Negotiations are complete and the Council on Industrial Relations (CIR) has rendered its decision.  For the Inside we have a two year agreement with wage increases of $3.25 each June 1st.  (June 1, 2002 & June 1, 2003).  The allocation of those increases will be at the option of the members.  At the Special Call meeting on May 30, 2002 the members chose to allocate an additional $.25 to fund our VEBA plan.  This brings our contribution to $.50 per hour worked.  This will go a long way to insure retiree health care in future years. That left $3.00 per hour to be allocated. The membership chose to allocate the entire $3.00 to their check.  Local 180 members have a settlement they can be proud of.  Now lets go out and continue to be the best in the Industry.  By continuing to be the BEST, most productive, and reliable Electricians we can continue to receive fair and equitable treatment at the bargaining table.  Our productivity has a very direct bearing on making our Signatory Contractors competitive.  That competitive edge is what keeps them signatory and able to hire our members.   Thanks to Dan Broadwater, Dennis O’Hara, Tom Houseman and Rich Mattson.  They did a terrific job of representing the membership throughout  Negotiations.
 
 

Upcoming Events Holidays LOCAL ELECTIOINS JUNE 13, 2002 4:00 P. M. TO 8:00 P. M. 720 TECHNOLOGY WAY REGULAR MEETING   JUNE 13, 2002@ 7:00 P.M. BAR-B-QUE @5:30  “REFRESHMENTS” INDEPENDENCE DAY JULY 4, 2002 -ALL CLASSIFICATIONS JULY 5, 2002 -INSIDE & RESIDENTIAL LOCAL UNION PICNIC AUGUST 3, 2002 LAKE SOLANO PARK BLOOD DRIVE AUGUST 8, 2002  FROM 4:00 P.M TO 7:00 P.M. (REGULAR MEETING NIGHT) All meetings will be held at:  720 Technology Way Napa CA, 94558

Inside this issue. Business Manager's Report Building Fund  Pension Improvement Congratulations 401(k) Changes From the President Organizing LU 180 Credit Union JATC Graduation Retiree's Corner S&C Unit Residential Unit

Building Fund
There will be a special called meeting in the near future to discuss the funding for the lot purchased by the local and future plans for a building. The options suggested so far are, increased working dues, or a per-capita assessment.  Both have merit.  The members need to decide.  If there are other suggestions please let me know and I will do what research possible to make as much information available so that the membership can make an informed choice.
 

Pension Improvement
At the last Pension Trust Meeting there were several proposals for improvements to our pension plan.  Consideration was given to the needs of our new members and building a retirement for them; for our active but not retired members and increasing their earned credits, and for our retirees.  It has been a tradition of this local and it’s membership to try and give each group some improvement each time they become available.  Although not final it appears that we will be able give an increase to future  credit for past service from $112 to $114, future credit for future service form $125 to $128.  In addition the Retirees will receive a $750 check in the month  of December. These benefits would be effective  for those who were participants  as of February 1, 2001.

Congratulations
To Richard Larsen on his marriage to Kristine L. on April 20, 2002.

To John Pascu on his marriage to Kim, May 16 2002.

After 30 years of service in the IBEW Sam Patton has received approval from the International Office for  retirement effective April 2001.

Congratulations Sam!

401(k) Plan
To be able to make changes in your 401(k) wage allocations based on wage settlements the Pension Trust has changed the “Open Enrollment Period” to June.  If you wish to change your allocation contact the local.

From the President
 I would like to start off by thanking all of the hands that have been sent out as “Salts”.
These men have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Not only have they upheld the fine quality of IBEW craftsmanship, but also they endured hardships that are not realized by the average construction worker. To start off, they worked for wages far less than our customary wages along with no benefits. Many of these men were covert “Salts” and worked along side Union Craftsmen. Not a very comfortable situation. Please accept the thanks of the Local for your efforts.

Valero Refinery is in the final stages of completing their Co-Gen project. They have come to the IBEW and our contractors for help in getting this thing on line. Contra Costa Electric is doing the Line Work and Fischbach and Moore tying all the loose ends up. Many thanks to the Traveling Brothers that helped us man this work. We sent 34 hands out there last week. It should be wrapping up soon.

Today was the meeting with Cal-Pine and the contractor group for the peakers. I have been told that it will be the end of June to start on the Lambie project. I hear start dates from other crafts and Contractors and refuse to give a start date until there is a call for manpower.

The housing market seems to be going wild again. Anyone that has contacts with non-union residential wiremen, please call Rich Mattson or myself.

A lot of our focus of late has been on negotiations. I am quite satisfied with the outcome and believe it’s well deserved. Now it’s time to patch up relationships and move on. Many thanks to the negotiation committee!

Many projects coming up are going to require support of the Building Trades to get through Council Meetings. If you are interested, please give me a call. We need our members to come out in numbers to support these projects. I know that not every person is a public speaker, but your presence is important.

In the near future, a special call meeting will focus on the funding for the lot next door.
I know that the membership of Local 180 will rise to the occasion.  It is time that we start planning on being owners instead of being at the mercy of a Landlord. I heard a statement last week and it went like this: “ Foresight is an unpopular and somewhat irrational idea turned into a success.” We have that ability next door.

Be safe, work safe,

Dan Broadwater
President Local 180

From the Organizer:
With summer fast approaching and job calls starting to trickle in, our organizing efforts will once again be in full swing. The residential sector is starting to boom and the books are clearing fast. Sound and Communications work continues to be slow with very few job calls. I’m hopeful that it will pick up soon.

The new organizing focus will be a top down style approach. In the past the focus was to strip workers when we had un-filled job calls. We will now attempt to organize shops and their workforce. We must increase our contractor base in order to control the electrical construction market in Napa and Solano Counties.

Rich Mattson, Organizer

IBEW Local 180 Credit Union

The Electrical Workers #180 Federal Credit Union has now merged with 1st Pacific Credit Union.  The accounts have now been moved and you will receive information from them soon.

  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.
 

Thanks to all of the Credit Union Officers and Staff over these last 49 years who have worked so hard to establish the credit union and to bring it to it’s current financial position.  Thanks to Herb Clark who actually started the credit union and for a time operated it out of the trunk of his car.  Thanks to Florence Marks who took it over and worked out of the spare room in her own home. Thanks to Nancy Sousa who took over after Florence retired.  All the members of Local #180 owe a debt of gratitude to all of you who volunteered your efforts to see that the credit union grew.
We send our best wishes to Nancy on her retirement. We are happy for you.  Please accept our best wishes and our special thanks to you for your years of caring and dedication.

JATC Graduation
The Apprentice Graduation dinner and ceremony was held May 10, 2002 at the  River City restaurant in Napa.

Congratulations to our new Journeyman Inside Wireman, Shawnveris (Shawn) Brown, Jason De La Vega, Michael Grafton, Nathaniel (Nate) Greco, Aaron Kingsford, Jeremy Mills, Stephen Thole, Todd Tohm, and Residential Wireman, Robert Stake.

Many thanks to our Partners!  Our Local Contractors and the Electrical Contractors Trust,  “ECT” for their tremendous financial  support for this event.
Thanks again.

Anyone having pictures of recent or past Graduations are asked to contact Larry Poyser at the JATC.

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.

For additional information;

Ken can be reached at (707) 643-4139.

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

S & C Unit Meeting

Residential Unit 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!

Updated 6/26/02 Copyright© 2002 IBEW L.U. 180 Information on this site has been approved by the Business Manager and L.U. President