Local 164 Bus. Mgr. Richard "Buzzy"
Dressel (left) and Pres./ Training Dir. Dave
Milazzo review the slate of journeyman
courses offered during the fall 2004
semester.
L.U.
164 (c,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJLocal 164 experienced
unemployment for most of 2004. To help our members remain productive
while unemployed, the JATC adopted a proactive position on
safety training. In the New Jersey area, construction users
now frequently require workers to have an OSHA 30 hour certification.
While for years Local 164s Training Academy offered OSHA 30
hour training in the evening, the new policy offers daytime
training to unemployed members.
The course is offered daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. including
a 9 a.m. break during which time members "shape the hall" for
employment. To date, over 600 Local 164 journeymen have been OSHA
30 hour certified. Also, nearly 700 Local 164 apprentices, including
inside and telecommunications, have been trained to the OSHA 30
hour standard. Because the daytime program for unemployed members
has been such a success, the JATC is reviewing plans to offer confined
space training to unemployed members.
Other journeymen skill improvement courses offered during the
fall 2004 semester included Instrumentation, Lead Cable Splicing,
Lon Works, Motor Controls, PLC Basics, Medium Voltage Cable Splicing,
CDL Drivers License, Auto-Cad Lite and OSHA 30 hour. We also offer
a full continuum of Residential training.
L.U.
177 (bo,ees,i,mo,o&pet), JACKSONVILLE, FLApproximately
200 union members were present to ratify the three-year Inside
Construction Working Agreement.
Highlights of the agreement are as follows: a $1 raise the first
year, $0.80 raises in both the second and third years, and an added
seventh paid holiday. Considering the economy, union market share
and negotiations of sister local unions, we got a good contract.
The Local 177 annual childrens Christmas party was again a great
success in 2004. Pres. Russell Harper and his committee once again
outdid themselves in their planning. We have our very own Santa,
retired member William "Bill" Gehm. Thanks, Bill, for
another great performance. This was Bro. Gehms 46th year with
IBEW Local 177 and his 30th year as Santa.
Local 177 retired members also recently had their Christmas party.
They socialized and enjoyed a catered meal while reminiscing about
past jobs, traveling times, the brothers and sisters that have
passed on, and the changes taking place in the industry today.
After their meal, the Tommy Holbrook Union band provided entertainment.
Bus. Mgr. Eddie L. Dedmon got into the holiday spirit by donating
a $100 bill as a door prize.
L.U.
180 (c,i,o&st), VALLEJO, CALocal 180 understands
the important role of organized labor in politics and government.
Organized labor must strive for every opportunity to provide
input and participate in local government. That is why we partnered
with our Building Trades Council to jointly endorse 19 candidates
running for election to offices ranging from federal seats
to local boards. The presidential race did distract from the
local issues, but we got the job done in electing a majority
of endorsed candidates. Of the 19 endorsed, 14 won election.
Our thanks to those who got out and helped support these candidates.
Local 180 is proud to announce that one of our own also won a
seat. Mike Smith, Local 180 business agent and apprentice
instructor, received the top vote for Dixon City Council. Mike
is the only active business agent to win a seat on any Solano County
City Council in recent memory. We thank him for his hard work
and commitment to serving his community.
Work in our area should start picking up in March, so please keep
informed via our web site.
L.U.
193 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), SPRINGFIELD, ILWhen
a security guard at the state Capitol was shot and killed,
they answered the call. When the driver of a semi-truck kidnapped
a woman and her son, then led police on a high speed chase
through downtown Springfield, they answered the call. When
a chemical plant explosion claimed the lives of several workers,
they answered the call. They are the dedicated employees of
the Sangamon County Central Dispatch System.
"They handle things like that all the time," says Mallorie
Teubner, SCCDS executive director.
The dispatch center, staffed by members of Local 193, routes calls
to police departments, fire departments and private ambulance services
throughout Sangamon County. The employees are responsible for keeping
track of 53 different emergency response agencies.
SCCDS employs 50 people who handle approximately 120,000 emergency
calls and nearly 600,000 non-emergency calls annually.
We are proud to spotlight these highly trained and committed people
who have taken on a trying and difficult job and do it very well.
L.U.
196 (govt,mt,o,t&u), ROCKFORD, ILWe send our condolences
to the family of Bro. Kenny Kurtenbach, who passed away Dec.
1, 2004, at the age of 36. Our thoughts are with all who knew
Kenny.
Our work on the URD side has been very good, unlike overhead distribution,
Telephone & CATV, which are very slow. Our transmission work
just started to pick up.
We all need to make sure that we keep what we have already fought
for and won. With our present government officials, we may have
a bigger fight than we all anticipated just surviving these next
four years. We all need to remember that we are a skilled labor
force and we need to act in a professional manor. We recently attended
a seminar that introduced a new program called the "Code of
Excellence." This program is critically important. We must
always keep our skills and quality of work and quantity of work
above that of our nonunion competitors. If we dont we will need
more than new government officials to help.
Remember to vote in every election and attend your monthly union
meetings.
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