Minimum wage levels will increase as of January 1, 2005 in New Brunswick (from $6.20 to $6.30 per hour) and Prince Edward Island (from $6.50 to $6.80 per hour). Ontario’s minimum wages will increase on February 1, following a schedule of annual increases until 2007. The general minimum wage in Ontario moves from $7.15 to $7.45 per hour in 2005, with other increases in all categories. In Quebec, the general minimum wage increases from $7.45 to $7.60 on May 1, 2005. In Manitoba, December 1 was the deadline for stakeholder input to the Minister on changes to the minimum wage for 2006 and beyond; annual increases are scheduled each April in Manitoba, with the current level of $7 per hour reached in April 2004.

CUABP will now be identified for general purposes as “Union Savings”. The Board of Directors of CUABP believe that the shorter “identifier name” Union Savings will be easier for rank and file to remember and will be more descriptive of what the Canadian Union Advantage Benefit Programs are all about. Please see the enclosed bulletin for details regarding this change.

Henkels & McCoy are looking for linemen to do Transmission work in Wisconsin, California and Chicago. Some projects are on 6 – 10’s and there are openings for apprentices. In California the overtime rate is double.

Asplundh has openings for linemen in Michigan, Chicago and St. Louis. In Chicago there is overtime with 5 – 10’s and an 8.

Utility Lines has openings in Connecticut for 10 linemen.

Comstock will have openings in Wawa, Northern Ontario in the New Year. There could be overtime and there will be either room and board or a camp. For more details on the Wawa project, contact Local Union 1687.

For further information on U.S. openings, contact the First District Office.

On August 10, 2004, five teens were in a near fatal car crash. Authorities have concluded that there were no drugs, alcohol or reckless driving involved. Three of the five teens will walk away from this ordeal – two will not.

Shannon, who was awarded a Baseball Scholarship, was going back to University this fall. Her dreams are over because she is paralyzed from the neck down and will never walk again. Erica, a very talented young girl was looking forward to her senior year at Port Perry High School in Port Perry, Ontario, but she too is paralyzed from the neck down and will never walk again.

These two teens are sisters. Shannon and Erica Deering are the only children of Anthony Deering who is a single father. They will require a special needs vehicle, nurses, electric wheelchairs, 24-hour care, physiotherapy, a new home and until there is a new home, they will not be released from rehabilitation.

Andrew J. French, a member of Local 894, took this story to Local 894. At the General Meeting of the Local on November 25, 2004, the members passed a motion to immediately donate $8,000.00 towards assisting the two young paralyzed girls. Several members from all trades have volunteered their labour to help build their new home, designed for quadriplegics, with all materials being donated by wholesalers. Local 894 will be monitoring this project and posting updates and photographs on their website (www.ibew894.org). If other locals wish to participate, the Local is setting up an account.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC

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