The Electrical Worker July 2010

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

(Editor’s note: This is the first in an occa-sional series about the job opportunities forIBEWmembers in a nuclear renaissance.)

Nate McGoldrick remembers spend-ing summer days as a child ridinghis bike and playing soccer in hispastoral hometown of Stillman

Valley, Ill. A two-hour drive west of Chicago,the town of 1,000 offers a slice of life familiarto many small Midwestern locales: championhigh school football teams, traditional valuesand tight-knit families. McGoldrick, an ace

athlete, once considered going to a nearby col-lege in the hopes of getting a teaching degreeand coaching soccer at Stillman Valley HighSchool, where he graduated in 2009.

Butwhile further contemplating careeroptions, something else critical to the town drewhis attention: the twin cooling towers of nearbyByronNuclearGeneratingStation that loom likestout pillars against the otherwise flat horizon.For people old enough to remember the accidentatThreeMile Island in 1979, Byron can promptsuspicion among skeptics of the industry. But for

19-year-oldMcGoldrickandmany of his peers, ithas always simply been abenign part of the scenery.

“I knowpeople inthe past have been kindof afraid of nuclear, but itwas just something thatwe grew upwith anddidn’t really thinkabout in

negative terms,” saidMcGoldrick, the son ofDownersGrove, Ill., Local 15 Vice President andAssistant BusinessManagerTerryMcGoldrick.“I knew as a kid that it has been a good thing forour community, as far as jobswere concerned.”

McGoldrick now sees those towers less asscenery andmore as security in a slippery eco-nomic climate. Instead of racking up debt toattend a pricey four-year university, McGoldrickis learning radiation protection at LinnStateTechnical College for a career in—what expertshope will be—a revived nuclear sector.

McGoldrick says the realities of the reces-sion and the promises of a union job helpedsteer him toward the two-year program, and hisclassmates share similar stories. Formany ofMcGoldrick’s generation, the idea of nuclearenergy being some sort of environmental bogey-man has subsided, while the fear of financialuncertainty has spiked considerably.

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. 4 | No. 7 | July 2010

NEW DEAL FOR NUCLEAR continued on page 2

3 | Utilities warned: Prepare for shortages

4 | Solar sector fuels IBEW jobs, training

5 | IBEW helps Cedar Rapids reboundafter flood

6 | North of 49°

7 | At Cornell, diversity succeeds,on-campus and off

8 | Transitions

IBEW On Duty

9 | Organizing Wire

10 | Local Lines

17 | In Memoriam

18 | Editorials

19 | Letters to the Editor

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Construction is underway for the firstnuclear plant to be built in the U.S. in decades.The seven-year, $15 billion project to install two reactors on the 42-acresite at plant Vogtle outside Augusta, Ga., is putting IBEWmembers towork—and nuclear’s renaissance could mean thousands of jobs forunion members in the construction and utility sectors.

A NEWDEAL FOR NUCLEAR

Resurgent IndustryPrimes for a Revival

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ANewDeal for Nuclear

Continued from page 1

The enhanced safety record ofplants has also contributed to afavorable shift in popular percep-tion. According to the most recentGallup poll measuring people’s atti-tudes toward nuclear power, arecord-high 62 percent of respon-dents view the industry favorably.

At the same time, the offshoreoil drilling disaster in theGulf ofMexico has done asmuch to enragethe populace as it has to devastatethe environment and the economiesof theGulf states.While the “Drill,Baby, Drill” crowd has quieted, thedisaster has prompted PresidentObama to throw support behind safer,carbon-freemethods of feedingAmerica’s increasing appetite for elec-tricity—especially by splitting atoms.

OpportunitiesandHurdles

“Without a doubt, we’re at a definingmoment for the industry,” said DaveMullen, International Representativein the Utility Department at the IBEWheadquarters inWashington, D.C.,whoworked for 15 years atQuadCityNuclear PowerStation on the Iowa-Illinois border. He applauds PresidentObama’s February announcement at

Lanham,Md., Local 26 of $8.3 billionin loan guarantees to build two newreactors—the first in three decades—at theSouthernCo. owned-and-oper-ated Vogtle ElectricGenerating PlantnearAugusta, Ga. (See “IBEWHostsObamaAnnouncement on LoanGuarantees forGeorgia NuclearProject,”www.ibew.org.)

But Mullen also recognizes thetime it might take for the reboundingindustry to transition from smallsteps to ground-gripping strides.

“Building a plant takes aboutsix years,” Mullen said. “So the real-ity is that this is all going to take awhile. But in the long term, it’s clearthat nuclear is coming back withObama’s announcement. So whathappens at Vogtle is certainly goingto be the measuring stick.”

In short, the union needs tocross the finish line for Vogtle on-time and on-budget to get futureprojects off the ground.

“We’re talking about a hugeeffort over in Georgia that can createthousands of new jobs in the nextfew years,” Mullen said. “With thatloan money comes the chance for usto really prove ourselves and showwhat we can do as professionals inthe industry.”

“But if we fail, that’s it,” hesaid. “The renaissance could be fin-ished before it really begins.”

Education for Tomorrow

The industry is betting that efforts atVogtle will succeed, and major play-ers aren’t sitting on the sidelineswaiting to get into the game—espe-cially with projects in south Texasand at Calvert Cliffs in Maryland nextup in the queue.

Through an innovative partner-ship between theNuclear EnergyInstitute, the IBEWand large compa-nies like ExelonCorp., industry insid-ers and academics have joined forcesto streamline comprehensive coursesof study in nuclear power operation at52 technical colleges nationwide—including LinnState, whereMcGoldrick takes courses. As a result,more youngmen andwomen thanever are flocking toward careers in theindustry, and time is of the essence.

At nuclear facilities across thecountry, the sector is looking at a 38percent retirement rate in the next fiveyears, with a current shortfall of skilledlabor to replace former employees.

“A lot of the younger generationlooks at nuclear asbeing up-to-date,andwithout the drawbacks of carbonemissions,” said IBEWUtilityDepartmentDirector JimHunter. About80percent of the nuclear sector isunionized, the bulkofwhich com-prises IBEWmembers. About 15,000IBEWoperators, technicians andmaintenanceworkers service 42 sitesnationwide. “We’re going to need toquickly—but thoroughly—train thenext batch of professionalswho aregoing to run andmaintain these newsystemswhen the veteranshave hungup their hardhats,”Hunter added.

‘AShot in the Arm’for Electricians

While the students coming out of theNEI partner programs will virtuallybe guaranteed jobs, the infusion ofloan guarantee money into thenuclear sector also looks promisingfor rank-and-file construction mem-bers—especially as the constructionindustry stares down nearly 30 per-cent unemployment.

Due to stringent licensing rules,nuclear facilities demand constantupgrades almost immediately follow-

ing construction. In addition to thehundreds of workerswhowill beemployed on the construction side ofthe Vogtle project—and, hopefully,similar projects in the future—a fully-functioning plant can require asmanyas 400 to 800 permanentworkerswhose jobs cannot be outsourced.

Augusta, Ga., Local 1579Assistant Business Manager WillSalters helps represent nearly 100members on the construction andmaintenance sides at Vogtle, and heworked with local leaders prior toPresident Obama’s 2008 electionvictory to ensure that any expansionprojects were kept within unionjurisdiction.

“If things go according to plan,we’re looking at a serious shot inthe arm for our membership—bothhere and nationwide,” said Salters,who also serves as secretary-trea-surer for the Augusta BuildingTrades. “I anticipate that we’ll have600 members at work duringVogtle’s peak in the next few years.”

And the numbers keep rising.Back in Washington, Hunter says anambitious—but very realistic—goalis to construct 40 new plants withinthe next few decades.

“People ask, ‘Is this really possi-ble?’” said Hunter. “But consider thatin the ’60s and ’70s, we built a lot ofplants on a relatively short timetable.And these are by far the best payingconstruction jobs within 100miles ofa nuke site. Can you imagine all thepeople whowill move into an areaduring the construction phase? Froman operations andmaintenancestandpoint, 40 new sites would yieldabout 20,000 careers—not just jobs.These are well-paying careers thatpeople will comfortably retire fromafter decades on the shop floor.”

PuttingUnion Expertiseup Front

In May, International PresidentEdwin D. Hill presented ideas to keyplayers in the industry at theNuclear Energy Institute ExecutiveConference in San Francisco—high-lighting the efforts that the IBEW hastaken in order to be the standardbearers in a brave new world ofpower generation. The NEI is com-posed of company leaders from thenuclear technologies sector.

“[N]uclear power is essential to

our energymix now and in thefuture,” President Hill told the assem-bly. “We all know it has taken years toovercome negative attitudes andfalsehoods about our industry. Wehaveworked hard to get this opportu-nity to prove ourselves once again,andwewill be held to very high stan-dardswith littlemargin of error. If wefail, thenwemay not get anotherchance for a generation. And I for onedon’t want to thinkabout the conse-quences if thatwere to happen. Butwewill not fail if we commit tomakingour industry an example of the high-est quality and performance.”

Part of whatwill give the IBEWashot at proving itself is the attach-ment of project labor agreements toObama’s promised loan guarantees—amove that experts saywill force theindustry to take the high road of con-structing, wiring andmaintaining newfacilities for decades to come.

“If you were to build these newfacilities without PLAs, work couldvery easily be passed on to less-skilled, nonunion workers whodon’t have a long-term investmentin a nuclear renaissance,” saidHunter. “They look at it as one job,not a mission—so it’s to our benefitnot only to ensure that the renais-sance goes forward, but that wehave a solid foothold in any devel-opments down the road. PresidentHill’s statements to the NEI rein-force that importance.”

TheRoadAhead

On break from Linn College’s rigor-ous schedule, Nate McGoldrick isspending time in Illinois with hisfamily and gearing up for the nextsemester of school—which includesan intensive radiation protection pro-gramwith possible field work on out-ages at facilities across the country.

McGoldrickmakes no bonesabout his decision to move into thenext generation of nuclear work.

“A while ago, I was like a lot ofyoung people. I wasn’t sure what Iwanted to do,” he said. “But I’vedone my homework on this. I’mproud of the choices I’ve made sofar. And I am looking forward toworking at a nuclear plant and beinga union member.

“If that’s not a good opportu-nity,” McGoldrick said, “I don’tknow what is.” �

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


Utility local leaders andmembers who are sick oftoo much talk and too lit-tle action on the glaring

need to replace hundreds of thou-sands of retiring workers now have apotent new tool to grab the attentionof employers and public officials.

A report by the research arm ofthe National Association ofRegulatory Utility Commissionersurges regulators to investigate thepresent and future staffing of utilitiesand “be prepared to encourage solu-tions where appropriate andman-date themwhere necessary.”

The report from the NationalRegulatory Research Institute, saysIBEW Utility Department Director JimHunter, offers utility members “anew comfort level” for showing up atcommission hearings on utility rateincreases to elevate and drive homework force planning issues.

At least a third of the nation’selectrical utility workers—a total ofabout 160,000—are eligible to leavetheir jobs by 2013. The latest reportfollows another from the Task Forceon America’s Future Energy Jobs con-cluding that the nation’s electricpower infrastructure is in “seriousjeopardy” due to a lack of qualifiedworkers in the pipeline. (See “WillUtilities be Prepared to FaceUncertain Future?” The ElectricalWorker, November 2009.)

While most state commissionsalready have statutory authority topush utilities to prepare to replace agraying work force, says Hunter, thereport gives locals added leverage topush them to act.

Some local unions have alreadydemonstrated that increased train-ing and staffing can be won by takingtheir case to state commissioners.

In 1992, Madison, Wis., Local2304, representing workers atMadison Gas and Electric, showedup at a rate hearing and asked theemployer for a copy of its compre-hensive work force plan. “They said,‘We don’t have a plan,’” saysBusiness Manager Dave Poklinkoski.

IBEW utility locals joined withother unions in the state, forming theUtility Workers Coalition to push forwork force planning to be an integralpart of the commission’s strategicenergy assessments which, by law,must be prepared every two years.

“The good news,” saysPoklinkoski, “is that all utilities inWisconsin are nowmandated towork with unions to develop com-prehensive work force plans, andsome have increased hiring to pre-pare for retirements.” At MadisonG&E, for instance, 14 linemen werehired above the staffing level to pre-pare for future retirements.

But the bad news, saysPoklinkoski, is that “the economy

has taken a nosedive and utilitiesare retreating on their promises. Wehave to have another round of hear-ings to hold them accountable.” Insome locales, utilities are continuingto offer early retirements to increasetheir immediate bottom line, despitethe loomingmanpower shortages.

This is a disaster waiting tohappen and it’s time to get involved,says Hunter.

“Unions provide a point of viewthat no one else does,” says Hunter,“because we are on the inside andknow what is happening every day.”

In the overwhelmingmajority ofrate cases before public service com-missions, local unions support com-panies increasing rates to maintaincurrent wages and benefits. “While

we’re not used to intervening,” saysHunter, “we have to use the regula-tory process to bring all parties to thetable to address the planning needs.The safety and reputation of unionmembers are at stake, as well as thequality of service.”

At the IBEW Utility Conferencethis month, leaders will urge localunions to call their utility commis-sioners and offices of people’s coun-sel to schedule meetings upon theirreturn home. The time for off-the-record discussions is ripe since fewformal hearings are scheduled.

“Utility commissions are notthought of as themost logical place[to be heard] but union guys can offerup a new perspective because theyknow how their companies are beingrun,” said Scott Strauss, author of theresearch report, who will be address-ing the Utility Conference.

To review the report, visitwww.nrri.org. More informationcan be found at www.naruc.org.For contacts at state utility commis-sions, visit www.naruc.org/commissions.cfm. �

PUBLICSERVICECOMMISSIONSTOUTILITIES:

PlanNow for DepletedWorkForces

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

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

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

HourPowerDid you knowPresident Ed Hillis amotorcycleenthusiast?In our latestPresident’sMessage, he talksabout the open roadand two upcoming IBEWmotorcycle rides.Watchthe video atwww.IBEWHourPower.com.

ElectricTVThe state of Arizonaneeded to secure andprotect itsmost importantdocuments.Who’d theycall on?Well, theNECA-IBEW team, of course!Go to electricTV.netand see the technologywe installed.

IBEWMEDIAWORLD

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

Fourteen linemen were hired above predicted staffing levels at Madison (Wis.) Gas and Electric after Local 2304pushed for work force planning to be part of the utility’s required energy assessments. Photo credit: Steve Salt: all three photos

Despite the economicslow-down in the constructionmarket,many locals aresuccessfully going after

new job and training opportunities inalternative energy, including the rap-idly growing solar industry.

According to the Solar EnergyIndustries Association, solar elec-tric capacity grew by 37 percent in2009, creating nearly 20,000 newjobs, making it one of the fastestgrowing sectors in the electricalindustry—growth that is translatinginto jobs for out-of-work wiremen.

SilverStateSolar

LasVegas Local 357memberTimGardner is one of them. Laid off fromthemassiveCityCenter project last fall,he is finally back towork, thanks to anewhuge solar energyproject cur-rently underway in theNevadadesert.

He is one of the more than 200IBEWmembers constructing thelargest solar photovoltaic power sys-tem in North America.

TheCopperMountain solarplant, under construction in theremote El DoradoValley, approxi-mately 50miles south of Las Vegas,will boast nearly 1million solar pan-els. The 50-megawatt array is anexpansion of the nearby 10-megawattEl Dorado Energy solar plant.

“Between IBEW Locals 357 and396, the project is being built 100percent by IBEW journeymen, appren-tices and linemen,” said Local 357BusinessManager David Jones.

California-basedSempraGeneration, a subsidiary ofSempraEnergy, is expanding itsNoperationstomeet the increaseddemandof con-

sumers inSouthernCalifornia for cleanand affordable energy.Crewsbrokegroundon theproject inMarch; it isexpected to be online late this year.

Photovoltaics isn’t a new fieldfor Local 357,which has developed areputation throughout the state as thego-to people when it comes to solar.

In 2004, the local—with assis-tance from a grant from theDepartment of Energy—opened aphotovoltaic lab at its Las Vegas train-ing center. More than 800membershave gone through the program, saysJones. Gardner is one of them, usinghis downtime after being laid off toget certified in solar installation.

And in 2008, nearly 100 Local357members and travelers com-pleted a 70,000-panel, 15-megawattsystem at Nellis Air Force base, whichis expected to eliminatemore than20,000 tons of carbon emissions.

“Our focus on alternativeenergy training has paid off for theIBEW in terms of real job creation,”Jones said.

But getting theCopperMountainproject required the local to aggres-sivelymarket itself. In addition to pro-moting its training capacities, the localagreed to a higher apprentice-to-jour-neyman ratio to cut downon costs.

With discussions about turningthe El Dorado Valley into a statewidecenter for renewable energy, and astate requirement that at least fivepercent of its energy needs comefrom solar by 2015, photovoltaics islikely the future of electrical work inNevada, Gardner said.

In June, NV Energy asked thestate’s Public Utility Commission tosupport its plans to build a 200-miletransmission line, which would

allow easier access to renewableenergy resources generated in themore remote parts of the state.

“I don’t see a lot of high-endresorts and hotels in our near future,so we need to work on going after therenewable energy sphere, becausethere is a lot of room for it to grow,”Gardner said.

AMarket to BeTapped

Successfully going after job opportu-nities in the new energy economyrequires top-notch training in the lat-est renewable energy technologies.

Milwaukee Local 494’s year-oldphotovoltaic training programgot a bigboost this springwhenWeEnergies, autility servingWisconsin andparts ofMichigan, announced that itwasawarding the local a $75,000 grant tohelp it develop a solar training lab.

“We view the IBEW as animportant partner in the energyindustry,” said Jessica Thibodo-Johnson, a renewable energy spe-cialist for We Energies. “And we arevery interested in helping themdevelop their solar training facility.”

The lab will be housed in Local494’s newly constructed training cen-ter. It will consist of six solar workstations, which will give studentshands on experience in assemblingand disassembling PV panels andconnecting them to the grid.

“We feel it is in our customers’best interest to help develop solartraining services through our partner-shipwith the IBEW,”Thibodo-Johnsonsaid. “Our customerswill benefit fromawell-trained, highly skilled pool ofcertified solar installers thatwill helpthem take advantage of renewable

energy incentives by safely installingphotovoltaicpanels.”

JATCContinuing EducationCoordinator JohnCyr says that the localhasputmore than60 IBEW journey-men through its solar training programin the last year and is looking toexpand those numbers once the lab iscompletedby the end of the summer.

“We’ve got a big waiting list,”he said.

The Wisconsin IBEW already

boasts of nine locals offering photo-voltaic training with more programslikely in the works, says SixthDistrict International RepresentativeTerry Roovers.

“This is a market to betapped,” Cyr added. “But the suc-cess of solar is dependent on thequality and training of those doingthe work and we are ready to makesure the industry can count on thebest in the electrical field.” �


More than 200members of Las Vegas Locals 357 and 396 are at work in the Nevada desert building what will be the largest solar power project in North America.

SunShinesOnNew IBEW JobOpportunities



After the Flood, UnionMembersHelpRe-energize Cedar Rapids

The damage caused bymassive floodwaters inCedar Rapids, Iowa, twoyears ago destroyed hun-

dreds of homes, crippled busi-nesses and dealt a blow to a statealready stung by the recession.

In the aftermath, more than1,200 IBEWmembers rose to thechallenge of helping get the areaback on firm ground—a task that isfinally yielding tangible results.

“It’s been a long time coming,but we’re seeing signs of recovery,”Local 405 Business Manager BillHanes said. “Businesses are return-ing. In some areas, things are nearlyback to the way they were before theflooding. In other places, we’ve stillgot a long way to go.”

On June 13, 2008, the CedarRiver—which runs through the cen-ter of the city—swelled to a historichigh, swallowing levees and sub-merging 10 square miles of the city.Eighteen thousand residents weredisplaced and hundreds of busi-nesses and government buildingswere inundated. As rainfall fed theraging Mississippi River less than100 miles to the east, devastationmounted throughout the state asmore flooding enveloped riversideareas. By the end of the nine-dayordeal, hundreds would watch theirhomes and livelihoods wash away,at least temporarily, with the flood.

Mobilizing After‘Iowa’s Katrina’

Recovery efforts following “Iowa’sKatrina,” as many refer to it, couldhave lagged if not for the IBEW’sinvolvement in rebuilding the city,Hanes said.

“There’s no doubt inmymindthat we’ve been a big part of the solu-tion,” Hanes said. “Nonunion con-tractors couldn’t have summoned thekind of skilled work force we did.”

Hundreds of local memberswere joined by 800 travelers to res-urrect Cedar Rapids’ industrialplants—including Quaker Oats andagriculture giant Cargill—and re-energize the city’s only salvageable225-megawatt power plant. It wasdirty, dangerous work. Floodwaterswere rife with chemicals and bacte-ria, and underground wire in nearly

all buildings had been exposed towater and needed replacing.

The massive scope of the dam-age often required seven 16-hourdays per week frommembers, someof whom came from as far asCalifornia, Florida and Washington.

Power andProblems

AtAlliant Energy’s Prairie Creekpow-erhouse in the heart of the city, hun-dreds ofmembers logged nearly halfamillionman-hours bringing the facil-ity backonline. All control systemshad been damaged beyond repairandmassive turbines needed to berebuilt. The town’s only other power-housewas completelywiped out.

Local 405memberGlenHenry ofAcme Electrical Co. led the reconstruc-tion andwiring effort at Prairie Creek.“We had about 300 electricianswork-ingwith us over the span of a year anda half,” he said. “Most of themwere

travelers, so housingwas an issue.We had guys sleeping on our shopfloor for a while, and the local collegeoffered themaplace to stay, too.”Other entities outside of town thatwere relatively immune from the floodoffered additional accommodations.

Inside wiremen’s efforts to joltPrairie Creek back to life couldn’thave succeeded without the work ofhundreds of Cedar Rapids Local 204members. The members—many ofwhom live in more remote areas ofthe state—converged on the water-logged city to restring high voltagelines, restore underground distribu-tion lines and help residents facingwidespread power outages.

But while striving to helprebuild the city, Local 204 received apunch below the belt.

“Wewere right in the thickofthings and lost our office in the flood,”saidBusinessManagerDaveGeorge.

Higher-than-expected floodwaterssoaked computers, paper records andother equipment throughout thebuilding located next to the river, forc-ingGeorge andhis crew to relocate tooffice space on the edge of the city.“Through it all, though, everybodykept a cool head andwedidn’t have asinglemajor safety issue. You’d think itwouldmaybebe the opposite—but ina high state of emergency, ourmem-bers are evenmore cognizant of safetydue to the nature andurgency of thetaskat hand.”

Backon the Clock

Across town, Local 405members fromAcme and signatory contractor theESCOGroup resurrected theQuakerOats plant—the company’s largest inthe country and one ofCedar Rapids’largest employers. Nearly 1,300mem-bers of themachinists union are nowbackatwork at the plant.

“BetweenPrairieCreekandQuaker, thiswasuncharted territory forall of us,”Henrysaid. “Noneofushadeverseenanything close to thescopeofdevastationhere.Weweremakingcritical decisionsonanhourlybasis togetpowerbackandultimatelymake itso folks could getback to their jobs.”

One of the hardest-hit sites in

the city was the Cargill plant, whichcalled on nearly 300 members toreconstruct and rewire the facility. Ofall major industry sites in CedarRapids, the Cargill building hastaken the longest to rehabilitate.

“Themanpowerbrought inwascritical to the rebuilding process,” saidLocal 405memberDougYates of theESCOGroup,who supervised electri-cians atCargill. “Itwasdefinitely a tes-tament to the IBEW’s organizationalskills that they could rampupa jobfrom40people to hundreds in just afewweeks. Itwas very hard for someofthesemembers to be away from theirfamilies, especially forweeks at atime.”Cargill providedbreak tents,cateredmeals and an emphasis on asafeworkenvironment.

IBEWmembers completednearly all of the electrical work atbusinesses in the downtown CedarRapids area, Hanes said. All of thecity’s manufacturing plants are nowup and running, and more than 80percent of businesses are back andserving customers. “Getting theindustrial base back has allowed alarge number of residents to returnto work in the city,” Hanes said.

HittingHome

Local retirees also stepped up to vol-unteer their expertise for homeown-ers who suffered flood damage.Cedar Rapids’ local labormanage-ment cooperation committee put up$100,000 for experienced hands torewire about 200 homes—mostly forresidents lacking sufficient insurancecoverage to combat the damage.

But even though most Local405 members live on the outskirts oftown away from the river, many arestaring down troubles of their own.Nineteen of the local’s 850 mem-bers had severe flood damage totheir homes that only allowed themto salvage what they could andmove out. A handful of others wereable to refurbish and remodel theirhouses and are starting to return tosome semblance of normal life.

“It’s not perfect yet—there arestill some very large challengeslooming,” Hanes said. “But theBrotherhood has stood strong forthis community, and we’ll continueto as we work to rebuild our city.” �

A Cargill employee pumps water out of a high voltage switchgear at the Cargill corn processing plant followingmassive flooding in 2008. More than 250 IBEWmembers worked to revive the plant.

“It’s been a long time coming, butwe’re seeingsigns of recovery. Businesses are returning. Insomeareas, things are nearly back to thewaytheywere before the flooding. In other places,we’ve still got a longway to go.”– Bill Hanes, Local 405 business manager

Premier Brad Wall’s right-wing Saskatchewan Partygovernment continues itslegislative assault on

workers’ rights, recently passing oneof the most far-reaching attacks oncollective bargaining rights for con-struction workers in Canada.

Passed inMay, Bill 80 alterslabor law to allow for organizing “wall-to-wall,” not segmented by jobdescription. Previously, unionizedworkers in the construction industryhad to belong to a craft-specificunion,which bargainedwith contractor asso-ciations on a provincial-wide basis.

The fear of many labouractivists is that the legislation willopen the door for employer-favoredunions like the cross-craft ChristianLabour Association of Canada to geta toehold in the industry, weakeningthe power of the building trades anddriving down working standards andbenefits for all construction workers.

CLAC is infamous throughoutCanada for raiding other unions bycozying up to anti-labour employersand undercutting wages and benefits.

“CLACwill come in and offer anemployer a contract that is 17 percentless thanwhatwe are asking for,”said Regina Local 2038 BusinessManagerGary Vieser. “The contractorwill then sign the deal with themwith-out even talking to theworkers first.”

For many building trades lead-ers who believed Wall’s promise—made shortly before he becamepremier—that he would not alterexisting labour law in the construc-tion industry, Bill 80 is a particularlybitter pill to swallow.

“Themen andwomen inSaskatchewan’s construction indus-try hoped thatWall meant what hesaid in 2007 and that he would keephis word,” wrote SaskatchewanProvincial Building andConstructionTradesCouncil BusinessManger TerryParker in theStar Phoenix. “Sadly,our experience with Bill 80 is a cau-tionary tale ofmistruths, falsehoodsand broken commitments.”

Neither Wall nor LabourMinister Rob Norris bothered to con-sult the building trades before intro-ducing the legislation, but lettersobtained by Parker through theprovincial Freedom of InformationAct show that SaskatchewanConstruction Association President

Michael Fougere had written the gov-ernment in 2008 asking precisely forthe changes contained in Bill 80.

MostAnti-LabourGovernment inthe Country

The bill is only the latest in a string oflaws passed by whatmany Canadianlabour leaders consider themostanti-union government in Canada.

Elected in 2007, Wall’sSaskatchewan Party almost immedi-ately introduced two bills meant toweaken workers’ rights. One gives

employers the authority to preventtheir employees from going on strikeby declaring them providers of anessential service, while the othereliminates the use of majority sign-up in recognizing a union.

“Even some employers areangry about this, because even ifthey voluntarily want to recognizethe wishes of their employees toform a union, they still have to stagean election,” Vieser said.

The situation has gotten so badthat last year the International TradeUnion Confederation includedSaskatchewan in its annual global

survey of places with the worstrecords of workers’ rights violations.

“It’s adubiousdistinction tobecited in thesamepublicationas thelikesof countriessuchasColombia,Burma,Belarus,Sudan,Zimbabwe,Swaziland, Iran, Pakistanand thePhilippines,where tradeunion leadersare routinelymurderedor imprisonedfordefendingworkers’ rights,” saidSaskatchewanFederationof LabourPresident LarryHubich inastatement.

The International LabourOrganization, a global body chargedwith overseeing international labourstandards, found the province guilty

of violating employees’ right of free-dom of association.

Wall also recently brokeanother campaign promise by sign-ing the NewWest Partnership, aninter-province free trade agreementalmost identical to the Trade,Investment and Labour MobilityAgreement, a 2007 trade pactbetween Alberta and BritishColumbia that Wall promised tokeep Saskatchewan out of.

LikeTILMA, the NewWestPartnership gives corporations andprivate individuals the right to sueprovincial governments over any regu-


North of 49° | Au nord du 49° parallèle

SaskatchewanGovernmentTargetsWorkers’ Rights

Les droits des travailleurs ciblés par legouvernement de laSaskatchewan

Le Premier Ministre du partide droite de laSaskatchewan, Brad Wall,poursuit son « assaut légis-

latif » entrepris contre les droits destravailleurs alors qu’il a récemmentfait adopter une loi qui s’avère unedes attaques les plus radicales con-tre les droits de la négociation col-lective pour les travailleurs de laconstruction au Canada.

Le projet de loi 80 qui fut adop-té au mois de mai, modifie la loi dutravail dans l’industrie de la cons-truction, en permettant la syndica-lisation globale des travailleurs, paropposition à la syndicalisation enfonction des métiers. Avant, les tra-vailleurs syndiqués de l’industrie dela construction devaient appartenirà un syndicat de métier spécifiquechargé de négocier une conventioncollective avec les associations d’en-trepreneurs à travers la province.

Plusieurs syndicalistes crai-gnent que cette législation n’ouvretoute grande la porte aux syndicatscontrôlés par l’employeur tels quel’Association ouvrière chrétienne duCanada (AOCC - CLAC) et leur permet-te d’avoir un pied dans l’industrie.Cette situation pourrait affaiblir lepouvoir des syndicats de métiers etmener à une déqualification en grosdes métiers en abaissant les

normes professionnelles ainsi queles avantages sociaux pour tous lestravailleurs de la construction.

En maraudant d’autres syndi-cats, l’AOCC (CLAC) s’est taillée uneréputation à travers le Canadavoulant qu’elle s’insinue dans lesbonnes grâces des employeurs anti-syndicalistes et coupe dans lessalaires et les avantages sociaux.

« L’AOCC (CLAC) se présente de-vant un employeur en lui offrant uncontrat qui, en bout de ligne, luicoûtera 17% de moins que ce quenous demandons. Ce dernier signel’entente avec l’Association sansmême consulter ses employés », ditGary Vieser, Gérant d’affaires de laS.L. 2038 de Régina.

L’adoption du projet de loi 80est une pilule très difficile à avalerpour plusieurs dirigeants des syndi-cats de métiers qui avaient cru auxpromesses faites par Wall—peuavant qu’il soit élu Premier mini-stre—à l’effet qu’il ne toucherait pasaux lois du travail existantes dansl’industrie de la construction.

« Les travailleurs et les tra-vailleuses de l’industrie de la con-struction enSaskatchewan croyaientqueWall était sérieuxdans ses pro-pos en 2007 et qu’il tiendrait parole.Malheureusement, notre expérienceavecce projet de loi 80 se résume à

un récit édifiant de faussetés, demensonges et d’engagements nonrespectés », écrivait Terry Parker,Gérant d’affaires duConseil provincialdesmétiers de la construction de laSaskatchewan dans leStar Phoenix.

Avant d’introduire cette législa-tion, ni Wall, ni le Ministre du travailRob Norris n’ont pris la peine deconsulter les syndicats de métiers.Mais en vertu de la loi sur la libertéd’information (Freedom ofInformation Act), le confrère Parker apu obtenir des copies de lettre attes-tant qu’en 2008, le Président del’Association de la construction de laSaskatchewan, Michael Fougere,avait proposé au gouvernement demodifier la loi en apportant précisé-ment les changements contenusdans le présent projet de loi 80.

Le gouvernement le plusanti-syndicaliste au pays

Ce projet de loi est la plus récente loianti-syndicaliste adoptée par cegouvernement que plusieursdirigeants syndicaux Canadiens con-sidèrent comme le plus anti-syndi-caliste au Canada.

Dès qu’il fut élu premierMinistre en 2007, BradWall du Partisaskatchewannais, s’est empresséd’introduire les projets de loi 5 et 6 qui

visent tousdeuxà réduire les droitsdes travailleurs enmilieu de travail.

Le projet de loi 5 donne à l’em-ployeur le pouvoir d’empêcher sesemployés d’aller en grève, endéclarant que ces derniers doiventfournir un service essentiel; quantau projet de loi 6, il supprimel’usage d’une majorité de cartesd’adhésion signées pour la recon-naissance d’un syndicat.

« Cette situation irrite certainsemployeurs car bien qu’ils consen-tent à reconnaître le désir de leursemployés de se syndiquer, un votedoit quand même avoir lieu », dé-clare le confrère Vieser.

La situation s’est détériorée àun point tel que la Confédérationsyndicale internationale a inclus laSaskatchewan dans son « Rapportannuel des violations des droitssyndicaux ».

« La province a la distinctiond’apparaître sur la même liste dou-teuse que des pays tels que laColombie, le Burma, le Bélarus, leSoudan, le Zimbabwe, le Swaziland,l’Iran, le Pakistan et les Philippines,là où des dirigeants syndicaux sontrégulièrement assassinés ou empri-sonnés pour avoir défendu les droitsdes travailleurs », a déclaré LarryHubich, Président de la Fédérationdu travail de la Saskatchewan.



lation, publicpolicy or law deemedharmful to investment, whichincludes laws regarding publichealth,safety and environmental standards.

“It’s all about driving downworking standards to their lowestcommon denominator,” Vieser said.

TheGrassrootsFightsBack

Vieser says organized labour isresponding with grassroots politicalaction, looking to chip away at theSaskatchewan Party’s legislativemajority by focusing on seven seats

in which the party won by less than300 votes in preparation for thenext election.

“We’ve been heavily leafletingthose areas, going door-to-door,”he said. “We’re making it clear tovoters that these attacks are on allworking people.”

“Saskatchewan used to beCanada’s pioneer in progressivelabour legislation,” said FirstDistrict Vice President PhilFlemming. “We must stop Wall andhis policies from becoming a modelfor anti-worker politicians through-out the country.” �

Deux syndicats du secteurpublic ont déposé une plainte contrele gouvernement, auprès del’Organisation internationale du tra-vail—l’organisation chargée de veillerà l’application des normes du travailinternationales—qui a reconnu laprovince coupable d’avoir enfreint laliberté d’association des employés.

Récemment,Wall a rompuuneautre de sespromesses électorales ensignant leNewWest Partnership, unaccord de libre-échange interprovin-cial, presqu’identique à l’Entente surle commerce, l’investissement et lamobilité de lamain-d’œuvre (ECIM-MO), un pacte commercial entrel’Alberta et laColombie-Britanniquesigné en 2007. Il avait pourtant promisde garder laSaskatchewan en-dehorsde cet accord.

Tout commepour l’Entente sur lecommerce, l’investissement et lamo-bilité de lamain-d’œuvre (ECIMMO),ce pacte de libre-échange entre lesprovinces de l’Ouest autorise les en-treprises ou les individus à intenterdes poursuites contre les gouverne-ments provinciaux relativement à toutrèglement, politique publique oulégislation sur les normes de la santépublique, de l’environnement et de lasécurité qui pourrait constituer unerestriction à l’investissement.

« Le seul objectif visé est dediminuer la valeur des normes provin-ciales au dénominateur commun leplus bas », ajoute le confrère Vieser.

Une réplique de lapopulation

Le confrère Vieser affirme que lemouvement syndical compte sur l’ac-tion politique populaire pour affaiblirla majorité détenue par le Partisaskatchewannais à l’Assemblée, ense concentrant sur sept sièges que leparti avait acquis par une faible ma-jorité de 300 votes.

« Nous avons fait beaucoup deporte à porte afin de distribuer desprospectus dans cette région etnous expliquons aux électeurs queces attaques touchent toute la popu-lation active », explique-t-il.

« La Saskatchewan a déjà étéla pionnière des lois du travail pro-gressistes au Canada. Nous devonsmettre un frein aux politiques anti-syndicales de Wall avant qu’ellesfinissent par devenir un modèlepour les autres politiciens anti-syn-dicalistes à travers le pays », conclutPhil Flemming, Vice-président inter-national pour le Premier District. �

Cornell University’sDiversity ProgramSucceedswith IBEWExperience

Cornell University was anatural place to turnwhen the IBEW was look-ing for help to develop

the union’s diversity training pro-gram. The school’s Industrial LaborRelations School enjoys deeprespect from labor activists.

Cornell’s facultymembers knowhow to provide education and knowl-edge that helps labor unionmembersand leaders to better unite acrosslines of race, gender, nationality andage. And they understand the impor-tance of giving current leaders thetools tomentor and promote newleaders who represent that diversity.

But diversity awareness is notjust an academic endeavor on theupstate New York Ivy League cam-pus. It’s a bridge between skilledworkers, a tool to expand the hori-zon of the trades, and a necessarystep in providing good service to acustomer base that includes stu-dents and instructors from nearlyevery nation in the world.

Jacob Benninger, superintend-ent of the campus’ electrical shop, aformer training director for IthacaLocal 241, says, “Education is ourarea’s biggest industry. Our staff hasa lot of autonomy and our workersneed to communicate well with allmembers of a college community thatcovers 15million square feet of spaceandmultiple research facilities.”

Dave Richardson, a 30-yearLocal 241 journeyman wireman, isCornell’s full-time diversity recruiter.He says, “We’re expanding horizonsin the union and [our efforts] are rec-ognized by county legislators and

our city council members when theyneed work done.”

As a leader of theSkilledTradesDiversityCouncil, Richardson helpsdeliver training to foremen and super-intendents on the campuswhile alsovisiting high schools. He also helpsrun the trades’ pre-construction pro-gram that prepares recruits to enterapprenticeships for several trades.

TheSkilled Trades DiversityCouncil, a six-year partnershipbetweenCornell and the Tompkins-Cortland Building TradesCouncil,grew out of a regional push to build awork force that reflects the demo-graphic composition of both the cam-pus and the surrounding community.

In 2006, the council wasawarded a $114,000 grant by theFederal Mediation and ConciliationService to set up the pre-construc-tion program and the Central NewYork Careers in Construction eventsfor high-school students and out-of-school youths.

Drawing participants from ninecounties, the pre-construction pre-paredness class enables each partici-pant to visit training programs foreach trade. Upon completion, theymay apply to one ormore unions.“We’ve had participants who hadissues after they entered training pro-grams andwe’ve acted as liaisonsbetween them and their instructors,”says Charade Kittle, co-chair of thepre-construction program.

Diversity awareness videosused in training sessions forCornelltradesmemberswere producedbyconsultantsSusanWoodsandPamelaHenderson.The two—whohavemorethan 40 years of experience atCornellbetween them—designed IBEW’sAmplifyingMembership Participation=Strength program. (See “Diversity andInclusion ProgramBuildsUnion’sStrength,”The ElectricalWorker,March 2010.)

The IBEW training, currentlybeing offered to International andlocal leaders, calls upon them toachieve the goals of a resolutionpassed at the last IBEW Conventionencouraging inclusion and participa-tion of minority members at all lev-els of the organization.

Training videos at Cornell,IBEW and the Skilled TradesDiversity Council present real-lifesituations where misunderstand-ings and bias are examined with aneye toward developing healthierworking relationships.

“We’re putting stuff out front anddealingwith it,” says Dan Fuller,superintendent of the control shop.“I view this training as part of a largergoal—to eliminate racism.”While hebelieves that the training is well-received, Fuller believes the need iscontinuous. “Because this is such abig place, the effort needs not abate.When you relent, encroachmentoccurs again.We have to hold ourground [against bias].” �

Ithaca, N.Y., Local241 journeymanKathryn Boucakisinstructs a studentin pipe-bending ata Central New YorkCareers inConstruction Dayevent.

“We’re expandinghorizons in the unionand [our efforts] arerecognizedby countylegislators andour citycouncilmemberswhenthey needworkdone.”– Dave Richardson, Local 241journeyman wireman, diversityrecruiter for Cornell University


DECEASEDRichardDowling

Eighth DistrictInternationalExecutiveCouncil mem-ber RichardDowling, whogave the

Brotherhood more than fourdecades of solid service and leader-ship, passed away on May 31 of aheart attack at the age of 67.

The Vancouver, BritishColumbia,Local 213 businessmanagerwas aprogressive leader and organizerknown for his easy smile and dedica-tion to the labormovement. Under hisdirection, his local had grown inmembership from4,000 to 5,000.Brother Dowling had been looking for-ward to hosting the 38th IBEWConvention in Vancouver next year.

First District InternationalRepresentative Laird Cronk saidDowling embodied the best quali-ties of an effective leader.

“Tome hewas the perfectguardian of the local union,” Cronksaid. “Hemade everything a little bitbetter, a bitmore secure. You hadconfidence that everything was undercontrol when Rickwas at the helm.”

IBEW International PresidentEdwin D. Hill said, “It is with a heavyheart that we say goodbye to BrotherDowling and thank him for his manyyears of dedication to the tradeunion movement. I pray that Godwill watch over his family during thischallenging time.”

Brother Dowling was elected tothe IEC at the union’s 37th Conven-tion in Cleveland in September2006. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Local1928 Business Manager MikeMacDonald nominated Dowling forthe position. Addressing the delega-tion, MacDonald said, “Because ofRick’s vast experience and hischaracter of a solid and compassion-ate trade unionist, I am certain hewill be a strong voice for Canada anda valued member of the [IEC].”

Brother Dowling relocated toCanada from Scotland in 1967 and

initiated into Vancouver Local 213the following year. He served on sev-eral local and regional committeesand was appointed business man-ager and financial secretary in 2002.

He won election to the positionthe following year and re-election in2006. He represented workers in theutility, inside construction, electricalmanufacturing, communicationsand cable television sectors.

Dowling’s activism had recentlyfocused on dispelling the myths ofopen-shop organizations such asthe Christian Labor Association ofCanada, which he described as“anything but a union.”

The officers and staff express ourmost heartfelt condolences on BrotherDowling’s death to hiswife,Marga,their children andmany friends. �

DECEASEDClydeBowden

The IBEW regretsto report theApril 28 deathof retiredInternationalExecutiveCouncil

ChairmanClyde Bowden.Brother Bowden chaired the IEC

for more than 14 years before step-ping down in January 2001.

Born in Russellville, Ark., hewas initiated into Diamond Bar,Calif., Local 47 in 1950. In July 1956,

Transitions

IBEWOnDuty

Coos Bay, Ore., Local 932member Tim Flood spentnearly a year in Iraq.

TeamworkKey to Apprentice’s Battlefield andCareerSuccess

Staff Sgt. Tim Flood spent nearly a year navigating some of the hairiest spotsin the war-torn countryside as an ArmyNational Guardsman stationed at TallilAir Base in southern Iraq. TheCoos Bay, Ore., Local 932 fifth-year apprenticecoordinated large convoys that ran fuel and food between U.S. bases alongthemain supply route from the southern area toward the north past Baghdad.

The squads waited until the black of night to roll out for missions—avoiding easy detection by insurgent operatives who kept their riflecrosshairs on the roads 24 hours a day. The runs usually took anywherefrom eight to 20 hours, including daytime hours spent at far-off bases whilewaiting to return to Tallil. One protracted assignment lasted nearly a dayand a half due to an IED explosion that hamstrung the mission. Hours uponhours on bumpy roads tested the patience and endurance of U.S. troopswho had to be ready for anything at a moment’s notice, even when threatsnever materialized.

“It was 99 percent waiting, because you’re just driving down the road,gun in hand, expecting something to come at you in the dark,” said Flood,33, who returned home in May. “Then that last one percent finds you work-ing as a tight-knit team. You might have to respond to a sudden IED or gun-fire. At that point, you and the other troops have to be a well-oiled machineto meet the challenges.”

Flood estimates that he supervised 60missions during his July 2009 toMay 2010 tour. Every run found the squad leader commanding six gun trucks,each carrying four soldiers. The heavily armed—and armored—mine-resis-tant vehicles escorted about 50 fuel trucks permission. Flood said his crewran themostmissions of any other similar outfit during his deployment inIraq, racking up 80,000miles over hostile terrain.

Though Iraq marked his first time in the battlefield, Flood’s militarypedigree runs deep. His father is a retired Navy chief and his grandfatherserved in the Army during World War II. Flood followed in their footsteps

when he was 20, signing up for the Army, but opted out of the service towork various jobs starting in early 2001 to pay the bills. As his grandfatherwas a card-carrying IBEWmember for decades, Flood always had it in theback of his mind that going into the trades could be a lucrative track.

“I had been working in manual labor jobs when I signed up for theapprenticeship with Local 932,” Flood said. “I knew it would pay off in thelong run. I needed something more than just a job—I needed a career thatwas going to give me opportunities.”

Flood landed a position as an inside wireman apprentice with LaddElectric in nearby Reedsport, where he worked for several years. He signed upfor the National Guard in 2006, which ultimately led to his 2009 deployment.

“The union was great when I needed to go to Iraq,” Flood said. Localleaders arranged for him to postpone coursework and finish his final yearonce he was back on American soil. The married father of a five-year-old girl,Flood looks forward to added financial stability once he finishes his assign-ments and the economy bounces back.

Flood also continues to sharpen his soldier skills by spending threemonths a year training, including logging time at air assault and rappelmaster school—all courses that boost military-level skills and credentials.

“Working with my fellow union members offers a lot of the same kindsof camaraderie and team-building that I value about the Guard,” Flood said.Though currently out of work, he can count on a military paycheck to get byuntil he’s called to grab his hardhat and tools—and he says the work pic-ture looks promising for the summer.

Local leaders praised Flood’s sense of dedication and brotherhood.“Tim Flood has been one of our best apprentices, and he’s going to

make a fine journeyman when he turns out,” said Local 932 BusinessManager Robert Westerman Jr. “We’re thankful for his sacrifice and serviceboth to the country and the membership.” �

“Tomehewas theperfect guardian ofthe local union.Hemade everything alittle bit better, a bitmore secure.”– Laird Cronk, First DistrictInternational Representative

“My father pouredhisheart and soul intothe IBEW.”

– Tim Bowden, 7th DistrictInternational Representative



he transferred his membership toPhoenix Local 387, where he servedas business manager for threedecades, from 1968-1998.

He served on the ArizonaGovernor’s Energy Task Force, theCentral ArizonaWater ConservationDistrict Board of Directors and theArizonaState Apprentice Council. Hewas a past president of the ArizonaState Electrical Association, laborrepresentative on the ArizonaStateAdvisory Council for OSHA and servedas secretary-treasurer of the CentralArizona AFL-CIO.

He spent his retirement yearsraising cattle on his small farm inPeoria, Ariz.

“My father poured his heartand soul into the IBEW,” saidBowden’s son Tim, an InternationalRepresentative in the 7th District.“His family and his union are thethings he really cared about.”

Brother Bowden is survived byhis wife, Judy, three grown children,and his brother Dee, a retired mem-ber of Phoenix Local 640.

The IBEW officers, staff andmembers extend our deepest con-dolences to Brother Bowden’s familyand his many friends. �

DECEASEDJackP. Anderson

The IBEWregrets to reportthat formerEighth DistrictInternationalRepresentativeJack P. Anderson

died onMay 27. He was 79.

A Utah native, BrotherAnderson was initiated into Salt LakeCity, Utah, Local 354 in 1955. A jour-neyman wireman, he rose throughthe ranks of the local, first serving asan executive boardmember, presi-dent and then businessmanager-financial secretary, a position heheld for nearly 20 years.

During those years, he served onthe apprenticeship, labormanage-ment and negotiations committees as

well as a trustee on the health andwelfare and pension boards. He alsoserved on the UtahAFL-CIO board ofdirectors and on the state DemocraticParty’sCentral Committee.

Andersonwas instrumental inhelping to create the Eighth District’sfirst health care fund, said EighthDistrict International RepresentativeRockyClark, pooling funds from localsthroughout the district.

He was appointed InternationalRepresentative assigned to the EightDistrict in 1983, serving as then-VicePresident Jon Walters’ in-office repre-sentative, handling correspondenceand other office matters for staff inthe field.

Secretary-Treasurer EmeritusWalters met Anderson while workingas a traveler in Utah in the ’60s. “Hewas one of the people who men-tored me when I was up and comingin the union,” Walters said.

Walters says he was particu-larly impressed with Anderson’swriting ability. “He had a real giftwith the written word,” he said.Those skills came in handy as amember of the law committee atmultiple IBEW conventions, withAnderson helping to write many ofthe committee’s decisions.

He was also deeply involvedwith the work of the Council onIndustrial Relations.

“He loved the IBEW and every-thing about it,” Walters said. “Weused to joke that we were married tothe union.”

Anderson retired in 1997.He served in the United States

Navy as a chief radioman for subma-rine services from 1947 to 1952 andattended the University of Utahbefore entering the trade.

The officers, staff and member-ship of the IBEW offer our condo-lences to Brother Anderson’s wife,Darlene, his two daughters andgrandchildren. �

APPOINTEDGina P. Cooper

InternationalRepresentativeGina Cooperwas appointedDirector ofProfessionaland Industrial

Organizing for MembershipDevelopment, effective July 1.

Sister Cooper says she isenthusiastic about building on therecent organizing successes madeby the IBEW in the professional andindustrial sphere—victories thatkeep coming even in these tougheconomic times. “We are seeingworkers from nearly every economicsector seek out the benefits andrespect that comes with member-ship in the IBEW and they haven’t leta bad economy slow them down.”

A Las Vegas native, Cooperstarted her IBEW career more than20 years ago with Las Vegas Local357. She also worked for Hollywood,Calif., Local 45 before her appoint-ment as assistant business managerfor Las Vegas Local 396.

She was responsible for organ-izing new industries, including alocating company and a credit union.She helped negotiate contracts,investigate grievances and file unfairlabor practice charges. In addition,Cooper headed up a grassroots soli-darity team tomobilize Local 396members around pressing workplaceand policy issues.

She also served as the treasurer/recording secretary ofTelephoneCoordinatingCouncil 3, where shehelped coordinate activities for 19IBEW localswithmembers employedbySprint (nowCenturyLink) across theUnitedStates.

In 2005, she began her tenureat the International Office, assignedto the Telecommunications Depart-ment. She servicedmultiple systemcouncils and assisted in the creationand implementation of the Telecom-munications Code of Excellence.

Residing inClarksburg,Md.,with her husband, Fourth DistrictInternational Representative KennethCooper, two of her five children, eightdogs and three ducks, Cooper enjoysoutdoor activities and longwalks inthewoods.

“I am very excited to take on thischallenge,”Cooper says. “It will takeall of usworking together tomake thisprogramsuccessful. Togetherwewilladd dignity and respect to the lives ofworkers and their families acrossNorth America.”

The officers and members ofthe IBEW wish Sister Cooper greatsuccess in her new position. �

OrganizingWire

InternetOrganizingKey toSoftwareCompanyWin

When young, tech-savvy organizers began using the term “netroots” todescribe grassroots organizing via the Internet, they primarily focused uponpolitical campaigns or lobbying efforts. A home-grown, multi-state, Mayorganizing victory by field service and installation engineers at a firm thatdesigns and installs software for cost recovery and expense managementstamps the union label firmly on netroots strategies.

The path leading to a winning NLRB election for Boston Local 2222started last October, when an Equitrac worker approached the union with hisconcerns over job security as his employer kept dismissing co-workers andincreasing the workload on the remaining employees.

“They piled the work on those of us who were left,” says 13-year seniorfield service engineer John Harris, who has seen the company’s work force inNew England shrink from 13 in 2003 to two.

EquitracCorp. has closed almost all of its offices and now field servicestaff work out of their homes—with their time on the job measured by callingin from the field or when they log in on computers when working from home.The local union helped to organize an e-mail campaign sending workersacross the country information discussing the need for a union and theirright to organize. Then the campaign, in marketing parlance, went viral.

“Thirteen workers—located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts,New York and Connecticut—did it all themselves,” says Lead OrganizerSteve Smith. “I’m used to organizing campaigns where I meet with a fewguys in a Dunkin’ Donuts, but I believe this is increasingly the way organiz-ing will be done.” Once five or six workers had the same complaint, he says,a bridge was created that led to “guys from Boston trading notes with guysfrom New York.”

Weekly conference calls were set up to answer questions about unions,countering misinformation frommanagers. “I would give an opening state-ment,” says Smith, “then the workers would take over.”

“The conference calls were even more decisive than the Internet, espe-cially when they were followed by one-on-one conversations between engi-neers,” says Harris, who had extensive experience in organized workplacesearlier in his work life and had “talked union” before the campaign with lit-tle success.

“People on the fence [about the union] felt they had little to lose,” saysHarris. In better times, he says, they would just go to get a better job. But,with the current recession, “They were willing to give the union a chance.”

Equitrac, a privately-held company based in Plantation, Fla., didn’t takethe workers seriously when they first petitioned for an election. The companytold them on a company-sponsored conference call that they would losetheir freedom if they voted for a union, says Harris. He challenged the charge.

“I explained that I was happy to be part of the union. I didn’t lose myfreedom. The sky was not going to fall. Millions of people belong to unionsand they do just fine,” says Harris. The conduct of the campaign—leavingso much initiative in the workers’ own hands—further refuted the com-pany’s pitch.

“Congratulations on your victory and welcome to IBEW Local 2222,” saidan e-mail message from Business Manager Myles Calvey after the vote. “Byuniting in a union, you’ll never stand alone against a powerful corporation,”added Calvey, who is also Second District IECmember.

“This was an inspirational learning experience, but also an ordeal,” saysHarris. “A lot of co-workers were dismissed, but we had a determined layer ofpeople who were willing to put time and dedication into the campaign.”

A new representation election will be held soon for workers in Equitrac’ssouthern region, comprising Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouriand Puerto Rico.

“All of us in the union want to serve our clients and provide excellentservice,” Harris said. “After all, the customers are paying the bills. Shouldn’tthe company want to do the same? �

“He loved the IBEWandeverything about it.”

– Secretary-TreasurerEmeritus Walters

Local Lines


Dedicated toTrainingL.U. 1 (as,c,ees,ei,em,es,et,fm,i,mt,rts,s,se,spa,st&ws),ST. LOUIS,MO—TheNJATCelectrical trainingcenter hashistorically beenblessedwith talented, ded-icated instructorswhoworktirelesslywith apprenticesand journeymen to furtherourmembers’ education inthis ever-changing industry.Recently, NJATCinstructor

Linda Little receivedherdoctorate in curriculumdevel-opment fromSt. LouisUniversity. [See “For St. LouisApprentices, There’s a Doctor in the House,” TheElectrical Worker, June 2010.] Linda’s hardworkandpassion for this local drove her to continueher educa-tion in the interest of providing the best possible edu-cation for ourmembers.

Linda joined Local 1 in 1982, and has been aninstructor for 14 years. Her duties include classroomeducation and curriculum development for day andevening classes. Additionally, Linda is a member ofthe National Electrical Code Panel and the firstwoman from the IBEW to serve as one of 19 princi-pals of that group.

Local 1 and all the members she has taughtthank Linda for her dedication to Local 1 and hercommitment to members’ education.Congratulations, Linda!

We mourn the death of the following mem-bers: Gregory Jones, Daniel Heeney, AhmedHamada, Edward Schoenbein, Joseph Lupicki,Bernice Sapp, Harvey Heidemann, JosephNovogoratz, Daniel Specker, Harry Baird, TilfordGriffis, Donald Bradshaw, John Rufkahr Jr., BerniceForir, Donald Sebacher, Clifford Lindsey, WalterLallis, Arthur Kemp and Carl Bock.

Matt Gober, P.S.

Solar Array at Family ResidenceL.U. 11 (i,rts&spa), LOS ANGELES, CA—Retired Pres.Emeritus Dean Todd recently decided to have asolar array installed atop his family’s home in SantaClarita, CA. He chose Independence Power, a localunion signatory contractor to do the work. OwnerFred Cherrick and his son Robert were responsiblefor designing the 10,000 watt system to Dean’sexacting specifications. It was installed by memberLarry Wernli and apprentice Brian Meck.

The Todd family is extremely proud of their

new system and has placed a huge IBEW logo onthe equipment for visitors to see. Their monthlypower usage is far less than what is produced,causing their meter to run backward and forcingEdison to purchase power from the Todds. “That’sjust the way I like it,” says Dean. The recent remodelof the home incorporates other green features suchas skylights and solar-powered attic fans.

Congratulations to the members of bothorganizing committees for their active participationin the local’s organizing efforts. Together we’vesecured numerous project labor agreements result-ing in contractors being signed and jobs being cre-ated. All our members are invited to participate bysigning up to receive e-mail alerts through the Website at www.ibew11.org.

Bob Oedy, P.S.

Master CraftsmanAwardL.U. 15 (u), DOWNERSGROVE, IL—Local 15 instru-mentmechanicand chiefsteward Brian BurantwonLaSalle NuclearStation’sMasterCraftsmanAwardfor 2009. The prize was aMasterCraftsman toolboxvalued atmore than$5,000. Bro. Burant imme-diately donated the prize tothe LaSalle PinkWarriors, agroup dedicated to fightingbreast cancer.

Dominion offered 19of our members at KincaidStation a voluntary sepa-ration plan, which

included up to 20 months of pay and six months ofmedical coverage. Of these 19 members, nineaccepted the package.

A travel agreementwas signed to allow ourmembers to travel to LimerickNuclearStation for theirspring outage andwe also agreed to a one-year pilotprogram regarding emergent travel to non-Local 15represented sites. The ZionNuclearStation decom-missioning talks have resumed after a one-year break.

We are currently in negotiations with MidwestGeneration concerning the benefits portion of ourcontract. The benefits package of the contractexpired on June 15, 2010.

For the first time in the history of the ExelonAfrican-American Members Association, a Local 15member, Bro. Leroy Barnes (steward/ChicagoNorth), was elected president of the EAAMA.Congratulations, Bro. Barnes!

Doug Vedas, P.S.

SeniorStewardsRecognizedL.U. 37 (em,o&u), FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK,CANADA—As part of a new recognition program thatIBEW Local 37 recently launched, 23 union membersreceived the “senior steward” designation for theexemplary leadership and commitment they havedemonstrated in the role of shop steward. On Feb. 25,the group gathered at the Riverside Resort andConference Centre in Mactaquac, NB, where theywere formally recognized during a special meetingof the Local 37 Executive Board and IBEW Int. VicePres. Phillip J. Flemming.

The purpose of the Senior Steward RecognitionProgram (SSRP) is to recognize those who havetaken on the role of shop steward and remain com-mitted to ongoing training, being involved with com-

mittees, promoting the union, and taking on otherleadership roles within the union.

In order to be considered for this designation,shop stewards are required to meet certain eligibilitycriteria and go through an application and reviewprocess. The long-term goal of the program is to fur-ther develop shop stewards as leaders, identifypotential mentors, andmake the union stronger.

On behalf of the union, Bus.Mgr. RossGalbraithcongratulates the new senior stewards, and thanks allshop stewards for their dedication to Local 37 and itsmembers!

Ross Galbraith, B.M.

PoliticalSeasonL.U. 41 (em,es,govt,i,se&spa), BUFFALO, NY—Local 41again participated in the annual St. Patrick’s Dayparade. Somequick thinking and improvisingwereneeded to do a last-minute repair of the float, but it allcame together just fine. Thanks to ourmembers andtheir familieswho braved the coldweather to attend.

In April we were proud to be a participant inthis year’s IBEW Ontario Provincial HockeyTournament. A special thanks to Windsor, ON, Local773 for their hospitality and a wonderful tourna-ment. It was good to see so many IBEWmemberscoming together for this event.

The work has been slow to start. As of thiswriting, we still have several new projects that havebeen delayed. These projects should start to bringpeople on by early summer.

We are currently in negotiations with the Townof Evans and on the Residential agreements.

The political season is soon upon us. So muchof our future depends on decisions made by politi-cians. We have a good relationship with many of

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

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

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

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

(t) Telephone

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

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

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

(c Communications (govt) Governmentmow) Manufacturing Office Workers

(so) Service Occupations (ws) Warehouse and Supply

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

(s) Shopmen

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

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

Local 11 Bro. Dean Todd stands in front ofnewly installed solar panels at his home inSanta Clarity, CA. Todd is retired presidentemeritus of the local.

Local 1 JATC Instruc-tor Linda Littlerecently earnedher doctorate.

Local 15 congratu-lates union stewardBro. Leroy Barneson his election aspresident of theExelon African-AmericanMembersAssociation.

Local 37 recognizes union members receiving Senior Steward designation. Among thoseattending are, front row: Local 37 Pres. Stephen Hayes (second from left), Int. Vice Pres.Phillip J. Flemming (fourth from left), and Bus. Mgr. Ross Galbraith (fifth from left).



them. Some will need our help in the fall. Our COPECommittee will investigate all candidates seekingour endorsement. Please try to stay informed on theissues. The future of working people depends on it.

Michael J. Gaiser, A.B.M.

Bus.Mgr. TowsleyMournedL.U. 43 (em,i&rts), SYRACUSE, NY—Local 43 mournsthe loss of Bus. Mgr. William Towsley.

On March 20, 2010, Bus. Mgr. Towsley lost hiscourageous battle with cancer. Bill performed hisduties as business manager up until a few daysprior to his passing. His work ethic and his passionto improve the lives of those he represented will for-ever be an inspiration to those he left behind. To hissurviving sons Kenneth and William, both membersof Local 43, and his daughters Tracy and Jennifer, weextend our sincere sympathy.

The community’s outpouring of best wishesand sympathy after Bill’s passing serves as a testa-ment to his life’s work to improve the lives of work-ing people. Bill’s many accomplishments, hisinvolvement in numerous charitable foundations,his membership on boards and committees thatbenefited the working families of Central New York,are too numerous to list.

On April 17, at the IBEW ConstructionConference in Washington, D.C., the business man-agers of New York state presented the Towsley fam-ily with a plaque to honor Bill’s career. The plaqueread, in part: “Presented as an honorarium to thememory of our friend, our colleague, our teacherand most of all our Brother Bill Towsley. The mem-bers of the IBEW, their families and all working peo-ple are better off as a result of Bill’s lifelongdedication to the labor movement.”

On the bottom of the plaque was written,“Thanks for sharing your father’s talents with us.”Local 43 officers and members could not agreemore with what was written on this plaque.Godspeed, brother.

Jim Corbett, P.S.

AnnualStewardsConferenceL.U. 47 (lct,mo,o,u&uow), DIAMOND BAR, CA—Happy Independence Day.

Our annual Stewards Conference was May 8in Costa Mesa. Bus. Mgr. Pat Lavin welcomedmore than 150 stewards. Brian Baker, IBEWPolitical/Legislative director, discussed currentfederal legislation and the respect for the IBEW inWashington, due to our membership.

At the conference, our businessmanager dis-cussed the growth of Local 47 over the last 11 years.ArtMurray reviewed the history of organized labor andthe IBEW. Dr. RichardGrossman from theGrossmanBurnCenter, wheremembers of IBEW47 have been

treated, gave a graphicand riveting presentation onburn treatments. The results were incredible.

We assisted the locked-out Rio Tinto mineworkers represented by ILWU in Boron, CA. Local 47staff barbequed for more than 500 locked-out work-ers and their supporters. The lockout recentlyended with a new agreement.

On April 23-25, approximately 300 membersand their families enjoyed our 4th Annual DesertDays held in Stoddard Wells.

Ongoing contract negotiations include theOriginal Mowbray, Guzman Gardens, and the Citiesof Banning and Colton. We concluded a one-yearagreement with Bear Valley Electric with a 3.75 per-cent wage increase.

We are sad to report the passing of CraigWehrly, SCE D.O.C. support specialist from Ventura.

Live safe, live well, work union!

Stan Stosel, P.S.

Locals AmalgamateL.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,rtb,t&u), SPRINGFIELD, IL—OnMay 1, members of IBEW Decatur, IL, Local 1306becamemembers of Local 51. The amalgamationcreates a very diverse local with more than 3,200members with a vast array of classifications. Withthis addition, our local is well-positioned to con-tinue to meet any challenges ahead through addedstrength and solidarity. On behalf of the member-

ship of Local 51, I would like to welcome the broth-ers and sisters from Local 1306 into our local.

The current work scene has slowed consider-ably for our outside powermembers, due to therejection of the host utility request for a rate increase.

The current situation results from decisionsthat get caught up in the political process.Hopefully with several wind-generation projects get-ting ready to start, the manpower losses we havesuffered on utility property will be offset by requestsfor manpower on the wind farms.

Remember to work safe, give a good day’s workfor a good day’s pay and attend your unionmeetings.

Dan Pridemore, Pres.

GraduatesHonoredL.U. 53 (lctt,o,rts&u), KANSASCITY, MO—As of thiswriting, our work picture for construction remainsvery slow. We are experiencing the worst unemploy-ment in many years and the work situation does notlook promising for the near future. Thanks to all ofthe locals that have provided work for ourmembers.

On April 8, we had our dinner and awards cer-emonies for recent graduates of Missouri Valley LineConstructors Training Program, our constructionlineman training program. Congratulations to thenew journeyman linemen: Dustin Acklie, WilliamBoyd, Jeff Carpenter, Dan Danuser, William Dever,Arron Farrar, Don Ginther, Matt Hazelton, RussellHermreck, Jacob Kurtz, Richard Perks, Michael Rew,Justin Schmidt, Richard Shaffer and Clint Dew.

Our 22nd Annual Crappie Tournament wasApril 24, and although the weather was terrible wehad 28 teams participate. Winners were: for 1stplace—Gary Spoor (construction) and RogerWainright (construction); 2nd place—Norm Quinn(construction) and Mark Henke (AECI-Thomas Hill);3rd place—Darin Langford (construction) and RickStoneking (construction); 4th place—NathanWarstadt (S.W. Co-op) and Jason Maupin (S.W. Co-op); and 5th place—David Johnson (Laclede Co-op)and Steve Hodges (Laclede Co-op).

Support your local union by attending your unitmeetings. Remember: work smart and work safe.

Robert E. Stuart, B.M./F.S.

HomecomingL.U. 57 (lctt,mo,o,t&u), SALT LAKECITY, UT—InMarch ofthis year, Staff Sgt. Jesse Davis returned home safelyafter serving a third deployment overseas. Hewasmetat the airport by family and friends and then returnedhome toSpanish Fork, UT, for aSoldiersWelcome

HomeParadewith escort provided by theSpanishFork Firefighters and RockyMountain Power crews.

Jesse is an apprentice lineman in AmericanFork, UT. After serving in the Airborne Infantry inIraq and Afghanistan, and being recently married,he was called back to active duty with the GeorgiaNational Guard in November 2008. With hisapprenticeship hold, Jesse headed for Georgia fortraining and deployment to Afghanistan, first toOrgun-E and then to Gardez. Jesse was given thenickname “Bob the Builder” because of his abilityto build just about anything that was needed.

After narrowly escaping the attempt of a sui-cide bomber at the base where he was stationed,Jesse is back home in Spanish Fork, completing thetasks of climbing poles and keeping the lights on.

Welcome home, Jesse, and thank you.

Scott Long, P.S.

60-YearMembershipL.U. 77 (lctt,mt,o,t&u), SEATTLE, WA—Inland Power& Light shop steward/fleet mechanic Paul Atkinsand journeyman lineman Rick Luiten recently pre-sented Milt Strong with his 60-year IBEWmember-ship pin and certificate.

In 1946 Milt’s brother was offered a job atInland Power. On the day his brother was to start,Milt went in his place, starting his 40-year career atthe cooperative. In the early years Milt’s wife, Betty,said she would act as the call center for the cooper-ative when there were power outages. The cus-tomers just called the Strong’s house.

Milt can remember building the first powerline to Mount Spokane and many others during hiscareer. He recalled rescuing a fellow lineman, calledBlacky, who was electrocuted while on a pole. Therewere no bucket trucks back then, so Milt put hishooks on, climbed the pole, threw Blacky over hisshoulder and climbed down the pole. Milt retiredfrom the cooperative in 1987 as a line serviceman inthe Deer Park area. He had worked on the InlandPower system as far south as the Palouse, WA, areaduring his tenure there.

John Trumble, B.R.

Local 43 Bus. Mgr. Bill Towsley passed awayin March.

IBEW Local 47members and their families attend the 4th Annual Desert Days in StoddardWells.

Local 51 journeyman linemen Jason Crabb andKenYokem are joined by apprentice linemenJoe Kindred and Jason Scott on a job for L.E.Myers, working under foreman Bill Steffey.

FollowedbyRockyMountain Power trucks, StaffSgt. Jesse Davis (center), a Local 57 apprenticelineman, rides aboard a fire department truckduring hiswelcomehomeparade.

Local Lines


FunSummer EventsL.U. 191 (c,i,mo,rtb&st), EVERETT,WA—The first annualEastside Retirement andService PinDinnerwasheldatChateau Faire Le Pont inWenatchee,WA. Itwas agreat success. Retiredmember JackEidukaswasinstrumental in getting the event off the ground.Special thanks to himand the otherswhovolunteered.Unionbrothers and sisters had a great timewith goodfood and lots of laughs.Wehope the event is evenbig-ger next year. Thankyou to all who attended.

We have an exciting summer packed full ofevents:• The westside golf tournament is at Eaglemount

golf course in Mt. Vernon, WA, on July 10.• The eastside picnic is at Hydro Park in

Wenatchee, WA, on Aug. 7.• The eastside golf tournament is in Wenatchee on

Aug.14.• The westside picnic is at Hillcrest Park in

Mt. Vernon, WA, on Aug. 29.• The Westside Retirement and Service Pin Dinner

will be sometime in September.What great occasions to see brothers and sis-

ters you know or new faces you have not yet met.Hope all can attend the union events. Any ques-tions about dates or times please call the hall.

Work is still slow in the local with little signs ofimproving. Stay strong; we will get through thesetough times together.

Rob De Velder, P.S.

ANewUnionHallL.U. 193 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), SPRINGFIELD, IL—Thenew Local 193 union hall is now open! The lastmeeting at the old hall was held and attendedadmirably! The new hall is fabulous! There are sixnew training classrooms with room for expansion.

May 18 was the first union meeting in the newhall. IBEW Int. Sec.-Treas. Lindell Lee and IllinoisGov. Pat Quinn were just some of the special guestsscheduled to attend the open house on June 10.

Three Local 193 contractors—AndersonElectricInc,Haenig ElectricCo., and Lewis Electric Inc.—havesuccessfully completedseveral solar-powered commer-cial projects.Awaveof future solarprojects is comingout in ourarea.Congratulations to all onboldlyapplyingnewgreen technology in the Local 193area.AndersonElectric installedsolarpanels at thenewhall.

The work scene is slow, but Scheels SportingGoods is to break ground at the newMacArthurExtension soon. The construction project is a200,000 square foot building. Please check out ourWeb site at www.ibew193.com.

Please remember our local brothers whopassed away: Russell Carmean, John Luka, RichardSmith, John Thoele and David Wanless.

Don Hudson, P.S.

WorkOutlookHopefulL.U. 197 (em&i) BLOOMINGTON, IL—Aswemove intowarmerweather, theworkoutlook is optimisticallyhopeful. TheWhiteOakWind Farmwill gear up soon aswell as theTransportationCenter in uptownNormal, IL.

We are happy to report we have turned outanother fine apprentice class. Congratulations toDirk Banks, Robert Black, Ryan Brown, Steve Fuller,John Grizzle, Randy Holland, Ned Karr, Mario Major,Rob Sipes and AdamStubblefield, all of whom com-pleted their apprenticeship. Brothers, we look for-ward to working with you on the job and wish youluck in your careers.

In honor of their daughter Keira, third-yearapprenticeClint Johnson andhiswife, Jayme, hosted abenefit for theAmericanSIDS Institute. The nightwasfilledwith good food and fellowship.The Johnsonswere able to raisemore than$15,000 in one evening.Thanks to all who attended andhelpedwith the event.

An early morning ceremony was held at IllinoisState University in lieu of Workers Memorial Day. Itwas a somber event, listening to the names ofthose who lost their lives on the job. Every day wemust remember to work safe. Thanks to all whoattended the ceremony; we had a great turnout.

Remember, get involved in your local unionand stay involved!

Mike Raikes, P.S.

Summer ActivitiesL.U. 237 (i), NIAGARA FALLS, NY—Summer is hereand Local 237 has a busy fewmonths planned withloads of activities to ensure fun for everyone.

On May 8, apprentices and other volunteersfrom Local 237 helped with the annual LetterCarriers’ Food Drive. This community service is oneof our most successful volunteer projects every year.

Our Apprentice Graduation Dinner was heldJune 19 at the Crowne Plaza in Niagara Falls.Congratulations to the Inside graduates, AndrewJanese and David Plivoda, and the Residential grad-uate, Jacob McPherson.

Several times a year, the local enjoys campingout at the beautiful AlleganyState Park. We have akids camp-out, a couples camp-out and a stag camp-out. Due to a scheduling conflict, we combined thekids camp-out and couples camp-out this year; thatwill take place the Fourth of July weekend. Withnature trails, creeks, wildlife and nights around thecamp fire, this is amagical weekend for the children.

Our Annual Family Picnicwill be on Sat., July 17,at area theme parkMartin’s Fantasy Island, whichincludes a water park. For details, please call theunion hall. It will be a day of family fun. Have a safeand fun summer!

Russ Quarantello, B.M.

ApprenticeGraduatesL.U. 291 (i,o,rtb&rts), BOISE, ID—Congratulations toall our newly elected officers. Your dedication andpassion for our local and its membership do not gounnoticed and are greatly appreciated by all of us.Hopefully with good weather and a changing econ-omy, the Treasure Valley’s work situation willimprove to where we can create some jobs to putour many unemployed members back to work.

Congratulations to Organizer Joe Schneehagenon the signing of MECI, an outside line contractor,to Local 291. Good job—and welcome to the newmembers.

Congratulations to Local 291’s recent class ofgraduating apprentices. You graduates have doneyour local, your training director, your instructorsand,most importantly, yourselves proud. Walk talland be proud to be a journeymanwiremanwithin theranks of the IBEW. The graduates are: JesusCoronel,HankAmado, Paul Perala, Justin Hugo, Ray Atkinson,Chris Ankrom,Matt Bruns, Phil Keetch, Travis Hust,Rusty Colburn, Ryan Jenkins, JoshMangum, LukeHardy, SamMcConnell, Mike Jeske, Jenni Logan,Wayne Nihart, Craig Shively, NickHarris and AaronGranden. Once again, congratulations andwelcome.

Ron Ely, P.S.

Local 177 volunteers David Gates (left), JamesElliott, Eric Burns andMackWilliams helpdistribute cold bottles of water to participantsat a Walk forMultiple Sclerosis event.

Solar Panels “hatched” by Springfield, IL,Local 193 contractor Lewis Electric Inc. at theOstrich Farm site.

Local 197 congratulates recentapprentice graduates. At top,from left: Inside wiremangraduates Mario Major, DirkBanks, Randy Holland (highclass average), Steve Fuller,Adam Stubblefield, Ned Carrand Rod Sipes; and InstructorKen McLean.

At bottom, from left: Instructor JakeKnobloch and teledata graduatesJohn Grizzle (high class average),Robert Black and Ryan Brown.

Marcia RaeTamlynL.U. 125 (lctt,o,t&u), PORTLAND, OR—OnMarch 8,2010, Marcia Rae Tamlyn died unexpectedly. Marciaworked at Local 125 for 35 years and many of ourmembers had the privilege of hearing her kind voiceon the telephone even though they had never metthe helpful woman on the line. Services for Marciawere held on March 19 in Vancouver, WA.

Marcia was born Dec. 21, 1946, in Watertown,SD, to Lucille and Ray Tamlyn. She graduated fromGoldendale High School in 1965, and thenmoved toVancouver where she continued her education atClarkCollege. Marcia’s interests included being withfriends and family, gardening, traveling, gourmetcooking and reading. Some of her generous volun-teer work included assistance in creating Life StoryBooks for children being adopted in ClarkCounty.

Marcy Putman, P.S.

New FacebookPageL.U. 131 (i,rtb,rts,se&spa), KALAMAZOO,MI—Nominations for officerswere held at theMay3meet-ing.Michigan state Rep. Robert Jones (60thDistrict)spoke to themembership and asked for support in hisupcoming race for theMichiganSenate’s 20thDistrict.

The annual golf outing was held June 26, fol-lowed by the afternoon picnic at Prairie View Park. Itwas good to see all who attended, enjoying sharinggreat stories and great times.

For all those computer savvy brothers and sis-ters, we now have a Facebookpage (ElectricalWorkers Local 131). This helps tomake quick notifica-tions to themembership, and currentlymore than 10percent of themembers use this resource. Also, theapprenticeship’s Facebookpage gives updates onupcoming events and classes. Both are accessiblethrough the local Web site at www.ibew131.com.

We are saddened by the loss of our brothersDickMcDaniel, David Hatton and Mike King. Weoffer sincere condolences to their families.

On a positive note, Local 131 extends bestwishes to our recent retirees: Vickie Wight, RussSandefur and Paul Stewart.

Daniel C. Ranck, P.S.

Thanks toUnionVolunteersL.U. 177 (bo,ees,i,mo,o&pet), JACKSONVILLE, FL—Local177’sMembership DevelopmentVolunteerCommitteeremains energizedwith Bus.Mgr. Russell Harper’sleadership and Field OrganizerCarlos Nunez’s hardworkorganizing activities for theMDVCto participatein. TheMDVChas been volunteering at public eventssuch as theMud Run forMultipleSclerosis,Walk forMS,Walk for Diabetes and even set up a booth at theClayCounty Fair. [Photo at right.] They have been get-ting the face of the IBEWout to the public letting thecommunity knowwhowe are andwhatwe stand for.For anyone interested, theMDVCmeets at the unionhall on the first Tuesday of everymonth at 5:30 p.m.Thanks to all themembers, their families and friendswho have volunteered at the various events.

The work outlook in the Jacksonville arearemains dismal, and we all look forward to bettertimes in northeast Florida. Thanks to all the localsthat have been able to employ our traveling broth-ers and sisters. We look forward to the day when wemay be able to reciprocate.

Alan Jones, Pres./A.B.M.



Hope for a ReboundL.U. 309 (i,lctt,mo,mt,o,rts,spa&u), COLLINSVILLE, IL—The Inside branch is still suffering unemploymentwith no large projects planned in the near future.

Local 309 is still involved in an ongoing battlewith the Carpenters District Council of St. Louis overtheir organizing and signing of nonunion electricalcontractors forming a new electrical union wellbelow our wage and fringe package for our area.This dispute started more than one year ago in St.Louis and has started to impact our jurisdiction.The general public as a rule can’t distinguish oreven comprehend the difference, which makes ithard to explain to the customer.

Our Outside Line Construction has yet to feelthe full weight of the decision of the IllinoisCommerce Commission’s rate case filed by AmerenIllinois Utilities.

Illinois regulators voted on April 29 to cut theproposed increase by more than 90 percent. The ICCgranted only $4.7 million of the $162 million thatAmeren had been seeking.

Hopefully the economy will rebound and manyof our unemployed members will be called back towork soon.

Scott Tweedy, A.B.M.

Graduating ApprenticesL.U. 357 (c,i,mt&se), LAS VEGAS, NV—OnMay 3,Local 357 started dispatching members from ournew hiring hall at 808 N. Lamb Blvd., Las Vegas.

Local 357 officers and members congratulatethe 79 new journeyman electricians and 25installer/technicians who graduated in 2010. [Seephoto below.] This year’s graduating apprenticeshipclass had the honor of being the first class to holdtheir graduation ceremony in the new hiring hall.We wish them all the best; they are our future.

Tim Bolton, P.S.

Local Hosts Retirees LuncheonL.U. 443 (i,mo&o),MONTGOMERY, AL—Local 443hosted its first annual retirees luncheon onMarch 18.The turnout exceeded all expectationswithmore than70 retirees, spouses, friends and guests attending.

Bro. JamesMcGowan Jr. was the oldest retireein attendance at age 89. He also had the oldestticket—hewas initiated into the IBEW onMay 1, 1942.

Local 443 was honored to have Fifth District Int.Vice Pres. Joe S. Davis as a special guest for theevent. Vice Pres. Davis spent the daymingling withthose in attendance and said he enjoyed hearing thestories retirees shared with him. Several activemem-bers also stopped by to see old friends and brothers.

The luncheon gathering was a great success.

Everyone enjoyed the food and fellowship and saidthey look forward to making this an annual event.

Brandon Cardwell, P.S.

AVote for RepresentationL.U. 449 (catv,em,i,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), POCATELLO,ID—At this writing we are waiting for the certifica-tion of election on InteGrow LLC, formerly GModelo,a malting facility whose employees first contactedus in late June 2009.

The electionwasheldOct. 23, 2009, andwewonthe vote by 17 to 9.The company filed an objection tothe conduct of the election,was granted a certificationhearing to determine supervisor’s authority comparedto case lawhistory of HarborSideHealthCare. After awell-deservedwait of twomonths, the board agent rec-ommended certification of election on Jan. 28, 2010.The company filed an exception to the agent’s recom-mendation, and after being granted yet another exten-sion, the company’s attorneywasuntimely in filing theexception. InMarch, Pres. Obamamadea recessappointment of twoDemocrats to theNational LaborRelationsBoard, andwehope thiswill expedite ourpending certification in our favor, aswell as benefit thelabormovement as awhole in the future.

The work picture remains good and we aregrateful to have 60 traveling brothers and sistershelp us fill our calls.

Our condolences to the families of two mem-bers who recently passed away, Bros. Albert Nymanand Robert Chadwick.

Congratulations to retirees Gary Creek andStephen Drayton.

Mike Lee Miera, V.P./Organizer

ABrotherMournedL.U. 453 (govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), SPRINGFIELD,MO—Amemorial was held Sunday, March 14, for Bro. JoshuaJackson withmore than 100 people in attendance.Josh was a well-liked fourth-year apprentice, who

was respected for his extremely strongwork ethic and his dedication to theBrotherhood. Josh will bemissed.

The Southwest Power Station IIproject has Local 453 at near full employ-ment with several traveling membersemployed. Remember to treat our travel-ing brothers and sisters with respect, asyoumay be working in their local next!

Union meetings are held the sec-ondThursday of eachmonth at 6:30 p.m.Please try to attend. With contract nego-tiations coming up this year, your partic-ipation is greatly needed.

Kevin McGill, P.S.

Community ProjectL.U. 459 (ees,em,govt,so&u), JOHNSTOWN, PA—Ourstate of Pennsylvania has a program throughwhichan organization can adopt a section of highway toclean up the trash, and the state posts a sign lettingeveryone knowwhich group or organization keepsthat section clean. Local 459members adopted a two-mile section that passes the KeystoneGeneratingStation, where some of ourmembers are employed.

On April 17, the sisters and brothers pictured inthe photo below spent their morning improving thecommunity by taking part in the Local 459’s projectto clean up along the stretch of Pennsylvania stateRt. 210 that is designated as our section of highwayto maintain as part of the PACleanWays Project.IBEW Local 459 receives the recognition for ourunion’s efforts, and the state and community reapthe benefits of volunteers’ hard work.

Thank you to our Vice Pres./Bus. Rep. PaulCameron, who organized this effort—and manythanks to all members who took part in the roadcleanup project.

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

Congratulations to AllL.U. 503 (t&u), MONROE, NY—Congratulations toScott Jensen on his appointment as business repre-sentative; and congratulations also to Mary Casey,who was voted in by the Executive Board to replaceScott as vice president. We wish them both the bestof luck in their new positions. Scott Jensen replacesBrian McPartland, and we thank Brian for his manyyears of service and dedication to the local.

Congratulations are also in order for the latestclass to have completed line school. The graduatesare: Gary Schmoeger, Anthony Chessari, JimmyMills, Dan Fischer and Judd Pollack. They startedthe apprentice program with a class of 21 on Sept.5, 2006, and have now completed 24 months oftraining split between classroom, yard work and on-the-job training. Thanks to Local 503 trainers, Line

Chief HVMark Angeloni, Jeff Wilbur and trainingcoordinator and Line Chief Kenny Titland.

Glenn Smith, P.S.

Local 543MembersWorkAloftL.U. 543 (mo&t),SAN BERNAR-DINO, CA—Local543members per-form scheduledmaintenance onNASA’s DeepSpace Network70-meter antennawhile workingfrom an aerial lift.The 70-meterantenna has beenshut down for aperiod of sixmonths so thatthe hydrostaticand elevation

bearings can be replaced along with several subsys-tem components that require overhaul.

IBEW workers performmaintenance on all thesystems of these “small” communications deviceslocated on NASA’s Goldstone Deep SpaceCommunication Complex, which is on the Army’s Ft.Irwin National Training Center. This is no small feat,as this satellite dish is larger than a football field.The IBEW technicians performmaintenance andoperations for ITT Industries on this dish and 11 oth-ers located on the Goldstone Complex.

A total overhaul on this antenna caught theattention of National Geographic’s “World’s BiggestFixes” television crew recently, as they have been film-ing the proudworkers of IBEW Local 543 performing amajor overhaul to this antenna thatwas built in 1966.

Jerry Koger, B.M.

NewPhoneBankSystemL.U. 551 (c,i&st), SANTA ROSA, CA—Thework picture remains slower than we areused to seeing in our jurisdiction. Oursaving grace has been the HumboldtPower plant, where our generators arenow in place. We now havemore than80 brothers and sisters on-site, with afew traveling brothers picking up callsas of late March. The economic crisishas tightened the belt onmoney going

out for future projects on the horizon. Wall Streetand the banks need to now release that bailoutmoney to Main Street so we can all get back to work.

We are happy to report our new phone banksystem is up and running; many thanks to the instal-lation volunteers, Trevor Clarey, Anthony Erigero andJeff Swift. With the central labor council rentingspace in our union hall, as well as the buildingtrades, we can truly call Local 551 a “house of labor.”

So it is not only our IBEW brothers and sistersphoning for our labor candidates for this year’selections, it is “all” of our trade union brothers andsisters. Volunteers strengthen our union movement;I can’t stress enough how important you are. Thankyou all! Now get on those phones! Call your unionhall now and get involved. We need you!

Denise D. Soza, P.S.Local 357 graduating apprentices, joined by Training Dir. Madison Burnet (front row, left) andBus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. David R. Jones (back row, right), gather at union training facility.

Local 443 retirees, spouses and guests gather at thehall for the retirees luncheon.

Local 459 highway cleanup crew volunteers.

Scheduled maintenancefor NASA’s 70-meterantenna is performed byIBEW Local 543 members.

Local Lines


PhotovoltaicSystemsTrainingL.U. 569 (i,mar,mt,rts&spa), SAN DIEGO, CA—OurSan Diego Joint Apprenticeship Training Centeroffers a solar photovoltaic class to our fourth- andfifth-year apprentices, and an abbreviated versionto our journeyman wiremen. The 16-week courseincludes once-a-week classroom instruction andeight Saturdays of hands-on training.

The course covers the basic requirements forsafe and reliable PV system installation in accordancewith national and local codes and standards; how toidentify and conduct site surveys for photovoltaic sys-tems; PV electrical andmechanical design issues;how sunlight and temperature affect PV systemper-formance; relationships of PV cells,modules, panelsand arrays; how to analyze commonproblemareas inthe electrical design of PV systems, andmuchmore.

Each student designs a PV system for his orher home including site plan, materials list, productinfo, rebate research, and cost analysis. Studentsreceive rigorous classroom instruction and inten-sive hands-on experience. Big thanks to SullivanElectric for its commitment to training our appren-tices and journeymen in efforts to keep up with thecutting edge of this renewable energy technology.

Nicholas J. Segura Jr., P.S.

Contract ExtensionsRatifiedL.U. 595 (c,govt,i&st), DUBLIN, CA—We have hadsome real ups and downs in the work picture, andat press time the outlook is still uncertain. We areexcited to have full employment of our apprentices,but a sizeable number of journeymen are still out ofwork. We are not yet out of the woods of this con-struction recession.

Weare pleased to have ournewextended con-tracts in place and to continue ourhealthy relationshipwith our strongNECApartners. Themembers under-stand thedifficulties that the industry is having, andwe realizewemust stick together to comeout of thiswith a strong bondbetween labor andmanagement.

We are all filtering through all the informationabout the Obama health care bill and how it willaffect multiemployer plans. We understand that inthe short run there may be an impact due to newrules like dependent children coverage to age 26and the protections for pre-existing conditions andplan maximums, but of course we’re excited aboutcosts eventually being controlled and coveragebeing expanded to manymillions of workers andtheir families who have been without health care.Now it’s on to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

Wemourn the passing on Feb. 21 of Bro. Bert J.Young at age 93. Bro. Young was a longtime, pas-sionate educator in our industry and will be missed.

Tom Mullarkey, B.R.

Annual ‘SteakStag’ aSuccessL.U. 601 (i&rtb), CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, IL—Our localrecently held its annual SteakStag. Approximately200 members attended and enjoyed the tasty menuof steak, ribs, shrimp, raw oysters and all the trim-mings. The local supply houses provided prizes forthe raffle drawings.

Our appreciation goes to BobWoodard, a Local601 retiree, for heading up the committee thatplanned the event and secured the food and sup-plies. Thanks also to Local 601 Apprenticeship Dir.BobWithers, who enlisted apprentices to cook thefood and help clean up.We also thank the businessesthat supplied prizes. Everyone had a great time.

The work in our area continues to be very slow.We have approximately 118 local members and 22apprentices on Book 1 at the time of this writing.

National elections are coming up inNovember. It is the responsibility of the member-ship to investigate what the candidates stand for,then go to the polls and make their votes count.

Dan Hatter, P.S.

NewMexico LocalWinsGrantL.U. 611 (catv,es,govt,i,lctt,o,spa,t&u), ALBUQUERQUE,NM—Our JATCrecently received a $10,000 grant fromtheNewMexico Department ofWorkforceSolutions.

Apprentices (fourth- and fifth-year) wereasked to write an essay on their role in the field ofgreen technology. The JATC committee then decided,based on the essays, who would attend one of twotrain-the-trainer seminars. The first class, on LEDlighting systems, was held in Boston. Apprenticesattending that class were: Bobby Getts, DamianRoybal, Jerry Bustamante, Jose Renteria, EloyJaramillo and Jason Sartain.

The second class, on photovoltaics, was heldin Arlington, TX. Attending that class were: LoganWilson, Joshua Hutchings, Frank Hanish, EdTavenner III, Ryan Wood and Randy Harker.Participating apprentices said the classes were veryhelpful and informative. Congratulations to all theapprentices chosen for the seminars.

As of April 2010, members can now pay theirdues by phone with a credit card. There are no fees,as of yet, associated with the transaction and youcan only call during local union business hours.

Please make every effort to attend the regularunion meetings, held in Albuquerque on the thirdSaturday of each month at 10 a.m.

Local 611 extends condolences to the family ofTed A. Lopez, who recently passed away.

Darrell J. Blair, P.S.

‘National RebuildingDay’L.U. 617 (c,i,mo&st), SANMATEO,CA—The star of the2010Service Pin Party onApril 9was 70-year pin recip-ient, Bro. RobertTerwilliger. His son, 40-year pin holderBro. RoddyTerwilliger, was onhand tomake the pres-entation alongwithBus.Mgr. DominicNolan andPres.MarkLeach.Congratulations also toBro. ErnieHowefor 65 years of service, andBros. LidoDalmaso andRichard Korfman for 60 years of service to Local 617.

OnApril 24, approximately 20memberswithfamily joined the local work force forNationalRebuildingDay. Pres.MarkLeach once again greetedparticipantswith a gourmetbreakfast before theyweredispatched to variousprojects throughout the county.

The following participants spent the day at com-munity centers and private residences repairing fix-tures and serviceswith the support of Armor Electric,C&E Electric and Rosendin Electric: D.J. Siegman, JoeSweeting, AlanSheehan, Irvin Hemingway, JaDaunWilliams, RandyWilliamson and son Julian, RandyWetzel, BobHarkins, Kit Venable andwife Kathrine,Dave Huston, Steven P. Kennedy, Jim Robertson,Steroling Able, RobertSimon Jr., JessieMagana, ChrisCarrillo,MarcEllingsen, Art Lee and BurleighMaples.

Our local grieves the recent loss of our broth-ers Bill Hecht, Ken LaBounty, Floyd W. Eiferle andDan Simpson. Our thoughts and prayers are withtheir families. We honor our brothers’ service to ourcraft and industry.

Dan Pasini, V.P.

Steps toGainMarketShareL.U. 625 (ees,em,i,mar&mt), HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA,CANADA—In April, Local 625 members voted toamend their agreement to create new rates forsmaller commercial, residential and communica-tions jobsites. This is a bold move to address thegrowing problem of market share losses in thesesectors. With only a handful of members employedin the residential and communications sector com-bined, our officers and Executive Board determined

it was time to ask the membership for theirapproval to move to a more competitive position.Members agreed by more than 2-1.

The smaller commercial sector is the breedingground for nonunion shops; from there they growtheir business into the 25-30man shops doing largercommercial and institutional projects—the very sec-tor wheremost of ourmembers are employed andwhere it has become increasingly difficult for our con-tractors to win tender packages.

Some have said the local is catering to thecontractors. The truth is: An electrical contractor canexist without a union, but a union can’t exist withoutsignatory contractors! Our next job depends on oursignatory contractor’s ability to win the next bid.

There are 3,557 journeyman wiremen and 974registered apprentices in Nova Scotia as of May 25,2009. Locals 625 and 1852 combined represent onlyabout 900 journeyman wiremen and 300 appren-tices. We can’t expect to do the majority of the workwith 25 percent of the work force. The goal is toregain market share and organize the workers andshops. Only then can we hold our heads high andsay we’ve honoured the memory of our foundingfathers, 19 young men from Nova Scotia who had adream 102 years ago that “there be no one workingat our trade outside of our Brotherhood.”

Tom Griffiths, Pres.

Tribute toServiceL.U. 673 (catv,i,rts,spa,t&u), PAINESVILLE, OH—Local 673 member Staff Sgt. John Rusnak, stationedin Iraq, proudly displays his Local 673 T-shirt (photoabove). This was just one of the many items fromthe care packages that our membership sent him.John sends thanks to the membership for the pack-ages and is proud to an IBEWmember.

This is John’s second deployment over there;the first time he was deployed he was a third-yearapprentice. Then he came back and finished hisapprenticeship in 2008. John wasmarried to his

wife, Chrissy, in May 2009 and then wasnotified of redeployment in the fall of 2009.He will return home by the end of this year.

Local 673 members would like tothank you, Staff Sgt. John Rusnak, for yourcontinued service and dedication in thearmed forces.

Local 673 welcomes our newly organ-ized contractor SFI Electric and its employ-ees into the Brotherhood.

Remember to check the Local 673Websitewww.ibew673.org for upcoming events.

Hope to see everyone at the picnicthis month.

Danny Lastoria, Mbr. Dev. Rep.Local 595 members vote to ratify new contractextension at special-call meeting.

Volunteers and participants gather for Local 601’s Steak Stag. Back row, from left: apprenticesPaul Rubenacker and Kyle Smith. Front row: apprentices Dustin Block and Lucas Bocook, journey-man wireman Shawn Davis, coordinator Bob Withers, retiree Bobby Woodward, local cookingfriend Columbus Boykins, retiree Wendell Merry, and another cooking friend, James Culp.

Local 625member LennyShaw (center), joined by fellowservice-award recipients, proudly displays his 50-yearaward. Also celebrating the occasion are: 30-yearmembers JamesOickle (left), StanMcCulloch and RossTofflemire; and 20-yearmemberWayneMacMillan.

IBEW Local 673 member Staff Sgt. John D.Rusnak proudly displays his local unionT-shirt for everyone to see back home.



Local EventsUpdateL.U. 683 (em&i), COLUMBUS, OH—Our members’interests are wide and varied outside of electricalwork. Here is one such example: Local 683 member

Steve Nole, a35-year IBEWmember, hasbeen awrestling offi-cial for theOhio DistrictHigh SchoolWrestling pro-gram for 30years (seephoto). Bro.Nole is also anavid bowler.

Localunion news:

The Retirees Pizza Party Luncheon was held March16. The Uncle Roy Euchre Tournament was March 27.At the April 8 regular union meeting, we had a visitfrom U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy. The Rebuilding CentralOhio project, which assists the elderly and disad-vantaged homeowners of Central Ohio, was heldApril 17 and April 24. The Golf League began April26 at The Links in Groveport. The blood drive wasMay 13. And for the May 14-16 trip to Gettysburg,“Muley” was in charge.

Also taking place are ongoing Code ofExcellence, OSHA 10 & 30, and NFPA 70E classes.

We extend condolences to the families ofrecently deceased members: Salem L. Dudley, JackL. Thomas, Emmit O. Stephenson, Donald E.Stiverson, Carl H. Steele and Brian Kennedy.

Remember, regular meetings are held the sec-ond and fourth Thursday of the month at 8 p.m.Input is needed by allmembers because of impor-tant matters ahead for us all. Front row seats avail-able (reservations are recommended).

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

NewLeadership…NewDirectionL.U. 827 (catv&t), EAST WINDSOR, NJ—On April 5,2010, the membership of Local 827 elected localunion officers, and the new leadership recently wassworn into office. Three past presidents cametogether, united, focused and determined to buildour membership. Bill Laing (former president from1992-1995) is newly elected businessagent/Executive Board-Essex Unit. Dominic Turdo(former president from 2001-2007) is newly electedbusiness agent/Executive Board-Northern Unit. Andmyself, Bill Huber (former president from 1999-2001), newly elected president/business manager.Three strong-minded men, united in rallying thestate membership, focused on the issues anddetermined to grow our membership in a decliningeconomy. The task is tall, yet not impossible.

Others elected were: Vice Pres. Joe Penna, whoformerly served as business agent/Executive Boardmember, International Telecommunications directorand Third District International Representative; re-elected, Treas. George Ippolito; elected, Rec. Sec. JoeMastrogiovanni; re-elected, Georgeanne Scarpelli,business agent/Executive Board-Hudson Unit, andRich Spieler, business agent/Executive Board-Southern Unit; elected, Ed Cocliff, business agent/Executive Board-Central Unit, and Joe Lambert, busi-ness agent/Executive Board-Raritan Unit.

IBEWandCWAunions on the EastCoast recentlynegotiatedwith Verizon an enhanced voluntary offerformembers to leave the company. The unions recog-nized that they also needed to take advantage of thisincentive package and negotiate language to protectthe juniormembers. This offer provided increasedmonies, both in lump sums and pensions. This one-time offer also provides languagewhich preventsVerizon from increasing sub-contracting during a one-year period. If 12,000members in the footprint acceptthis offer, post Aug. 2, 2003, hireswill be protectedagainst layoff until May 1, 2011.

Bill Huber, Pres./B.M./F.S.

Cookout&Pin PresentationL.U. 915 (i&mt), TAMPA, FL—Our April cookout andannual pin presentation was well-attended. Wewere honored to have former business managerGary Hill with us; Bro. Hill led us in the pledge toour flag at the union meeting. The cooks fed us agreat meal as well as homemade strawberry pie.Thanks to all the volunteers for their hard work.

Two members in attendance received 50-yearservice pins. Congratulations to Bros. James Allumsand Phillip Humphrey on their awards.

The 45-year pin recipients were Jack Runckleand Charles Shelton. Receiving 40-year pins were:Kenneth Brewer, Jerry Dye, James Fowler, VictorMoore, Ernest Riske and Jessie Weeks; 35-year pins,Carl Payberg, Mannuel Tamargo and Leon Ward; 30-year pins, Stephen Carter, Billy Keene, RockyMcPheron, Robert Schaefer, John Sours and ClydeTucker. Congratulations to these and all the othermembers who received service pins.

Our Brother of the Year Award went to Bro. JimBecker. Throughout his tenure as an IBEWmemberand throughout his hardships, he never stoppedhelping others and serving the sick and needy. Bro.Becker exemplifies the meaning of giving back tothose in need and we honor him.

Theresa King, P.S.

2010ScholarshipWinnersL.U. 965 (em,govt,ptc&u), MADISON, WI—The localis happy to announce recipients of the 2010 IBEW965 scholarships. The scholarships are available todependent children of Local 965 members who arecurrently high school seniors.

The 2010 winners are: Nicholas Braun, son ofBrian Braun of the Beaver Dam subunit; CodyJackson, son of David Jackson, North Area subunit;Miranda Kissinger, daughter of Gloria Kissinger,also of the North Area subunit; and Ashley

Swenson, daughter of Steve Swenson, Village ofMazomanie subunit. Our hearty congratulations goout to the winners and our best wishes go to all theentrants in this year’s competition.

We thank all those who attended the Local965 bowling outing. Everyone had a great time andmany said they hoped to see this event continue inthe future. The Solidarity Committee is looking tohold this event annually with hopes of participationgrowing each year.

On Saturday, May 22, the local’s AnnualSolidarity Picnic along with an Open House for thenew union office was held. Activities included toursof the building, games for the kids, a pig roast,prize drawings and other activities. The event wasvery well-attended and the weather was beautiful.Thanks to all who participated.

Kurt Roberts, P.S.

Skills DevelopmentGrantL.U. 1015 (em&i), WESLACO, TX—Local 1015 has part-nered in consortiumwith our local community, SouthTexasCollege, the TexasWorkforce Commission, con-tractors, and the Rio Grande Valley/Laredo ElectricalJoint Apprenticeship Training Committee. Our partner-ship involvement wasted no time in figuring out whatupgrades were needed to train local electricians.

Consequently, the consortiumwas awarded aSkillsDevelopment Fund grant ofmore than $844,000 in stimu-lusmoney to educate electri-cians. Our thanks go out toPresident Obama for hismajorrole in the passage of stimuluslegislation providing grants togive citizens an opportunity totrain for future jobs andenhance employment options.

Local 1015 is pleased withthe dedication and effort work-ers have put into participatingin the Skills Developmentclasses. After performing a hotday’s work, participants takecare of training at night. The

participation of the contractors who want toenhance worker training has furthered the successof this SDF training and set a great example forother electricians around our area.

The outcome: To be unsurpassed in having allelectricians follow OSHA safety procedures andhave all workers committed to “safety first.” Therumors are true! This is how the IBEW has simplycreated the best hands in town. We take care of ourworkers by making sure they are educated in safetyand in the line of their duties.

Ray Duran, P.S.

Tribute toServiceL.U. 1049 (lctt,o,u&uow), LONG ISLAND, NY—It is withmixed emotions that we announce the retirement ofAsst. Bus. Mgr. Joe Herbert. Joe has been a dedicatedmember of IBEW Local 1049 for 31 years. During hiscareer he has been an integral part of the local. As asteward he was active on numerous committees. In1998 he joined the staff as a business representativeand since 2007 served as assistant businessman-ager. Joe’s quiet strength and perseverance served asan example for the entiremembership. His leader-ship and guidance will bemissed. On behalf of Bus.Mgr. Robert Shand, the business staff, the officersand Executive Board I wish Joe and his wife, Lisa, allthe best in retirement.

National Grid recently announced the sale ofits Home Energy Services Division (Keyspan Home

Energy Services) to HomeServe Inc.Because of successor language inthe collective bargaining agreement,we will continue to represent themembers who work in that division.The current CBA expires Sept. 1. As ofthis writing there have been prelimi-nary discussions about the possibil-ity of a contract extension. We lookforward to working with the newowners so that they can becomeanother successful IBEW employer.

We continue tomeetwith LongIsland PowerAuthority as they pre-pare to send out proposals for bid-ding on the newMaintenance

Services Agreement.We areworkingwith LIPA to fur-ther enhance our currentworker protection language.

Thomas J. Dowling, R.S.

‘Victory forMaineTaxpayers’L.U. 1253 (i), AUGUSTA, ME—Passage by the Mainestate legislature in April of the bill LD 1565—”An Actto Amend the LawsGoverning the KnowingMisclassification ofConstructionWorkers”—is a bigvictory forMaine taxpayers. The bill allows for stop-workorders and appropriates funding for personnel toenhance enforcement. [See related article, “CheatingWorkers Out of Rights, Benefits: Lawmakers Go AfterEmployers WhoMisclassify Workers as Contractors,”The Electrical Worker, June 2010, pg. 3.]

Eleven members participated in the Code ofExcellence Steward Training Class on April 27. Thiscourse was presented by IBEW Int. Reps. MikeD’Amico and Kevin Cash.

We are sorry to report the deaths of retiredmembers Richard Lerette and Frank Lockhart. Dickwas a longtime member and signatory contractor.Frank was a past state director of apprenticeshipand vice president of the National ApprenticeshipDirector’s Association. Both will be greatly missed.

We offer our prayersand support to 4-year-oldPhebe Guido and her family.Phebe, who has diabetes, ismaking daily progress duringan extended stay at a Bangorhospital. She and her threesiblings are children of mem-ber John Guido and wife Gia,and also grandchildren ofLocal 99 Treas. JamesAnderson and wife Ann.

William Gifford, P.S.

Local 683 member SteveNole referees at a high-school wrestling match.

Local 915 honors two 50-year service award recipients. From leftare: Pres. Randall King, 50-yearmembers James Allums andPhillip Humphrey, and Bus. Mgr. William Dever.

Local 1015 members attend a CPR/First Aid class.

Young PhebeGuido isprogressing inher recovery.

Local Lines


Kudos to RetireesL.U. 1307 (u), SALISBURY, MD—Congratulations tofourmembers who retired this year: Jeffery Breasure,Bruce Willey, Jehu “Jay” Justice and Jim Ritchie.

Bro. Breasure began work at Delmarva Powerat Indian River Power Plant in 1971.

Over the years he worked as fuel handler,assistant control operator, power plant machinist,and in other posts. He retired as a qualified welderon May 28.

Bro. Willey started at Delmarva Power’sVienna Power Plant in 1974. Among the positions heheld were: fuel handler, auxiliary operator, machin-ist and control room operator. He retired as leadoperator on Jan. 10.

Bro. Justice began work with Delmarva Powerin 1976 at Indian River Power Plant. He worked as apower plant machinist and welder. and retired as aqualified machinist on March 31.

Bro. Ritchie started at Indian River Power Plantin 1991. He held the jobs of fuel handler, and assis-tant plant equipment operator. He retired on Oct. 30.

All four of these brothers retired from NRGEnergy, which purchased the power plants fromDelmarva Power. May they all enjoy a long andhappy retirement.

Until next time; save jobs, limit imports.

Edward D. Sparks, P.S.

UnionNight at Baseball GameL.U. 1501 (ees,em,mo,pet,rts&t), BALTIMORE, MD—Summer came early to Maryland. We went from thesnowiest winter on record to record breaking hot inthe spring. Spring brings the beloved baseball sea-son and our great Baltimore Orioles. Annually wehave AFL-CIO Union Night at Camden Yards. Thisyear it was held June 25. The local had 50 tickets forour members this year. As with years past, it’salways a great time to get together with fellow work-ers and members from other companies, to root onthe greatest ball team ever, the Baltimore Orioles.

Thomas J. Rostkowski, R.S.

OSHA ‘Star Award’L.U. 1523 (u), WICHITA, KS—Murray Gill Energy Centeris the second Local 1523-represented energy centerto receive the Voluntary Protection Program presti-gious award. This distinguished honor was also pre-sented to Gordon Evans Energy Center in June 2008.The prestigious Star designation from OSHA is thehighest level of recognition in the VPP program hon-oring facilities committed to the health and safety ofemployees by exceeding OSHA’s national standards.Murray Gill and Gordon Evans power plants join anelite group of approximately 2,300 work sites nation-wide labeled as VVPStar sites. Congratulations to allof ourmembers whomade this possible.

By the time you read this, Local 1523 will beinstalling newly elected officers; election results

were not yet available at this writing. Please takethe time to congratulate those elected. Please showyour support and solidarity to our new officers.

Congratulations to the following on their pro-motions: James Day Jr., Wichita System ControlCenter, promoted to junior distribution system oper-ator; Jon Weakley, Wichita Service Building, pro-moted to cable splicer apprentice; Daniel Craft,Ripley Tech Ops, promoted to relay technician ll;Philip Dooley, Murray Gill Energy Center, promotedto operations &maintenance person 04-M4.

Congratulations to former business managerMerv Wiltshire on his retirement. FromMerv: “Inparting I want to say I have enjoyed working with all[at] Local 1523. … Keep working together in solidar-ity; thank you for your trust, support and input.”

Be safe, always.

Candy C. Cruz-Dodd, P.S.

Class of 2010GraduatesL.U. 1547 (c,em,i,o,t&u), ANCHORAGE, AK—IBEWLocal 1547 is proud to announce the following 2010graduates of the Tom Cashen Electrical TrainingFacility in Anchorage.

Wireman class graduates: Gwen Beecher,Mike Basargin, Jarred Calcote, Eric Urena, SabastianLennon-Rodriguez, Patricia Bravo, Louis Young,James Bysheim, Kyle May, Terrance Trudell, JamesCalhoun, Allan Rusenstrom, John Wallace, MattZabinko, Kalen Glover, Steven Wright, RichardBekoalok, Dawn Brender, Steven Boyd and ElliottMarlow. [Photo below.]

Communications class graduates: Tim Digan,Jason Huseman, Cassidy Deckert, Shaun Rodgers,Chad Botirius, Shawn Woodhead, Ricky Lusk,Dennis Kananowicz, Bobby Hale and Dave McAllen.

Lineman class graduates: Deb Kelly, IanWhitmore, Travis Bonnet, Josh Henrick, GarretteFrancis, Jacob Soboleff, Steven Johnson, JeremiahMullican and Ricky Richardson.

Congratulations and every good wish to all thegraduates!

Melinda Taylor, P.S.

PlantVogtleL.U. 1579 (i&o), AUGUSTA, GA—Asmuch of the coun-try is aware, Augusta, GA, is getting two new reac-tors at Plant Vogtle.

Many are not aware that getting an agreementon this project was not easy. It started a couple ofyears ago when it was announced that Shaw wasawarded the project. Ken Ward, IBEW Local 1579business manager and Augusta Building Tradespresident, immediately went to work, contactingShaw officials.

The Bush administration was still in officeand the possibilities were not looking good. Bus.Mgr. Ward started looking toward the nationalBuilding & Construction Trades and the IBEWInternational Office and asked for their help.

With the Obama administration entering intooffice and with the help of IBEW Int. Pres. Edwin D.Hill and BCTD Pres. Mark Ayers, the agreement wasnegotiated. Over the next few months, we shouldput some of our Book I members to work.

The work on the new reactors at Plant Vogtlewill fall under the strict guidelines, the same asnuclear outages. There will be strict backgroundchecks, drug tests and several days of job-relatededucation classes before physically going to work.

The new contract will expire in 2015 for allwork on Vogtle and upcoming nuclear reactorsacross the country. Everybody is watching Vogtle.We are aware that this project will be a test runand may have an impact on union agreements onfuture work.

Other jobs in our jurisdiction look promising.Of course, it is very hard to predict when we will getinto Book II, but I would encourage brothers and sis-ters to call our job line at (706) 724-6586 or visit ourWeb site at www.ibew1579.org for future details.

Will Salters, A.B.M.

Code of ExcellenceTrainingL.U. 1701 (catv,ees,i,o&u), OWENSBORO, KY—TheExamining Board gave the journeyman wiremanexam to our fifth-year apprentices recently. Chmn.Joe Fulkerson reports all passed. Graduates are:Robert Pillow, Adam Gish, Jeremy Anderson, JamesBenningfield, Joe Brown, Thomas Brown, JacobBrown, James Humphrey, Montez Mayfield and JeffBarr. JATCSec. Larry Boswell reports most of thefifth-year graduates have taken the Kentucky StateElectrical Licensing exam and they passed as well.Congratulations, brothers and sisters.

We thank Int. Reps. Ed Hill Jr. and DonVidourek for conducting a Code of Excellence classand a Code of Excellence steward training class in

April for our localunion officers andNECA contractors. Thetraining was well-attended and we willimplement the Codeof Excellence onfuture projects.

The OwensboroCouncil of Labor helda Workers MemorialCeremony at theOwensboro DaviessCounty court houselawn on April 23.Local 1701 memberand council Pres.Donna Haynes organ-ized and conductedthe event. We had agood turnout.

Thanks, Donna, for a job well-done.In sadness we report the passing of retired

Bro. Frank Hancock. May he rest in peace.Remember the union meetings, held the third

Monday of each month.

Tim Blandford, R.S.

Congratulations&WelcomeL.U. 1749 (u), NEW JOHNSONVILLE, TN—Congratulations and welcome aboard to the latestclass of “student generating plant operators” at theNew Johnsonville, TN, generating station: ShaneMorris, Kyle Sanders, Steven Sweazea, Brian Horner,Brian Gunn, Neal Thorne, Matthew Frady, HollyHolmes, Patrick Payton and AdamWatts. RandyRussell is the instructor.

Ask your steward about the benefits of becom-ing an “A”member—death benefit fund, IBEWretirement, and for anyone with a construction back-ground, the NEBF fund. It’s well worth the differencein dues, and also complies with the resolution thatpassed at the last International Convention.

The stewards and officers need to pass this onto their newmembers.

Some updates in the statewide Tennesseeelections:• At this writing, gubernatorial candidate Mike

McWherter is unopposed in this year’sDemocratic primary.

• State Sen. Roy Herron is running for the U.S.Congress in the 8th Congressional District.

• Dr. Greg Rabidoux is a candidate for the U.S.Congress in the 7th Congressional District.

And we need to work hard in capturing threeTennessee state house seats to regain control of thestate house! If not, we could set the party of theworking folks back 20 years.

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

Support forWGME-TVWorkersL.U. 1837 (rtb&u), MANCHESTER, ME—All of theDemocratic gubernatorial candidates in Maine’sJune 8 primary election decided not to purchasecampaign advertising on WGME-TV in Portland, inorder to demonstrate their support for members ofIBEW Local 1837.

The refusal of the five candidates to buy adsthere came in response to a request from the IBEWlocal that represents more than 40 workers at thestation. That request came after WGME-TV and par-ent company Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. unilater-ally declared an impasse in contract talks, cutwages, and implemented parts of their last con-tract offer that forced concessions on the workers.

While the full financial impact of the candi-dates’ decision is difficult to estimate, it is likely tolead to the loss of tens of thousands of dollars in adrevenue for the local CBS affiliate.

“We’re grateful to the candidates for their sup-port,” said Local 1837 Bus. Mgr. Cynthia Phinney.“We think it sends a strongmessage thatMainersdon’t like the unfair treatment of workers at WGME.They think thatMaine workers deserve good jobs tohelp support their families and communities.”

The companyadmitted that the pay cutswerenot because of any financial crisis, but simply becausethe company felt that itsworkerswere overpaid.

Matthew D. Beck, Organizer

Local 1501 Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dion F. Guthrieand wife Dianna head to an Orioles game.

Local 1547 Bus. Mgr. Larry Bell (back row, left) and Instructor DaveMcAllen (back row, third from right) gatherwith the graduating wiremanclass of 2010 for a group photo. Front row, from left, are Gwen Beecher,Mike Basargin, Jarred Calcote, Eric Urena, Sabastian Lennon-Rodriguez;back row, Bus. Mgr. Bell, Patricia Bravo, Louis Young, James Bysheim,KyleMay, Terrance Trudell, James Calhoun, Allan Rusenstrom, JohnWallace, Matt Zabinko, Kalen Glover, StevenWright, Richard Bekoalok,Dawn Brender, InstructorMcAllen, Steven Boyd and Elliott Marlow.

In Memoriam



1 Kemp, A. M. 4/24/20101 Lindsey, C. G. 4/16/20101 Sebacher, D. J. 4/13/20101 Specker, D. J. 3/31/20101 Underwood, R. D. 2/21/20103 Birdsall, R. C. 4/6/20103 Corbo, F. 4/21/20103 Dejak, M. 3/17/20103 Franzitta, T. E. 3/26/20103 Fuentes, M. A. 2/9/20103 Gold, B. 1/21/20103 Lavalle, A. P. 3/17/20103 Lopresti, S. 4/28/20103 Meyers, G. 3/18/20103 O’Donnell, J. T. 3/19/20103 Opoliner, J. 2/5/20103 Powell, E. J. 1/15/20103 Thomas, G. J. 4/6/20103 Wolkin, G. 2/25/20104 Fischer, N. A. 3/24/20105 Caven, C. E. 12/6/20095 Farmer, J. D. 2/16/20105 Farner, R. E. 4/15/20105 Ingole, M. J. 3/15/20105 Knavish, J. G. 3/28/20105 McFarlane, D. 4/23/20105 Thomas, R.W. 1/28/20105 Werner, M. E. 3/17/20105 Wirth, H. G. 3/16/20107 Kubacki, R. S. 10/18/20098 Stender, J. I. 4/15/20109 Schumann, S. E. 3/29/201011 Gilbertson, R. E. 2/18/201011 Gurcinas, I. 3/8/201011 Householder, B. J. 4/20/201011 Mc Dermott, B. K. 1/7/201011 Morrison, K. P. 1/2/201011 Rast, G. L. 2/16/201011 Roadruck, D. H. 8/29/200811 Snyder, S. D. 3/17/201011 Walburn, F. S. 1/26/201011 Wise, R. J. 12/21/200911 Yale, N. D. 3/6/201016 Tucker, R. E. 1/21/201017 Armstrong, E. D. 2/10/201017 Francis, V. R. 3/28/201018 Dawes, L. H. 4/15/201018 Lopez, J. O. 3/11/201020 Davis,W.W. 3/16/201020 Holbrook, R. L. 4/12/201020 Merriman, R.W. 5/2/201020 Warren,W.W. 4/16/201020 Williamson, T.W. 4/26/201020 Wilson, L. G. 4/19/201022 Hazelton, A. 4/18/201022 Lindley, J. F. 3/13/201024 Balbo, S. A. 4/12/201024 Franzoni, H. M. 3/27/201024 Shepherd, R. G. 3/4/201025 Davidson, R.W. 1/20/201025 Flores, E. 1/31/201025 Schreiber, T. H. 4/17/200926 Kelly, C. R. 4/24/201026 Tomczak, A. L. 4/21/201026 Vincent, R. G. 4/1/201032 Knupp, R. E. 4/4/201034 Moschel,W. A. 4/12/201034 Shipley, R. E. 4/4/201035 Arendt, R. L. 4/5/201035 Bane, D. T. 3/1/201035 Berube, E.W. 5/31/200835 London, J. 3/7/201038 O’Donnell, P. J. 4/7/201038 Shaw, P. D. 3/13/201038 Travis, J. J. 4/20/201040 Corey, G.W. 5/5/201044 Pyette,W. 3/4/2010

44 Taylor, G.W. 3/31/201046 Baskin, D. C. 3/27/201046 Morris, J. R. 3/14/201046 Scrafford,W. G. 1/30/201046 Ward, J. R. 3/15/201048 Bloomfield, R. D. 4/28/201048 Holcombe, C. J. 5/3/201048 Young, H. F. 4/4/201051 Harris, G. R. 3/8/201056 Kubiak, E. 4/14/201057 Austin, A. L. 2/18/201058 Block,W. F. 4/7/201058 Bochinski,W. 3/19/201058 Carlisle, M. E. 4/25/201058 Cowhy, E.W. 3/21/201058 Heifner, G. A. 4/2/201058 Kremkow, T. A. 4/8/201058 Martin, H.W. 9/28/200958 Merritt, G. G. 4/19/201058 Neirynck, H. V. 3/21/201058 Sharick, E. D. 4/14/201058 Warsinski, M. A. 4/13/201058 Wojcik, G. S. 3/19/201066 Eckerman, R. O. 12/27/200966 Llewellyn, R. J. 3/24/201066 Paul, A. E. 11/25/200966 Ross, O.W. 2/19/200966 Stewart, A. O. 2/5/201066 Tyler, J. E. 9/8/200968 Cory, D.W. 3/27/201068 Elfeld, C. 3/31/201068 Haney, R. K. 3/12/201068 Hickman, P. F. 4/10/201068 Robertson, M. 3/10/201070 Puckett, B. K. 4/25/201076 Sanders, H. 11/4/200977 Bonser, G. V. 1/7/201077 McGhee, J. R. 5/1/201077 Mead, H. L. 3/26/201077 Zehnder, R. J. 12/21/200980 Okeefe, J. F. 3/26/201080 Ruppe, R. D. 5/29/200986 Adams, J. M. 3/28/201086 Blend, J. M. 3/1/201086 Mordaci, J. 1/14/201086 Sneckenburg, C. J. 3/28/201089 White, R. L. 4/10/201090 Bohan, E.W. 2/27/201096 Rock,W. A. 5/5/201097 Segal, J. P. 4/6/201098 Brusch, P. 1/25/201098 Carney, A. J. 3/7/201098 Culp, E. G. 4/6/201098 Shisler, J. R. 4/20/201098 Young, R. 3/13/2010102 Monico, L. 3/24/2010102 Scarpelli, M. P. 11/21/2009103 Bowie, P. E. 11/30/2009103 Desmond, A. F. 4/23/2010103 Jones, J. R. 3/17/2010103 Kearney,W. T. 3/29/2010103 Maioli, A. R. 4/6/2010103 Nostrom,W. D. 3/23/2010105 Kavanagh, P.W. 4/1/2010109 Fluegel, R. J. 2/25/2010110 Barnes, L. J. 4/1/2010110 Hinrichs, T. J. 3/1/2010110 Voight, K. D. 4/1/2010111 Vezakis, G. 4/27/2010112 Dillon, D. C. 6/2/2009117 Witthuhn, G. J. 3/16/2010120 Stewart, D. R. 3/14/2010120 Williams, M. J. 4/8/2010125 Pinkston,W. R. 3/21/2010125 Ward, F. J. 4/16/2009126 Craig, H. 1/28/2010130 Albert, G. J. 4/1/2010

130 Kolb, F.W. 3/15/2010130 Raines, A.W. 3/21/2010134 Balling, R. J. 3/15/2010134 Brandon, S. E. 4/29/2010134 Cepynsky, L. 3/15/2010134 Coughlin, J. J. 4/9/2010134 Desmaretz, L. G. 3/17/2010134 Hand, B. J. 4/8/2010134 Jaskolski, D. V. 4/16/2010134 Jensen, T. P. 4/18/2010134 McCallum, R. V. 4/5/2010134 Perrino, V. P. 2/26/2010134 Simmons,W. D. 4/21/2010134 Sturm, E.W. 1/20/2010134 Zwierzhowski, S.T. 11/14/2009136 Buchanan, C. B. 12/27/2009136 Todd, C. I. 4/8/2010139 Worley, J. 2/27/2010145 Archer, M.W. 3/18/2010150 Harwell, A. C. 3/24/2010150 Meyers, K. P. 3/28/2010153 Andert, R. M. 5/3/2010158 Hynek, G. L. 4/7/2010159 Camren, H. O. 4/6/2010159 Marvin, G. A. 4/8/2010163 Shannon, M. J. 10/24/2009164 Debouter, J. A. 11/8/2009164 Vasnelis, J. A. 4/1/2010175 Colbaugh, H. L. 4/6/2010175 Smith, B. E. 4/8/2010176 Frye, D. E. 4/28/2010177 Cooper,W. L. 3/30/2010177 Higginbotham,D.W. 2/17/2010180 Polk, L. S. 3/19/2010191 Cassutt, G. J. 1/18/2010191 Crandall, E. R. 2/17/2010191 Crombie, J. R. 4/7/2010194 McLeod, G. B. 3/16/2010197 Kraft,W. J. 3/20/2010212 Babel, R. A. 4/17/2010212 Rennegarbe, J. G. 3/23/2010212 Rush, V. J. 3/26/2010213 Gardiner, J. B. 4/3/2010213 Kelly, R. M. 1/12/2010213 Lewis, R. L. 4/6/2010219 Pernaski, C. F. 3/31/2010222 Couch, F. H. 3/30/2010222 Hancock, B. G. 3/7/2010226 Spears, S. E. 4/30/2010229 Mason, C. A. 3/24/2010230 Ingram, B. R. 2/26/2010230 Pynn, J. F. 3/30/2010236 Joyce, J. F. 3/24/2010236 Kraznopolski, S. 4/27/2010246 Taylor, C. D. 12/10/2009254 Fahrner, J. C. 4/21/2009254 Johnston, E. A. 1/25/2010266 Boehme, R.W. 4/2/2010278 McMillin, D. J. 4/29/2010280 Becker, J. G. 7/6/2008291 Montgomery, D. J. 4/17/2010302 Brackenbury, B. B. 4/5/2010302 Nelson, F. E. 8/30/2009304 Morgan, C. P. 12/30/2009305 Schweyer, C.W. 4/15/2010307 Diehl, D. D. 1/29/2010309 Stewart, H. H. 1/3/2010327 Bradley,W. C. 4/22/2010332 Fajardo, P. J. 3/12/2010332 Haney, R. 3/24/2010332 Howell,W. A. 4/1/2010332 Rozak,W.W. 3/18/2010332 Vonraesfield, V. 4/6/2010340 Jester, J. D. 5/4/2010349 Bell,W. E. 4/22/2010349 Clark, B. S. 4/1/2010349 Goodson, T. E. 4/6/2010

349 Hollaman, R. S. 4/15/2010349 McFaddin, C.W. 12/17/2009349 Skillman, J. B. 4/18/2010349 Tlumacki, A. 3/29/2010353 Brennick, S. L. 4/17/2010354 Rappleye, M. J. 4/4/2010357 Buntjer, R. L. 4/9/2010357 Harrison, R. A. 4/7/2010359 Skinner, T. R. 1/10/2010363 Binotto, F. 3/18/2010364 Cline,W. P. 3/9/2010364 Vondriska, E. 3/10/2010366 Anderson, R. D. 4/11/2010369 Blake, E. J. 4/4/2010369 Davenport,W. S. 7/28/2009369 Lynch, E. J. 4/20/2010369 Murphy, L. D. 3/26/2010369 Truman, S. L. 4/6/2010375 Duran, A. J. 4/29/2010375 Schaffer, R. F. 2/14/2010379 Black, J. C. 1/7/2005402 Northcott, L. H. 2/23/2010405 Miskimen, C. K. 3/25/2010413 Perez, A. 4/15/2010424 Churchill, D. H. 3/31/2010424 Curran, J. J. 9/8/2009424 Rhodes, E. R. 5/31/2009428 Logan, C. C. 1/1/2010429 Brown, L. C. 4/10/2010429 Winfrey, K. R. 2/25/2010441 Hunter, R. N. 4/7/2010441 Marczeski,W. D. 1/29/2010441 Maschetta, N. J. 3/17/2010449 Chadwick, R. D. 4/11/2010456 Gyarmati, J. L. 10/13/2009456 Lockie, J. D. 3/9/2006456 Simanek, R. E. 2/23/2010459 Bellingham, H. 12/12/2009459 Nagy, S. J. 3/28/2010474 Bramlett, B. 4/12/2010474 Crawford, M. R. 3/10/2010474 Green, R. T. 4/26/2010474 Murry, D. C. 2/22/2010474 O’Donnell, T. M. 1/29/2010477 Dufour, J. J. 1/17/2010477 Dusablon, P. M. 8/23/2009479 Ainsworth, J. L. 4/9/2010479 Larocca, V. T. 4/8/2010479 Scott, R. P. 8/3/2009480 Walley, E. N. 12/17/2009483 Marx, S. D. 3/26/2010483 Miller, J. C. 2/22/2010486 Cronin, J. 4/14/2010490 Hickox, L. K. 4/2/2010494 Frankwick, E. S. 3/12/2010494 James, E. E. 4/8/2010494 Nehls, D. A. 2/28/2010499 Heuer, J. J. 4/3/2010508 Cox, R. S. 11/8/2009508 Hope, R. 1/22/2010527 Durio, J. A. 12/9/2007527 Leboeuf, J. L. 4/8/2010527 Smith, G. R. 4/2/2010530 Tayles, D. E. 3/10/2010532 McKay, J. E. 2/18/2010540 Escott, A. A. 2/9/2010553 Cozart, J.W. 3/15/2010553 Enloe, E. 2/28/2010567 Fayle, E. R. 4/28/2010568 Rancourt, J. 1/3/2010569 Hughey, D. L. 3/19/2010569 Rodarte, E. 3/21/2010569 Ullom, J. S. 12/16/2009573 Stavana, E. J. 4/8/2010583 Driscoll, W. J. 4/7/2010586 Steele, K. 3/9/2010595 Buxton, R. C. 3/17/2010

595 Green, F. R. 11/17/2009595 Guerrero, D. E. 4/15/2010595 Hallett, E. J. 3/25/2010596 Long, A. J. 4/8/2010596 Moore, P. 4/19/2010602 Hill, J. L. 4/10/2010605 Sebren, R. R. 1/10/2010606 Matson, B. A. 3/27/2010606 Thompson, J. C. 3/2/2010606 Watson,W. M. 4/4/2010611 Garcia, G. V. 2/1/2010617 Gugel, E.W. 2/22/2010625 Fougere, J.W. 2/11/2010625 Macdougall, I. F. 4/3/2010640 Burns, R. A. 3/12/2010640 Hubbs, J. E. 1/24/2010648 Fields, A. D. 4/12/2010654 Beebe, G. E. 2/13/2010654 Williams, J. J. 4/2/2010659 Barnes, J. A. 3/22/2010663 Kasza, C. G. 12/5/2009665 Colthorp, V. I. 12/2/2009665 Spalding, B. C. 3/16/2010665 Withers, T. L. 1/21/2010666 Mize, E. G. 4/25/2010682 Fleisher, H. M. 4/30/2010683 Kennedy, B. R. 3/25/2010683 Stiverson, D. E. 2/20/2010688 Brewer, L. Q. 3/17/2010692 Campbell, P. H. 4/9/2010692 Clements, R. J. 4/2/2010697 Loman, J. R. 4/28/2010701 Streid, J. C. 3/27/2010702 Linson, J.W. 4/12/2010716 Nogradi, K. 4/26/2010716 Rowland, E. J. 12/17/2009721 Kephart, R. D. 4/21/2010721 Noblitt, T. H. 1/2/2005725 Carr, L. 3/31/2010728 Meeks, G. F. 4/14/2010733 Tallent, L. O. 3/6/2010738 Ramsted, G. E. 4/14/2010747 Russ, C. F. 4/23/2010760 Moore, L.W. 2/27/2008763 Samson, C. B. 2/13/2010767 Covington,W. T. 2/14/2010767 Sanchez, E. A. 12/12/2009768 Brady, J. J. 3/30/2010769 Morris, L. H. 4/5/2010774 Cutter, C. E. 2/22/2010804 Brown, G. R. 6/1/2009841 Daugherty, A. D. 3/24/2010855 Gaw, R. A. 3/12/2010861 Johnson, C. P. 3/4/2010876 Weger, K. J. 4/7/2010890 Lalonde, D. D. 3/21/2010903 Joyner,W. H. 4/14/2010910 Steller, J. R. 5/1/2010915 Haskett, R. E. 4/29/2010948 Hoover, N. L. 3/29/2010952 Fox, F. P. 1/22/2010952 Tetreault, E. L. 4/13/2010953 Prieur, R. F. 4/16/2010969 Brennan, J. E. 4/16/2010970 Sanders, F. J. 12/26/2009985 Rochelle, R. L. 3/12/2010993 Burgart, E. L. 2/20/2010995 Moses, H.W. 4/9/20101141 Dunlap, C. 3/1/20101200 Plowman, R. P. 2/23/20101205 Pittman, R. L. 4/5/20101212 Sabo, E. G. 5/1/20101245 Beall,W. B. 7/16/20091245 Doose, D. L. 4/4/20101249 Stamp, C. R. 3/4/2010

Local Surname Date of Death Local Surname Date of Death Local Surname Date of Death Local Surname Date of Death Local Surname Date of Death

Members forWhomPBFDeathClaimswereApproved inMay2010

MEMORIAM continued on page 20


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]

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

Following BP’s Deepwater Horizon explosion in April, thenational mood is souring more each day as the toll of thedamage grows and ironclad solutions remain elusive. In themeantime, economies in the Gulf States continue to suffer.

I’ve seen a lot of economic carnage in my decades in the labormovement—and I’ve also heard some corporate elites make somestatements that they probably regret. But nothing beats BP CEO TonyHayward telling a reporter he was eager for the situation to getresolved. The reason? “I’d like my life back,” Hayward said.

Guess what, Tony? There’s a rising chorus of regular Americansout there who will say, “We’d like our lives back, too.” We’d like arenaissance of good-paying energy jobs that don’t risk the lives ofthe workers. And we’d like to leave the future of America’s energycompanies in the hands of responsible people who understand the

dual need for inexpensive electricity and a reduced ecological footprint.There’s no magic bullet solution. But there is a path forward that can put us on the right track for a

clean and green energy economy: nuclear power.The facts, as reported in our cover story in this issue, speak for themselves. Nuclear plants produce

zero carbon emissions. If we go this route, thousands upon thousands of middle-class careers await ourmembers—high-skilled jobs that can’t be outsourced. And these plants become lifelines for hard-work-ing union families in places like Moline, Ill.; Davenport, Iowa; Berwick, Pa.; and across the country.

I told attendees to the Nuclear Energy Institute Executive Conference in May that all signs point tothe nuclear industry as the only proven, viable alternative energy source—one that is already heavilyintegrated into the grid system to supply a reliable dose of clean, baseload power.

We’ve proven our mettle in the fight for good union jobs in renewable industries, and we’ll con-tinue to report on new developments in the revamped nuclear sector in future issues.

It’s time tomove the ball forward—for the industry, for our union, for our families and for our nation. �

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.

The chain of pain suffered by our members whose employershave shifted production to plants in China has been a toofrequent topic in The Electrical Worker and onwww.ibew.org.

Iconic U.S. brand name products, especially electronics andappliances, which sustained generations of union families, are nowbeing produced in Chinese factories. Workers around the globe areforced to underbid one another—lowering wages and benefits to feedour families. That’s life, we are told. It’s the price we pay for ouriPods, iPads and iPhones and cheaper consumer goods.

A torrent of information is swarming over the Internet and majornewspapers describing defiant Chinese workers standing up andstriking for pay increases and a ratcheting down of the inhumaneshop floor stress. The New York Times reports 10 suicides this yearalone at Foxconn, an employer of 800,000 workers who manufacture computer components for Dell,Hewlett-Packard and Apple.

Stung by negative publicity, the company’s chairman raised salaries by 33 percent. Meanwhile, ata Honda Motor plant in southern China, workers won a 24 percent pay raise after a two-week strike.

Ten years ago, labor shortages in a population giant like China would have been inconceivable. Butthemassive flow of capital investment, coupled with low birth rates, nowmeans thatmanyChinese work-ers are forced into overtime hours while the prices of food and property peak upward, eroding their buyingpower. So they are doing what workers have done throughout history—fighting back for better conditions.

I take heart in the struggle of the Chinese factory hands because I support the right of workerseverywhere to win a better life. But the additional upside is that these first steps toward fairness andfree unions in China means a more level playing field for workers in the United States and Canada aswell as other traditional industrial powers. And maybe it’s the first step in reducing our trade deficitwith China and creating more jobs on this continent. Keep an eye on the progress of Chinese workers; itmay be good news for all of us. �

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 DistrictWilliam W. 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

Malinda Brent

Len Shindel

Carol Fisher

Alex Hogan

Lucas Oswalt

James H. Jones

Len Turner

Tim Prendergast

Curtis D. Bateman

John Sellman

Lindell K. LeeInternational Secretary-Treasurer

ChineseWorkersStandUp

Edwin D. HillInternational President

Charting a Course TowardCleaner Energy



Folk hero Woody Guthrieraised eyebrows more than70 years ago when hescrawled the phrase “this

machine kills fascists” on the bodyof his ratty acoustic guitar, foreverendearing himself to patriotic andprogressive working Americans.

A similar gesture byWilmington, N.C., Local 495 memberDavid Gwinn would be fitting—butGwinn’s guitar would likely boast:“This machine rebuilds America.”

By day, the 24-year memberworks as a supervisor at PhilipSporn Powerhouse in New Haven,W.Va. But several nights a week andmost weekends, his band NeonNickel lights up regional venues witha crowd-pleasing blend of countryand white-knuckled classic rock. Thehearty-voiced frontman peppers hissongs with lyrics about workers’rights, the importance of a home-grown economy and the erosion ofthe middle class.

The title track of Neon Nickel’snew CD, “Made in the USA,” findsGwinn sharpening his knivesagainst what he sees as poor tradepolicies that have decimated theAmerican manufacturing sector:

Another bad day on the marketAnother factory closin’ down.Another day of bad excuses whyThey’re killin’ another town.Between the lawyers and politiciansTellin’ all the same old liesI think it’s time we rearrange thingsAnd give us back our way of life.

“In the area I grewup inWestVirginia, therewere alwaysmanufac-turing jobs—now they’re gone,” saidGwinn, 47. “So that song cameout offrustration. I felt like those in powerwhoweremaking decisions over thepast several decadeswere out of touchwith theworking class and thepeoplewho’vemade this countrywhat it is.Weneed to bring backmanufacturingandmake our ownproducts. That cre-ateswork for everybody.”

While some well-heeled folkrevivalists could be criticized forappropriating the discontent of

struggling Americans, Gwinn and hisbandmates know firsthand aboutthe trials and tribulations of trying toget by in a rocky economic climate.Four of the five players in NeonNickel have been union members invarious trades, and all have beentouched by the recession.

“I know people whoworked for20 years just to see their jobs get sentoverseas,” Gwinn said. “The workpicture here is bad. There are lots offolks on the books. So we try tomakemusic to connect with people in thisarea who are trying hard to get by.”

Developing a regional followingmeanspacking the gear in the van andconstantly hitting the road. ButGwinn’s lengthy stretchesbehind thewheel aren’t confined to band activi-ties. He lives in southernCrownCity,Ohio; works out of Huntington,W.Va.,Local 317’s jurisdiction; and spendsabout two-and-a-half hours eachwork-day commuting to and fromhis job.

“The drive to work can actuallybe kind of nice,” he said. “It letsme think about musical ideas, andit’s a good chance to try out somenew lyrics.”

The band’s regional fan base isgrowing since the release of “Madein the USA,” and union brothers aretaking note.

“I’ve been to several shows,and they’re dynamite live,” saidWinston-Salem, N.C., Local 342member Eddie Clark. “I’m not blow-ing smoke here, but if this banddoesn’t get to Nashville before long,I’ll be surprised.”

Gwinn is currently putting fin-ishing touches on a new song called“You Can Hear the Mountains Cry,”about the 29 coal miners who diedApril 5 in an explosion at Upper BigBranch mine in West Virginia. Bothof Gwinn’s grandfathers logged timeas miners in the state.

“I wanted to pay tribute to thosewho lost their lives just trying to dotheir jobs,” Gwinn said. The band hasbeen playing a working arrangementof the track at shows andwent intothe studio in recent weeks to laydown a recorded version.

Check out the band’s Web siteat http://neonnickel.com to hearsamples from “Made in the USA” orto order a CD. �

Lettersto the Editor

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

WhoWeAre

American Pie’sSliverEverybody expects America to take care of the world. The business culture onlytakes care of themselves and their agenda. Nor do they take care of their work-ers who fuel the economy by buying their products. Our whole economy isbeing blackmailed by our treasury note national debt. The only way out forAmerica is to either have a consumption tax or raise taxes, cut programs andlower spending or default on our treasury notes.

The president and Congress have made no attempt in 234 years to pay offour national debt. It seems the biggest crybabies get their wheels greased inthis country. Take Wall Street, our banks, the defense industry and specialinterests, all well paid by our American workers. They got the biggest slice ofthe American pie. All we get is sweet talked and poorer.

George O. CurryLocal 126 member, Philadelphia, Pa.

Thanks for the PrayersMy husband, John Baker, has been a member of Local 415 in Cheyenne, Wyo.,for over 20 years. John was in a serious accident on May 30, 2009, and has asevere brain injury. He is at our home as we await a miracle.

The brothers and sisters of Local 415 have been so supportive with cards,prayers and well wishes to John. They have paid his dues for a year now andhave prepaid his dues for the coming year. This is such a blessing to us inthese tough times.

I really would like them to know just howmuch they have touched ourhearts and lives.

Joan BakerWife of Local 415 member John Baker, Cheyenne, Wyo.

NAFTARepeal?I think it’s time for a change, and that change is NAFTA. Believe it or not,repealing NAFTA is very much a possibility. In the last two major elections, 14Senate and 66 House seats in Washington were flipped from pro- to anti-freetrade. This could mean that what Reagan, Bush, and Clinton forced upon usyears ago could be repealed. They’re all politicians, so let’s not kid ourselves,they’d sell their souls for a vote. So if we make enough noise, threaten not tore-elect them, or support any other candidate who does not support Americanmanufacturing, maybe we can get rid of NAFTA!

Kevin CalkinsLocal 134 member, Chicago

No Lineman Listed?As a retired Houston Local 66 lineman for 40 years, I would like to know whyyou do not have lineman listed under trade classifications in the ElectricalWorker. We feel left out and not part of the team. I realize there are many clas-sifications to list, but a lineman is the granddad of them all.

Ray J. TuttoilmondoLocal 66 retiree, Houston, Texas

[Editor’s note: Technically, linemen are included in the “u” (utility) classifica-tion. If they work for outside line contractors, they are under the “o” (outside)designation. Linemen are an integral part of the IBEW, steeped in a traditionthat goes back to the union’s first days in 1891. Lineman Henry Miller’s tirelessefforts to found and organize a national union of electrical workers is key to ourstoried heritage. A union that is so grounded in history and our collectivelegacy strives to honor all of its members.]

We Want to Hear From YouWe welcome letters from our readers. The writer should include his or hername, address, and if applicable, IBEW local union number and card number.Family members should include the local union number of the IBEW memberto whom The Electrical Worker is mailed. Please keep letters as brief as possible.We reserve the right to select letters for publication and edit all submissionsfor length.

Musician PromotesUnionValues onStage andCD

Above, Wilmington, N.C.,Local 495 member DavidGwinn, second from right,crafts poignant lyrics andcrowd-pleasing music withhis band Neon Nickel.


In Memoriamcontinued from page 17

1249 Winterhalt, J. C. 3/16/20101253 Lockhart, F. L. 4/10/20101260 Perry, E. 4/1/20101316 Ryals, G. F. 12/23/20091319 Stanislow, S.W. 4/3/20101340 Brooks, R.W. 3/17/20101426 Vonbank, G. H. 4/18/20101464 O’Hare, C. A. 3/3/20101516 Late, G. K. 3/27/20101523 Unruh, M. A. 3/31/20101547 Allen, L. 3/30/20101547 Mellard, M. D. 11/27/20091547 Pears, R. J. 1/16/20101650 Reed, C. F. 3/29/20101703 McWhirter, G. J. 1/16/20102129 Dossett, J. R. 2/15/2010I.O. (134) Ellis, R.W. 1/3/2010I.O. (134) Patrick, D. 4/8/2010I.O. (238) Woody, S. J. 4/2/2010I.O. (424) Pullock, R. 4/10/2010I.O. (441) Mowery, R. A. 4/23/2010I.O. (1007) Kelly, L. 3/28/2010I.O. (1788) Begovic, B. 4/3/2010Pens. (1) Heidemann, H. R. 3/26/2010Pens. (323) Metz, H. K. 11/26/2009Pens. (637) Rowland, C. L. 4/5/2010Pens. (637) Smith, A. L. 11/30/2009Pens. (840) Canale, J. 3/1/2010Pens. (1253) Lerette, R. E. 4/17/2010Pens. (I.O.) Baseman, B. 2/25/2010Pens. (I.O.) Besser, N. E. 4/13/2010Pens. (I.O.) Capehart, H. E. 3/1/2010Pens. (I.O.) Chernobieff, N. 12/14/2009Pens. (I.O.) Clayton, C. 4/17/2010Pens. (I.O.) Clinger,W. F. 3/23/2010Pens. (I.O.) Conroy, T. J. 4/4/2010Pens. (I.O.) Day, R. J. 4/1/2010Pens. (I.O.) Dorn, D. J. 10/19/2009Pens. (I.O.) Doyle,W. K. 10/21/2009Pens. (I.O.) Erickson, J. E. 3/19/2010Pens. (I.O.) Erpenbach, M. 4/3/2010Pens. (I.O.) Ewert, F. C. 3/25/2010Pens. (I.O.) Gordon, C. L. 3/14/2010Pens. (I.O.) Hansen, H. E. 4/20/2010Pens. (I.O.) Haxton, R.W. 4/15/2010Pens. (I.O.) Herman, E. R. 3/18/2010Pens. (I.O.) Hewett, J. L. 12/12/2009Pens. (I.O.) Holl, F. I. 10/6/2009Pens. (I.O.) Holley,W. H. 3/31/2008Pens. (I.O.) Howell, D. H. 1/24/2010Pens. (I.O.) Hulme, G. R. 4/16/2010Pens. (I.O.) Kacirek, J. R. 4/5/2010Pens. (I.O.) Landsperger, P. E. 4/2/2009Pens. (I.O.) Mathews, F. T. 9/28/2009Pens. (I.O.) Nibbe, L. J. 4/4/2010Pens. (I.O.) Pagel, R. L. 4/5/2010Pens. (I.O.) Palmer, G. J. 1/7/2009Pens. (I.O.) Pappas, J. M. 3/24/2010Pens. (I.O.) Pickett,W. H. 4/16/2010Pens. (I.O.) Pikal, G. K. 3/11/2010Pens. (I.O.) Piper, D. C. 2/15/2010Pens. (I.O.) Poirier, R. F. 2/15/2010Pens. (I.O.) Rafferty, C. A. 4/16/2010Pens. (I.O.) Richmond, F.W. 11/17/2009Pens. (I.O.) Robinson, D. E. 10/5/2009Pens. (I.O.) Robinson,W. E. 3/11/2010Pens. (I.O.) Roocke, F. J. 4/8/2010Pens. (I.O.) Rossi, A. L. 3/29/2010Pens. (I.O.) Schalow, D. A. 3/17/2010Pens. (I.O.) Schmutz, E. P. 3/5/2010Pens. (I.O.) Singleton, R. P. 12/2/2009Pens. (I.O.) Smith, N. B. 12/28/2009Pens. (I.O.) Townsend, P. K. 4/6/2010Pens. (I.O.) Vennix, J. D. 3/19/2010Pens. (I.O.) Weaver, D. L. 1/12/2010Pens. (I.O.) Whitefoot, D. A. 4/20/2010Pens. (I.O.) Wilson, P. J. 3/23/2010Pens. (I.O.) Wittmeyer, H. L. 3/27/2010Pens. (I.O.) Young, P. E. 6/11/2009

Local Surname Date of Death

Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________

City and state __________________________________________________________________________________________

Zip code ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number __________________________________________________________________________________________

E-mail address __________________________________________________________________________________________

Local union number ____________________ IBEW card number ______________________________________________

Photo description ______________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

First Place$200

Second Place$150

Third Place$100

HonorableMentions$50

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

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

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

members and the public.

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

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

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

DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 30, 2010CONTEST ENTRY FORMPRIZES

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

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

least 300 dpi, in color or black and white, onslides or prints. The preferred print size is 8x10.

4. All submissions become the property of theIBEWMedia Department.

5. Photo entries must have an IBEW theme ofsome sort, with IBEW members at work,engaged in a union-related activity or sub-jects conveying images of the electricalindustry or the union.

6. If members are featured in the photo, theyshould be identified. If large groups are pic-tured, the name of the group or the purpose ofthe gathering (e.g. a safety committee, a line-man’s rodeo, a union meeting) can be submit-ted in place of individual names.

7. Photos previously published in IBEW publica-tions or the Web site are not eligible for sub-mission.

8. All entries must include a completed contestentry form. Please note that photo entriesmay be submitted through the IBEWWeb siteat www.ibew.org.

9. Please fill out the contest entry form and affixit to each photo you submit for the contestand mail it to the IBEW Photo Contest, 900Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001.

PHOTO CONTEST RULES:

The Electrical Worker July 2010

Documents

Transcript of The Electrical Worker July 2010