Congratulations
David & Rebecca Christensen on the birth of their son, Drew, on 1/29/2007

Condolence
Rick Hunter
8/2/1964 ~ 12/30/2006
Rick was born in California, graduated Napa High in 1982 and our
inside apprenticeship program in 2006.

UWLG:Endorsement Training
Too often candidates come to the United Workers for Local Government (UWLG) late in the election season for an endorsement.  Therefore, they will offer training sessions or to meet with interested candidates one on one.  Training to inform candidates how labor organization endorse, how the UWLG partners with local businesses for joint endorsements and what matters to local working people.  It is recommended contacting them one year before the election - as a minimum - for the best possible outcome.

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: Prevailing Wage Enforcement
Local 180, 551 & Northern Cal NCEA, Redwood Empire NECA – New Hire – Charlie Atilano as the new compliance officer for Local’s 180, 551 & Nor Cal NECA, Redwood Empire NECA. Charlie Atilano was formally the Senior Deputy Labor Commissioner for the Northern and Central California Public Works units and the supervisor for the Bureau of Field Enforcement. Prior to his tenure at the Labor Commissioner’s Office Charlie was the field examiner for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, investigating unfair labor practices. He also served on the legal staff, as an interviewer, for the President of the United Farm Workers Union. Charlie adds a wealth of public works enforcement skills and knowledge to the NCECI team, and we are looking forward to the great things Charlie will add to Napa / Solano and the Redwood Empire. Charlie is fluent in Spanish and he resides in Santa Rosa area.

-Budget Electric - Doug Nareau and Rich Matson, Business Agent for Local 180, conducted a site visit of the Trilogy residential project in Rio Vista. Budget Electric has been identified as a contractor that violates the electrical certification laws and basic worker right laws. Nareau will interview the workers working for Budget and he will confirm that the workers are certified with the State of California – DAS. Nareau will also meet with the City of Rio Vista Code enforcement officer regarding other enforcement issues on this project.

– Nut Tree Project– Doug Nareau conducted a site visit of the Nut Tree project and he discovered that VSS Electric, Lic#858464, is on onsite performing the electrical work inside of the new buildings. Doug interviewed the VSS Electric’s foreman and one of the journeyman electricians. The workers informed Doug that they are not being paid the State prevailing wage for Solano County on this project. Nareau has initiated an investigation into this issue, and he will follow-up with the redevelopment agency to ensure that they are aware that this contractor is on-site.

Other News
Certification Enforcement
Starting January 1, 2007 you had better be a State Certified Electrician, enrolled as an electrical trainee, or not be doing electrical work.

At the time of this printing, we have no problems filling Certified Electrician calls.  Both inside books two, three and organized electricians have their cards and are ready to work.  Residential & S&C calls remain slow.

Some interesting facts from the year-end data submitted to the I.O.  There were 6 less local 180 JIW’s working locally, 39 more inside apprentices and 31 more travelers.  We added 42 new members to the local and now top out at 694 “A” members!

The Future… Or Looking Down the Road Towards Eggs...

Easter is just around the corner and now is the time to ask volunteers to help make it a great event.  Help with the Easter Egg Hunt, kids’ activities and the food.
 
Also looking forward is June for the Inside Agreement pay increase and time also to allocate more or less to your 401 and VEBA accounts - “nest egg”.  Forms can be found on-line and they will be mailed to all “A” Members and Travelers that are working in our area.  So as you work on your taxes – think about your wage deferments.  The deadline is the end of May 2007 and you will have to live with your selections for one year.

Help A Future Brother/Sister Out

We are presented with an organizing opportunity with many calls going into book two, three and unfilled.  Combine that with a excellent mix of work, new and remodel, refinery to hospitals, many months to years in durations.  Many are flocking to our area or are coming from local non-signatory contractors.
There is also two other factors in our success—the philosophy of the business manager and you—our members.

Our system to organize is to follow the rules without adding additional road blocks.  Be informative and helpful.  Many times perspective members comment how friendly we are and easy to deal with.

At a recent organizers meeting there was an assignment to create a flow chart of how to direct an applicant through the system to becoming a member.  Some had many levels and check points.  We think it should be three simple steps:  #1 person inquires about membership.  #2 organizer does what it takes.  #3 person become a member.

But simply getting a person from applicant to the books and then to a job is a small step.  You, the member makes it happen.  You support and encourage the potential member.  It is that support that drives the potential member back to the hall when the job is complete to “take another call”.  That is the key—showing the value in our system and the support of our members.

Remember, that potential member is OUR future—it’s in your hands!


IF YOU HAVE MOVED
Please notify the office so we can keep your information up to date.  However, if we do not have a good address - then you should not be getting this newsletter…  Please remind your co-worker.

Surprise Retirement Party For Bruce
How can it be a surprise you ask?  Well, Bruce has delegated much of his “normal” work to Dan, therefore, Dan will proof and approve this newsletter.  Additionally, Bruce will not read it and so many of you will not either—that way it stays a surprise!

The event will take place at the Napa Elks Lodge on April 20 at 6 pm.  A menu of beef, chicken, fish or pasta will be offered.  The price of $50 per person will cover the food and go towards a wonderful gift.

We ask that you would please R.S.V.P. (that’s French for répondez śil vous plaît) for this event to loril@ibewlu180.org or call (707) 251-9180 and have the number in your party and menu selection ready.

While the dinner will be cooked to perfection—the “Honoree” could receive a good roasting...

Retiree's Corner
The meetings for the Retirees’ Club are held on the first Wednesday of the month at the Training Center / Union Hall at 12:30 P.M.  

The next meeting will be February 7 and all retirees and spouses are welcome. Widows of retired members are encouraged to get involved.

FUTURE TRIPS:
Las Vegas/Laughlin April 16-21, 2007
Hawaii seven night cruise Oct 8 - 15, 2007 starting as low as $1610 person.

Please contact Ken Breckenridge more information on these trips at (707) 643-4139

From the President:
In case most of you don't know, we had a special called, wage allocation, meeting on the 23rd of January. It was determined that $1.25 is going on the check. $.50 is going to Health and Welfare. And $.25 is going to the pension. All of this will take effect as of June 1st. All of this was decided by the 50 people that showed up that evening. For those of you that don't know, we have over 500 electricians in our local, that' around 10% attendance. We still need to get more involved as a group.
If some of you are paying attention and wonder why we had $2.00 to spend instead of the $1.75 that was coming to us this year then you need to show up at the next regular meeting on Feb. 8th @ the union hall @ 7 pm. Bruce will explain everything that we need to know. Don't forget you need to bring your dues receipt with you to get in.

Stan Nelson
President

From the Organizers:
As we move through the winter months, it’s good to have work in our local to keep our members in pretty much full employment. When we as organizers seek out the qualified non-represented electrical workers in our area, it’s good to have enough work to place them with our contractors without our existing members feeling as if they are taking our jobs.

While the practice of taking in the non-union electricians has always brought on some grumbling, it’s good to remember that these electricians, when they were working for the non-signatory contractor, were actually doing more damage to our industry by providing opportunities for these contractors to succeed. By adding these workers to our ranks, we are reclaiming our work and taking away the likelihood of additional jobs being given to these non-signatory contractors. If we can control the electrical labor force, we can control the work.

In our local, we have a market share slightly below 60%. While that number greatly needs to increase, we are doing better than many locals. With the help of our members, we can continue to bring additional qualified workers into our local. It’s not just the organizers that bring in new members; it’s the combined efforts of all of us if we are to succeed.

Rich Mattson & Skip Lucier
Organizers

JATC

Work Picture
Local 180 has a workload this year that will exceed the “Boom” of 1999-2000. In Vacaville alone, there is $1 billion in construction work within 1-mile area. Genentech is scheduled for completion in May of 2007. The Kaiser Hospital will go until 2009 and the State Fund Building will go until 2008. Within this same 1-mile area, Solano College is scheduled to start a College campus in 2008.

The Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo is in full swing. The Sutter Solano Hospital in Fairfield is coming out of the ground. It is located next to the Anheuser Busch Brewery. Solano College has bid packages out on the Rockville campus along with the Vallejo campus on Columbus parkway.
The Downtown Vallejo project is slated to start in April. There are multistoried mixed use businesses that are to be built. This area of Vallejo has the potential of ten years worth of work.

Enexco is going to start Shilo II in Collinsville. It is scheduled for late spring, early summer depending on the permitting process. This will add close to 100 mega watts of renewable energy into the grid.

Valero Refinery has finally started the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel project. There are currently 31 hands on site. This is to go into the summer. There are several other projects slated at Valero. The largest being the scrubber that will be added to the precipitator.

We have been consistently going to the bottom of Book Two.  We welcome the talent from our Traveling Brothers and Sisters.  

From Dan
March 1, 2000, Bruce Gourley asked me to join his staff at IBEW Local 180. His enthusiasm and commitment to the IBEW is unprecedented. Over the seven plus years of working with Bruce, he has shared his vision and business model with me, knowing that February 28, 2007 was coming. The transition will be smooth. He has raised the bar for success high. I am not only ready for the challenges ahead, but look forward to expanding on Bruce’s vision for IBEW Local 180. I am proud to call Bruce Gourley my friend and wish him well in his upcoming retirement.

Web Site
Your web site is one of the best in the IBEW.  That is the common comment from IBEW members and Electrical Contractors on the style, use and information on the web site.  Look at the numbers; for our humble local—694 members and over 15,000 visitors to the web site!

More than half of the visits are to the work picture page.  A thousand visitors access our wage rate sheets and clearance information.  A little under 700 have viewed information on becoming a member or contractor.  Rich has received a number of inquires from this information and Skip may soon sign a new contractor.
The most commonly requested information on the site is under the menu item “information & forms”.  Holiday schedules, wage rate sheets, ERTS*, clearance forms*, resign by fax forms, 401 classification change request, BAT information, dispatch rules, Kaiser plan coverage, H&W questions and answers and State certification information and forms.  All are PDF files and the ones noted with “*” above can be filled out on your computer and then printed or faxed.  Each link will open in a new browser window or you can right mouse click on the link and select “save as” or “save link target as” and save the file to your computer for future use.

The site will also direct you to current and past newsletters and interesting links to other useful web sites.  You will not find a bunch of flashy pictures and graphics—just good information from a web site that is easy to use and fast to load.  The site is user driven so if you think something would be of benefit to members and future members—let us know.

UNION BUILT MEANS BETTER BUILT
You want a “ no-worry” electrical system installed in your home safe, reliable and guaranteed.  Then you need an electrical system installed by a union electrical contractor.  That’s right– UNION!  A competent union electrical contractor who employs qualified IBEW union electricians.

Each IBEW journeyman learns the trade through a 3 to 5 year Apprenticeship program.  This extensive training combines on–the-job practical experience with classroom theory and testing.  And the training doesn’t stop there.  Continuing education constantly up-dates the union electrician’s skills through programs sponsored by the IBEW and NECA.

Bruce Gourley, Business Manager

Updated 3/5/07 Copyright© 2007 IBEW L.U. 180 Information on this site has been approved by the Business Manager