupcoming Electrical Worker.]

Take pride in your local union; get involved!

Mike Raikes, P.S.

Missouri SkillsUSAL.U. 257 (em,i,rtb,rts,spa&t), JEFFERSONCITY,MO—Local 257 retirees and volunteers helped organize andjudge contests inmotor control, residential wiring, con-duit bending, andVDV for students fromacross thestate at a recentMissouriSkillsUSAeventhostedbyLinnStateTechnicalCollege.SkillsUSAhelps studentsdevelop technical and leadership skills for futurework.Local 257Asst. Bus.Mgr. JimWinemiller visitedwiththe electrical contestants to inform themaboutbene-fits of IBEWapprenticeship andmembership. Local257 thanks the retirees for their assistance.

Our Local 257 telephone members atCenturyTel received big news last fall about theproposed merger of CenturyTel and Embarq. Themerger will create one of the biggest communica-tions companies in the United States and willaffect 8 million lines in 33 states. Talks will be heldthis fall between CenturyTel/Embarq and our localtelephone members concerning the merger and

Local 197 officers, JATC director and instructors congratulate new journeymen. Back row, fromleft: graduates Sam Nichols, Will Hancock, Brandon Baker, John Altop, Travis Dulaney, ChrisCarlson, Luke Brown, Clint Johnson and Dustin Epperson; and Instructor Eric Post. Front row,from left: Instructor Dale Glasscock; graduates Brian Simmons, Craig Riddle, Kevin Revels, TimKubiak, Steve Johnson and Josh Scaggs; JATC Dir. Renée Riddle; and Bus. Mgr. Lance Reece.

Local 257 retirees and volunteers attendSkillsUSA event. From left, back row, are:Kenny Schulte, Herman Grothoff,Bob Kauffman, Jerry Rehagen and TrainingDir. Rick Stokes; front row, Steve Kloepel,Emil Fisher, Doyle Maupin and JohnO’Bannon. Local 257 retirees and volunteerswho also attended but are not picturedinclude: Herb Bruemmer, John Sullivan, RonMartin, Mike Cave, J.R. Taggart and Jim Breid.

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

new contract. Stay informed and join preparationsfor contract negotiations in the fall.

At this writing our work picture is still a littleslow. We are awaiting a couple of big projects to bidout and local economic plans to be voted on formore projects to be released.

Remember the Local 257 picnic Sept. 19 atRiverside Park in Jefferson City.

Support your local unions, so we can keep ourunion strong.

Ryan Buschjost, P.S.

Solar Training AdvancesL.U. 313 (i&spa), WILMINGTON, DE—With the work sit-uation slow, the Local 313 JATChas had a tremendousturnout for solar training classes. The Local 313 solartraining curriculumwas accepted by theState ofDelaware as continuing education credits to get onthe state’s Solar “Preferred Bidder” list. [Please seearticle on “IBEW Green-Job Training Facilities Aroundthe Country …” and the success of our local’s “greenenergy” advances on pg. 4 of this issue.]

Welcome home to Bro. Chris Panico, a U.S. AirForce staff sergeant and second-year IBEW insideapprentice. Bro. Panico was deployed during the win-ter of 2009 in Southeast Asia. His duties includedoperating heavy equipment, convoys, constructionand electrical work. We thankBro. Panico for servingour country and representing IBEW Local 313 withhonor. [Please watch for “IBEW on Duty” story in anupcoming Electrical Worker.]

Thank you to Bro. Eric Lewis and EntertainmentCommittee members for making the Shrimp Feast ahuge success. Thanks also to the Feby’s Restaurantstaff. Food and refreshments were excellent andbrotherhood was in full force.

Robert MacLennan, P.S.

WindTurbineTrainingL.U. 343 (i,spa&st), LE SUEUR, MN—Nearly 35,000wind turbines are scheduled to be constructed inthe Midwest through 2012. Local 343 memberswant to be trained and capable in the constructionof these wind turbines. As a result, local memberscommitted $50,000 to the construction of a windturbine training facility. Consistent safety practicesand construction techniques are part of the five-daytraining session. Local 343 is working to obtain cer-tification for our Wind Turbine Safety Program. Thistraining will give our local members an edge whencompeting for wind turbine jobs.

Phil Heim, P.S.

AFL-CIOWinterMeetingL.U. 349 (em,i,mps,rtb,spa&u), MIAMI, FL—OnMarch 3, our local union hall was full of excitement.

AFL-CIO Pres. John J. Sweeney and the AFL-CIOExecutive Council held the council’s annual wintermeeting at the IBEW Local 349 hall. More than 40labor union presidents serving on the AFL-CIOExecutive Council addressed vital aspects of revivingthe nation’s economy for working families includinggood jobs, health care reform, strengthening socialsecurity and revising the nation’s trade practices. Thecouncil also discussed the Employee Free Choice Act.

A guest speaker at the council meeting wasU.S. Labor Sec. Hilda Solis. IBEW Int. Pres. Edwin D.Hill invited AFL-CIO Pres. John J. Sweeney and LaborSec. Solis to visit our IBEW Apprentice TrainingCenter. Our apprentices demonstrated work theyare learning at the training center.

On a different note, the Local 349 children’sEaster party was fun for all and had a mediumturnout. Thanks to the Entertainment Committee fortheir hard work.

Remember to attend union meetings andmake our local strong.

Frank Albury, P.S./Exec. Bd.

2008RetireesHonoredL.U. 351 (c,cs,i,it,lctt,mt,o,se,spa&t), FOLSOM, NJ—Congratulations to all our members who retired in2008. The newly retired members were honored atour April general union meeting and received IBEWwatches. [See photo, top right.]

The 2008 retirees are: Kenneth J. Bailey, KennethE. Ballard, Andrew J. Becker, Timothy L. Berry, GeorgeS.Cade,StephenM.Campbell,WilliamColclough,Michael J. Dicamillo, Jeffrey E.Garton, EdwardC.Gore,George J. Haughey, Edward L. Hayes, Larry L. Johnson,JosephKnechtSr., GeorgeH. Kyle, Dennis Laspata,Michael P.Martin,StephenH.Martin, NormanMinner,JosephP.McGahn, Herbert R.Monroe, VincentA. Perla,RobertS. Pluta,GregoryW. Price, Roger Riggins, ErnestRoswell, RichardW. Ruiz,MarkS.Sainsott, Stewart

Scheaffer, Richard L.Smith, RobertV.Spangler, JeffreyA.Stahl andHarold J. Vanderslice.

Please remember to stay active in the local andparticipate in our unionmeetings and functions.

Daniel Cosner, P.S.

Graduating Class of 2009L.U. 357 (c,i,mt&se), LAS VEGAS, NV—Congratulations to the graduating class of 2009.

Insidewiremen graduates are: ShawnAddison,Gregory Allen, JosephAllen, RandyAlvarez, RichardAnderson,WilliamAsche, Jonathan Baker, LeonardBanks Jr., JeremyBarnes,Michael Becherer, DinaBechtlofft, Michael Berger, David Bevers, BrianBradway, Joseph Brewster, Roberto Brooks, ThomasBrown, Brien Burley, Scott Butler, SalvadorCampos,MarcusCarlisle, SabinaCarr, IanCook, JenniferCraig,LeotaCripe,Meylin Davila, Renato Diaz,MatthewEddy, Jess Ellingson,Michael Fisher, Carlton Ford,Nathan Forgach, RoyGallegos, GeraldGrazzini, JazonHampton, Richard Howard, Anthony Irvey, NicholasJerram, James Kauffman, Kenneth Kieffer, KennethKimble, LauraleeMallory, SinisaMandic,MatthewMarch,MarkMason Jr., BrettMathews, DanaMcGuine, KevinMiller, AntonioMims, RonaldMorgan,ErikMozur, JaredMuffoletto, PatrickO’Brien, StephenOdgers, David Padilla Jr., Nicholas Pesce, Erich Pilotzi,Berman Porras, Christopher Rabben, Debra Rieser,Todd Riskovitch, JosephScott, DallasSewell, JeffSillman, GregorySimpson, Arnold DuaneSlater,NicholasSnyder, KarenSolomon, Theresa Stafford,Mark Stromer, Leslie Sweet,Joseph Thomas, MatthewTodd, Jeremy Traylor, JasonWeigel, Lenny Wight, WayneWilliams, Arthur Wilson,David Worth, DavidYokoyama, Travis York andJason Zwart.

Installer/techniciangraduates are: Edgardo Ayala,Carola Billmyer, CarleneCurtin, Gilor Gepes, MarcialPerez, Bobby Pierson, DavidRomero, AhmedSennain,Alexander Snyder, Brett Uferand Jeff Yates.

Tim Bolton, P.S.

InstrumentationTrainingL.U. 363 (catv,em,govt,i,t,u&ws),NEWCITY,NY—Local363 is fortunate tohaveseveral largemanufacturingclients includingpharmaceutical andelectronicchipmanufacturingplants.Amajor requirement from theseclients is instrument calibration. Local 363hasanEPRI-certified lab forboth EPRI Level 1 andEPRI Level 2 train-ing aswell as two certified instrumentation instructors.

Due to our superior classroom and hands-ontraining, our clients have been employing more andmore of Local 363’s instrumentation techniciansand replacing their own on-site techs with ours.This is a true testament to our business manager,training director, instructors, and brothers and sis-ters who have attended and passed these intenseinstrumentation courses.

Timothy Poulin, P.S.

Retirement PartyL.U. 391 (u), GADSDEN, AL—Local 391 held a retire-ment party March 17 for recent retirees. The retireeswere presented with an IBEW wristwatch or pocketwatch, depending on the recipient’s choice, as atoken of appreciation for their loyal and dedicatedIBEW service. Local 391 Bus. Mgr./Pres. AlanWagnon and special guest Fifth District Int. Rep.William J. “Joe” Pledger presented the watches. Wewish all our brothers well on their retirement.

Kerry Gowens, R.S.

IBEW Local 343 members train for apotential wind tower rescue situation.

IBEW Int. Pres. Edwin D. Hill (right) joinslabor leaders and U.S. Labor Sec. Hilda Solis,who visited the IBEW Local 349 ApprenticeTraining Center. From left are: AFL-CIO Pres.John J. Sweeney, IBEW Int. Sec.-Treas. LindellK. Lee, Labor Sec. Solis, Local 349 Bus. Mgr.William Riley and Pres. Hill.

Local 351 Bus. Mgr.Ed Gant (front row,fourth from left) andPres. Bill Hosey (backrow, second from left)congratulate recentlyretired membershonored at Aprilgeneral meeting.

Local 357 apprentice graduatingclass of 2009, joined by JATCTraining Dir. Madison Burnett (frontrow, right), Asst. Training Dir. JerryWhite (front row, second fromright), and Asst. Training Dir. RobertBuntjer (front row, third from right).

Local 391 Bus. Mgr./Pres. Alan Wagnon (back row, right) andFifth District Int. Rep. William J. “Joe” Pledger (front row, right)present IBEW watches to recent retirees. Front row, from left:Jake Talton, Elton Fomby, Leo Lightsey, Clyde Nance, James Loweand Int. Rep. Pledger; back row, Jesse Poore, Wayne Beasley,James Posey, Steve Gillium and Bus. Mgr./Pres. Wagnon.

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Ode to the ‘CodeMan’L.U. 449 (catv,em,i,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), POCATELLO, ID—C—stands for code, a body of laws organized for

easy reference, a set of principles and rules.O—is for obsessed about ohms, occupancy, over-

current protection, overloads, outlets and every-thing over 600 volts.

D—is dedicated to definitions, direct burial, discon-necting means, direct current and dwellings.

E—gets excited about everything electrical—wiringand protection, wiring methods and materials,special occupancies, special equipment andspecial conditions.

M—masters all the tables, and manages Annex A,Annex B, Annex C and Annex D.

A—is adamant about knowing and following theNational Electrical Code, and appreciates allwho do.

N—never lets someone down who wants to learn.There is a “CodeMan” in every local.Youknow

who theyare. In Local 449ourseniorCodeManandJATCdirector, JimWiemer, retiredMay1.His expertise isnowbeingutilizedon theNECcode-makingpanel forthenextedition.Good luck, Jim; don’tmake it too toughon the restof us. JohnBaker is ournew JATCdirector.

Congratulations also to Robert Jenkins on hisrecent retirement.

Our condolences go to the families of twomembers who passed away, Kenneth McDonaldand Mondell Nash. These brothers will be missed.

Laurie Watters, R.S.

Local Has aNewHomeL.U. 455 (em&u), SPRINGFIELD, MA—Local 455 haspurchased a building for its new headquarters. Bus.Mgr. William O’Rourke, Pres. Brian Kenney, Treas.Gerry Triggs and all the executive board memberswere instrumental in making this purchase possibleand deserve special thanks.

Owning our own building is a cost-effectiveapproach in securing the future of our local for gen-erations to come and is a testament to the prideand solidarity of our local.

Pleasevisit ournewWebsitewww.ibew455.org.

Jim Di Bernardo, P.S.

‘Adopt aHighway’ ProjectL.U. 459 (ees,em,govt,so&u), JOHNSTOWN, PA—Thelocal wishes to thank Bro. Paul Cameron, vice presi-dent and business representative, for the hard workhe put toward the Adopt a Highway project. Pauland other Local 459 members adopted a two-milestretch of highway along Route 210 in front of theKeystone Generating Facility in Shelocta, PA. Bro.

Cameron thought this would be a great opportunityto get fellow union members involved in cleaningup the environment and also promote good publicrelations for the local.

Thanks to Paul and all who participated in thecleanup effort.

Kenneth L. Richards, Pres./A.B.M.

MSFundraiserVolunteersL.U. 503 (t&u), MONROE, NY—The officers of thelocal extend heartfelt thanks to all who participatedMay 16 in the Multiple Sclerosis Walk at BearMountain State Park, NY. This local has known all towell the effects of this debilitating disease as we’vehad members and family members afflicted withMS. Team Local 503 comprised friends, family andlocal members, who raised a substantial amount ofmoney that will be donated toward a cure. Specialthanks to Rec. Sec. Jacqueline Sanchez for organiz-ing our team at this event.

Our new administration has committed toenhancing communications for all membersthroughout all the units. In keeping with that prom-ise, the Web site is regularly updated with the latestinformation when possible. As well as attendingmonthly meetings to stay informed about what’shappening within your unit and the local in general,please also visit the Web site: www.ibew503.org.

Mary M. Casey, P.S.

HardTimesL.U. 531 (i), LaPORTE, IN—Well, we don’t need towrite about our work picture, because we knowmany locals are facing the same situation. Work isbad! The good news is that there is upcoming work,but unfortunately it is all being pushed backbecause of the economy.

With the work situation the way it is, two Local531 brothers, Clark Sutley and Don Puent, securedemployment with a company doing work in Afghan-istan. Our prayers and best wishes go out to them.

I know our retirees have a Retirees Club, and itwould be nice to print some of their activities andevents. If you have information for me to write about,please e-mail me at [email protected].

Congratulations to our members who recentlytook part in picketing the new Olive Garden, evenduring rough weather. Your efforts are appreciated.We need to stick to our convictions now and notpatronize this restaurant.

Welcome to our newmembers: Robert Allen,Ryan Belstra, Andrew Brenda, Daniel Chmielewski,Allen Easton, AdamGrass, David Hudson, Scott Kelly,Bradley Kerkes, Mathew Lessner, Joshua Payne, RyanPierce, Russell Prichard, AndrewTillema, AlvinUdvare, RyanWildfang, WesleyWright andSeanRyan. Congratulations to all.

J. Switzer, P.S.

Employee Free Choice ActL.U. 551 (c,i&st), SANTA ROSA, CA—We are doing allwe can and then some to get the Employee FreeChoice Act passed. On April 14 our five-memberSonoma County Board of Supervisors passed a res-olution by a 4-1 vote to support the legislation. OnMay 5 our Santa Rosa City Council voted to adopt aresolution in support of the Employee Free ChoiceAct. And on May 6 we headed down to the SanFrancisco Federal Building and the office of U.S.Sen. Dianne Feinstein and held a 24-hour vigil call-ing for passage of the Act.

On April 18 we held a forum with many of ourelected officials, including U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolseyand California state Sen. Pat Wiggins, who stood insupport of the Employee Free Choice Act. We had agreat turnout with many unions participating.

Local 551 is fortunate to have the support ofour elected representatives who know the impor-tance of unions and what unions can do for workingfamilies. Everyone deserves the right to join a union.This is the key to unlock our broken economy. Forother locals that don’t have it so easy, please don’tgive up. Call and write your senators today!

Thanks to all ourmembers and 551 volunteers!

Denise D. Soza, V.P./P.S.

SaginawUpdateL.U. 557 (i,mt,rts&spa), SAGINAW, MI—At this springwriting, we are seeing a few warm days and alsolayoffs as projects at the semiconductor plant arecompleted. Thanks to our traveling electricians forhelping bring the work to this point of completion.

Colleen Kincaid, our local’s longtime secretary,is retiring early this summer. Her years of care andhard work assisted in keeping our local stable whentimeswere difficult. Colleen’s work flexibility washighlighted as computer systems replaced ledgers;as Health andWelfare programs changed as hard-ware becamemore sophisticated; and as themem-bership grew. Now asColleen works training JanetClayton, she smiles with a grin, whichmay indicaterelief; now she doesn’t have to deal with our upgradeas we turn to having our own computer server. Janet

bringsmuch the same office experience, withdecades working in a busy office with a large volumeof business at a local manufacturing facility. Welcometo our team, Janet! Best wishes to Colleen as lifehopefully becomes evenmore enjoyable!

Thanks to IBEW Local 43 for the donation toUtica’s Lincoln Hospital improvements.

Congratulate to our recent new retirees: CarlPeil, Maynard Whitman, Fred Schmunk and DickWoods. Best wishes to each of you and thank youfor your years of service.

John E. Clemens, P.S.

Christmas in April 2009L.U. 569 (i,mar,mt,rts&spa), SAN DIEGO, CA—Thankyou to all Local 569members and their families whoparticipated in this year’s Christmas in April event.[See photo, below.] More than 50 volunteers com-pleted six projects at various homes in theSan Diegoarea. Ourmembers always show up in force andwithgreat spirit to help those with no financial means toinstall and repair needed electrical systems in theirhomes. Projects included newwiring, light fixturesand ceiling fans. Thank you to Chula Vista Electric,Dynalectric, Southland Electric, Robinson Electric andJohnson Electric for donating their service vehicles fora very important cause. Thank you all!

Nicholas J. Segura Jr., P.S.

Colonel DijeauHonoredL.U. 595 (c,govt,i&st), DUBLIN, CA—On April 7 GeorgeE. Dijeau, a 72-yearmember of Local 595, was recog-nized by the Civil Air Patrol with the honorary rank ofcolonel and a service ribbon for his wartime servicefrom 1942-1945. The special occasion was hosted bythe Amelia Earhart Squadron 188 at OaklandAirport’s North Field. [See photo, pg. 13.]

Shop Steward Aric Baker (left) and VicePres./Bus. Rep. Paul Cameron standalongside the stretch of highway“adopted” by IBEW Local 459.

IBEW Santa Rosa, CA, Local 551 membersattended the San Francisco vigil for theEmployee Free Choice Act in May.

Three generations of the extended Dupuisfamily are proud IBEW members and activesupporters of the union. Seated, front row,from left: Paul Dupuis Sr., Saginaw, MI, Local557 retiree; Bob Dupuis, Local 557; and LouisDupuis, Local 557 retiree. Back row, from left:Darv Dupuis, Local 692; Tony Dupuis, Local557; Keith Mercier, Local 557; and PaulDupuis Jr., Local 557 apprenticeship director.

Some of the many volunteersfrom IBEW Local 569 whohelped make the Christmasin April (Rebuilding SanDiego) community serviceproject a success gather for agroup photo.

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At this same ceremony, Dijeau also received aCertificate of Recognition from the Oakland PortCommission honoring his “exemplary service train-ing pilots during World War II and…your ongoingcommitment to the Civil Air Patrol.” George wasescorted by his son Edward and his family. Ed is alsoa proud IBEW 595 retiree with 40 years of service.

Work is still very slow in the Bay Area with allbut one of our area sister locals experiencing highunemployment. We’re hopeful that school summerprojects and federal stimulus dollars will reversethis trend and get our members back to work.

Applications have been taken for our ThomasJ. Sweeney Scholarships that honor the memory ofour longtime former business manager. We hope togive 20 grants to our members and their depend-ents. Ten grants are available to graduating highschool students and 10 for students currentlyenrolled in a secondary education institution,including a California state-approved apprentice-ship program. Good luck, applicants!

Tom Mullarkey, B.R.

MonthlyRetireesBreakfastL.U. 601 (i&rtb), CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, IL—Our localprovides amonthly breakfast for the retirees andtheir spouses. Due to the size of the local, one break-fast is held in Champaign and another in Streator forthe convenience of our retirees. It is a good time tosocialize with the retiredmembers we used to workwith and get to know their spouses. The retireesexpress thanks to Local 601 for picking up the tab.

Forty members and their spouses attendedthe most recent Saturday morning breakfast in

Champaign. Conversations range from stories aboutthe old times to this new generation of electricians.

Local 601 has an excellent apprenticeship pro-gram and facility with a great group of teachers anda very capable apprenticeship coordinator in BobWithers. Bob works full time for the apprenticeshipand is always available for assistance.

Dan Hatter, P.S.

101Members InitiatedL.U. 613 (em,i,o,rts&spa), ATLANTA, GA—Congratulations to the record-breaking 101 newmembers initiated at the April meeting. [Photo,above.] This brings ourmembership total to 3,048.We served over 350 plates at themeeting, so morethan 200 additional proudmembers also attendedto see history being made. This well establishes thecommitment of our apprentices to make a career ofelectrical work, as well they should. We encourageall apprentices and CW/CEs who qualify to join theunion and receive the benefits shared by the rest ofus. Being able to express your opinions and have avote onmatters of concern to you is important, soexercise your rights.

Union meetings are open to all members witha paid-up dues receipt; plus if your death benefitsare paid up you will receive a ticket to win doorprizes at the end of the meeting. Meeting and min-gling with your fellow members is the way to incitebrotherhood and learn about what’s happening onother jobs in our jurisdiction.

Steve Warren, A.B.M.

ApprenticeGraduatesL.U. 617 (c,i,mo&st), SANMATEO,CA—Congratulationsto the Local 617 class of 2009 apprentice graduates.InsideWireman graduates are: Askia Amen, ThomasArnold, David Benjamin, DonnyBlake, AnthonyBucher, JaysonDellaChiesa,Michael Dubois, JenniferDuncan,William Eldred, Jillian Elliot, David Fujimoto,PatrickGallagher, DavidGoodwin, FredyGuardado,EricGutierrez, JohnHam, JamesHuston, PaulKennedy, James Lauren, John Ledford, RandolphLynch, LucianoMariotti, EldridgeMcDowell, DavidMelgar, JosephMurtagh,MichaelMyers, DeanOliver,Bryan Parkin, AdamPisani, Daniel Robinson, ShervinShahpar, RandyThomas, JustinWallace andScottWein. Sound andCommunications Installer graduatesare: JamesAlotis, Dennis Dudics, Roy Francisco,LyndonGarces, JonathanGranados, JustinGuzman,JuanHuerta,Michael O’Conner,Michael Paiz, RonaldTercero andWheatly! We are proud of you!

Thirty members participated in RebuildingTogether’s National Rebuilding Day April 25 underthe direction of the Electrical Workers MinorityCaucus and eminent leadership of Joe Sweeting andLisa Booker. Local 617 Pres. Mark Leach, DaveWilson, Larry Lopez, and Cliff Brown and son serveda hearty breakfast to the many volunteers who leftthe hall to bring new life to aging residencesthroughout San Mateo County.

Our local mourns the passing of Bros. GeorgeBastidas, 26; ChuckMasters, 90; and Harry Emerson,91. MayGod bless them and their families.

Dan Pasini, V.P.

Habitat for Humanity ProjectL.U. 625 (ees,em,i,mar&mt), HALIFAX, NOVASCOTIA,CANADA—Congratulations to ourmost recent newlycertified journeypersons:Mike Potter, DuncanSampson, DaveMachnik, ShaneHiggins, TanyaPerkins, DannyMombourquette, TrevorMurphy, ChrisBrown, Grahan Zinck, DavidScott and BlaiseMacNeil.

Beginning in spring 2010, the Department ofEducation will replace Certificates of Qualification

with ones without an expiry date. This is a confirma-tion of education completed and should not havean expiry. At the same time, the Department ofLabour will begin issuing licenses to practice thetrade. These will have a new fee and an expiry date.This will come in line with all the other Provinces,which already have licenses issued by DOL.

At this writing negotiations were ongoing withboth our Manufacturing Unit #6, Surrette Battery,and our five Construction Units with the CLRA.Hopefully by the time this is printed we will have anagreement on both fronts.

This summer, Local 625 members will assistHabitat for Humanity with its Build 2009 Project—tobuild two duplexes in Spryfield to house four fami-lies. Please contact Bus. Rep./Organizer BarnabyMcHarg to volunteer.

Work slowed over the winter with 175 jour-neypersons out of work in Halifax and 131 jour-neypersons out of work in the four outside units.Another 114 apprentices are on the books in all unitsfor a total of 420 out-of-workmembers as of May 1.

Our condolences to the family of retired Bro.Russell Malay, who passed away Feb. 10.

Bro. Ian Mumford won the gold medal inIndustrial Control Wiring at the Provincial SkillsCanada Competition. Ian will compete in theNationals in Prince Edward Island.

Tom Griffiths, Pres.

ConocoPhilips ExpansionL.U. 649 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), ALTON, IL—Constructionwork is good thanks to amajor expansion of theConocoPhillips refinery. All of ourmembers are work-ing, plus 100 travelers. How bad is the nationaleconomy? There are more than 1,000 traveling wire-men seeking work in Local 649. It takes over sixmonths to get a job here.

Line construction and line clearance work isbooming.

Our maintenance work situation could be bet-ter. In an exhibition of true brotherhood, workers atGlobal Brass took a reduction in hours rather thanhave somemembers face layoffs. Rexel MotorRepair has eliminated jobs and laid people off.

The Illinois properties of Ameren lost moneybefore being granted a rate increase. No jobs havebeen lost but that’s only because the companyhas already eliminated much of the work forcethrough attrition.

We thank Ed Taylor for the good job he did asour organizer since 2007. Ed wanted to go back tothe tools. Ron Miller is the new Local 649 organizer.

We mourn the passing of retired Bros. MonteEdwards, Rick Gorman, Leo Friederich and JimLyons. Bro. Dave Beeman passed away at age 40;he is survived by his widow and three children.

Charles Yancey, A.B.M.

Local 595 retiree and CAP Col. George E.Dijeau (second from left), is joined bydaughter-in-law Shirley (left), son Edward andgranddaughter Audrey at awards ceremony.Edward is also a Local 595 retired member.

Attending Local 601 breakfast for retirees and their spouses are: at front table, Pat Warmbier,George Vaughn, Mary Ellen Terven; second table, Bill and Mary Limp, Eddie Lane, Elwood andGarnnet Peterson, Pat Lane; standing, Doris Deremiah. Others facing camera at back of roominclude: at third table, Bobby and Anita Bean; fourth table, Robert Henderson; standing, RussBender and Bill Bland; and fifth table, Penny and Dick Revell.

Atlanta Local 613 initiates 101 new members at April meeting.

Local 625 membersreceiving service pins are,from left: Craig Buckley andConnie Beaton, for 40 yearsof service; Peter Citulsky,30 years; Phil Meagher, 20years; Jeff Myette andTreas. Carter Milligan, 30years; John Doyle, 20years; Don Crossman, 30years; and Dan “Tigger”Macdonell, 20 years.

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Hospital Expansion ProjectL.U. 681 (i,o&spa), WICHITA FALLS, TX—As of thiswriting the work situation here remains steady.

Work is wrapping up on the $70 millionUnited Regional Hospital surgical facility expansion,which has kept a large portion of our membersworking steady for the last year and a half. We arevery proud of this project and the excellent qualityof our IBEWmembers’ work. State hospital inspec-tors who passed through doing their regular inspec-tions complimented the quality of work on this job.

We thank all members for their hard work anddedication on this project, as well as all other proj-ects in the local jurisdiction.

We also wish to recognize our armed forces onthe great job they are doing. Thank you to thosewho serve.

Leland Welborn, A.B.M.

Union ActivitiesL.U. 683 (em&i), COLUMBUS, OH—Spring broughtmany opportunities to be involved in various unionactivities. At the March 26 blood drive the goal wasagain met, thanks to volunteers and to Co-Chmn.Malcolm Giffen and Dave Swackhammer. Also onMarch 26 was the 50th anniversary of the CentralOhio Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Speakers includedGov. Ted Strickland, Columbus Mayor MichaelColeman and Ohio AFL-CIO Pres. Joe Rugola.

April brought the RebuildingTogetherCentralOhio project on consecutiveSaturdays, April 18 and25. The programprovides home repairs and upgradesformore than 20 area homeownerswith disabilities.Thanks to all volunteers andChmn.SteveSmith.

Golf League did begin on April 27. Games are

Mondays, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; thanks to Chmn.Bob Liston.

On April 24 the officers hosted and attendedthe IBEWOhio State Conference at the Crowne Plaza-Columbus North. Keynote speakers were: OhioDemocratic Party Chmn. Chris Redfern; DennisDuffey, Ohio State Building andConstruction Tradessecretary/treasurer; Ohio state Rep.Matt Szollosi,speaker pro tem; and IBEW Fourth District Int. VicePres. Salvatore J. Chilia. The event was informativeand well-attended.

Remember, brothers and sisters, whenwearetraveling in other jurisdictionsweare guests andshould be respectful anddo ourbest tomake683wel-comedandappreciated anywhere in the country.

Rick Deime, V.P./P.S.

Labor RallyGetsResultsL.U. 697 (c,es,i,mt&se), GARYANDHAMMOND, IN—Local 697 is struggling through the same economicdownturn that’s plaguing all of America and, inmanyways, theworld. High unemployment, corporategreed and anti-worker efforts combine tomake thesetrying times.

When circumstances are bright and the econ-omy is booming, it is easier to give in times of plenty.Andwe, as a union, have givenmuch out of ourplenty. A true testimony to an individual’s or an orga-nization’s inner strength is what happenswhen timesare difficult.

Local 697’s members and families continue tovolunteer their time and resources. Our semiannualblood drive still supplies blood vital to our area.Christmas in April volunteers provided home repairsto help less fortunate families. Also in April we againparticipated in the Walk America fundraiser for treat-ment of birth defects.

On April 27 Local 697members, together with6,000 other building trades workers, traveled to ourstate capital with amessage for elected representa-tives: “We are not seasonal workers. We are skilledcraftsmen who built this state and this country.” Theanti-worker elements in the state wanted to reclas-sify construction workers as “seasonal workers”who would not be entitled to unemployment bene-fits. The good news is the legislation was changed.

David A. Soderquist, P.S.

August 29GolfScrambleL.U. 723 (em,govt,rtb,rts&t), FORTWAYNE, IN—It’s thattime of year again for Local 723’s 10th Annual GolfScramble at Noble HawkGolf Links in Kendallville, IN.Wewill have a shotgun start at 8 a.m. onAug. 29.There is a $65 entry fee per person, which includes 18holes of golf, free driving range, and barbecue andbeverages at the party after the golf scramble.

Wewill pay cash prizes for first-place throughfourth-place finishes, longest drives and for closest topins formen, women and seniors (age 65 and over),including door prizes. The picnic is open to active andretired IBEWmembers and their immediate familyonly. There is a dress code request of no tank tops, nogym trunks or half shirts. Shirts with collars arerequired. The deadline to enter is Aug. 14, by 5 p.m.We thankScarboroughAllianceCorporation for spon-soring our golf outing this year and years past.

For more information on items above (includ-ing the entry form), when our unit meetings are held,as well as other upcoming events, visit our Web sitewww.ibew723.org or call us at 1 (888) 844-0373.

Michelle Barbour, R.S./P.S.

Service Pins&CookoutL.U. 915 (i&mt), TAMPA, FL—April brought anticipa-tion of our annual cookout and service pin presen-tations. The brotherhood and fellowship amongattendees was a joy to experience. The cooks did anexcellent job on food served. Thanks to all whohelped in serving both newmembers and thosewho paved the way before us.

Congratulations to Bro. Howard Fields for his55 years of IBEW service; and for 50 years—Bro. BertBarham; for 45 years—Bros. Joseph Dempsey, JesseMcCraw and JamesMelendi; for 40 years—Bros. DonBoothe, Ronald Keene and Leslie Liebman.Congratulations also to all others who received serv-

ice pins for their commitment to the IBEW.A father and son received their service pins

together: 45-year member Jesse McCraw and 25-year member David McCraw.

Our 2009 James Phillips Brother of the YearAward goes to LeonWard. Bro. Ward is a second-generation IBEWmember. He has served on theexecutive board for multiple terms, on the appren-ticeship committee, the local’s negotiating commit-tee, and is always there to assist others whenneeded. Local 915 is honored to recognize Bro. Ward.

Theresa King, P.S.

Code of ExcellenceTrainingL.U. 965 (em,govt,ptc&u), MADISON, WI—Code ofExcellence training for local members employed byWisconsin Power & Light Co. concluded in April. TheCOE stewards were selected and their training washeld May 5. The COE programwill encourage allunion workers to use the best skills, best work prac-tices and highest quantity of workwhile demonstrat-ing the highest level of safety practices. Successfulimplementation of this programwill help us ensurethe future for union workers and grow the strength ofour union. [See photo, above.]

Construction of a new300megawatt coal/bio-fuel power generating plant atCassville,WI, was can-celed after theWisconsin PublicServiceCommissionrejected theAlliant EnergyCorp. proposal. Local 965supports the construction of newpower generation.Weunderstand the need for renewable sources aswellas the need for reliable base loadunits. Local 965 iscommitted to ensuring that those newenergy sourcesare operated andmaintainedbyunionworkers.

Kurt Roberts, P.S.

RioGrandeValleyUpdateL.U. 1015 (em&i), WESLACO, TX—Work is still slowhere in the Rio Grande Valley due to the economytaking its toll, but things are picking up. Local 1015is working with contractors for new projects comingto the area and expects to have more brothers andsisters working in upcoming months.

IBEW Local 683 members are among thevolunteers at one of the Rebuilding TogetherCentral Ohio home repair sites. From left:Dondi Hatcher, Local 683; Susan Mouser;Charlie Moats, Local 683 site-organizer;Kevin Berls, Local 683; and Rick Deime,Local 683 vice president.

Local 915 member Leon Ward (center)receives Brother of the Year Award,presented by Pres. Randall King (left) andBus. Mgr. Bill Dever (right).

Wisconsin Power & Light’sfirst-year IBEW Local 965 linetechnician apprentices joinedby Business Manager TonyBartels (at right, back row, inred hard hat) gather for aphoto outside the AlliantFond du Lac Training Center.Behind them is the new IBEWsign manufactured by Local965 members employed byEverbrite Corp.

IBEW Weslaco,TX, Local 1015membersattend Marchunion meeting.

IBEW Wichita Falls, TX, Local 681 crew members on a $70 million United Regional Hospitalexpansion are lauded for the quality of their work.

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Attendance at our unionmeetings is increasing.At ourMarchmeeting 33members were in atten-dance, the highest turnout in the local’s history.

IBEW and JATC congratulate six members whowere accepted into our first-semester apprenticeprogram. Good luck to all.

Local 1015 negotiations with our contractorswere settled, and for the first time in seven yearsLocal 1015 will have health and welfare insurance.

Nominations for Local 1015 officers were heldin May and at press time elections were scheduledfor June.

Ray Duran, P.S.

Kudos to IBEWWorkForceL.U. 1049 (lctt,o,u&uow), LONG ISLAND, NY—At ourApril general meeting Kevin Law, Long Island PowerAuthority CEO and president, addressed the mem-bership. Law discussed numerous scenarios aboutwhat LIPAmay or may not look like in the future. Hethanked and praised the entire Local 1049 workforce for their hard work and dedication. He alsocommitted to the membership that no matter whatLIPA’s future holds, our concerns and interests willalways be considered and protected.

Also in April, nearly 100members attended theLong Island Federation of LaborAnnual CongressionalNight. This is an event atwhich people from labor getthe opportunity to express their views and askques-tions of Long Island’s congressional delegation.

Bus. Mgr. Robert Shand and the business staffare currently preparing for negotiations. We will benegotiating new collective bargaining agreementson behalf of our members who work under theNational Grid Energy Services and the LineClearance Tree Trim contracts.

Our officers and staff are receiving the IBEW’sCode of Excellence training. The goal is to have ournewCode of Excellence stewards trained by LaborDay so wemay begin meeting with themembers.With this new training the entire membership will bebetter prepared to handle challenges of the future.

Thomas J. Dowling, R.S.

LineworkersRodeo ChampsL.U. 1245 (catv,em,govt,lctt,o,pet,t&u), VACAVILLE,CA—A Local 1245 crew from Turlock (California)Irrigation District took top prize at the 2009 PublicPower Lineworkers Rodeo in Austin, TX. The TIDteam of Mark Pickens, Dustan Krieger, Bryan Lovioand Dennis Mattos finished first in overall competi-tion. In the apprentice competition, TID’s JoshKlikna finished second.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility Districtteam of Gerald Mankins, Kyle Martin and MikeMunn placed fourth in overall competition. SMUD’steam of Branden Carter, Chris Fukui and ToddPrangley won first in the Transformer Change-Out,and SMUD Apprentice MatthewWilson won theObstacle Course competition.

The Modesto Irrigation District team of SeanCoulson, Scott Dutey, Jered Huntington and VictorMadrigal took first place in the Cross Arm ChangeOut competition.

In other news, Joe Heberline, a truck driver forMerced Irrigation District, was honored by theCalifornia Highway Patrol for rescuing aman hangingfrom an overpass. Heberline positioned his truckbelow theman just as he fell. By cutting the distance ofthe fall, Heberline saved theman fromserious injury.

Members at Sierra Pacific Power—now NVEnergy—submitted proposals for upcoming bargain-ing. The Nevada-based utility recently announced itwas selling its California electric assets to newly-formed California Pacific ElectricCo.

Wemourned the loss of Peter Tololi, an appren-tice lineman for PacificGas & Electricwhowas fatallyinjured at work onMarch 24 when he fell from a pole.The local convened ameeting of linemen on April 30to discuss job site fatalities and explore ways tomake line work safer.

Eric Wolfe, P.S.

RetireeWatchesPresentedL.U. 1253 (i), AUGUSTA, ME—There is no time likethe present to prepare for the future. Our JATC is cur-rently offering a journeyman upgrading course ininstrumentation. A Comet training class was heldMay 27. OSHA 10 was again offered in June withNFPA 70E to follow.

This local was proud to award a number ofretirementwatches at theMarchmembershipmeet-ing. Recipientswere: SamBabbidge, Shirley Bradeen,Sid Dupont, Howard Haas, Frank Lockhart, WalterMorrisSr. and JohnNason. EugeneSukeforth wasunable to attend.

We mourn the loss of Owen Lugdon, a jour-neyman wireman and proud member for manyyears. He will be greatly missed.

William Gifford, P.S.

LocalMournsMemberL.U. 1307 (u), SALISBURY, MD—Local 1307 mournsthe death of Bro. Fred McCall, who passed awayApril 19. Bro. McCall was a 1st class lineman withA&N Electric Co-op and a Local 1307 member sinceOctober 2008. A native of Southwest Virginia, helived in Chincoteague, VA, at the time of his death.Bro. McCall was a former member of Orlando, FL,Local 222. Our condolences to Bro. McCall’s family.

Congratulations to four members who retiredin November 2008: Patricia Corkell, PriscillaDashiell, Darlene Drummond and Barry Jarmon.

Sister Corkell started at Choptank ElectricCo-opin 1988 as a communications clerk in the DentonDistrict. She later worked in several districts, as oper-ations field helper, clerk, meter reader, WorkOrderandMaterial coordinator and system controller.

Sister Dashiell began at Choptank Electric Co-op in 1979 as a stenographer clerk in the SalisburyDistrict. She retired as a regional customer servicerepresentative.

Sister Drummond began as a clerk in DentonDistrict of Choptank Electric Co-op in 1970. She heldnumerous positions and worked in Membership &Easement, Consumer Accounts, and elsewhere. Sheretired as regional customer service rep.

Bro. Barry Jarmon started at Choptank ElectricCo-op as an apprentice lineman in the BerlinDistrict. Barry advanced to journeyman lineman,and was a chief lineman since 1985.

E.D. Sparks, F.S.

PatriotMissileL.U. 1505 (em), WALTHAM, MA—Bus. Mgr. DavidJohnson and the entire Local 1505 membership arecelebrating the signing of a Patriot Missile contractwith the United Arab Emirates, which is a revival of

the Patriot Missile program. For those of you whowere at the 100th anniversary convention of theIBEW, the local passed out the “Scud Buster” pins.

Also, Bus. Mgr. Johnson was pleased toannounce that over the last couple of years therehave been more than 200 new hires into the union.He also said more are to be hired. In this economy,hiring into a manufacturing company is a dauntingchallenge for any local. Bus. Mgr. Johnson alsoformed a “Future of 1505 Committee” and has heldnewmember orientations where the newest mem-bers learned the importance of the labor movementand the history of our local.

Robert Garnhum, V.P./P.S.

Legacy ofStrength&UnityL.U. 1523 (u), WICHITA, KS—It’s nice to knowwe haveretireeswhomeet eachmonth. It’s also nice to knowthat our businessmanagermakes time to spendwiththem.We owe our retiredmembers a lot. Shown inthe accompanying photo is retiredmember EldonSterak, who recently received his 65-yearmembershipcertificate, presented byBus.Mgr.MervWiltshire.

Our retirees are the ones who took the time tolook ahead andmade the effort to put this localtogether for future generations. They are the oneswho dedicated their personal time to organizing. Wearen’t the largest local in Kansas, but we are stand-ing strong and unified. As wemove into the newgeneration of members, we need to remember howwe got where we are. With the economy the way thatit is, let’s pool our vast knowledge, energy and skillstogether to make Local 1523 even stronger. Eachmember is important and has something to offer.

We recently lost one of our leaders, Bro. MikeLiby, who was a past president and a strong unionmember. He will be missed.

Candy C. Cruz-Dodd, P.S.

IBEW Local 1245 members Dustin Krieger(left) and Mark Pickens compete in theTransformer Change-Out for Turlock IrrigationDistrict in the 2009 Public Power LineworkersRodeo in Austin, TX. The TID team finishedfirst out of 48 teams.

Local 1253 Bus. Mgr. Jeff Rose (fourth from left) and Pres. Tom Staples (right) congratulatemembers receiving retirement watches. From left: Howard Haas, Frank Lockhart, Sam Babbidge,Bus. Mgr. Rose, John Nason, Shirley Bradeen, Sid Dupont, Walter Morris Sr. and Pres. Staples.

Local 1307 members respond to assist restoration efforts following the Gulf Coast landfall ofHurricane Ike in fall 2008.

Wichita, KS, Local 1523 retiree Eldon Sterakreceives his 65-year membership certificate.Seated are Mrs. Eldon Sterak and Local 1523retired member Marvin Spencer.

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NJATCGraduation BanquetL.U. 1579 (i&o), AUGUSTA, GA—On June 12, theAugustaChapter National Joint Apprenticeship andTrainingCommittee hosted a banquet to recognize 14memberswho completed their apprenticeship.

Guest speakers included: Local 1579 Bus. Mgr.Ken Ward and Senior Dir. of Craft Certification JimBoyd. Graduates were presented with diplomas andgifts, and group pictures were taken to round out amemorable evening.

These new journeymenworked hard to reachthis important step in their career. Anyonewhoworkswith or knows the following new journeymen and jour-neywoman should thank them for their hardwork.They are: Robert Attaway, Jarvis Blair, MatthewGay,ClarissaGreen, AnthonyHilton, Christopher Ingram,Marques Johnson, LawrenceO’Garro,Matthew Park,PatrickRowland,MatthewSiegler, TerrenceSimmons,Michael Strowbridge and RicardoTurner.

Until next time, God bless.

Will Salters, A.B.M.

ApprenticeGraduatesL.U. 1701 (catv,ees,i,o&u), OWENSBORO, KY—TheExamining Board gave the journeyman wiremanexam in March to the fifth-year apprenticeshipclass. The board reports all passed. Instructor LarryBoswell also reports all apprentices who have takenthe Kentucky state exam have passed it as well.Congratulations, brothers and sisters.

The board also gave the journeyman wiremanexam in April to Jason Roby and Tony Frakes and theytoo passed. Congratulations and welcome, brothers.

A workers memorial ceremony was held April24, on the Daviess County Courthouse lawn, spon-sored by the Owensboro Council of Labor. Local 1701council member Donna Haynes conducted the cere-mony. We thank all members who attended.

Local 1701 and Big Rivers Electric GenerationDivision reached a tentative agreement on April 16.The 39-month agreement increases wages and ben-efits by approximately 14.5 percent over the life ofthe agreement. Thanks to Chmn. Tim West and com-mittee members Neal Benningfield, Donna Haynesand Robert Melloy for a job well-done.

With sadness we report the passing of Bro. JimCassilly. May he rest in peace.

Remember the union meeting held the thirdMonday of every month.

Tim Blandford, P.S.

OPCHockeyTournamentL.U. 1739 (i&o), BARRIE, ONTARIO, CANADA—Iwish tothankand congratulate ourmemberswho tookpart inthis year’s 46th Annual IBEWOPCHockeyTournament, whichwas hosted by Local 3 in NewYorkonApril 3 and 4. Everybody had a good time, andwethank Local 3 for their hospitality. I encourage allmembers to visitwww.ibewhourpower.com andwatch coverage of the tournament and the littlepromo our teamdid for the show.

Frank Kastle, P.S.

Visit toState LegislatureL.U. 1749 (u), NEW JOHNSONVILLE, TN—TheTennessee State Electrical Workers Association metApril 21 and 22 to witness and learn about the leg-islative process at the state government level.

Legislative proposals before the state legislatureof importance toworking people include issues suchasprevailingwagemeasures, unemployment compen-sation, livingwageprovisions, politically restrictiverequirements for organized labor, andmore.Several ofthe proposedbillswere defeated orpostponed.

Folks sometimes don’t realize how politicsaffects their jobs. But since the other party tookcontrol of the statehouse, labor is playing defensetrying not to lose ground on hard-fought issuesimportant to working families.

Upcoming statewide elections in 2010 will becritical in terms of advancing the interests of work-ing people and avoiding political setbacks for labor.

Let’s remain politically active to fight for theinterests of working families.

Mark J. DeJuliis, E-Bd./P.S.

IBEWLifeSaving AwardL.U. 1837 (rtb&u),MANCHESTER,ME—IBEW Local 1837member Rob Langwas enjoying aSunday afternoonlast summerwhen two young childrenwho lived nextdoor came running up to his house. They told himtheir dadwas badly hurt and they needed his help.

The first-class lineworker from theNewHampshire ElectricCooperative raced down to find hisneighbor bleeding profusely after a chainsaw acci-dent. As themanwent in and out of consciousness,Bro. Lang reached into the injured leg andwas able tohold a severed artery together until an ambulancearrived. Emergencymedical technicians told Langlater that his quick action had saved his friend’s life.

This March, surrounded by local members,companymanagement, friends, family and the manwhose life he saved, Rob Lang was presented withthe IBEW Life Saving Award.

“You stepped up, and your friend and his fam-ily are in your debt,” Local 1837 Pres. Ray Colellotold Lang.

Matthew D. Beck, Org.

RetiredOfficerMournedL.U. 2321 (t), MIDDLETON, MA—It is with great sad-ness that we announce the death of retired formerbusiness manager Jack Clement.

Jack was an Air Force veteran. He retired fol-lowing a 31-year IBEW career and moved to MyrtleBeach, SC. Jack served Local 2321 as business man-ager for three years and as assistant business man-ager for nine years.

Jack is survived by his four children and eightgrandchildren.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Jack’s fam-ily and friends. We ask you to keep them in yourthoughts and prayers.

Ed Starr, B.M.

Local 1701 class of 2009 apprentice graduates,joined by Examining Board members andinstructor, gather for group photo. From left,back row: Joe Fulkerson, Examining Board;graduates Cynthia Adamson, Bryan Pryor,Jeremy Boswell, Josh Casebier, Joe Brown;and Tim Blandford, Examining Board. Frontrow: Instructor Larry Boswell, ExaminingBoard; and graduates Justin Blackburn,Thomas Brown and Roger Duff.

1 . . . . . . . .Eisenmann, N. . . . . 3,000.001 . . . . . . . .Powers, P.W. . . . . . 3,000.001 . . . . . . . .Qualls, G. E. . . . . . . 1,464.001 . . . . . . . .Schira, E. F. . . . . . . . 3,000.001 . . . . . . . .Simpson, J. C. . . . . 3,585.403 . . . . . . . .Burbank, J. R. . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Chiappetta, F. . . . . . 1,500.003 . . . . . . . .Colletti, B. J. . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Corso, T. . . . . . . . 12,500.003 . . . . . . . .Dee, A. . . . . . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Fugnitti, V. . . . . . . . 6,250.003 . . . . . . . .Goldstein, S. . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Green, G. . . . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Hanley, J. M. . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Jones, J. M. . . . . . . 5,191.603 . . . . . . . .Lecardi, G. J. . . . . . 2,892.503 . . . . . . . .Murino, A. . . . . . . . 2,577.003 . . . . . . . .Noon, T. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Perlman, N. . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Pessin, J. . . . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Phillips, G. S. . . . . . 2,867.003 . . . . . . . .Pugliese, V.W. . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Rizzuto, J. . . . . . . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Robichaud, A. M. . . 3,000.003 . . . . . . . .Russo, N. A. . . . . . . 6,250.003 . . . . . . . .Sandomenico, V. . . 3,624.753 . . . . . . . .Scala, A. M. . . . . . . 3,000.005 . . . . . . . .Foster, R. H. . . . . . . 3,000.005 . . . . . . . .Shook, N. K. . . . . . . 3,000.005 . . . . . . . .Siefert, C.W. . . . . . . 6,250.006 . . . . . . . .Allen, J. P. . . . . . . . . 2,728.006 . . . . . . . .Kocee, J. . . . . . . . . 3,000.006 . . . . . . . .Laurence, C. . . . . . 3,000.007 . . . . . . . .Gauthier, R. J. . . . . . 6,250.008 . . . . . . . .Flagg, K. J. . . . . . . . 6,250.009 . . . . . . . .Bach, C. H. . . . . . . . 3,000.009 . . . . . . . .Byrnes, F. A. . . . . . . 3,000.0011 . . . . . . .Chavez, M. . . . . . . 3,000.0011 . . . . . . .Clark, B. G. . . . . . . . 3,000.0011 . . . . . . .Connor, T. R. . . . . . . 3,000.0011 . . . . . . .Groetken, D. L. . . . . 6,250.0011 . . . . . . .Hendrick, J. M. . . . . 3,000.0011 . . . . . . .Shuck, D. R. . . . . . . 2,703.9511 . . . . . . .Wasson, C. S. . . . . . . 750.0011 . . . . . . .Young, J. T. . . . . . . . 3,000.0013 . . . . . . .Weyer, J.W. . . . . . . 3,000.0014 . . . . . . .De Tray, F. S. . . . . . . 6,154.0015 . . . . . . .Frantz, T. . . . . . . . . 6,250.0015 . . . . . . .McLean, J. D. . . . . . 2,951.4617 . . . . . . .Pettit, C. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.0018 . . . . . . .Curtis, S.W. . . . . . . 3,000.0018 . . . . . . .Vlottes, P. . . . . . . . . 3,000.0020 . . . . . . .Crenshaw, J. R. . . . 3,000.0020 . . . . . . .Furr, J.W. . . . . . . . . 3,000.0020 . . . . . . .Irvin, L. B. . . . . . . . . 3,000.0020 . . . . . . .Wilkinson, J. C. . . . . 3,000.0022 . . . . . . .Sorensen, D. C. . . . . 6,250.0024 . . . . . . .Kilpatrick, C. H. . . . . 6,250.0025 . . . . . . .Martin, H. L. . . . . . . 3,000.0026 . . . . . . .Jeffers,W. E. . . . . . . 3,000.0026 . . . . . . .Stone, E. C. . . . . . . . 3,000.0032 . . . . . . .Huser, D. C. . . . . . . 3,000.0034 . . . . . . .Groeper, J. . . . . . . . 3,000.0034 . . . . . . .Vannattan, E. E. . . . 6,250.0038 . . . . . . .Alexander, D. K. . . . 3,000.0038 . . . . . . .Begun, S. B. . . . . . . 3,000.0038 . . . . . . .Blair, R. H. . . . . . . . . 3,000.0038 . . . . . . .Candela, F. I. . . . . . . 3,000.0038 . . . . . . .Errante, J.W. . . . . . 6,250.0038 . . . . . . .Pozna, J. A. . . . . . . . 3,000.0038 . . . . . . .Steele, J. G. . . . . . . 3,000.0041 . . . . . . .Horucy, M. J. . . . . . 6,250.0041 . . . . . . .Strickland, M. . . . . 1,999.0044 . . . . . . .Lind, D. . . . . . . . . . 2,839.4646 . . . . . . .Foss, M. A. . . . . . . . 1,000.00

IBEW Local 1837 line workerRob Lang (third from left)receives IBEW Life SavingAward. From left are: Local1837 Pres. Ray Colello, TaraHurtado, Rob’s fiancé;Lang, Bus. Mgr. CynthiaPhinney, Asst. Bus. Mgr.Tom Ryan and Chief StewardArthur Cornelissen Jr.

The Tennessee State Electrical Workers Association organized a day at the Tennessee statelegislature in April. From left, back row, are: John White, IBEW Local 175; Mark DeJuliis, IBEW Local1749; and Cameron Bennett, IBEW Local 429. Front row: Marcia Mayberry, UAW; Ken Freeman,USW; Natalie Nelson and Eloise Freeman, Westwood Baptist Church; Ronnie Fletcher, IBEW Local365; Patrice Cook and John Ledwell, IBEW Local 429.

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48 . . . . . . .Doucette, J. L. . . . . 3,000.0048 . . . . . . .Limberg, T. J. . . . . . 4,200.0048 . . . . . . .McBroom, J. C. . . . . 4,255.0057 . . . . . . .Snyder, E. F. . . . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .Campbell, B. J. . . . . 6,250.0058 . . . . . . .Clark, L. H. . . . . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .France, K. R. . . . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .Frede, D. R. . . . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .Kovach, E. M. . . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .Reynolds, J. R. . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .Richardson, G. R. . . 3,502.9758 . . . . . . .Stucky, R. M. . . . . . 3,000.0058 . . . . . . .Thibodeau, C. J. . . . 3,000.0060 . . . . . . .Bankston, L. L. . . . 12,500.0060 . . . . . . .Becker, J. R. . . . . . . 5,417.5060 . . . . . . .Gustafson, D. G. . . . 6,250.0064 . . . . . . .Kay, D. J. . . . . . . . . 6,250.0068 . . . . . . .Moser, H. H. . . . . . . 3,000.0071 . . . . . . .Endicott, R. . . . . . . 3,000.0071 . . . . . . .Norris, R. R. . . . . . . 3,000.0073 . . . . . . .Winger, R. J. . . . . . . 3,000.0076 . . . . . . .Jones, A. D. . . . . . . 3,000.0077 . . . . . . .Birge, B. R. . . . . . . . 6,250.0077 . . . . . . .Ellis, H. E. . . . . . . . . 2,932.3977 . . . . . . .Kennaugh, A.W. . . . 3,000.0077 . . . . . . .Lawson, D. C. . . . . . 2,961.5977 . . . . . . .Niebuhr, D. E. . . . . . 1,470.3977 . . . . . . .Peterson, M. R. . . . . 3,000.0080 . . . . . . .Millard, D. D. . . . . . 3,000.0080 . . . . . . .Sykes,W. R. . . . . . . 3,000.0082 . . . . . . .Poffenberger, H. L. . 2,714.1886 . . . . . . .Krenzer, R. G. . . . . . 6,250.0089 . . . . . . .Johnson, L. M. . . . . 4,108.0090 . . . . . . .Solomon, G. A. . . . . 3,125.0096 . . . . . . .Sher, L. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.0098 . . . . . . .Calhoun, J. J. . . . . . 2,907.9898 . . . . . . .Decristofano, V. P. . . 3,000.0098 . . . . . . .Thompson,W. A. . . . 3,000.0098 . . . . . . .Vantrieste, D. C. . . . 2,951.19102 . . . . . .Horcher, J. S. . . . . . 3,000.00102 . . . . . .Stone, J. P. . . . . . . . 2,816.00103 . . . . . .Connolly, J. . . . . . . 3,000.00103 . . . . . .Sheehan, E. P. . . . . . 2,954.69104 . . . . . .Lohnes, B. J. . . . . . 1,500.00104 . . . . . .O’Toole, M. J. . . . . . 6,250.00105 . . . . . .Somerville, K. B. . . . 3,000.00110 . . . . . .Erlandson, R. N. . . . 3,000.00111 . . . . . .Opsal, L. D. . . . . . . . 3,000.00112 . . . . . .Harrell, E. . . . . . . . . 2,933.58112 . . . . . .Tibbs,W. R. . . . . . . . 3,000.00113 . . . . . .Parker, H.W. . . . . . . 3,000.00115 . . . . . .McMahon, J. A. . . . 3,000.00117 . . . . . .Reid,W. R. . . . . . . . 3,000.00120 . . . . . .Roszt, L. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00124 . . . . . .Ducoulombier, G. H. . .3,000.00124 . . . . . .Miller, G. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00124 . . . . . .Oneal, H. J. . . . . . . . 1,500.00124 . . . . . .Taylor, R. L. . . . . . . . 3,000.00125 . . . . . .Kegg, J. G. . . . . . . . 3,000.00125 . . . . . .Marr, K. . . . . . . . . . 2,720.00125 . . . . . .Sturdevant, M. G. . . 3,000.00126 . . . . . .Holland, C. . . . . . . . 3,000.00126 . . . . . .Keeley, T. M. . . . . . . 3,000.00129 . . . . . .Mautz, D. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00129 . . . . . .Strickler, H. A. . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Bergstedt, H. L. . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Coughlan, E. J. . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Darre, R. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Duperow,W. E. . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Fliris, J. J. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Gonzini, R. J. . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Graca, C. S. . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Kovich, G. . . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Lezon, S. G. . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Matuk, S. T. . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .O’Donnell, R. C. . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Rea, S. T. . . . . . . . . 1,500.00134 . . . . . .Shanahan, J. P. . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Stieber, D. R. . . . . . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Wankelmuth, J. F. . . 3,000.00134 . . . . . .Warkenthien, T. J. . . 2,937.18136 . . . . . .Gregg, R. C. . . . . . . 3,000.00

136 . . . . . .Jones, R.W. . . . . . . 5,205.81145 . . . . . .Quigg, B. R. . . . . . . 3,000.00146 . . . . . .Reinhart, R.W. . . . . 3,820.00153 . . . . . .Scheid, R. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00158 . . . . . .Gauthier, J. P. . . . . . 4,166.66158 . . . . . .Haslitt, R.W. . . . . . . 3,000.00164 . . . . . .Berberich, S. . . . . 12,500.00164 . . . . . .Larkin, T. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00164 . . . . . .Oboyle, D. F. . . . . . . 3,000.00175 . . . . . .Garner, B.W. . . . . . . 2,821.00175 . . . . . .Hastings, J. D. . . . . 4,312.00175 . . . . . .O’Rear, M. K. . . . . . 3,000.00175 . . . . . .Quinn, R. L. . . . . . . . 2,542.50175 . . . . . .Sharp, J. L. . . . . . . . 6,250.00176 . . . . . .White, K. H. . . . . . . . 2,936.53176 . . . . . .Williams, J. G. . . . . . 2,966.89177 . . . . . .Gratta, J. P. . . . . . . . 3,000.00177 . . . . . .Wingate, J. P. . . . . . 3,000.00180 . . . . . .Saylors, K. H. . . . . . 3,000.00191 . . . . . .Kennedy,W. O. . . . . 1,500.00193 . . . . . .Hofman, J.W. . . . . . 3,000.00193 . . . . . .Jones, S. J. . . . . . . . 2,932.39193 . . . . . .Smith, R. D. . . . . . . 3,000.00212 . . . . . .Stiene, J.W. . . . . . . . . 600.00213 . . . . . .Goy, A. . . . . . . . . . . 2,840.00213 . . . . . .Main, I. . . . . . . . . . 2,927.62213 . . . . . .Mollison, D. B. . . . . 5,757.00223 . . . . . .Brown, E. J. . . . . . . 3,000.00223 . . . . . .Normandeau, M. A. . 3,000.00223 . . . . . .Spencer, E. B. . . . . . 3,000.00226 . . . . . .Wadkins, G. A. . . . 12,500.00230 . . . . . .Beckensell, H. R. . . 2,904.50234 . . . . . .Perez, V. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00236 . . . . . .Christiansen, C. . . . 3,000.00236 . . . . . .Dennebaum, T. R. . . 3,000.00237 . . . . . .Johnson, T. . . . . . . 2,924.00238 . . . . . .Guffey, J. J. . . . . . . 3,000.00242 . . . . . .Williams, C. G. . . . . 3,000.00245 . . . . . .Boedecker, J. L. . . . 3,000.00245 . . . . . .Bringe, C. H. . . . . . . 3,000.00245 . . . . . .Groves, M. R. . . . . . 3,000.00245 . . . . . .Kieffer, R. N. . . . . . . 3,000.00245 . . . . . .Saus, A. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00252 . . . . . .Freeman, J. J. . . . . 6,250.00252 . . . . . .Rickman, H. . . . . . . 3,000.00254 . . . . . .Davishall, A. D. . . . . 3,000.00254 . . . . . .Gamache, J. . . . . . 3,122.00254 . . . . . .Smith, B. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00258 . . . . . .Rowland, M. R. . . . . 2,943.19258 . . . . . .Verhoeve, R. G. . . . . 2,928.92258 . . . . . .Webster, A. G. . . . . . 3,000.00258 . . . . . .Weel,W. J. . . . . . . . 1,000.00278 . . . . . .Rusakov, E. . . . . . . 6,250.00280 . . . . . .Cooke, B. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00280 . . . . . .Hurst, S. M. . . . . . . 6,250.00280 . . . . . .Meyers, R. B. . . . . . 3,000.00294 . . . . . .Wolk,W.W. . . . . . . . 3,000.00295 . . . . . .Clark, R. H. . . . . . . . 3,000.00295 . . . . . .Keenon, R. L. . . . . . 3,000.00295 . . . . . .Mathews,W. H. . . . . 3,000.00295 . . . . . .Russell, J. R. . . . . . . 6,250.00302 . . . . . .Coakley, B. A. . . . . . 1,500.00302 . . . . . .Daigan, A. A. . . . . . . 3,000.00302 . . . . . .Granada, M. D. . . . . 6,250.00302 . . . . . .Jessup, R. C. . . . . . 2,924.00303 . . . . . .Manders, K. . . . . . . 3,617.50304 . . . . . .Enright, R. J. . . . . . . 3,000.00305 . . . . . .Wasson, R. A. . . . . . 2,935.98306 . . . . . .Boso, T.W. . . . . . . . 3,000.00306 . . . . . .Johns, C. M. . . . . . . 2,937.98306 . . . . . .Oaks, T. L. . . . . . . . . 6,250.00309 . . . . . .Bailey, C. L. . . . . . . . 3,000.00309 . . . . . .Kebel, K. H. . . . . . . . 3,000.00309 . . . . . .Parker, F. D. . . . . . . 6,250.00313 . . . . . .Maloney, J. J. . . . . . 3,000.00313 . . . . . .Scharp, C. J. . . . . . . 3,000.00332 . . . . . .Hansen, E. K. . . . . . 3,000.00332 . . . . . .Pfeiffer, J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00332 . . . . . .Stegeman, H. J. . . . 3,000.00340 . . . . . .Austin, R.W. . . . . . . 6,250.00340 . . . . . .Benbow, K. D. . . . . . 2,943.99340 . . . . . .Castro, J. M. . . . . . . 3,000.00

340 . . . . . .Fritts, R. D. . . . . . . . 1,000.00342 . . . . . .Vipperman, A. L. . . . 6,250.00345 . . . . . .Seals,W. A. . . . . . . . 3,000.00347 . . . . . .Henderson, M. C. . . 3,000.00347 . . . . . .Leon, L. E. . . . . . . . 3,000.00349 . . . . . .Pinder, E. F. . . . . . . . 3,000.00349 . . . . . .Russell, D. J. . . . . . 3,000.00351 . . . . . .Gilson, J. J. . . . . . . . 2,954.00353 . . . . . .Bate, A.W. . . . . . . . 3,000.00353 . . . . . .Craik, D. R. . . . . . . . 3,000.00353 . . . . . .Loizides, G. . . . . . . 3,691.50353 . . . . . .Pilgrim, E.W. . . . . . 3,000.00353 . . . . . .Pritchard, D. A. . . . . 3,000.00353 . . . . . .Turowski, E. . . . . . . 3,000.00357 . . . . . .Cavalieri, M. A. . . . . 6,250.00357 . . . . . .Denny, D. A. . . . . . . 3,000.00357 . . . . . .Hefner, R. A. . . . . . . 3,000.00357 . . . . . .Muse, R. L. . . . . . . . 6,250.00357 . . . . . .Poma,W. A. . . . . . . 4,322.41363 . . . . . .Hoeko, M. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00363 . . . . . .Yablonsky, S. . . . . . 6,250.00364 . . . . . .Laken, R. H. . . . . . . 3,000.00366 . . . . . .Ringdahl, K. D. . . . . 1,500.00369 . . . . . .Bogard, R. H. . . . . . 6,250.00369 . . . . . .Dicken, R. G. . . . . . . 2,946.56369 . . . . . .Shelley, H. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00369 . . . . . .Turbeville, L. H. . . . . 3,000.00369 . . . . . .Vanhorn, E. A. . . . . . 2,899.17369 . . . . . .Woolslayer, E. D. . . . 6,250.00379 . . . . . .Deese, H. R. . . . . . . 3,000.00379 . . . . . .Reynolds, H. L. . . . . 3,028.30380 . . . . . .Mazzanti, A. J. . . . . 6,250.00382 . . . . . .Young, S. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00388 . . . . . .Klein, M. G. . . . . . . . 3,000.00397 . . . . . .Norwig, C. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00398 . . . . . .Johnson, A. T. . . . . . 2,891.18400 . . . . . .Flynn, J. F. . . . . . . . 3,000.00401 . . . . . .Cowing, R. J. . . . . . 3,000.00405 . . . . . .Klocke, N. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00413 . . . . . .Skutak, J. H. . . . . . . 3,000.00429 . . . . . .Rhea, T. B. . . . . . . . 6,153.00429 . . . . . .Tenry,W. L. . . . . . . . 3,000.00429 . . . . . .Tinsley, J. T. . . . . . . 1,000.00429 . . . . . .Tonks, C. B. . . . . . . 6,250.00449 . . . . . .Nash, M. F. . . . . . . . 2,926.38456 . . . . . .Csaszar,W. . . . . . . 3,000.00456 . . . . . .Reilley, E. J. . . . . . . 3,000.00459 . . . . . .Kelsey, M. G. . . . . . . 2,878.36461 . . . . . .Marion, J. J. . . . . . . 3,000.00466 . . . . . .Frame, C. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00474 . . . . . .Allen, G. H. . . . . . . . 2,628.72474 . . . . . .Harris, C. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00474 . . . . . .Harwell,W. R. . . . . . 3,000.00474 . . . . . .Williams, L. A. . . . . . 3,000.00477 . . . . . .Hood, P. . . . . . . . . . 6,250.00477 . . . . . .Ruano, H. R. . . . . . . 1,500.00479 . . . . . .Bertrand, J. M. . . . . 3,000.00479 . . . . . .Matak,W. L. . . . . . 12,500.00479 . . . . . .Purdon, D. G. . . . . . 3,000.00480 . . . . . .Bradley, R. E. . . . . . 3,000.00481 . . . . . .Cook, B. D. . . . . . . . 3,000.00481 . . . . . .Kijovsky, B.W. . . . . 3,000.00481 . . . . . .Siemon, H. J. . . . . . 3,000.00481 . . . . . .Stewart, R. . . . . . . . 3,000.00488 . . . . . .Gioia, V. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00488 . . . . . .Lisi, M. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00494 . . . . . .Cifaldi, A. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00494 . . . . . .Kurek, F. Z. . . . . . . . 3,000.00495 . . . . . .Gibson, R. G. . . . . . . 3,000.00495 . . . . . .Pettry, D. A. . . . . . . . 6,250.00502 . . . . . .Baird, D. M. . . . . . . 6,250.00505 . . . . . .Whitcomb, J. O. . . . 2,869.32532 . . . . . .Hyde, J. R. . . . . . . . 3,000.00532 . . . . . .Love, C. F. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00553 . . . . . .Vick, T. J. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00553 . . . . . .Weatherford, J. M. . 1,000.00558 . . . . . .Wallace, D. J. . . . . . 3,000.00568 . . . . . .Eichler, S. . . . . . . . 3,000.00569 . . . . . .Garbiso, M. R. . . . . . 3,000.00570 . . . . . .Wiebenga, B. A. . . . 6,250.00573 . . . . . .Horton, R. K. . . . . . . 3,000.00589 . . . . . .Maznio,W. J. . . . . . 2,928.00

595 . . . . . .Lubeck, J. R. . . . . . 3,000.00595 . . . . . .Turney, F. A. . . . . . . 3,000.00596 . . . . . .Nutter, H. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00601 . . . . . .Barger, M. R. . . . . . 6,250.00602 . . . . . .Ansley, T. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00606 . . . . . .McMahon, K. . . . . . 1,000.00611 . . . . . .Buoy, S. S. . . . . . . . 3,000.00613 . . . . . .Cook, K. G. . . . . . . . 6,250.00613 . . . . . .Folden, A. L. . . . . . . 1,500.00613 . . . . . .Steele, J. D. . . . . . . 2,922.00617 . . . . . .Emerson, H. H. . . . . 3,000.00640 . . . . . .Gibson, S. P. . . . . . . 6,250.00640 . . . . . .Mangum, O. A. . . . . 3,000.00659 . . . . . .Kleve, H. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00661 . . . . . .Williams,W. . . . . . . 3,000.00666 . . . . . .Marston, R. E. . . . . . 3,080.00667 . . . . . .Jones, L. A. . . . . . . . 3,000.00683 . . . . . .Bilyeu, B. L. . . . . . . 2,923.72688 . . . . . .Balduf, F. D. . . . . . . 3,000.00692 . . . . . .Cross, G. . . . . . . . . 2,960.00692 . . . . . .Davis, C. E. . . . . . . . 3,000.00697 . . . . . .Bonich, M. . . . . . . . 3,000.00697 . . . . . .Storey, L.W. . . . . . . 3,000.00702 . . . . . .Cavins, R. G. . . . . . . 1,500.00702 . . . . . .McDaniel, P. J. . . . . 3,000.00712 . . . . . .Leighty, C. H. . . . . . 2,947.19712 . . . . . .Tervo,W. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00714 . . . . . .Beckman, L. . . . . . 3,000.00716 . . . . . .Coggin, J. D. . . . . . 12,500.00716 . . . . . .Hearon, A. H. . . . . . 2,931.36716 . . . . . .Reeves, J. R. . . . . . 3,125.00716 . . . . . .Selph, A. T. . . . . . . . 2,815.00716 . . . . . .Williamson, H. F. . . . 3,000.00728 . . . . . .Fisher, R. E. . . . . . . 6,250.00728 . . . . . .Knight, R. C. . . . . . . 3,000.00756 . . . . . .Hawkins, L. R. . . . . 3,000.00756 . . . . . .Mattison, V. . . . . . . 3,000.00756 . . . . . .Thoresen,W. A. . . . . 6,250.00760 . . . . . .McElhaney, S. S. . . . 3,000.00768 . . . . . .Moravec, D. R. . . . . 3,000.00769 . . . . . .Allen, R. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00769 . . . . . .Guscott,W. D. . . . . . 3,000.00769 . . . . . .Orr, H. F. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00772 . . . . . .Hankinson, J. E. . . . 2,936.00773 . . . . . .Larche, L. R. . . . . . . 3,000.00814 . . . . . .Evans,W. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00816 . . . . . .Futrell, B. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00841 . . . . . .Preston, A. M. . . . . . 3,000.00841 . . . . . .Shaw, A. L. . . . . . . . 2,841.57852 . . . . . .Denman,W. H. . . . . 2,948.00861 . . . . . .Richard, E. L. . . . . . 3,000.00915 . . . . . .Cay, J. M. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00915 . . . . . .Duncan, D. G. . . . . . 3,000.00915 . . . . . .Gill, S. G. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00915 . . . . . .Hall, R. L. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00917 . . . . . .Evans, D. M. . . . . . . 3,000.00917 . . . . . .Goodman, D. E. . . . 3,000.00917 . . . . . .Smiley, E.W. . . . . . . 6,250.00949 . . . . . .Theede, J. A. . . . . . 3,000.00953 . . . . . .Hansen, R. F. . . . . . 2,585.53970 . . . . . .Morgenweck, E. C. . . 3,000.00972 . . . . . .Angert, D. P. . . . . . . 3,000.00993 . . . . . .Guillou, A. M. . . . . . 3,000.001105 . . . . .Sharkey,W. S. . . . . . 3,000.001141 . . . . .Burns, J. D. . . . . . . . 2,956.441141 . . . . .Fore, J. A. . . . . . . . . 2,943.201141 . . . . .Hart, C.W. . . . . . . . 3,000.001141 . . . . .Smith, D. K. . . . . . . 2,924.971186 . . . . .Murayama, H. . . . . 3,000.001186 . . . . .Niino, C. S. . . . . . . . 3,000.001191 . . . . .Lewis, R. J. . . . . . . . 6,250.001205 . . . . .Dyer, D. A. . . . . . . . . 5,260.001206 . . . . .Baker, R. K. . . . . . . . 3,000.001206 . . . . .Boylan, G. E. . . . . . . 3,000.001220 . . . . .Ragan, P. E. . . . . . . 2,718.001245 . . . . .McGivney, R.W. . . . 3,000.001249 . . . . .Healey, K. J. . . . . . . 3,000.001253 . . . . .Lugdon, O. F. . . . . . 2,947.641316 . . . . .Forehand, L. E. . . . . 3,000.001319 . . . . .Gibson, M. R. . . . . . 1,500.001319 . . . . .Vischansky, L. . . . . 3,000.001393 . . . . .Flory, R. L. . . . . . . . 3,000.00

1426 . . . . .Syrstad, R. . . . . . . . . 710.391547 . . . . .Matthisen, C. J. . . . 2,940.131547 . . . . .Newman, C. R. . . . . 6,250.001547 . . . . .Waugaman, R. L. . . 3,691.281579 . . . . .Rabun, B. M. . . . . . . 3,000.001583 . . . . .Gould, A. H. . . . . . . . 2,964.721583 . . . . .Skidmore, D.W. . . . 2,399.331631 . . . . .Tynan, E. F. . . . . . . . 3,000.001749 . . . . .Brown,W. L. . . . . . . 2,930.932085 . . . . .Demery, R. . . . . . . . 3,000.002113 . . . . .Christian, V.W. . . . . 3,000.002166 . . . . .Kenney, R. . . . . . . . 3,000.002286 . . . . .Jacobson, J. V. . . . . 2,932.78I.O. (134) . .Mantia, B. J. . . . . . . 6,250.00I.O. (134) . .Schneider, R. R. . . . 3,058.00Pens. (260) Brumbelow, J. H. . . 3,000.00Pens. (323) Smith, J. D. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (637) Hess, D. K. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (1788)Galikowski, E. B. . . . 2,593.28Pens. (I.O.) .Anderson, N. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Arnholt, L. A. . . . . . . 2,913.58Pens. (I.O.) .Audet, A. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Baldwin,W. D. . . . . 2,250.96Pens. (I.O.) .Bennett, J. D. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Board,W. L. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Brown, G. A. . . . . . . 2,772.00Pens. (I.O.) .Caiazzo, E. N. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Cameron, G. T. . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Coats, V. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Corrigan, A. J. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Daniels, V. F. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Davis, C. R. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Dernberger, J. J. . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Ernst, P. F. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Floreani, G. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Footlik, S. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Forbes, A. F. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Forcier, C. G. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Ford, A. M. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Gossard, E. L. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Harding, A. L. . . . . . 2,807.50Pens. (I.O.) .Huffman,W.W. . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Johnson, B. H. . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Jordahl, V. A. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Kelly, D. V. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Kinzel, B. H. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Koetz, L. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Krueger, R. H. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Larson, D. E. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Levick, D. F. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Lindquist, R. L. . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Lindstrom, L. P. . . . . 2,945.59Pens. (I.O.) .Mastny, K. M. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .McClintock, L. . . . . 2,870.37Pens. (I.O.) .Mills, C. . . . . . . . . . 1,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Moore, H.W. . . . . . . 2,884.78Pens. (I.O.) .Neuhaus, T. J. . . . . . 2,773.95Pens. (I.O.) .Olson, V. K. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .O’Quinn,W. V. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .O’Sullivan, J. D. . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Ownby, J. R. . . . . . . 2,896.98Pens. (I.O.) .Patrick, S. . . . . . . . 2,913.58Pens. (I.O.) .Reynolds, J. . . . . . . 2,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Roatcap, L. J. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Rose, C. . . . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Rubin, P. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Salvato, S. J. . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Schweiger, D.W. . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Shubinski, J. M. . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Smith,W. A. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Sommers, P. J. . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Statler, R. D. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Storrs, L. J. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Thomas, C. T. . . . . . 2,951.99Pens. (I.O.) .Viscovich, G. S. . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Wallach, H. . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Wike, J. D. . . . . . . . 3,000.00Pens. (I.O.) .Wilson, F. . . . . . . . . 3,000.00

Total Amount $1,633,830.86

Local Surname Amount Local Surname Amount Local Surname Amount Local Surname Amount Local Surname Amount

Page 18: The Electrical Worker July 2009

18 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u l y 2 0 09

HOWTO REACH US

We welcome letters from our readers.The writer should include his or hername, address and, if applicable, IBEW local union number and cardnumber. Family members should include the local union number of theIBEW member to whom The Electrical Worker is mailed. Please keepletters as brief as possible. The Electrical Worker reserves the right toselect letters for publication and edit all submissions for length.

Send letters to:Letters to the Editor, The Electrical Worker, 900 Seventh Street, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20001Or send by e-mail to: [email protected]

©2009 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. on Union-made paper.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Electrical Worker,900 Seventh Street, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20001.

The Electrical Worker will not be held responsible for viewsexpressed by correspondents.

Paid advertising is not accepted.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40011756.Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:P.O. Box 503RPOWest Beaver CreekRichmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6

As political weapons are sharpenedfor another historic showdown overhealth care reform, it’s important totalk about what this debate means

for tens of thousands of workers like IBEWmembers Brenda Howington and Dick Rogers.

Howington, who started working as atelephone operator on an old cord board atIllinois Bell (AT&T) in 1972, serves as presi-dent of a retirees club for Downers Grove, Ill.,Local 21. Five years after retiring, Howingtonwas diagnosed with breast cancer andtreated with chemotherapy. “Just knowingthat my medical costs were covered by myunion-negotiated benefit meant that I hadone less thing to take care of as I came togrips with cancer,” she said.

Howington’s cancer is in remission, but now she’s worried. AT&T, currently in negotiationswith IBEW and CWA on new contracts, wants to severely reduce active and retiree health cover-age. “AT&T’s revenues for the fourth quarter of 2008 totaled $31 billion, and CEO Randall L.Stephenson took home over $11 million last year,” says Howington. “It would be very hard toaccept if they turn their back on us retirees.”

It could also be self-defeating. AT&T is busymarketing Uverse, the company’s newTV-phone-Web bundle, in the competitivemarket with Verizon andComcast. Thatmeans building a biggercustomer base.

But personal bankruptcies due to high medical bills are already skyrocketing in the U.S.and unemployment has yet to level off.

If Stephenson really wants to increase the market share of his company’s new product,wouldn’t it make more sense to use some of AT&T’s big lobbying budget to push for a publichealth care option that can help to cover some of the 49 million Americans who currently haveno health insurance and are forced to limit purchases of consumer services like Uverse?

Wouldn’t it makemore sense to support government policies that can bring down the costsof pharmaceuticals and health insurance than to pick a fight with dedicated workers and retireeslike Howington?

The situation faced by Brenda Howington and thousands of AT&T workers is not unique.This issue of The Electrical Worker reports on highly-profitable utility companies that are alsoseeking to slash health care coverage for active and retired workers.

Dick Rogers, a member of Manchester, Maine, Local 1837, is a first-class service worker atCentral Maine Power. CMP is a subsidiary of Energy East, which is owned by Spain-basedIberdrola, the world’s fourth largest utility company.

Local 1837’s contract with CMP expired on May 15. The company is demanding a big bite outof Rogers’ and his co-workers’ health insurance coverage. A member of the negotiating commit-tee, Rogers is organizing informational picketing. He wants Maine citizens to know that if CMPslashes health care benefits, the burden could fall back on the state’s taxpayers.

Jose Ignacio Sanchez Galan is the CEO of Iberdrola. Unlike Stephenson, his yearly compen-sation is kept secret. But Galan’s contract with Iberdrola, covering his total compensation, isnine pages long.

Back in Spain and in many other countries where Iberdrola has utility investments, healthcare insurance is a government-provided benefit.

Galan hires the best lobbyists when he is meeting resistance in getting permits for newutility construction. Instead of messing with workers in Maine and New York, why doesn’t heassign some of his lobbying heavyweights to help win a public health insurance option here inthe U.S.? Wouldn’t that be a better way to bring down his company’s insurance costs in thelong haul?

Brenda Howington, Dick Rogers and millions of American workers deserve real health carereform, not a hard time frommen who have money to burn. �

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

The Electrical Worker was the name of the first officialpublication of the National Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers in 1893 (the NBEW became the IBEW in 1899 withthe expansion of the union into Canada). The name andformat of the publication have changed over the years.This newspaper is the official publication of the IBEW andseeks to capture the courage and spirit that motivated thefounders of the Brotherhood and continue to inspire theunion’s members today. The masthead of this newspaperis an adaptation of that of the first edition in 1893.

F R O M T H E O F F I C E R S

EXECUTIVEOFFICERS

Edwin D. HillInternational President

Lindell K. LeeInternationalSecretary-Treasurer

INTERNATIONALEXECUTIVECOUNCIL

ChairmanRobert W. Pierson

First DistrictJoseph P. Calabro

Second DistrictMyles J. Calvey

Third DistrictJohn R. Clarke

Fourth DistrictWilliamW. Riley

Fifth DistrictStephen Schoemehl

Sixth DistrictGregory A. Lucero

Seventh DistrictPatrick Lavin

Eighth DistrictRick Dowling

INTERNATIONALVICEPRESIDENTS

First DistrictPhillip J. Flemming

Second DistrictFrank J. Carroll

Third DistrictDonald C. Siegel

Fourth DistrictSalvatore J. Chilia

Fifth DistrictJoe S. Davis

Sixth DistrictJoseph F. Lohman

Seventh DistrictJonathan B. Gardner

Eighth DistrictTed C. Jensen

Ninth DistrictMichael S. Mowrey

Tenth DistrictRobert P. Klein

Eleventh DistrictCurtis E. Henke

THEELECTRICALWORKER

EditorEdwin D. Hill

C. James Spellane

MarkBrueggenjohann

Mike Nugent

Malinda Brent

Len Shindel

Carol Fisher

Alex Hogan

Lucas Oswalt

James H. Jones

Len Turner

Health Care Reform, NotShort-SightedTake-Backs

Edwin D. Hill, International PresidentLindell K. Lee, International Secretary-Treasurer

Page 19: The Electrical Worker July 2009

T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u l y 2 0 09 19

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

David Bjorgaard believesstrongly in the healingvalue of artistic expres-sion. That’s why every

Thursday at noon, the KansasCity,Mo., Local 412 journeyman electricianswaps his tools for brushes and oilpaint, leaves his job and heads toWest Platte HighSchool, about 30miles from KansasCity. There, theKansasCity Power & Light’s IatanGenerating Station employee teacheslandscape painting to art students—many of whomhave disabilities orneed specialized services.

“When I was in school, creatingart always built my self-esteem andmade me feel like I could accom-plish anything,” Bjorgaard said. “Itry to pass that feeling along toyouth who are looking for somethingto help them feel more upbeat abouttheir abilities.”

Bjorgaardworks one-on-onewithstudents for about twohours, teachingthemaparticular style of landscapepainting—madepopular by artist BobRoss onPublicBroadcastingServiceprogramming—that yields remarkableresults quickly. “After a fewhours, thekids are amazedwithwhat theyhavemade,” Bjorgaard said.

“The kids are turning out somefantastic work,” said West Platte artinstructor Nan Taylor. “With David,many of the students who would notordinarily be in a mainstream art

class are getting the chance todevelop something spectacular.They’re gleaming when they showtheir completed paintings to friendsand other teachers.”

KCP&L sponsors Bjorgaard’swork at West Platte through theEnergizing Our Community program,the utility’s initiative to increaseemployees’ volunteerism in thecompany’s service and generatingareas in Missouri and Kansas.

“I feel fortunate that my com-pany wants me out there servingpeople,” Bjorgaard said. “It helps tohave a good-paying union job thatallows me the time and freedom topursue my passions.”

An accomplished artist,Bjorgaard started oil painting nearlytwo decades ago when his 9-year-oldstepson took an interest in themedium.With an engaging and easy-going style in the classroom,Bjorgaard took to teaching naturally.Having honed his chops on the can-vas, Bjorgaard has volunteered histime and energy throughout the yearsat numerous schools in the KansasCity area—aswell as at the BridgeHome, a facility for abused and neg-lected youth. He spendsmost of histime these days atWest Platte.

“I would love more than any-thing to travel around in a van fromshelter to shelter, to homes forabused kids, to juvenile detention

centers or any place a child is havinga tough time,” Bjorgaard said. “Iknow for a fact that getting thesekids on the right track would havean effect that would last decades.”

Ty Roach, an 18-year-old juniorat West Platte who has developmen-tal delays, saw Bjorgaard in actionone day at school and wanted toexplore his world of oil painting.Under Bjorgaard’s wing, Roach—whohas fine motor skill challenges—hasdazzled teachers, parents and thecommunity with his breathtakinglandscape images. Roach’s paintingshave been on display in the WestonPublic Library and won four awardsat the Platte County Fair.

“I was extremely impressedwith Ty’s work the first time I saw it,”said Frances Roach, Ty’s mother.“David is a compassionate, dedi-cated teacher who is good atexplaining techniques while alsogiving students freedom.” She saidthat some of Ty’s future goalsinclude selling his art and winningribbons at the Missouri State Fair.

“In the end, it’s not just aboutthe art—it’s about believing in your-self and following your dreams,”Bjorgaard said. “I want these stu-dents to understand that if you haveconfidence, you can do anything.”

To see works by Ty Roachand other students, visitwww.icandrawportraits.com. �

Lettersto the Editor

If you have a story to tell about your IBEW experience, please send it to [email protected].

WhoWeAre

Not inMyNameI have just read that this union is going to continue sponsorship of the ARCA seriesrace car driven by Alli Owens, which will now be a Toyota Camry. As a 20-year racefan, and now an eight-year union member, I can only express my huge disappoint-ment in this decision. I will not cheer for a driver in NASCAR who drives a Camry(and I have had to stop supporting drivers I stood by for over a decade), nor will Ido it for this union. If a Camry is made in plants in this country now, it wasn’tbefore, and people who buy these vehicles are in part responsible for UAW workersnow having to give back wages and benefits in concessions in order to maintaintheir jobs. I am not overlooking mismanagement and poor choices by the respec-tive automakers.

This is a poor choice on behalf of our management, and unionism starts withus, the workers. “Buy American” used to mean something, and every choice to buya Camry or shop at Wal-Mart for goods made in China is now reflected in howmanypeople you know who are unemployed or underemployed in this poor economy.Please take my IBEW emblem off of the Toyota!

John M. KlingelschmittLocal 134 member, Chicago

ASister inSpirit[Editor’s Note: Liliana Robbins, a sister from Birch Bay, Wash., was featured on thecover of the March 2009 edition of The Electrical Worker after she was fired forattempting to organize a union at her workplace. Ms. Robbins sent the followingletter after attending a unit conference of Seattle Local 77.]

I felt welcomed and blessed to have been in the company of such an amazinggroup and organization. I could feel the solidarity in the room.

I wish to thank everyone for their support, their time and dedication to such awonderful cause—supporting the workers of this country. Without people like youwho work to ensure that workers’ rights are protected, I would not be so strong inthe belief that all the hard work done by the union veterans will not be forgotten ortaken for granted.

Even if the union will not be allowed to enter NG Jensen Inc.—my previousemployer who terminated me for participating in concerted rights—I hope that Iwould be allowed to join in the honorable cause of IBEW and to be afforded theopportunity to offer any support I can and be part of your wonderful organizationand its work.

Thank you again. I am humbled and honored to have had the opportunity tobe a part of the IBEW’s family.

Liliana RobbinsBirch Bay, Wash.

Safety First?Regarding the May 2009 cover photo of “The Electrical Worker,” the lack of concernfor personal safety in that photo is disturbing to me. I try to promote our profes-sionalism to everyone, everyday, everywhere, including customers and fellowwiremen. This includes safety.

Those two men on the roof in that photo are in serious violation of OSHAstandards, including no hard hats and no safety lines or belts. Every job I had forthe last 30 years required me to have full length pants. And let’s not forget theproper personal protective equipment, such as appropriate gloves while handlingsharp and heavy objects—like glass panels! In today’s labor market we must exudeprofessionalism in every circumstance. As far as that photo goes, this publicationlet me and every other hard-working, safety-rule-following IBEW worker down.When the nonunion is working and I am not, I tend to get a little testy! Safety is achoice; make it your only choice!

James R. ThomasLocal 134 member, Chicago

[Editor’s Note: Brother Thomas is absolutely right. We erred in running that photo,particularly on the front page. We appreciate him calling us on that. We couldn’temphasize the importance of safety here any better than he already has. Pleaseremember to work safe.]

Member Uses the Arts toInspire YoungPeople

Kansas City, Mo., Local 412 member David Bjorgaard works with high school student Ty Roach on a landscapeoil painting.

Page 20: The Electrical Worker July 2009

20 T h e E l e c t r i c a l Wo r k e r | J u l y 2 0 09

Minutes and Report of the International ExecutiveCouncil’s Regular MeetingChairman Pierson called this regular meeting of theInternational Executive Council to order at 8:30 a.m.,Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Other members of the Council inattendance were Lavin, Dowling, Riley, Calvey, Clarke,Calabro, Lucero, and Schoemehl.

International President HillInternational President Edwin D. Hill met with the mem-bers of the International Executive Council a number oftimes to discuss a variety of matters affecting all branchesof the Brotherhood.

International Secretary-Treasurer LeeInternational Secretary-Treasurer Lindell Lee presentedfinancial reports covering the IBEW Pension Fund and theInvestment Portfolio of the Brotherhood both in Canadaand in the United States.

Legal DefensePayments for legal defensemade from theGeneral Fundwere examined and approved in accordancewith therequirements of Article X, Section 1, of the IBEWConstitution.

Financial ReportsThe International Secretary-Treasurer’s reports for the vari-ous funds of the Brotherhood were presented to theInternational Executive Council, examined and filed.

Local Union Under International Office SupervisionInternational President Hill advised the Council that there

are no local unions, as of this meeting, under the supervi-sion of the International Office.

Retirement of International Office DirectorBobby Roberts Effective August 5, 2009Director—Manufacturing Department

Retirement of International Office EmployeeAnn R. Chapman Effective May 6, 2009International Office Employee—Senior Research Analyst

Appeal of Tim JollyThe International Executive Council has conducted a thor-ough review of the facts pertaining to an appeal of TimJolly, Card No. D583119, a member of Local Union 150,IBEW, Waukegan, Illinois, and it is the decision of theInternational Executive Council to uphold the decision ren-dered by International President, Edwin D. Hill.

Appeal of John RowellThe International Executive Council has conducted a thor-ough review of the facts pertaining to an appeal of JohnRowell, Card No. D474363, a member of Local Union 1316,IBEW, Macon, Georgia, and it is the decision of theInternational Executive Council to uphold the decision ren-dered by International President, Edwin D. Hill.

Appeal of RandyWoodallThe International Executive Council has conducted a thor-ough review of the facts pertaining to an appeal of RandyWoodall, Card No. D493267, a member of Local Union 613,IBEW, Atlanta, Georgia, and it is the decision of the

International Executive Council to uphold the decision ren-dered by International President, Edwin D. Hill.

Appeal of Edward PletzkeThe International Executive Council has conducted a thor-ough review of the facts pertaining to an appeal of EdwardPletzke, Card No. D989791, a member of Local Union 14,IBEW, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it is the decision of theInternational Executive Council to uphold the decision ren-dered by International President, Edwin D. Hill.

Article XX and XXI CasesThere are currently no ongoing Article XX or XXI casesinvolving the IBEW. However, a decision is pending con-cerning a dispute with the CWA, which arose from anArticle XXI petition filed by the IBEW in April, 2008, whichwas seeking to claim the exclusive right to organizeemployees at AT&T’s Yellowpages.com.

Proposed Amendment to the IBEW ConstitutionThe International Executive Council instructed theInternational Secretary-Treasurer to submit this proposedamendment to all local unions for a vote pursuant toArticle XXVII, Section 1(b) of the IBEW Constitution.

Article III, Section 8, of the IBEW Constitution, shall beamended by including the following language at the endof the first paragraph:

“Notwithstanding the above, effective beginning with theOctober 1, 2009, pay increase, such increase shall be 50%of the increase described above and then added to the payrates in effect. Thismethod of calculating the pay increases

shall be used to calculate the October 1, 2010, and October1, 2011, pay increases. However, as the intent of this amend-ment is to result in additional funds for the Pension Plan forInternational Officers, Representatives and Assistants of theIBEW equal to 5% of Officers, Assistants, Directors andInternational Representatives salaries over the three yearperiod, the International Secretary-Treasurer is authorizedto discontinue ormodify this calculation in 2009, 2010,and/or 2011, as necessary, to achieve the overall 5% addi-tional funds. This language shall be removed by the IBEWConstitution effective January 1, 2012.”

Per Capita Objection PlanThe International Executive Council discussed the IBEWReporting Form for the Per Capita Objection Plan.

The Next Regular International Council MeetingThis regular meeting of the International Executive Councilwas held in the International Office, in Washington, D.C.This meeting adjourned on May 13, 2009, at 2:00 p.m.

The next regular meeting of the International ExecutiveCouncil will commence at 8:30 a.m., on Wednesday,September 16, 2009, in Washington, DC.

For the International Executive CouncilPatrick Lavin, Secretary

The IEC acted on numerous applications dealing with pen-sions under the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund. For a completelisting, consultwww.ibew.org, clicking on the InternationalExecutive Council link on the “About Us” page.

May International Executive Council Meeting

IBEW Photo Contest Entry Form

Name ________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________

City and state__________________________________________________________

Zip code ______________________________________________________________

Phone number ________________________________________________________

Local union number ____________________________________________________

IBEW card number ____________________________________________________

PHOTO CONTEST RULES:1. The contest is open to active or retired IBEW members only. The person submitting the photo must be the

person who took the photograph. Members may enter more than one photo.2. International Officers and staff are not eligible.3. Photo submissions can be submitted as digital files of at least 300 dpi, in color or black and white, on

slides or glossy prints. The preferred print size is 8x10.4. All submissions become the property of the IBEWMedia Department.5. Photo entries must have an IBEW theme of some sort, with IBEWmembers at work, engaged in a union-

related activity or subjects conveying images of the electrical industry or the union.6. If members are featured in the photo, they should be identified. If large groups are pictured, the name of the

group or the purpose of the gathering (e.g. a safety committee, a lineman’s rodeo, a union meeting) can be sub-mitted in place of individual names.

7. Photos previously published in the IBEWElectricalWorker or Journal are not eligible for submission.8. All entries must include a completed contest entry form. Please note that photo entries and forms may be

submitted through the IBEW Web site at www.ibew.org.9. Please fill out the contest entry form and affix it to each photo you submit for the contest and mail it to the

IBEW Photo Contest, 900 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001.

Enter the 2009 IBEW Photo Contest Today!

Give It Your Best ShotEach year we get a window into the breadth and scope of our diverseorganization through the eyes of our fellow members. Last year, forthe first time, IBEWmembers chose the winner. It’s time for the 2009contest, so take a moment to look around your workplace with a fresheye. This year’s winning image could be the one that you capture.

Like last year, a panel of judges will narrow down the entries to15 finalists, which will be posted on www.ibew.org. Keep an eyeon future issues of The Electrical Worker and the Web site forannouncements on when the judging will begin.

DEADLINE: November 30, 2009

Prizes to be awarded in each category:First Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200Second Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150Third Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$100Honorable Mention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50