Local 51, Springfield, IL, Bloomington Unit marching in the
Bloomington Labor
Day parade.
L.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,rtb,t&u), SPRINGFIELD, ILThe 2002
elections are about the results of unions being able to motivate its membership
in supporting union/working family values and goals.
Many will say that unions once had a purpose, but like the
dinosaur they have outlived their usefulness.
My grandfather went on strike for a dollar a day and an
eight-hour workday. Today we see strikes over job security and to keep a
standard of living that was only a dream to those who paved the way for us.
Today we dont have time to come to union meetings, and too
many members view their union dues as a working tax. Many cant identify who is
the adversary. If they want to do something and support their local union, they
will find a way. If they dont, they will find an excuse not to.
Attend your local union meetings. This is the place where is
all begins.
The Local 53, Kansas City, MO, sponsored
Linemans Rodeo team included, from
left,
Bros. Joey Coddington, Don Henry and
Craig Rice.
L.U. 53 (lctt,o,rts&u), KANSAS CITY, MOLocal 53 settled an
agreement with Osage Valley Electric Coop for five years effective Oct. 1, 2002,
with a 4 percent increase each year and several improvements in working
conditions. A fund was implemented to help pay retirees medical insurance.
Local 53 also ratified a five-year contract extension with
Associated Electric Coop, Inc. at the New Madrid and Thomas Hill power plants.
There is a 2.6 percent increase in wages the first year, along with an increase
of the pension multiplier to 2 percent, and a 4 percent increase for the
remaining four years. A 90/70 medical plan is also now in place.
At this writing, we are still in a fight with KQTV, located
in St. Joseph, MO, and owned by NEXSTAR. We are working under an implemented
agreement.
The 19th Annual Linemans Rodeo took place on Sept. 14, 2002.
Participating teams included the Local 53-sponsored team of Joey Coddington, Don
Henry and Craig Rice (17th place); Capital Electric team of Paul Kurtz, Andrew
Gustafson and Rick Biggs (5th place); Capital Electric team of Doug Harrison,
Chris Ubel and Bill Greene (9th place); Par Electric team of Steve Burkhart,
Eric Younghans and Herman Hardy (10th place); Par Electric team of Kyle
Neuenschwander, Thad Ackerman and William Hedtke (13th place), and Par Electric
team of Steve White, Brett Barber and Brett Stone (15th place). Congratulations
to all participants.
Local 64, Youngstown, OH, Bus.
Mgr./Fin. Sec. James Burgham,
left, and Pres.
William Booth,
right, offer a toast during the
100th Anniversary Celebration
as
tribute to all past and present
members.
L.U. 64 (i&rtb), YOUNGSTOWN, OHOn Oct. 19, 2002, Local 64
celebrated its 100th Anniversary at a gala event with over 500 members and
guests in attendance. We were honored to have Int. Pres. Ed Hill and Fourth
Dist. Int. Vice Pres. Paul Witte with us to share some remarks and present the
100th Anniversary Prism to the membership. Pres. Hill and Vice Pres. Witte also
helped us honor our graduating residential and inside classes and service pin
recipients.
From the seven members of the original Oct. 24, 1902, charter
to the 300-plus members of today, we honored all that have lived up to the
dreams of our original founders.
The evening continued with plenty of social time, good music
and dancing. Special thanks to the committee and all the volunteers who made it
possible.
James D. Burgham, B.M./F.S.
Stand Together L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, COIn the wake of the November
elections, it is hard for me to even imagine what the future holds for unions in
this country. We can all point fingers at who is to blame for electing a one
party government. We can all run around like Chicken Little saying the sky is
falling, or we can look back at our history and take comfort in what our
forefathers have already been through. During our 111-year history we have been
though at least two depressions, two world wars, countless recessions and
corporate attacks and we have survived.
There are approximately 600 working days till the next
election, the day we can reset the balance of power. That means we dont have
time to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. It means that today is the day
to start the fight to protect what we have and build for our future. Our actions
over the next 600 days might just be the determining factor in whether or not we
are able to talk about having a 115-year history. If we all stand together and
fight for our rights we will survive.
Dan Curtin, Pres.
Time to Be Tough L.U. 71 (lctt,o&rtb), COLUMBUS, OHOrganizer Pat Grice
successfully organized three URD employers and a unit of Asplundh Tree. We
welcome our 70-plus new members into our ranks.
Special thanks to Negotiating Committee members Slick
Gatchell, Larry Caldwell and Randy Norman for wrapping up a new four-year
agreement with WCMH-TV, covering our Broadcast Engineers.
Good news and bad news. The good news is that our outside
construction work should hold up through 2003. Bad news! Nothing can stop the
Bush agenda from going forward. Organized labor and every working man and woman
should brace themselves for difficult times ahead. Attacks on collective
bargaining, increased unemployment, runaway healthcare costs and a disastrous
economy looms larger and larger with each passing day. I am troubled when I
ponder what kind of world we will pass on to our children and grandchildren. I
reviewed an article that I wrote in the early 1990s, I remarked that we have
allowed our politicians to sell our country and our jobs. How true that
statement has become today.
Sisters and Brothers its time to roll up our sleeves and get
tough. Talk is cheap, so live and act like proud union members.
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