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Graduates Honored

Local 102 Pres. Alan Schell (left) and Bus. Mgr. Lou Baram present Lucrezia Azzolini with a new laptop computer she won for achieving the highest five-year GPA, an astounding 96.4.

L.U. 102 (c,catv,i,it,o&t), PATERSON, NJ—The annual apprentice beefsteak celebration for apprentice graduates was held at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany. Twenty-four apprentice graduates were promoted to residential wiremen, 102 to journeyman wiremen and there were four graduating teledata technicians. Congratulations to Lucrezia Azzolini for having the highest five-year GPA, and to all graduates on achieving their new classifications.

Congratulations to our recently elected local union officers: Bus. Mgr. Lou Baram, Pres. Alan Schell, Vice Pres. William Moore, Rec. Sec. Bernie Corrigan, Fin. Sec. Pat DelleCava, Treas. Dave Fiore. Elected to the Executive Board: Robert McBride, Andrew Benti, Peter Pagano, John Sabaliauskas, Thomas Broad and Mike Hadam. Elected to the Examining Board: Marty Baram, George Kelchner and Steve Monico.

Elected as delegates to the International Convention: Pat DelleCava, Dave Fiore, Joe Krawchuk, Bob McBride, William Moore, Gary Pfarr, Bob Renaldi and Mark Roche; Alternate delegates to the Convention, Andrew Benti, Neil Boyle, Bernie Corrigan and Mike Pulsinelli. Special thanks to Tom Kelly and his staff, who working many hours to make the election go as smoothly as it did.

Joe Nitti, P.S.
Dan Harris, P.S.

Graduation Banquet

Local 146 class of 2005 graduating apprentices.

L.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL—The NECA-IBEW JATC graduation banquet was held May 14, 2005, at the Eagle Creek Resort in Findlay, IL, with 24 apprentices graduating.

The graduates are Derek Baldassari, Jason Beasley, Jim Boliek, Jason Brummett, Kyle Burris, Dan Chappelear, Ronald Crain, Alfred Edwards Jr., Matthew Frederick, Nathan Frederick, Travis Funneman, Joshua Harner, Michael Hewing, Douglas London, Tad McCullough, Brett McVey, Kyle Nave, Benjamin Nelson, James Parks, Paul Shelton, Andrew Spracklen, Jeffery Urquhart, Bryce Warner and Chad Wernsing. Bro. Douglas London was presented with the “Apprentice of the Year” award for achieving a 97.8 percent GPA. Congratulations to Doug and the entire class of 2005.

A huge thank-you to all the Local 146 members who volunteered their time for the Farm Progress Show, Macon County Fair, Decatur Celebration and Local 146’s Labor Day picnic.

Local 146 wishes Bro. John Workman a long and joyous retirement. John retired Aug. 1 after 13 years as assistant business manager. He was initiated into the IBEW in 1966 and during his career served as Local 146 president, vice president and on the JATC. The members and staff thank John for his dedicated trade union service. Good luck, John!

Shad E. Etchason, Asst. B.M.

Market Recovery

Local 158 Bus. Mgr. Jack G. Heyer (right) welcomes Bro. Joseph Van Rens home after a three-day trip to the big Habitat for Humanity “Jimmy Carter Work Project” in Benton Harbor, MI.

L.U. 158 (i,mar,mt,it&spa), GREEN BAY, WI—Market recovery and membership development are the two keys to improving our local’s situation. Our local is experiencing many of the same problems facing other locals across the country. Getting involved through solidarity and promoting our union image will help turn things around.

Union volunteers who work on community service projects also help promote our union message. Local 158 member Joseph Van Rens volunteered recently for a big Habitat for Humanity “Jimmy Carter Work Project” in Benton Harbor, MI. Bro. Van Rens joined more than 180 IBEW volunteer wiremen and Sixth District International Representatives on the “blitz build” to volunteer his electrical skills for this worthwhile cause.

Jack G. Heyer, B.M.

87 Telecom Graduates

Local 164 Asst. Bus. Mgr. Thomas Misciagna, the “father of telecommuni- cations at Local 164,” addresses the 87 tele- communications division graduates.

L.U. 164 (c,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ—The Local 164 JATC hosted its annual telecommunications division graduation July 13, 2005. Asst. Training Dir. Paul Lagana, who pioneered VDV training for Local 164 in 1985, was emcee. Bus. Mgr. Richard Dressell delivered the keynote address to the 87 graduates. Other speakers included Dennis Fitzgerald, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training; Local 164 Pres./Training Dir. Dave Milazzo; and Asst. Bus. Mgr. Thomas Misciagna.

Dressel chronicled the rich history of Local 164’s telecommunications program, which started over 30 years ago after Bro. Misciagna was appointed organizer. Local 164’s VDV division has grown to more than 1,500 members and 220 signatory contractors.

The following VDV graduates received academic achievement awards for highest class average: 1st place, Keith Fearon; 2nd place, Steve Polise; and 3rd place, Samuel Cotto Jr.

After a two year lull, work is slowly returning to our jurisdiction. All inside apprentices are working, and the number of unemployed journeymen inside wiremen and telecommunications technicians on Book I is declining. The massive $3 billion Zanadu project finally is under way, coupled with a general upturn in construction starts. We remain hopeful this trend will continue and that all Local 164 members will soon be gainfully employed.

David Milazzo, Pres.

‘Bad Dream’

L.U. 180 (c,i,o&st), VALLEJO, CA—One year ago there were reports that a “recovery” was “just around the corner.” As we wait, we are feeling the effects of a jobless recovery.

Newspapers report story after story of companies shipping manufacturing and other jobs overseas. A recent story reported that a certain calendar publisher shipped production to China. For me this had a vivid impact. I lived in the town where the publisher’s plant was located, worked down the street, bought the company’s product and bid work in the plant. Another signatory contractor also worked in the plant. Not only did the production workers lose, but also the many trades that maintained and upgraded the plant lost.

Yes, we have three construction projects with a total cost of $1.6 billion. And yes, they should have started months ago. But the start-up delays are like a bad dream. By all estimates, the three projects will put an average 152 electricians to work for two years.

However, it is the “little” jobs that are our bread and butter. So during this so-called “recovery,” reported one year ago, the local has had one of the longest and deepest slow periods in recent history.

Michael C. Smith, B.A.