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Morning Session

October/November 2001 IBEW Journal

With the nation and the convention still dismayed at the terrorist attacks the previous day, President Hill opened Wednesdays morning session by announcing that air travel disruptions had prevented three scheduled speakers from reaching the convention. He also thanked delegates for "bearing with us while we shift gears and try to reconfigure the convention activities."

Rabbi Sydney Mintz from San Franciscos Congregation Emanu-El asked for a moment of silence "as we pray for the families of those who were lost, for the strength of our government to respond and hold us together and for the security of our country." She said the prophet Zachariah taught not might and not power, "but the capacity of the spirit is our greatest human asset to effect positive change in the world."

President Hill told the delegates the protest march to the non-union Marriott Hotel had been postponed by the HERE local because of the crisis situation. "Also, youll notice that the news this morning is being brought to you on Channel 2. They are our brothers and sisters bringing it to you," President Hill said, referring to the feed from an IBEW-represented local television station that was being shown on the large screens. The video crew had been instructed to show an IBEW-represented station.

"I will not recognize anyone to discuss the Canadian issue this morning," President Hill told the delegates regarding the deadlocked caucus of the previous two days. "We are going to adjourn at eleven oclock with instructions to the Canadian delegation to please meet and come back at two oclock with a vice president." He noted that the convention wanted to give the First District every opportunity to choose its own vice president to avoid the division that could be caused if the election were decided by the entire convention. But, President Hill cautioned, "the Constitution is clear and we will settle it here if we have to."

Christopher Erikson of Local 3, New York City, read a resolution into the record extolling the career of James L. OHara, a member and officer of Local 3 from June 1935 until his death the week before the conventiona span of over 65 years. He had not missed a convention since 1941. Brian Leahy of Local 1521, Omaha, Nebraska, urged collecting donations for IBEW victims of the terrorist attacks.

Bob Taylor of Local 2228, Ottawa, Ontario, reminded the convention of the support of U.S. members during a severe Canadian ice storm and said, "We thank our American brothers for that and we will do everything within our power to help you folks through this time of trouble."

The convention heard from the Committee on the Presidents Report, chaired by John Dougherty, Local 98, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Rita Sweeney, Local 2313, Braintree, Massachusetts, as secretary. Dougherty said that no other convention document will provide a more in-depth understanding of the vast responsibilities of the IBEW.

He said the report includes the actions taken by the Select Committee on the Future of the Brotherhood that was authorized by the 1996 convention. In early 1998, a membership referendum approved the future committees recommendations, which included combining the IBEW offices of International Secretary and International Treasurer, increasing benefits under the Pension Benefit Fund, district realignment and other changes. The Presidents Report also covers the topics of utility restructuring, the training necessary to keep up with new technology like voice/data/video, revising the IBEW web site and other important issues.

The convention adopted the report and President Hill thanked the committee for its efforts.

Delegate Joe Beattie of Local 105, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, reported that his local had opened its training center so members could donate blood throughout the week to aid those injured in the terrorist attacks.

The convention heard from IEC Chairman Milt Foster, who was elected on Monday in a secret ballot election with 483,399 votes to 268,650 for Robert Mason. "I have been fortunate enough to earn honors in my life, but there has never been one to top this one. And I thank you for that," Foster said. [ Foster Speech ]

"The locals in the Seventh IEC District, whom I represented the last four-and-a-half years, know that I listen carefully to their views and work hard to represent them fairly and fully. I pledge to do exactly the same for the entire Brotherhood," said Foster.

A memorial book dedicated to the victims of terrorism at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was passed among the delegates, who were told by President Hill to write in anything they chose in memory of these victims, and the book will go in the IBEW Archives. Later Wednesday, the Memorial Book idea was attributed to Eamonn OHalloran, a member of Local 551, Santa Rosa, California, who was working with Local 6 members Tuesday on a job in San Francisco. Local 551 President Steven Benjamin told the convention that when the national emergency shut down the job temporarily, Brother OHolloran began walking to the Moscone Center to see the conventionand stopped to buy the Memorial Book at a store along the way.

Rod Borden Jr., President of the National Electrical Contractors Association, addressed the convention after being introduced by President Hill as "the embodiment of a long-standing partnership that exists between the IBEW and NECA." Borden told the convention that the partnership between IBEW and NECA "remains a strong basis for the nations electrical construction industry" and has been imitated by other crafts and contractors. But he also warned that IBEW-NECA systems are not perfect and that good economic times are never permanent. [ Borden Speech ]

The Committee on the Report of the International Secretary-Treasurer told the convention that "the IBEW is financially strong, is controlling its expenses, has strong reserves and maintains strong financial management under Secretary-Treasurer OConnor." Committee Chairman Edward Lutz of Local 117, Elgin, Illinois, made the report. The secretary of the committee was Don Clark of Local 1211, Gulfport, Mississippi.

Lutz said that to assure continued operation on a sound financial basis, "it is the recommendation of this committee that we support the proposed per capita increase of $1 on January 1, 2004."

President Hill then introduced International Secretary Emeritus Jack F. Moore, saying, "If we wanted to list everything that he has done for the IBEW, we could be here the rest of the day." President Hill said that when he became International Secretary in 1997, he couldnt help but think of it as "just sitting in Jacks chair," because Moore had served that office so long with such distinction.

Moore told the convention, "Im a lifelong Democrat with a passion for politics, but we all stand behind the President todaythis is no time to be divisive." [ Moore Speech ]

President Hill then recessed the morning session early "with our best wishes to our Canadian brothers and sisters" to reach an election decision.

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