IBEW L.U. 180

Volume 2003, Issue 4 April 1st, 2003

SERVING NAPA AND SOLANO COUNTIES SINCE 1901

Business Managers Report

Trust Meetings   Our Health & Welfare and Pension Trusts met on Wednesday March 26, 2003. It was a long meeting due to the fact that we had not had an opportunity to met earlier and had several items for each Trust to deal with. There were some changes that needed to be made and some appeals heard. Appeals are heard and settled with consideration given to their merit, the impact on the plan and on the legality of such decision.
At times appeals lead the Trustees to consider issues that result in a change to the plan. Other times they can not be granted because of issues of legality or an otherwise adverse affect to the plan and it’s participant. One such appeal resulted in changing the Dental coverage to a calendar year twice cleaning instead of the old 12 month standard. It was felt that it would put this benefit in line with others.
Health & Welfare    A major change in H&W! When certain requirements are met, the Trust will allow participants to obtain coverage outside of Kaiser. These requirements are strict and compliance will be mandatory. This is not an official notice but when the Trust office has all of the information necessary, such as legalities, funding and any other issues, a formal letter will be sent to all participants. We currently offer this benefit to those participants that do not live within the Kaiser coverage area. These are the requirements to qualify; You must have other medical coverage that is equivalent to what Kaiser offers. You may be reimbursed for cost not to exceed what the Kaiser plan now costs the Trust. A paid bill must be submitted for reimbursement. If you choose other coverage, you may only obtain Kaiser coverage at open enrollment time. This coverage is not guaranteed and may change if the Trustees determine it is detrimental to the plan. This is by no means a perfect solution to our healthcare crisis, but it is a step in returning choice to the participants.
Pension    The Defined Benefit plan is healthy but not healthy so as to offer any pension improvements at this time. Our Defined Contribution plan will be changing in June from a 401(k) plan to a 401(a) plan. This was a recommendation of the Plan consultants and approved by the members at the special called meeting held on March 27, 2003. The change will mean very little to the participant. The major changes will be in lower cost for administration and an increase in the annual amount of contribution allowed. This prompted the Trustees to also add another tier of contribution.
Individuals may now select to add up to $6.00 per hour to their Defined Contribution plan.
Special Called Meeting At the specially called meeting held on March 27, the members voted to the following allocation of the $3.25 increase due June 1, 2003.

        $3.00     on the paycheck            $36.65    (WELL DESERVED)
        $.20     for the     VEBA            $.70        (PROTECTING YOUR RETIRMENT)
        $.05    for a Local Soft PAC                    (TO GAIN POLITICAL CLOUT)

With the 401(a) defined contribution effective June 1st, the election process for “deferral” will change as well. Instead of a “redirection of wage compensation” as currently listed in the CBA, we will have several levels of Journeyman Classification. This is similar to what other locals do with a Defined Contribution Plan, such as Local 302. The wages will look something like the following;

    Classification        Wage                Amount of                 Health & Welfare contribution
                                                        D/C contribution
    Journeyman A        $36.65             $.50                       $36.65 X %12.7    $4.65
    Journeyman B        $35.15            $1.50                        VEBA                    $.70
    Journeyman C        $33.65            $3.00                        Total    H&W            $5.35
    Journeyman D        $32.15            $4.50
    Journeyman E        $30.65            $6.00

The following changes are a result of hard work by our members and represents fair and equitable compensation for the work you all do. Lets continue our commitment to excellence and the pursuit of a better way of life for each of us and our families. This is only accomplished by being productive.

Fraternally,

Bruce P. Gouley

Upcoming Events Holidays REGULAR MEETING April 10, 2003 FREE BAR-B-QUE WITH DONATION BAR-B-QUE @5:30 P.M. CARPENTER’S OFF DAY MAY 23, 2003 MEMORIAL DAY MAY 26, 2003 All meetings will be held at: 720 Technology Way Napa CA, 94558	Inside this issue. Business Manager's Report Congratulations Condolences Retiree's Corner From the President From the Organizer JATC Sound & Communications From the Agent

Retiree's Corner
The monthly meetings for the Retirees Club are held the first Wednesday of each month. They are held at the Training Center. All retirees and spouses are welcome. Widows of retired members are encouraged to get involved.

Beginning at this meeting, we will give out tickets for a drawing for an overnight trip to Reno or equivalent. The drawings will be held every six months.

We will be sending two delegates to the California Congress of Seniors to be held in Sacramento April 22 thru the 25, 2003.

Spaghetti feed June 20 On June 20, the Retirees Club is going to Oakland for a Spaghetti feed, and then to Paramount Theater for a movie with Douglas Fairbanks called "Black Pirate". The cost will be $36.00 per person, and will include a pickup at Napa, and Vallejo as well. Please RSVP with Ken Breckenridge.

“Lake Michigan Getaway” SOLD OUT July 14-25, 2003

Looking for ideas for our next “Adventure”
For additional information;
Ken can be reached at (707) 643-4139.

From the President:
At last nights special call meeting, it was voted and passed to put 5 cents an hour in a Political Action Fund, (PAC Fund). It is very encouraging to see the membership be active and foresighted in the political arena. We have many friends of Organized Labor on Councils and Boards through out Napa and Solano Counties. We not only need to keep them there but also add to this mix new Labor friendly individuals.

I am calling on all members of the IBEW working in our jurisdiction to please help us police our industry. Our apprentices are the lifeblood of the industry, not just cheap labor for companies to abuse. Signatory Contractors sign a commitment to train apprentices. Please go out of your way to show the tricks of the trade and to help us better our industry. This goes for Journeyman as well. If there is someone on your crew or is on the jobsite that you are working on needs additional training, call us. Our IBEW Constitution allows us to either place in training or refer a member back into the Apprenticeship at the appropriate position. Let us not consider this a punishment but a means to proceed in a positive direction.

Meetings are proceeding with several developers in Vallejo and Vacaville. The Nut Tree and Lagoon Valley development in Vacaville and the downtown project in Vallejo are slated for future build out.

Members are responsible for clearing in to another jurisdiction. Do not rely on your employer to clear you in. If you knowingly work in another jurisdiction, even for a day, protect not only yourself and your reputation but that of the local also.

May God bless our membership and the brave men and women of our military forces.

From the Organizer:
Organizing continues to be sluggish with a slow work picture in March and the peaker projects wrapping up. Our salting program is continuing as reported on last month. We could always use a few more salts. The members currently salting are doing an outstanding job. With the addition of Mike Smith to our staff we have started working on efforts that will increase our market share. We will now be able to monitor S&C public works projects, a service we have never provided in the past. We have also been developing a new method of market recovery on residential projects in which rebates will offered to developers who use Union Electricians to wire their homes instead of subsiding wages to the contractor. So far the developers contacted have shown a positive response. Lastly the Incubator Program, which aids members to become contractors, has been accepted with positive results. Several members have recently come in to discuss going into business. I can’t think of a better way of increasing our contractor base than from within.

JATC
JOURNEYMAN CLASSES
Classes have started but you may still be able to get in. If interest is high enough we will have more than one class.

Basic Conduit Bending began on March 4, 2003. Classes are on Tuesdays from 5:00 to 8:00 P. M.
Basic Motor Control will start on March 6, 2003. Classes will be on Thursdays from 5:00 to 8:00 P. M.   It will cover theory, hands on and lab work with computer software applications.
Both classes are eight weeks in duration.   If you have not signed up yet contact Larry Poyser at the JATC office. (251-0315).
State Certification Certification of all Electricians is mandatory as of January 1, 2005. As the best qualified and trained electrical workers in the State, we must set the standard.
           GET REGISTERED……      GET TESTED!
IBEW & NECA have hired a person to work with IBEW Locals and the NECA Chapters to help us get prepared. Nicole Graham will be at the May Regular Meeting to explain the process and field any questions from the members.

Information is available on-line at www.ibewnecaforcertification.org

The clock is ticking.

Sound & Communications Members watch the mail for a letter about the Negotiations for your Agreement that expires November 30, 2003

Agents Report
The focus this month was uncovering work, support for new contractors and assistance to members on becoming contractors.

Travis AFB has three projects out to bid exceeding $135-mil based on the LOW end of the estimates. Bidding first is a 350 room Visiting Officer Quarters that is a design build project bidding on 4/4/03 and will award within 100 days. The plan holders list has one local electrical contractor listed. It is important to note that plan holders or bidders do not have to list themselves and the general contractors do not have to list subs. We have contacted a number of electrical contractors about all the projects. It will be wait and see…

An informational package is in the final stage of development that will step a person through thinking about becoming a contractor to where to find projects after they receive their license. We even have an office for this.

The old credit union office will now be a small business incubation center. Information, computers, plan table, library, posting area projects and offering live assistance. The office will be an asset to existing small business and the newly organized. This is a joint effort of the LMCC that should be up and running by May and will welcome all contractors and soon to be contractors.

If you are interested in helping out by keeping an eye out for building activity, notices in the local newspaper, searching the internet and the like – contact me at mikes@ibewlu180.org

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 the IBEW & NECA were instrument in establishing mandatory state Licensing in California. Why? Because we believe that our work is superior & we stand behind it! PROTECT YOURSELVES


Updated 3/31/03 Copyright© 2003 *IBEW L.U. 180* *Information on this site has been approved by the Business Manager and L.U. President*