Local 375, Allentown, PA, front row, right, Bus. Mgr. William Newhard, front
row, second from right, Asst. Bus. Mgr./JATC Training Dir. Bruce Carney,
back
row, right, JATC Sec. Craig Siegfried and back row, left, Pres. David
Reichard,
with some of the class of 2002 apprentice graduates.
L.U. 375 (catv,ees&i), ALLENTOWN, PAWe recently held a
Retiree Breakfast, and members were honored with service awards. Congratulations
to 50-year members Dale Jenkins, Donald R. Keim, Russ Redfern, Eugene Schul,
Rudy Gestl and Donald Jacoby, 55-year members Roger Licini, Mario Pane, Henry
Schaller, Gordon Speck, Norman Wendling and John Woroniak, and our oldest living
member, Raymond Stoudt, Sr. with "75" years of service.
Congratulations to Bros. John J. Mescavage, Jr., Charles
Sweigard, Jr., Richard J. OConnor and Clifford Strauss, Jr., who retired in
2002. We extend big thanks for your many years of dedication and service to the
Local.
Our 2002 graduating apprenticeship class had 27 graduates.
Our apprenticeship class gets larger each year, and we are very proud of our
future journeymen for helping to keep unionism alive. Congratulations.
At our Childrens Christmas Party Santa arrived and delivered
union-made Crayola gifts to the 90 members children. Big thanks to Local 375
for sponsoring such an enjoyable event.
We extend heartfelt sympathy to the families of Bros. William
Slenker, Frank Kokinda and Edward Quinnan, who passed away this past fall.
Cindy Long, P.S.
New Contract, New Members L.U. 405 (em,i,rtb&spa), CEDAR RAPIDS, IAThe past four
meetings of our Iowa City Unit have been standing room only. Sure, new contract
negotiations are coming up, but there also seems to be an outpouring of interest
in organizing and taking back our market share. Negotiations, organizing and
market shareall three go hand in hand.
The Iowa City Unit was solidly united and achieved excellent
gains on the last contract. This did not go unnoticed by our nonunion brothers.
It resulted in a wave of new IBEW members; raises for those who remained with
their old contractors; and a marked increase in market share.
Members are ready and anxious to do it againbut this time,
even better.
Electrical licensing in our area requires an update class for
each new code. Local 405 offers these classes, free of charge, to members.
Classes must be completed to obtain this years license renewal. As the work
situation is slow there are a number of members working in other jurisdictions.
If these members are unable to return for classes, there is a correspondence
course that will qualify them for license renewal. The Local will reimburse them
up to $50 for this course.
Jim Shepherd, P. S.
Reaching Out for Jobs L.U. 415 (c,govt,i&u), CHEYENNE, WYWork is slowing, but some
very important things have been going on behind the scenes. The local is trying
to gain some work in the Gillette area and has hired an organizer to get the
word out. New Organizer Dawna Fitzmorris-Burch will inform potential customers
about the quality, safety and overall cost reductions of using union labor. We
will also be informing the unorganized craftsmen about the privileges and
benefits of belonging to the best union in the world.
Our apprenticeship director, state committee, subcommittees
and respective officers have been very busy checking out the pros and cons of
implementing day school for Wyoming apprentices. Our goal is to adopt a method
that will better our industry, and there is still much to work out.
On June 12, 2003, our charter will be 100 years old, and we
are planning a special 100-year anniversary party with dinner and dancing on
Sept. 13, 2003. If you would like to share in this wonderful occasion, please
contact the hall for more information.
A special thanks to all who keep this great organization
going, especially those who serve as officers, committee members or volunteer
their precious time.
John J. Occhipinti, P.S.
Slow Now, Summer Better L.U. 424 (as,ees,em,es,i,mo,o,ptc, rtb,rts,spa&u) EDMONTON,
AB, CANADADespite two big jobs coming down and work slowing noticeably, things
still remain fairly buoyant in our jurisdiction. This winter we will have a
significant "spike" of unemployed members on our books for the first time in
over two years. In early spring, two other projects will kick off in a big way.
Though they are not of the same magnitude as Suncors Millennium Project built a
year ago, or Shell Oils Scotsford Refinery and Muskeg River jobs now nearing
completion, the two upcoming projects should have the local back at full
employment by summer.
Thanks to the many hundreds of travelers for the helping hand
they gave us in completing the aforementioned jobs. Your help and expertise was
in the best tradition of the IBEW.
We also used a robust employment picture to make organizing
contacts in the nonunion sector. For the past year, we were mostly "stripping"
to man our own jobs. Now with work slowdown, we are back into salting. The way
of the IBEW is that when members are unemployed and travelers are laid off, they
go home. Staying and working in another locals jurisdiction without clearance
or permission contravenes the Constitution. With the number of genuine salts and
contacts we have, we can guarantee that you will be found and will have to
answer for that infraction.
Local 429, Nashville,
TN, Asst. Bus. Mgr./
Manufacturing Rep.
Sharon Pitkin.
L.U. 429 (em,i,lctt,o,ptc,rtb&u), NASHVILLE, TNThe
contributions made by the electrical manufacturing division of Local 429 are
considerable and do not go unnoticed. The dedicated men and women of Toshiba
America Consumer Products Company in Lebanon, TN, are but one example of what
hard work and attention to detail can mean to the stability and proliferation of
an enterprise.
Toshiba America, manufacturer of consumer televisions, began
production in August 1978 in a 148,000 square-foot facility. It has expanded to
over one million square-feet and has become the nations largest distributor
(both foreign and domestic) of many Toshiba products. The bargaining unit, in
concert with management, is largely responsible for the continued growth and
success of the company in its present location.
The bargaining unit currently consists of 871 employees. The
Unit officers are Neva Elmore (chairperson), Barbara Sisco (vice chairperson),
Brenda Whitehead (recording secretary) and Executive Committee members Donna
Dowell, Tonya Horn, Michele Massey and Becky Vantrease. Loran Mixson serves as
chief steward.
The officers and staff salute the Toshiba America family, and
commend you for your continuing commitment to quality, community and the future.
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