IBEW L.U. 180

After 100 years of renting space for our Business Office, Local 180 has completed escrow on the parcel of land adjacent to the Training Center. We are looking to pay off the loan for purchase of the property in about two years. Once that is completed, we can make plans for continued funding and look forward to design and building. Several other locals have built their offices to include additional space in order to derive income for the local, thereby reducing the cost to the membership.

Contract negotiation have progressed. After a session of "Partnering" presented by the National LMCC with programs given by Cornell University Professor Bernie Flarety and retired Local 4~ Business Manager Jerry Bruce we were able to sit down and negotiate.

Several items were presented and signed off. They include tying our Residential rate to a percentage of the Inside Rate (60%). In addition changes were made in the job start time. This will allow a flexible start time by changing the standard from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 A. M. with the plus or minus one hour language remaining. Reimbursement for use of personal vehicle expense changed to correspond to the IRS standard (currently about $.38 per mile). It was $.21 for quite a few years. Admission Day will be traded for a Holiday, either the day before or after Christmas. A change was made to give the Local the ability to add a "Vacation" account deduction from earned wages, pending approval of the membership. A subcommittee was also appointed to rewrite current language in the Agreement both current and changes approved to comply with the 1.0. Category One requirements.

We still remain unsettled on the important issues of wages and benefits. With this said, the Committee feels confident that we may reach agreement locally. If not, we will avail ourselves to the Council on Industrial Relations for resolution. Once the Agreement is settled, there will be a Special Call Meeting held to determine allocation of wage items.

Congratulations
To Apprentice Robert Kent Shaw. Jr., and Satina Treneice Sanders-Selles on their marriage, April 6, 2002.

And David Solis on his marriage to Jessica on April 19, 2002.

To Randy Shahan on the birth of his son, Joseph, on April 10, 2002.

After 40 years of service our member, Rich "RL" Conroy, has retired from the IBEW, effective March 2002 We wish him the best.

401(k) Plan
Each year from April 15 to May 15 each participant has the ability to change his or her contribution to the 401(k) plan. The amounts that each participant may redirect in wages are still $0.00, $1.50, $3.00, or $4.50. With an expected wage increase in June it may be time to take the opportunity to change. Remember that any change must be received by May 15, to be effective June 1.

From the President
We currently have 70 members on Book 1 along with 14 apprentices. Book 2 has 55 members and Book 3 has 11. To the members running work, please try to put some of these apprentices to work. The Lambie Peaker Plant site will be put out to bid at the end of April. It is located east of Travis Air Force Base, and the units will be located in a triangle about a mile apart. They are tentatively set to start May 15. Some of the Vallejo School work is starting to man up. Benyo Electric has started on Faragut, Davidson, and Beverly Hills Elementary Schools. Mike Brown has started at Vallejo High, and Long Electric was awarded the Franklin Middle School.

I heard last week that Collins Electric has the COSTCO store in Vacaville. There are casement issues that are being resolved between COSTCO and the School District. This is an agenda item to be taken care of on April 18th at the School Board Meeting.

The Vaca-Dixon Peaker Plant is starting to wind down with some hands coming back to the hall. Testing will begin soon with a June 1 completion date set.

SMUD has put out to bid a project at Collinsville for some Wind Turbines. No start date yet
With work in some of the surrounding locals being slow, some of the contractors are sending men in without clearing in, just to keep from having to lay them off. Our time would be better served trying to Organize new members and new Contractors rather than policing our own IBEW Brothers. But the fact is, it takes work away from our members, not to mention the financial contributions not being made. If you are asked to go to another jurisdiction, please have the courtesy to call the hall and give your name, Social Security Number and jobsites location. Never, I: repeat, never count on your contractor to call in for you to clear in. Remember, you are a guest. Show respect, get your work done and move on. Never get involved with the politics of another local union.

Thanks to pressure from several local contractors, the Vintage Bank around the comer from the hall will put the rest of the construction out to bid. Rex Moore did the slab and will be leaving the site. At our Partnering Meeting last week, we set up several committees, one of which will try to get information while jobs are still in the planning stages. At least we can try to get our Contractors on the Bid Lists.

I want to thank the members that have been helping with the BBQ'S prior to our meetings. Without their help, we would not be able to continue having them.

I also want to thank the members that are Salting. This is an invaluable service to our organizing efforts.

May is nominations and June is elections. Please plan to attend. If you don't vote, then don't bitch! We have had several back injuries. Please stretch out prior to heavy lifting.

Be safe, work safe,

From the Organizer:
We have been having many unrepresented apprentices coming forward. On February 1 6th, all apprentices in a state approved program shall be paid prevailing wage. Unfortunately for some of these apprentices, they were either to drop out of their program or be laid off.

We currently have 15 salts in the field. This is not for everyone. What we need are members to not only show the non-union company what we have to offer, but also the men. Sharing real life stories and situations with the unrepresented is not as simple as it sounds. There has to be trust.

We are trying to help one of our larger customers in the jurisdiction, Valero.
They had a hard time manning the Co-Gen with Electricians. One of our salts informed the office, and the next day we had 10 hands get hired. We received a note from Valero thanking us for the help and that it would not be forgotten. This local union cannot thank you enough for the valuable service that you are providing.

I attended a conference on compliance, which will aid our efforts with Mission 2000 in monitoring Prevailing Wage projects. I also attended courses on Top Down Organizing at the Construction Conference.

Please contact the office if you see any non-union activity in your neighborhoods.

IBEW Local 180 Credit Union
All members in good standing, employees of IBEW Local Union 180 and their immediate families are eligible for membership in the Credit Union. Membership information is available at the Credit Union office located in the Training Center or by calling (707) 256-3180.

Unsecured Loans (up to $10,000 on approval of credit)
12 Months 7% APR
24 Months 9% APR
36 Months 11% APR
48 Months 13% APR
Share Secured Loans 6% APR
Auto Loans 8% APR

New Used Down-payment or not, Terms depend on loan amount
Office Hours
Monday 12:00-5:00
Tuesday 12:00-5:00
Wednesday 9:00-12:00
Thursday 12:00-5:00
Friday 12:00-5:00
Closed Wednesday Afternoon

Watch your mailbox. There is important information from the Credit Union coming. These are serious issues that affect every member. There will be increased opportunities for the expansion of services.

JATC Graduation
The Annual Local Union 180 Apprentice Graduation dinner and ceremony will be held May 10,2002, at River City in Napa. No-host cocktails at 6:30 with Dinner at 7:30. Tickets are $39.00 per person. Contact the JATC @ 251-0315 for reservations. Come out and support our new Journeymen.

Many thanks to the Local Contractors and the Electrical Contractors Trust "ECT" for their tremendous support for this event.

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.

At the Regular Meeting of Local Union 180 held on April 11. the members approved continued financial support for our Retiree's Club. The check will be presented at the May 1st Meeting

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

Be Safe, Work Safe!

Whether at home or on the job?

Leisure time or at work

Fellow workers depend on you. Your family depends on you.

Bruce Gourley, Business Manager