IBEW L.U. 180

DRUG TESTING
The IBEW International Office requires that “Category I” language be included in all IBEW/NECA Inside Agreements. Currently, there are 18 “Category I” provisions. One such provision concerns Substance Abuse. The objective behind this provision is to safeguard our members and strengthen union market share by providing a drug-free workforce in the Electrical Construction Industry and increasing both job site safety and productivity, while providing effective assistance for our brothers and sisters who have a substance abuse problem so they can return to gainful employment as soon as possible. A drug testing program is a necessary component of this objective.

The membership was informed that a mandatory drug testing program would be implemented, as required, as early as last summer. Few seem to appreciate the implementation of the program – but no one can argue that increased safety and productivity, and the enhanced health of our entire workforce wouldn’t benefit us all. Since the IBEW International Office has declared this to be mandatory, Local 180 is required to implement it. Here are your alternatives: take and pass the drug test; work in another Local Union that hasn’t implemented the program yet; or work for a nonunion contractor for $15.00 an hour less, with no voice or protection. (Thank God it’s a free country!)

VOTING
If you don’t think that the election process is important, just look at the turn of events that occurred lately. We have a Supervisor in Solano County who has tried repeatedly to stop the windmill projects – first by appealing the eneXco project which is scheduled to start in the very near future, and then by proposing a moratorium on all future wind turbine projects in the Travis wind resource area for an indefinite period. Just the very term “moratorium” is enough to wreak havoc at home, and provoke energy development firms to shy away from Solano County and look for friendlier places. Fortunately, weeks of intensive lobbying efforts by staff paid off. The appeal was removed and the motion for a moratorium died for lack of a second.

VALERO – FUEL GAS SCRUBBER, BUTAMER UNIT & HYDROGEN PLANT PROJECTS
Valero has chosen PMI to be not only its construction manager, but its mechanical contractor as well. A project labor agreement is being negotiated as we speak. Construction is expected to begin in June. It is also anticipated that it will be one project after another until completion in 2010. Please obtain a BATT card and TWIC card and be employable.

WAGE PACKAGE ALLOCATION
Allocation of wages and benefits went well on April 17, 2008. I believe a comprehensive overview of the facts along with an open minded membership resulted in one of the quickest meetings and settlements on record. $1.50 on the check; $.03 to LMCC; $.47 to H&W.

I want to thank the membership of IBEW Local 180 for the support given to not only me but the staff. If there are issues that have you perplexed, please bring them to me face to face instead of tying up the phone lines. We have a small staff and I would like to utilize them efficiently.

Joel & Erica Pickett on the birth of a son, Hudson, 11/25/2007
Dan & Teresa Pinckard, Married on 3/30/2008

Steven Hammer
6/24/1958 - 4/11/2008
First joined LU180 in 2001 from LU280 and had just recently returned to work in the Local at the State Fund project in Vacaville
George Guhl
1/28/1920 - 4/16/2008
Sixty-year member LU 180 worked for the city of Vallejo for 35 years and retired in 1982, Son, Al Guhl is a LU 180 member

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!!!

April 30: Local 180 Bylaws mailed to all “A” Members*
May 7: Local 180 Inside Agreement mailed to all Inside Members*
May 8: Local Union Nominations at the Union Meeting
May 8: Blood Drive before the Union Meeting
May 19: Deadline to Register to Vote in CA Direct Primary Elections.
May 27: Deadline for Requesting a Vote-by-Mail Ballot for CA Direct Primary Elections.
June 3: State Wide Primary & County Elections
June 12: Local Union Elections
July 13: Oakland A’s Game
*estimated dates from the printer

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.

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.
Sorry, no beer, you have to purchase that separately.
Pick up your tickets ASAP. When they are gone; they are gone. If you have any questions about the game you can call me at 707-337-0347 Dean Lloyd

THE 4TH ANNUAL GIANTS GAME BUS TRIPHAPPEN SUNDAY AUGUST 10TH.

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 (Home Depot gift cards); and the chance to win part of a cash raffle (the size of the raffle depends on the amount 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 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!
If you are interested call Dean Lloyd at 707-337-0347

On April 17, I attended the Special Call Meeting discussing the Inside Wage allocation. Sadly, I must admit that it was only the second meeting that I have ever been to, including, of course, the meeting at which I was sworn into the IBEW. I am definitely glad that I made the decision to take time to show up to the meeting and take part in the voting process and get a feel for how the process works. One of the great things that I found by attending the meeting is the fellowship that happens among the members of the Brotherhood both before, during and after the meeting. It’s great to be around other people who know exactly what it’s like to have to work hard for every dollar that they earn.

Something that I realized, having been at the meeting, is the power that we, as Apprentices, can have in the voting process if we choose to get involved. I think that it’s awesome that we are given the right to have equal say in what goes on with our wages as well as who will be victorious in the upcoming election. There are five classes full of us at any given time, so we definitely have the ability to make an impact in the outcome of the voting that takes place. The important factor is that we need to show up and let our voices be heard by casting a vote.
I hope that we, as Apprentices, can get more involved with our Union and really take part in what many great men who came before us struggled so hard to establish.

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 May 7. 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.
More at www.ibewlu180.org
Please contact Ken Breckenridge more information on these trips at (707) 643-4139

Brothers and Sisters,
The next California Statewide Election is right around the corner – June 3, 2008. We’ve already gone through two elections in the recent past (November 6, 2007 and February 5, 2008); with two more to go before we get a little break (June 3, 2008 and November 4, 2008). Keep in mind that each election can mean the difference between building blocks or stumbling blocks toward our future. For this reason, I urge each of you to continue the fight that we have taken on to help the working class; which leads me to those of you who are not registered to vote. As Organized Labor is well aware, there’s power in numbers. Politicians pay close attention to numbers, but only if they vote. If you are not a registered voter, or you don’t vote, then they don’t have to listen to you. Please make sure that you and all of your family members who are at least 18 years of age – or will be on Election Day - are registered to vote.

If you live in Solano County, you can fill out and print a voter registration application directly from the County’s website: http://www.solanocounty.com/voterregistration/. You can also visit the Solano County Registrar of Voters at 675 Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Phone: 707-784-6675.

If you live in Napa County, you can obtain a voter registration application by visiting the Napa County Election Office located at 900 Coombs Street, Room #256, Napa, CA 94559, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Phone: 707-253-4321.

If you reside outside of Napa or Solano Counties, I recommend that you contact the registrar in the county in which you live, or register via the CA Secretary of State website http://www.sos.ca.gov/. Phone: 800-345-8683.

To avoid running around and trying to get to the polls at the last minute, it is encouraged that you register to vote by mail (commonly referred to as absentee ballot or vote-by-mail ballot). It’s a simple process that your county registrar or the CA Secretary of State office can help you with. We also have voter registration applications at the Union Hall. And I’ll gladly help you or point you in the right direction. The critical step is actually voting. Help us make our voices heard and our numbers count!!!

I recently attended the IBEW construction conference in Washington DC. The theme of this year’s conference was “Delivering the Promise”. We must always remember that we are the best in the business and should always strive to deliver the best product to our contractors and their customers. The mood was extremely upbeat this year. Typically, there are reports of declining market share and membership numbers. This year the IBEW has experienced its largest growth in construction membership in its history! Market share figures are on the rise as well. This growth is a direct result of the ongoing efforts to Organize not only across the nation but locally too. Local 180 and the 9th District have always been on the cutting edge, both in terms of creatively responding to market conditions and recruiting and retaining skilled manpower. We should all be proud of the results, and inspired to further these efforts.

As evidenced by print, radio, TV and internet media over the last year, an enormous amount of attention has been placed on the increasing demand and the economic and environmental benefits of Solar Photovoltaic installations (PV), especially in California. In response, Local 180 has attended numerous PV and “Going Green” conventions and seminars, has networked with a variety of engineers and designers, and brainstormed creative approaches to establish local training programs. Consistent with most emerging niche markets, nonunion firms are aggressively looking to establish roots in PV. We’re continuing to track the increasingly upward demand trends of PV, searching for contractors interested in pursuing work in our area, and calling on NECA to jointly establish a forward-thinking game plan.

PG&E has a variety of PV classes aimed at understanding and taking advantage of SB-1’s “California Solar Initiative” (CSI) - part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $3.3 Billion “Million Solar Roofs Program”, which seeks to move the state toward a cleaner energy future by creating 3,000 megawatts of new solar-produced energy by 2017 through rebates and incentives for PV installations on new and existing residential homes, and new and existing commercial, industrial and agricultural properties. This is the largest PV rebate program in the United States! PG&E’s classes also include marketing methodologies and practical, hands-on training. PG&E enjoys approximately 40% of the eligible service territory and 70% of the rebates. In light of sustained demand, it expects that available rebate funding will be exhausted in a few years. The nonunion is storming the gates to exploit these opportunities, so let’s not drag our heels out there!

Each and every day, local politics – whether conducted in pubs, cafes, or town halls– has a direct and profound impact upon the quality of life we enjoy (or suffer) at home. No sane person would deny this. But oddly enough, many seemingly sane persons refuse to participate in it.

While American Democracy cannot guarantee us life, liberty or happiness, it does guarantee us the right to protect, enjoy and pursue them. But pursue them, we must. Whether it’s a matter of insisting on the installation of concrete barriers on highways where cars tend to crash head-on, or opposing initiatives that would favor the rich at the expense of harming the needy, or promoting a fair, living wage in exchange for a hard day’s work, we must diligently enter the fray of local politics to ensure their achievement. And to accomplish our political objectives, we vote. But a vote – even a winning vote – is just a start. It doesn’t end there – especially, if significant opposition remains at large. What’s required is a willingness to continue to charm and pester and bug and nudge the parties we’ve elected to accomplish the good things we expect of them.

Solano County is a perfect example of this predicament. Consider the Shiloh II Wind Farm project – a prospective source of clean, renewable energy in a designated Wind Resource Area that involves the interests of the state, business, farmers and labor combined, and would put many of our members to work. Even after the project was approved by the planning commission, some individuals got it into their heads that it would be a good idea to quash it. They also considered it smart to impose a moratorium on all future wind turbine projects in the area. They engaged in local politics and found an elected official to champion their efforts. So, in response to this threat, Local 180 conducted some local politics of its own and successfully got the appeal removed and killed the push for the moratorium.

Local politics (staying involved), or loco politics (letting others decide our fate) . . . the choice is OURS!

The following is provided as an overview of the rules for the upcoming Local Union elections. Additional information can be found in your IBEW Constitution and By-laws of Local Union180.Nominations shall take place at the May Local Union Regular Meeting. The election shall take place at the Local Union Hall in June on the day of the Regular Local Union Meeting. If you have questions - PLEASE call the Hall!

Per the IBEW Constitution, Article 16:
“Section 9. Nominations for officers shall be held in the month of May of election year as provided in the L.U. bylaws...Section 10. No member shall be nominated for office unless he is present or signifies his willingness in writing, nor shall he be eligible for any office unless he has been a member in continuous good standing at least two (2) years in the L.U. immediately prior to nomination, providing the L.U. has been in existence for this length of time...Section 12. Elections of officers shall be held in the month of June of the election years as provided in the L.U. bylaws...Section 13. The installation of offices shall occur at the first meeting held in July following the elections.”

Per By-laws of Local Union 180, Article 3:
“At the meeting when nominations are made, after nominations have closed, the President shall appoint an Election Judge and as many Tellers as are required, who shall serve as an Election Board to conduct the election. Members in good standing who expect to be unable to visit the polls on election day may at any time within thirty (30) days but not less than five (5) days prior to the date of election, make application in writing to the Election Judge for an absentee ballot. No member receiving an absentee ballot shall be permitted to vote in person at the election, unless he/she has first returned the absentee ballot unmarked to the election Judge. Voting shall be by secret ballot. Write-in votes shall not be permitted. In the event the candidate does not receive a majority of the votes cast for a specific office, then a run-off election will be held between the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes. This does not include candidates for the Local Union Executive Board or Examining Board which shall be decided for the candidates receiving the most votes.When a run-off election is necessary, such run-off election shall be held twenty-one (21) days after the regular election is held. No Apprentice shall be eligible to hold office in the Local Union. Apprentices and helpers shall have a voice and vote at the Local Union meetings and elections.”

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.