IBEW L.U. 180

Volume 2008, Issue 4 April, 2008

SERVING NAPA AND SOLANO COUNTIES SINCE 1901

Business Manager's Report

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The fiscal crisis that has been hampering our country has devastated the residential market. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn’t a train. Economists are looking for the start of 2009 to be the rebirth of the residential industry. The fiscal crisis has affected the commercial market also. Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors voted to cancel the Clay bank Jail Project. This was a PLA with Con J Franke having the Electrical Subcontract. The reason was the uncertain bond market.

On a brighter note, we do have the Shilo 2 Wind Farm project that is slated to start April 21, 2008. There is a completion date of December 31, 2008.

Valero Refinery is slated to start in the 3rd quarter of this year and go until completion in 2010. A BATT and TWIK card will be required.

We have had a very low failure rate in the infancy of our drug program. Although not entirely embraced by the membership, a drug free workforce is a great selling point to our customers and something that we should all be proud of.

The Health and Social Services Building in Vallejo and Fairfield are out on the street for bidding. These projects are funded and are not under the same scrutiny as the jail.

The Solano College campus is to be bid soon and will start this summer.

Genentech in Dixon has started but no hiring has taken place. Redwood City has this project and Kaiser Vacaville. However, due the timing of early completion of Kaiser Vacaville and a late start at Genentech, there was no transfer of manpower.

BeneSys has been doing a great job servicing the members. I have received a lot of positive feedback about the monthly statements.

Although work has been slow for the first quarter of 2008, it will be another good year for Local 180.

Dan Broadwater,
Business Manager

Upcoming Events Holidays	Inside this issue
MEETINGS: REGULAR MEETING 7 P.M. SECOND THURSDAY B-B-Q - 5 P.M. Only on Blood Drives RETIREES MEETING FIRST WEDNESDAY @ 12:30 P.M. E-BOARD MEETING 6 P.M. FOURTH TUESDAY EXAM BOARD MEETING 5 P.M. SECOND TUESDAY HOLIDAYS MAY 23 CARPENTERS’ OFF DAY* MAY 26 MEMORIAL DAY JULY 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY * - EXCLUDES S&C AGGREEMENT	Business Manager's Report BLOOD DRIVE www.UnionSportsmen.org Union Picnic for 2008 Other News Retiree's Corner OAKLAND A's Game Local Union Elections The Apprentice Monthly LMCC at Work GIANTS GAME BUS TRIP JATC TRAINING COURSES More Than a “Hiring Hall”
All meetings will be held at: 720 Technology Way Napa CA, 94558	New web sites for union members in Napa & Solano counties: www.nsworkers.org & www.napasolanoclc.org find out what’s up!

BLOOD DRIVE
Thursday, May 8, 2008
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Donor Mobile in Parking Lot of the Union Hall
Call to register or go online at
www.bloodheroes.com
click on “find a location” and enter sponsor code: ibew
Schedule your life-saving appointment today!!!

You’ve watched your union brothers and sisters travel to Africa, Costa Rica, Canada, the Rocky Mountains and other incredible destinations for once-in-a-lifetime hunting and fishing adventures. Now, it’s your chance. You could be next to win the trip of your dreams and appear on national television on season three of Escape to the Wild.

Escape to the Wild is a TV program of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, VERSUS Network and several of America’s leading trade unions and contractor associations that honor hardworking union members with the hunting or fishing trip of a lifetime.

On season three of the popular program, lucky winners will venture to Argentina to hunt majestic red stag; join professional angler Byron Velvick for top-notch Texas bass fishing, trek Canada’s expansive tundra to hunt caribou and run and gun for upland bird at a top-notch lodge. And that’s just a few of the adrenaline-pumping adventures lined up for the best season yet.

Escape to the Wild is the real deal, making dreams come true for union members just like you with a passion for hunting, fishing and the great outdoors. When season two winner Jay Rodriguez was asked if he thought he had a good shot at winning, he responded, “Oh no. You just fill out entries and send them in. You never expect to win.” But Jay did win, and so can you.
To Apply: Log-on to www.UnionSportsmen.org and click on the Escape to the Wild button. Follow instructions to submit application.

USA’s Triton Bass Boat Give-Away
This spring, you just might get to hit the water in a brand new 18 Explorer Triton bass boat powered by a union-made Mercury engine. Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) has teamed-up with Triton Boats to deliver a water-ready boat and matching trailer package, valued at approximately $25,000, to one lucky member of the USA.

Triton’s Founder and President Earl Bentz donated the exceptional package in support of the USA as a special thank-you to the union customers who have helped Triton become one of America's leading fiberglass fishing boat manufacturers.“Our company's success is due in part to our many loyal union customers. We are honored to partner with the USA to equip a hardworking union member with one of our highest quality fishing boats,” Bentz said.

Join the Union Sporstmen’s Alliance today for you chance to win this incredible package. Visit www.UnionSportsmen.org for more details.

Union Picnic
The Local Union 180 Picnic has been scheduled for Sept 20th at Lake Solano Park. Last year, with nearly 250 people in attendance, the picnic got so large that we needed help. We are asking for volunteers to help form a picnic committee to develop and oversee this year’s picnic. It is just too big for one or two people to manage. The help can range from just making suggestions to hands-on involvement. Any help would be greatly appreciated. And It could mean the difference between a huge success and a disaster!

Other News
The winner for the drawing at the Union Meeting for the month of March was Dan Roach.Had he been present at the time of the drawing, he would have won $75.00; but, since he was not, the next drawing will be for $100.00, and shall remain so until a some lucky winner who is present is selected.Once a present winner is selected, the pot will start over again at $25.00 and keep on growing

MARE ISLAND MUSEUM
Housed in Building #46, built in 1885, at 50,000 sq. ft. it is open the first and third weekends of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Current exhibits include Women at Mare Island

USE YOUR VISA OR MASTERCARD FOR DUES!
YES, CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS WITH THE MASTERCARD OR VISA LOGO, IN PERSON OR OVER THE PHONE FOR DUES, SORRY NOT FOR T-SHIRTS

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.

Easter Bunny Report
Saturday March 15 the Easter Bunny came to the Union Hall and brought smiles to many young faces.The morning was filled with activities for the children and an egg hunt with over 1100 plastic eggs filled with candy.A hot dog & B-B-Q lunch followeda good time for all who attended.

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 is March 5. All retirees and spouses are welcome. Widows of retired members are encouraged to get involved and welcome our newest members.

FUTURE TRIPS:

Queen of the West, September 14—21, 2008: Roundtrip Transportation to Portland included {We are considering roundtrip Amtrak or flying}, 7 Nights aboard the Queen of the West, All Meals and Entertainment on board.

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

OAKLAND A’S GAME
Sunday, July 13th against the Angels. The Union Hall has purchased a block of 50 tickets for the game and they are on sale at the office window for $15.00 each; they are regularly priced at $35.00.

We are sitting in the “all you can eat” section. It is on the third deck behind home plate. They are offering hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, peanuts, ice cream, soda, and water. They will only give you three items at a time but you can get into line as many times as you want. The food and drinks are offered through the 7th inning.

Pick up your tickets asap. When they are gone; they are gone. If you have any questions about the game you can call Dean at 707-337-0347

20 days prior to nominations, notices to be mailed out - no later than April 18, 2008
Nominations to be made at the May 8, 2008 meeting
Election judge officially appointed after nominations are completed; tellers to be appointed at this time also (recommend 5) - May 8, 2008
Acceptance letter to be signed night of nominations, retained by election judge
The election judge to verify eligibility of candidates following day - May 9, 2008
The elections board shall have the ballots prepared - May 12, 2008
Requests for absentee ballots to be received by the election judge, in writing within 30 days but not less than 5 days prior to elections (recommend 12 noon cutoff on the fifth day prior to elections); election committee to keep record of all requests; ballots mailed and received - last day to request - June 7, 2008
The financial secretary to furnish the election judge an alphabetical list of all members eligible to vote, not less than 10 days prior to election, last day to provide - June 2, 2008
Elections to be held at the June 12, 2008 meeting
Voting to be open from 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm the day of elections
Absentee ballots to be picked up at post office box the day of the elections - June 12, 2008
Ballots to be tallied and results reported at the June 12, 2008 meeting after voting closes
If a run-off election is necessary, it shall be held 21 days after the regular election is held - July 3, 2008

In this issue of The Apprentice Monthly, I thought that I would address something which we all face as Apprentices, the ever present task of homework.

I know personally that time management is the greatest issue when trying to form a plan of how to complete the homework assignments in the time period between classes. It seems that we get out of school and fall right back into work mode and the routine of everyday life. The work load just doesn’t seem that imposing when school is several months away. Yet I am sure that many of you have discovered the hard way (as I did) that a weekend is not quite sufficient time in which to try to not only complete several hours of homework but to grasp the difficult concepts in order to gain knowledge and be ready for a test. The best way that I have found to deal with homework is to spread it out over the period of time between class and do a little at a time in order to complete it gradually and to allow time to look into any questions that may arise from working through the lessons.

Something that I think is essential to the JATC program is for Apprentices to develop a support structure amongst themselves in order to provide assistance to anyone who might be struggling with new material that we are studying. With the IBEW being a Brotherhood I feel that it is important that we ensure that no one is left behind as we move through the Apprenticeship Program. It is a great idea to form study groups so that everyone can contribute to each other’s learning and motivate each other to get through the tough lessons. I think that everyone experiences the great gains that can be achieved in the classroom when we all work together in groups to help each other prepare for tests. Why not take this same technique out of the classroom and reap the benefits for homework as well.

It is quite apparent that there is a direct correlation between the time spent studying and doing homework and the grades that are earned on tests. I liken it to the idea of showing up to work without your tools and expecting to get the job done. If we don’t invest time in preparation for our job (school) how can we expect to perform at the peak of our potential? I know very well that some of the material is not exactly the most fascinating thing you will ever read, but the great thing is that we are getting paid to learn this material and a lot of it will directly benefit us not only on tests but also in the future as we work in the electrical industry.

Well I hope for good health and plenty of work for all of you fellow Apprentices out there. Stay focused and before we know it we will be Journeymen laughing to ourselves as we reflect on our years of hard work to reach our goal of being well trained craftsmen. Questions and Comments are welcome via email. Davidiloff@comcast.net

David Iloff

THE 4TH ANNUAL GIANTS GAME BUS TRIP WILL HAPPEN SUNDAY AUGUST 10TH.

We will see the LA Dodgers for a 1:00 pm game.

The bus will leave the Union Hall at 10:15 am and stop and pick up in Vallejo at the ferry terminal around 10.30 pm.

You will receive: A bus ride there and back, an upper reserved ticket into the game, deli sandwich with chips, beer, soda, water. A chance to win some prizes on the bus (gift cards to home depot) and the chance to win part of a cash raffle (the size of the raffle depends on the size of how much we all put into the raffle). All of this for $ 40.00!

To reserve your spot on the bus you must buy your tickets early by calling Dean Lloyd at (707) 337-0347. Last year the tickets sold out in 3 weeks!

The JATC will be starting another OSHA 10/30 class on April 23rd and ending Jun 18th. This class will go for eight Wednesdays, except for May 14th, and will, upon completion, give the attendee a total of 32 hours toward State license re-certification. 32 hours is the total needed to recertify. The class will be limited to the first 25 applicants and the cost is $75.00. The JATC has a list which is partially filled at this point. Do not delay – do it today. The JATC’s phone number is 251-0315 – we can not transfer the phone call from the Union Hall.
Platt Electric Supply will be putting on a small trade show in our warehouse on Tuesday May 6th from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. A light lunch will be provided. All are welcome to attend.

Each one of us has certain opinions concerning the important things that Local 180 should do for its members. Take a moment and reflect on your own particular expectations. What comes to mind?

Three of the most common opinions I hear from the members are: 1) “The union should find me a job”; 2) “The union must protect my job”; and 3) “The union must elect good, union-friendly politicians.”

None of these opinions are unreasonable per se. However, they need to be considered in light of some fundamental facts of life that characterize the industry in which we work so that they don’t devolve into nonproductive demands.

All of us rely on the competency and capability of our signatory contractors to effectively market themselves, to bid and negotiate work, to establish and maintain solid relationships with new and existing customers, and to pay close attention to emerging markets in order to expand our work opportunities and increase union market share. While we are in control of the proficiency and professionalism with which we practice our craft, getting the job is primarily the work of the contractor.

The business manager, president, and their appointed agents do not comprise the sales force and estimating departments behind our contractor base. Consequently, there are elements intrinsic to our success and job security over which we have little control. In this regard, union staff serves as more of an “opportunity force” for the industry. Union staff strives to be a “motivational force” as well – motivating contractors to bid projects, to expand and explore new markets, and to heighten public awareness with respect to the commercial and social benefits of union manpower.

To a certain degree, the local union staff also serves as a “policing force” – ensuring that contractors adhere to the terms and conditions to our agreements, and alerting our labor compliance officers and taking the appropriate legal action when nonunion contractors are suspected of unfair labor practices and cheating on public works projects.

When business roundtables, economic forums, and chamber of commerce mixers are held in our area, Local 180 staff is there – promoting the value of our apprenticeship program and the advantages of hiring our superior craftsmen. In fact, as soon as the slightest rumor of a new project is mentioned, Local 180 staff is there. If a project labor agreement is feasible, we fight for it. If not, we diligently notify our local signatory contractors of the prospect. And if they’re maxed out, we reach out to signatory contractors throughout northern California so that Local 180 members have a chance to perform the work.

Motivating signatory contractors to expand and grow is a difficult task. Understandably, they tend to operate within a certain comfort zone. After all, their capital is on the line. In addition, bidding and negotiating more work, or work in emerging sectors of the market, presents the contractor with new and unfamiliar risks. But emerging sectors typically provide a breeding ground for nonunion growth. That’s why Local 180 staff routinely alerts signatory contractors of new market opportunities as soon they become a recognizable blip on the radar screen. In fact, Local 180 has gone a step further by establishing the Small Business Incubator Program. The forward thinking premise behind this program is, “If there aren’t enough signatory contractors willing to grow, perhaps we can help grow new signatory contractors.”

In the area of solar photovoltaics, for example, we’ve had the good fortune to successfully network with engineers, designers and various consultants to ensure that our new contractors have a fighting chance to pursue this sort of work in our market.

Solid relationships with elected officials and municipal staff also play a pivotal role in securing work opportunities for Local 180 members. In conjunction with the Napa-Solano Building and Construction Trades Council, the United Workers for Local Government, and the Napa-Solano Central Labor Council, Local 180 staff continues to lead the way in promoting a more union-friendly environment.

So, does Local 180 staff find you a job? No. Properly speaking, the contractors do. But we beat the bushes and try like hell to make sure it’s within the contractors’ capabilities to do so.

Does Local 180 staff protect your job? By vigilantly crafting and administering local agreements, and promoting the benefits of union manpower throughout the area, we do our best to strengthen your job security. However, in large measure, we rely on the integrity and innovation of our partners in the industry – signatory contractors – to aggressively capture the lion’s share of our market. Nevertheless, your personal integrity and proficiency on the job is critical to their success in this regard.

Does Local 180 staff elect good, union-friendly politicians? No – you and the voting constituency do. But we aggressively support politicians who demonstrate respect for working families; we pursue the adoption of union-friendly initiatives; and we lobby those who have yet to be persuaded.

As some progressive union leaders have said, “The best way to prepare for the future is to have a hand in creating it.” With the best interests of our members in mind, this is what we strive to do.

Mike Smith & Kevin Coleman

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.