IBEW Local Union 180 - Newsletter
Special Election Issue
Dear Brothers and Sisters of Local 180,
This is a special election edition of the Local 180 newsletter, aimed at encouraging you to VOTE, and providing you with information and resources that will assist you in making your choices.
There is no question that the last eight years have had devastating consequences for organized labor and the entire middle class.
Our nation is facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Unemployment continues to soar. Many hard working families have seen their retirement savings evaporate. Thousands of manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas. Homes continue to be foreclosed upon at a staggering rate. High-quality health care is less affordable and less accessible than ever. And long- standing precedents of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that had served to protect the rights of workers and unions have been wiped out under Bush NLRB appointees.
We are headed in the wrong direction at break-neck speed, and we’re in desperate need of a new, labor-friendly administration.
Whether working as a journeyman, foreman, business agent, or your Business Manager, I’ve always taken seriously the oath of obligation to the IBEW and Local 180. I believe that part of this oath involves making our voices heard in all levels of government – especially, through voting. Therefore, I urge you to VOTE on Election Day. We simply cannot continue down the same path we’ve been on for the last eight years and expect any change for the better. We cannot afford to let working men and women suffer any further under the influence of anti-worker policies and sentiments.
I encourage you to seriously consider the political endorsements made in this newsletter, and to visit the websites we’ve listed if you require additional information. But, by all means, VOTE.
Business Manager
Upcoming Events Holidays |
Inside this issue |
| Meetings:
Regular Membership Meeting 7 P.M. Second Thursday Retirees’ Meeting First Wednesday @ 12:30 p.m. Exam Board Meeting 5 p.m. Second Tuesday ...Study for J.I.W. Test E-Board Meeting 6 p.m. Fourth Tuesday Holidays
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Congratulations Condolence Union Meeting Santa at the Hall Other News:
The Apprentice Monthly |
| All meetings will be held at: 720 Technology Way Napa CA, 94558 |
John & Coby Draper, a daughter Lainie, born 09/22/2008
None
Door drawings: Robert Brumsfield won a bottle of choice. Monthly cash drawing remains at $100.00 as #462 was drawn and Trevor Neideffer was not present; $100.00 will roll over to next month.
Blood Drive at the November 13th Union Meeting. See the web site for the Holiday Calendars.
Santa is Coming Early this Year to the Hall
Come have breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 6th and bring a camera for some great photos. It all starts at 9:00 a.m., with a pancake and sausage breakfast. There will also be fruit, coffee, juices, and milk both regular and chocolate. Santa will stay and visit with all the children. Each child will be able to choose a gift to take home. Come with the whole family and enjoy the morning.
I am in need of early morning help in cooking the pancake and sausage. We need many helping hands to pull off a great morning with Santa. If you can help please call me at (707) 337-0347.
Dean Lloyd
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.
The meetings for the Retirees’ Club are held on the first Wednesday of the month at the Training Center / Union Hall, beginning at 12:30 P.M. EXCEPT...
The next meeting will be held on December 3 at the Elks Club in Napa at 12:30 P.M. Your choice: steak sandwich, chicken breast and shrimp Louie for $21.00 - PLEASE RSVP to Ken at (707) 643-4139. All retirees and spouses are welcome.
FUTURE TRIPS: Romantic Rhine & Moselle—a glorious 14-night river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel on the NEW M.S. Avalon Affinity. October 3-18, 2009—one year to plan!!!
Please contact Ken Breckenridge more information on these trips at (707) 643-4139 or visit the web site www.ibewlu180.org—click on retirees and then latest news.Yes on Measure “T” (Solano County General Plan)
As you are well aware, elections are right around the corner (November 4, 2008), and LU 180 staff is in the process of interviewing candidates for elected office and studying propositions and measures that will be on your ballot. A slate of endorsements and recommendations will be included in the next newsletter. One measure, however, deserves special attention—Measure “T” in Solano County.
Measure “T” would modify the Solano County General Plan in a way that protects agriculture and the land around Travis Air Force Base, preserves water bodies, parks and recreation, marsh land and open space, expands the wind resource area for wind energy development (JOBS), and adds 32 acres for commercial land use (MORE JOBS).
Measure “T” is a forward-thinking measure that is good for farmers, protects the beauty of Solano County, and enables much needed commercial development that both diversifies the County’s revenue stream and expands our work opportunities.
So, while we’re at work interviewing candidates for local elected office and reviewing other propositions and measures, seriously consider voting YES ON MEASURE “T”.
California General Election, Secretary of State, Voters Guide -> http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/
General and Candidate Information from the Secretary of State -> http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_cand.htm
VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS -> http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter_bill_of_rights.pdf
Easy Voter Guide as a PDF in seven languages -> http://lwvc.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=easyvoter_home
IBEW Political/Legislative Action Center -> http://www.unionvoice.org/ibew/home.html
Napa Solano CLC Volunteer Calendar -> http://www.napasolanoclc.org/Calendar.html
California Labor Federation -> http://www.calaborfed.org/political/
AFL-CIO -> http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/CA.cfm and http://www.workingfamiliesvote08.org
Updated for 2008, it's "Just the Facts, Folks!"
http://ibew.org/articles/08daily/0807/080714_justthefacts.htm
Search Google for the Candidates!
For those on the out-of-work list, please remember to re-sign. You can use the fax re-sign forms provided at the hall, or you can get one off the web site, www.ibewlu180.org.
At one time or another we all had questions about our benefits, but what did we do with them? Well, we gave you a chance to ask questions to our benefit providers first hand. Wow, what a response - over 75 of you showed up on a beautiful Saturday morning to ask questions and receive your answers. All the providers had lines of people waiting to speak to them, and Kaiser was making appointments for eye exams for later that Saturday afternoon. How amazing is that?!
I am not sure if it was the breakfast we offered, or the free t-shirts, or maybe it was a chance to win a great raffle prize. Whatever your reason was for coming, thank you for giving up your Saturday morning. I hope everyone walked away with the information you were looking for and that it will be useful.
Dean Lloyd
UNION PLUS: MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE HOTLINE
Act Now if You are Facing Mortgage Payment Problems
If you are a homeowner who is worried that the next change in your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) will put payments out of reach, or you’re facing financial trouble that may make you fall behind on your mortgage payments, the Union Plus Save My Home Hotline may be able to help.
You can arrange a confidential, free consultation with expert housing counselors who can provide advice, help you find answers, and develop an action plan to get your financial house in order. Don't wait until it's too late. Call 1-866-490-5361 any time, day or night.
Advice Designed Especially for You
The information in the print version of the newsletter was obtained from: http://unionplus.com/benefits/home/save-my-home.cfm
42 Years and 7 Economic Recessions
I have an important message for the members of Local 180, working members and Retiree’s. I worked as an inside wireman from June 1955 when I graduated from high school till 1977 when both knees required surgery from 42 years of crawling in attics and under homes and buildings. I was not able to return to work at the trade. I was not that disappointed because I intended to retire at age 62 which would have been within two years. Our retirement program has provided me with a comfortable retirement. And the support of the working members of 180 for the Health & Welfare program provided for we retiree’s is very much appreciated by all the retiree’s.
This is enough about me, The message I have is about Economic Recessions. In my working life I have experienced seven Economic Recessions; I’m going to list them so you can check it out in your history book.
Economic Recessions
1953-1954 Eisenhower 1 yr. (Republican)
1957-1958 Eisenhower 1 yr. (Republican)
1973-1975 Nixon/Ford 2 yr. (Republican)
1980-1982 Reagan 2 yr. (Republican) Worse recession since Depression.
1990-1991 Bush (Father) 1 yr. (Republican)
2001-2003 Bush 2 yr. (Republican)
2008-ongoing? ? (Republican)
Who does an economic recession hurt? Most people answer that it hurts every one. It doesn’t, It hurts working people that don’t have considerable wealth to carry there selves though the hard times. During the recessions that I lived though I had to travel long distances to find work when work was not available in Local 180. Luckily I found work in Sacramento or San Francisco. Many of my friends had to leave the state to find work. People like myself and others who work construction, commercial enterprises and retiree’s who live on a fixed income are the victims in an Economic Recession.
People who have considerable wealth welcome an Economic Recession because it is a wonderful buying opportunity to buy foreclosed property whether it is houses, cars, motor homes etc. A very popular Republican Alan Greenspan who served eighteen and one/half years as the chairman of the Federal Reserve said that his main job was to raise interest rates to slow down the economy if the unemployment number became to low. That this could trigger inflation which he and others of his ilk consider more important than providing jobs for working Americans.
I want to make it clear that I am not an enemy of the Republican Party. I have many Republican friends and family that are staunch Republicans. And they are not without empathy for working people that have lost their jobs. They just march to a different drummer than most working class Americans. I don’t support the far left of the Democrat Party or the Far Right of the Republican Party. I hope that looking at the list of Presidents that were running are country when we suffered Economic Recessions will have an impact on whether you will vote in November and who you vote for.
Bud Huss VP Electrical Retiree’s 180
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.
Dan Broadwater, Business Manager
Updated 11/14/08 Copyright© 2008 IBEW L.U. 180 |
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