Extension to the Collective Bargaining
Agreement;
At the Special Called Meeting held on Wednesday, August 2, 2006, the
membership voted on the agreement that had been negotiated with
NECA. Our negotiations committee had met with Management several
times and came up with what we felt was an agreement that benefited
both Labor and Management, but most of all our industry. The
following is an outline of the changes;
1. A 4 year contract with a $2.00 per year increase (i.e.
2008-2012)
2. Automatic insertion of any new Category 1 language into
the contract, as soon as it is published.
3. Add wire strippers to the tool list.
4. Add new drug program language negotiated with
Labor and Management. We would use the IBEW/NECA minimum standards,
except suspicion testing, as our basis and use what was learned in
Stockton, Orange County and San Diego. Use the LMCC for start up
funding and then run the program through the H & W.
5. Add the pattern Safety Committee language to the
contract (see artlicle15, sec 15 of constitution) Add to dispatch the
ability to call for an OSHA (10 or 30) trained electrician as a
special skill. (Will not be implemented until training has been
offered.)
6. Add 12 cents (or equivalent %) to the CAF. (Employer
Money)
The vote of the membership was 70% in favor of the extension. The
logic for this long-term agreement is multi-faceted. The industry
sorely needs a sense of stability. This will accomplish
that. Virtually every General Contractor, Developer, Customer, or
Public Agency who we have approached for long term commitments to use
Local Union 180 for their electrical work has asked the same
question. “What are my costs going to be in a year, two years, or
longer if we agree to this?” That question is now off the
table. The relationship with NECA is now as good as it has
ever been and this allows us to concentrate on working together to
increase our Market Share in this jurisdiction. It improves our
ability to organize electricians as well as new Signatory
Contractor. This local is on the cutting edge of where the IBEW
needs to be, and this agreement will get us there.
