L.U. 2 (catv,lctt,o,t&u), ST. LOUIS, MO — IBEW Local 2 has been making some technology improvements. We have added a card machine so we now accept credit card and debit card payments. This payment option can be used for things such as paying dues and purchasing merchandise including IBEW shirts. There is a convenience fee of 3 percent for each transaction. Local 2 is also finishing up the legal documents to add the option of dues deduction from your bank account monthly. When the card machine was installed we also added a computer in the St. Louis office. This computer is dedicated to the Jefferson City office for remote connection to access programs only available through the St. Louis office. This has helped streamline the processes for the local.

Local 2 is improving our social media work. We have recently created an Instagram account and changed our Twitter account. We still have our Facebook account. You can search IBEW Local 2 under all three platforms to find us!

Local 2 Pres. Mike Greene appointed a RENEW committee with Greg Benton serving as chairman. The first meeting was Feb. 6. Information on this new committee will be available at the regular meeting, through social media, or by contacting a committee member.

Greg Benton, A.B.M.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — The festive holiday lighting display known as Fantasy of Lights, which is set up, maintained and stored by Local 16 members, finished its 23rd season on Jan. 1. It brought in $147,843, the sixth best yearly total. These monies allow the Tri-state Rehabilitation Center to offer life-changing services to people in need. Since Fantasy's inception, a grand total of $3,137,647 has been raised.

After years of planning and construction, Evansville has a new full-service convention hotel. Through the use of a negotiated project labor agreement (PLA), over 75 IBEW members have been employed with local contractors on this project. The DoubleTree facility should give a boost to the city's revitalization efforts by connecting its premier sports arena with its largest meeting and performance venues. Thank you to all who had the courage to dream big enough to make it a reality.

2017 is shaping up as a banner year for construction in southern Indiana, especially for tradesmen with Evansville-Vanderburgh County electrical licenses. To obtain more information about the requirements for licensing, please contact the Vanderburgh County Building Commission or the JATC. Retirees are also encouraged to help through the busy season.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — On Saturday, Dec. 10, IBEW Local 24 held its Annual Children's Christmas Party. Many second- and third-generation members remember attending when they were children and are now bringing their children. The kids had their picture taken with Santa and then got to pick a toy from over 600 toys available. There was a puppet show for the kids (and parents) to enjoy, as well as plenty of food and drink for all. We thank the 70-plus members and their children who volunteered their time to make this day possible. Get involved; stay involved.

Congratulations to all who worked on the Baltimore Gas & Electric organizing campaign. Through your hard work, not only was the Brotherhood made stronger but also 1,400 additional working men and women in the Baltimore area now have a voice in their workplace. That voice and strength will be needed in the coming years. Local 24 is proud to have been a part of the BG&E campaign. Welcome, IBEW brothers and sisters of newly chartered IBEW Local 410. We look forward to working with you in the future.

[Editor's Note: After an 18-month organizing drive, a majority of Baltimore Gas & Electric's 1,418 gas and transmission-distribution workers voted to join the IBEW on Jan. 12. To read more, see news article "Victory: More than 1,400 BG&E Workers Join the IBEW," in the March 2017 issue of The Electrical Worker and posted online at www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles.]

Gary R. Griffin, B.M.

L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — It's finally springtime in Washington, D.C., and we look forward to celebrating our 125th anniversary in September. The Anniversary Party will be Saturday, Sept. 23, at MGM National Harbor. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please view our website at www.ibewlocal26.org.

The Local 26 Scholarship Committee is reviewing the many scholarship applications and will make a decision on this year's four recipients soon. The winners will be announced in our quarterly magazine, as well as in an upcoming "Local Lines" article in The Electrical Worker. Thanks to the many outstanding applicants for their participation!

Please remember the following scheduled events: The Electrical Workers Motorcycle Riding Club (EWMRC) will host their 6th Annual Poker Run on Saturday, May 6; the JATC graduation is Saturday, June 3; the annual Dollars Against Diabetes golf outing will be Monday, June 5; the Manassas, VA, picnic is Saturday, June 24; and the Edgewater, MD, picnic will be Saturday, Aug. 26. Please update your calendars for these fun-filled events!

Several members have passed away since our last article: William M. Rutherford, Maurice Vera, Jonathan D. Del Santo, Joseph R. Carrington, Christopher A. Lloyd, Liem T. Nguyen, Gerald J. Hall, Alfonso M. Basile and Eric L. Smith.

Best wishes to the new retirees: William R. Lilly, James O. Gibbons, Margaret T. Henney, Everett R. Alcorn Jr., Jon S. Pinkerton, John P. Noonan, Byron W. Baker, William J. Blevins, Michael R. Gum, Thomas R. Pender, Ralph M. Nowell and Robert E. Gifford.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 32 (i&u), LIMA, OH — Our apprentices put forth a lot of effort to help out others in need. The apprentices gave a lot of thought and consideration to last year's holiday season fundraiser, held through November and December, to benefit area community service organizations.

With so many people and service organizations in need, our apprentice council carefully picked a couple of worthy organizations that stood out to them. West Ohio Community Action Partnership and the Allen County Veterans Food Pantry were chosen to receive benefits from the Local 32 fundraiser.

The WOCAP offers programs that provide financial aid and include an educational aspect. The ACVFP provides services for veterans, who have proudly served this great country and have paved the way for us to lead our free lives. The Local 32 fundraiser is our way to say thank-you.

For the 2016 fundraiser the total raised was $2,730, and approximately 700 pounds of nonperishable food items collected by the IBEW Local 32 apprentices were donated to WOCAP and ACVFP.

Larry Cox, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 34 (em,i,mt,rts&spa), PEORIA, IL — The value of union versus nonunion construction, measured in rate of return and satisfaction to the customer on each job, is far more than the apparent "bargain" at the lower nonunion rate.

Last August, construction started on the Cooperage Building in Peoria's Downtown Warehouse District. The building is a mixed-use, commercial-residential building remodeled with 100 percent union labor.

A similarly remodeled mixed-use, commercial-residential building of comparable size in the same warehouse district was started with nonunion labor three months prior to the undertaking of the Cooperage Building.

As of Feb. 10, 2017, the building project that used nonunion labor remains unfinished.

The developer of the Cooperage Building union project is already receiving income from the property through tenants of the apartments and the building's commercial spaces.

The City of Peoria is now benefiting from new sales and property tax revenues generated by the on-time completion of the union project.

My congratulations and appreciation to our construction tradespeople on the success of the Cooperage Building project.

Again, our members are proving that we are the best at what we do! Community partners, leaders and business people have noticed the value and importance of union craftsmanship and the role our members play in the community's current and future success. Thank you to our members!

Marc Burnap, P.S.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OH — As the Cleveland Indians were training in Arizona for the upcoming 2017 baseball season, Local 38 members were hard at work this past winter preparing Progressive Field for opening day in Cleveland. Many Local 38 members working with Einheit Electric braved the freezing winter winds and climbed the light towers to install new LED lights.

The $2.1 million project at the ballpark will make for some nice upgrades, as LED lighting is becoming an increasingly popular and cost-efficient choice to illuminate the playing fields and surfaces of sports facilities.

The IBEW crew removed 674 lights, which used 1,500-watt metal halide bulbs, and replaced them with 456 1,000-watt LED fixtures. The new lights will be 20 percent to 30 percent brighter, and the estimated annual energy savings for the field lighting system will be in the 70 percent range. The crew is also working on renovations to the suites at the ballpark.

The new lighting will not only be much brighter but will also provide a different feel and vibe as fans come to watch the Cleveland Indians make the journey to the world series again in 2017. Go, team!

Dennis Meaney, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 40 (em,i&mps), HOLLYWOOD, CA — Congratulations to the RENEW members! Local 40 is proud to announce that on Nov. 18, 2016, we received our RENEW charter. This will allow the next generation of IBEW members to propel Local 40 to new heights and to bigger and better places.

Thank you to Kevin Valeros, Mike Reodica, Stephan Davis, Corey Snow, Robert Tehee, Michael Nishino, Patrick Carter, Joshua Geller, Jose Rodriguez, Juan Rivera and Tyler Lane for all the effort they have put into their local. These members represent what it takes for us all to help with our union cause, by getting involved and protecting benefits, retirement, good wages, security and safety.

Marc Flynn, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 42 (catv,em,govt,lctt&o), HARTFORD, CT — The local is deeply saddened by the passing of one of the most influential charter members, Charles "Red" Sharpe, who passed away on Dec. 19, 2016. He was an IBEW member for 59 years. We are most grateful for Red's commitment to promoting the best interest of the local for the betterment of the union brothers and sisters. You will always be remembered and missed by all, Bro. Sharpe.

Toy Drive: Local 42 was successful with hosting its first Toy Drive, raising over $4,000 in just two weeks! All toys were donated to our area offices of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. The donations were made to DCF local offices in Hartford and Manchester. Local 42 plans to make the Toy Drive an annual event. Giving is not just about making a donation; it is about making a difference.

Work Picture Strong: Local 42's work picture has been strong for the past six months, and we anticipate that 2017 will be another great year.

Ebony DeJesus, P.S.

L.U. 48 (c,em,i,rtb,rts,st&tm), PORTLAND, OR — In the spring of 2017 the Ilani Casino, a 368,000-square-foot gaming facility, will be opening. The casino is located 20 miles north of Portland/Vancouver, and for its construction there is a project labor agreement (PLA) with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and the Salishan-Mohegan, LLC. IBEW members from ON Electric, Surveillance Systems Inc., Cache Valley Electric, and Stoner Electric have teamed up to work on another successful project.

The TLK1 Data Center is located 80 miles east of Portland, in The Dalles. This $600 million expansion has brought Google's investment in The Dalles to $1.2 billion. ON Electric currently has around 100 members working on the project and forecasts another 300 to be added in 2017.

Nike is on schedule to add more than a million square feet of office space, a quarter million square feet of accessory space, and about 3,000 additional parking spaces, employing Local 48 members for the projects. The Nike World Campus is also on schedule to add one more tower in the spring of 2017; Dyna Electric has secured the electrical contract.

Cherry City Electric will continue its work at the Portland South Waterfront on the Oregon Health & Science University project. The success of Phil and Penny Knight's $1 billion challenge has resulted in the Knight Cancer Center project. The next phase of construction at the South Waterfront will be an additional two buildings, encompassing nearly one million square feet.

Bob Blair, P.S.

L.U. 58 (em,i,rtb,spa&t), DETROIT, MI — The Local 58 EITC is the crown jewel of Detroit. For the last 14 years, the Detroit Electrical Industry Training Center has been under the leadership of Bro. Gary Polulak.

Gary began his IBEW career in 1976 as an inside wireman apprentice. During his career he has served the local as an elected member of the Examining Board, Macomb County business rep, Insurance Fund trustee and Community Service Committee member before becoming assistant training director.

Since 2003, Bro. Polulak has been the director of Local 58'S EITC.

One thing we all hope to achieve is a nice retirement, and Gary is no exception. His are no small shoes to fill, but rest assured his replacement is up to the task.

With Bro. Polulak's retirement on the horizon, the JATC trustees unanimously voted to task Vice Pres. Jason Dahl with the challenge. We are extremely excited to have him at the helm to ensure Local 58's next generation is the best in the world. With the transition already underway, both men will work hand in hand, giving ample time for Jason to be well familiar with his new role. Congratulations to each of them as they move toward the next phase of their careers. Thank you, Bro. Polulak and Bro. Dahl, for your selfless dedication to our local union.

Andy Dunbar, Pres.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO — The work picture here slowed somewhat during winter months, as is fairly typical for the season. We have about 300 members on book 1 at press time. But the future holds promise with a few projects projected to start this year.

We are as of press time preparing to enter negotiations for our new collective bargaining agreement. The negotiation committee will meet often. Member participation is key to a strong negotiation. So please attend your general membership meetings. Stay informed and involved.

As of this writing, SB17-055, "Concerning the Prohibition of Discrimination Against Employees Based on Labor Union Participation," was headed to committee in the state Senate. Whatever they name it, "right-to-work" is still just "right-to-work," or as we call it, "Right to Exploit Workers." Thanks to agents Mary Broderick and Dan Cathey, Local 68 hosted a letter writing campaign to tell our legislators, state and federal, why this bill is a bad idea. Along with other trades and the Colorado AFL-CIO, we also went to the state Capitol to testify. To stay updated on actions, please check the Local 68 website at www.ibewlu68.com.

[Editor's Note: SB 55 passed the Colorado Senate on Feb. 13 this year. SB 55 was next headed to the House, as of press time, where it was reportedly unlikely to pass.]

We encourage members to participate in upcoming actions. We are enacting a phone tree of members to enable quick response. Please contact me with your information to be added to the phone tree. With a local 2,000 members strong, we all need to participate and take action. No matter whom you voted for, if legislators enact measures detrimental to you and your family, you need to hold them accountable.

We extend deepest sympathy to families of our recently deceased brothers: Charles L. Hammack, Merle Mays, Robert M. Carrera, Jimmie J. Patrick, Victor Danner, Ivan M. Johnson and Thomas P. Abromeit.

Morgan J. Buchanan, Pres.

L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA — IBEW Local 80 wishes all our members a safe and prosperous 2017.

We would like to also commend our RENEW group for all of their efforts this past year with volunteering at the Southeastern Virginia Foodbank, working with Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads, and volunteering their time for maintenance of the Battleship Wisconsin and Nauticus (Norfolk's science and technology center that explores the naval, economic and nautical power of the sea.).

A Local 80 Oyster Roast was held in October 2016. Due to our proximity to the bay, we are fortunate to have the oysters at their freshest. We hope the Oyster Roast becomes an annual tradition.

Our annual picnic will be held Saturday, April 29, 2017, at a new location. For the first time we will have our picnic at the local Khedive Temple. We hope to see everyone there, and good luck to all of our horseshoe tournament entries.

Wil Morris, P.S.

L.U. 90 (i), NEW HAVEN, CT — The officers of Local 90 thank all the brothers, sisters, apprentices and retired members who came out to help with installation of the Easter Seals Fantasy of Lights display in New Haven. The annual fundraising event had many local building trades contributing manpower. Local 90 had over 75 volunteers participating during a two-day setup schedule, which would not have been achieved without the Brotherhood turning out the way they have year after year.

Shown in the accompanying photo is the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, also known as the Q Bridge. The span is part of the I-95 New Haven Harbor Crossing Improvement Program in its final stages. The $4.7 million contract for the lighting was awarded to Ducci Electrical Contractors Inc., one of Local 90's larger contractors. When fully illuminated, the towers and cable stays all will be bathed in color. Three cannon lights on each of the central towers will be lit only for certain significant dates: Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Sept. 11, Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor Day. Another excellent job completed by IBEW Local 90 members.

May the year 2017 be safe and prosperous for all.

Bob Woytowich, Pres./B.A.

L.U. 100 (c,em,i,rts&st), FRESNO, CA — The work outlook here is very good, which is helping organizing efforts. We recently signed Hutchinson Electric. With a strong work picture and a shortage of state-certified electricians, recent talks with contractors have yielded fruitful conversations.

2015 market share reports are in, and our jurisdiction enjoyed a nice increase to bring Local 100 to 38 percent market share.

The high-speed-rail work is starting to give nonunion contractors, who won parts of this project labor agreement, exposure to the quality of manpower the IBEW possesses. This is also yielding conversations with potential signatory contractors.

Through the efforts of Local 100 Bus. Mgr. Ronny Jungk and the NCECI, a judgement against a nonunion contractor for wage violations resulted in a settlement just under $1 million. One of the infractions was that the workers were being cheated out of shift pay. The Northern California Electrical Construction Industry (NCECI) is a labor-management cooperative trust established in 1998 to assist state, federal and local governments with the enforcement of labor laws.

Attend your local union meetings, the second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., at the JATC hall.

Think safety always!

Michael Caglia, P.S.

L.U. 102 (em,govt,i,mt,o&ws), PATERSON, NJ — It was not long ago that the New Jersey Business & Industry Association did not allow labor unions to join its organization. In 2015, Local 102 was proud to be the first labor union to cross that barrier. Fast forward to Dec. 9, 2016 — on that day the nation's largest business association recognized Local 102 as its member of the year.

This all started in 2011 with a vision to build partnerships in the business community. We strive to always have a seat at the table no matter what the venue is. Bus. Mgr. DelleCava's plan was to market the best trained electricians to every C-Suite executive in the state. If they already used our electricians, we thanked them. If they didn't, we asked why. The goal was to have companies use our "product" because they wanted to, not because they had to. This can only be accomplished using a collaborative approach, labor and business working together.

This mindset has opened many doors for Local 102, doors that have led to opportunity for our hard-working members. We are proud of our growing relationship with NJBIA as we work together to find common ground and build a more prosperous New Jersey.

Bernie Corrigan, Pres.

L.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se,spa&t), KANSAS CITY, MO — Elections have consequences. With the GOP having a firm grip in both of Missouri's legislative chambers, working families will begin to realize the effects of electing an inexperienced GOP governor with close ties to union busting CEOs. Missouri will have become the 28th state to adopt "right to work" (for less) by the time you read this. It gets worse. RTW is just the beginning of the onslaught.

Eliminating project labor agreements (PLAs), eliminating prevailing wage, reducing unemployment benefits, weaker workers' compensation, and all the typical anti-labor agenda issues are on the table.

As you know, on the national level it's just as bad. Russian assistance coupled with an antiquated electoral college system helped the most unqualified candidate in history get elected president of the United States.

The president's first nominee for U.S. Labor Department secretary, Andrew Puzder, was the flip side of all we value in workers' rights, wages and safety conditions. Puzder, a multi-millionaire CEO of fast food giants, was later forced to withdraw his name from consideration, a big win for working people. [Editor's Note: As of press time, Trump had nominated lawyer Alexander Acosta on Feb. 16 to replace failed nominee Puzder. See news story "Fresh off a Victory, Working People React to Labor Department Nominee Acosta," posted on the IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles.]

Elections do have consequences. These policies can set workers' rights back 100 years. We can only hope this dire condition forces all labor to fight as if our future depends on it, because it does! Your state legislators, governor, members of Congress, and president need to hear your voice now more than ever. In solidarity.

Steven Morales, P.S.

L.U. 130 (i), NEW ORLEANS, LA — 2016 was a busy year of notable accomplishments for our local, and we take a hopeful look ahead at the strong prospect for positive development as well as future challenges.

We have a new two-year collective bargaining agreement with our NECA partners, effective through December 2018. We worked diligently in negotiations to settle all issues, and most were resolved locally. However, a few remained at the end to be presented to the Council on Industrial Relations. The CIR conducts its business seriously and fairly and we appreciate its work. Thank you to our Negotiation Committee — Bus. Mgr. Paul Zulli, Asst. Bus. Mgr. Rodney Wallis, Bro. P.J. Coyle and Bro. Travis "Butch" Naquin — for their hard work.

Significant improvements to our building and property were successfully concluded last year.

While we sadly lost some members to father time and unfortunate mishaps, we also brought our membership and their families together for good times. Our Veterans Day picnic was a great hit with members and their families as always. At the local's Christmas party, Santa paid a surprise visit to entertain the children and present holiday gifts.

The work picture has been improving, and employment should be strong through 2017 and beyond. This cycle of increased activity includes projects such as the new airport, Waterford III, Chalmette Refinery, Hexcion Chemical, and many more. We expect to clear the books. So, despite a disappointing national election outcome, we look confidently and optimistically forward and wish everyone good luck in the new year.

Billy Buckel, P.S.

L.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL — Our local received good news when Illinois lawmakers passed legislation to keep Clinton Power Station open. We look forward to some work there with a refuel outage scheduled for May and the possibility of some project work and plant modifications.

Congratulations to recently retired members: Jim Carroll, Dan Cooper, William Hancock, John Heise, Alan Henn, Kelly Martin, Gary Plummer and Rick Workman. We wish these pensioners a long and healthy retirement and thank them for their service to our industry.

Congratulations are also in order for the 50+ Year Club: 50-year IBEW members — Herbert Berg, James D. Bopp, James E. Daugherty, Kenneth D. Greenwell, Kenneth W. Hayes, Edmund J. Jones, Terry Lankow, Richard F. Montague, William K. Napierski, Philip C. Posteher, Jerry L. Rhoades, Robert L. Smith, Jonathon D. Thompson and John V. Workman; 55-year IBEW members — Duane E. Cripe and Norman L. Huff; and 60-year member — Robert E. Jacobs.

We also congratulate fifth-year apprentice wireman Dillon Lewis for being a finalist in the Ideal "Elite Tradesman" National Championship held in Orlando, FL.

Steve Tilford, R.S.

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL — The JATC will be offering classes in April and May. Among the subjects are Building Automation II, CPR with AED/First Aid, IMSA Work Zone Safety I/Traffic Level I, and OSHA 10.

The dates have been set for summer activities. Our annual picnic will be on June 24. Our golf outing will be on Aug. 19 at the Fox Lake Country Club. Watch your mailbox for more information.

We will be awarding scholarships for our members' children this year. There will be 12 $500 scholarships awarded for full-time students with 12 or more credit hours per semester. Applications, documents and test scores must be received by May 31, 2017. Applications at the Hall or via email request.

With all that is happening in our country every day, it is important to remember that as engaged citizens we should write, email and phone all of our elected representatives whether we voted for them or not. Being engaged doesn't just mean voting every few years in an election. These representatives represent all of us and we need to hold their feet to the fire. Go to a town hall meeting and ask questions. Don't accept the status quo.

See you at the meeting. In solidarity.

Wendy J. Cordts, P.S.

L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ — From Sept. 19-23 last year, Local 164 delegates were honored to represent the local at the IBEW 39th International Convention in St. Louis, MO. The theme of the convention was "Our Founding Our Future," as the event coincided with the 125th anniversary of the IBEW's founding. (See accompanying photo.)

The convention was hosted by St. Louis Local 1 and saw the opening of the Henry Miller Museum, located in the boarding house where Miller and the rest of our founding fathers met to form the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The boarding house has been restored as a museum. It was an exciting and humbling experience to celebrate the illustrious past of the IBEW while helping to set the course for our future.

Bus. Mgr. Dan Gumble, Pres. Tom Sullivan, and elected delegates to the convention thank Local 164 members for giving us the opportunity to represent them with honor at the convention. It was an experience that will never be forgotten. We wish to thank Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson, the International Officers, Local 1, and the convention committee for a very successful convention.

Warren Becker, V.P.

L.U. 246 (ees,i,rts&spa), STEUBENVILLE, OH — We held our annual dinner dance on Dec. 10 and the event was a great success. "What a great way for our retired and active members to mingle, catch up, meet new faces and share some stories," Pres. Frank Redmond said. He added: "I would like to thank Rob and Becky Biacco, Christy Hardwick, and all apprentices who helped out. I couldn't do it without you. Also, I'd like to thank all who donated gifts for the raffle."

Pres. Redmond and Vice Pres. Ryan Omaits presented service awards to honorees who were present. Award recipients included:

For 65 years of service — Theodore Kendziorski; for 60 years — Ronald Coleman, James Davis, Raymond Farmer, Walter Ferguson, Raymond Hubbard, Ernest Magyar, William Shaffer, James Sim and Glenn Smith; 55 years — Glen Brady, William Montgomery and Patrick Westlake; 50 years — Roy Allen, James Buren, Ralph Dawson, David R Myers and Gary White; 40 years — Greg Brindley, David Gasser, Dan Kelley, Tine Kirlangitis and W.C. Smith; 35 years — Bill Birkhimer, Tim Corona, Deb Costa, Rick Fisher, Horace Hampton, Jeff Hutchison, Scott Kelley, Luke Nagy, Greg Pearson, Bob Rowley, John Schultz, W.J. Smith and Greg Tenley; 25 years — Doug Reynolds; and for 20 years — Fred Berryman.

We thank all the award recipients for their longtime service and dedication to IBEW Local 246.

Eric Nutter, R.S.

L.U. 270 (i&o), OAK RIDGE, TN — Our work picture here as of this writing has still been very slow. We are still awaiting the start of the Uranium Processing Facility job at the Y-12 complex on the U.S. Department of Energy site. It should start sometime in February 2018.

We recently held steward and officer training here at the local. Thank you to everyone who participated in these informative classes.

As of press time, we are currently in the process of taking apprentice applications and a new apprentice class will be selected.

This is a local union election year here at Local 270. Nominations of officers will be held in May and the election will be in June.

Local 270 recently held a retiree "fish fry" and it was a great success. We thank Bro. Rick Berrong for catching all of the fish for us.

We wish Bro. Ray Day, recently retired business manager, a well-deserved, happy retirement. We thank Bro. Day for his hard work and dedication in helping build a strong future for our great Brotherhood.

Regina Guy, P.S.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR — Work continues to be steady. Thanks to all the traveling brothers and sisters who helped man our work in 2016 on Apple and Facebook data centers. The work picture for 2017 looks strong; but cautious optimism is being exercised as a result of the unknown regarding the new administration in Washington, D.C.

Possible expansion of new data centers in upcoming months, as well as continuing solar work, looks promising. Also a union contractor won the bid for expansion at St. Charles Hospital in Bend, OR, a city where we greatly need increased market share.

The Willamette Valley work picture continues to be steady with work on the University of Oregon and the Oregon State University campuses. Meanwhile, membership inches closer to an all-time high for Local 280. Organizing continues as a priority with the manpower shortage currently in the Northwest.

Local 280 welcomes our new IBEW Ninth District Int. Rep. Lennie Ellis. We also take this opportunity to thank Ninth District Int. Rep. Dave Myers for his prior service to Local 280 and this staff. We wish Dave, who recently was assigned to another region, continued success in his service to the IBEW.

Drew Lindsey, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 300 (govt,i,mt&u), MONTPELIER, VT — Greetings, brothers and sisters. I hope this finds you all in good health.

The Construction Unit was relatively busy throughout last year and continues to be so into 2017. Although most jobs did not have the amount of overtime we experienced in 2015, we did have more members employed. The work outlook for our jurisdiction in the near and more distant future looks very promising.

The Construction Unit's 2017 Wellness Kickoff Event experienced by far the largest attendance since its inception five years ago. There was a great showing of new and longtime members alike. Thank you to each and every one of you for being involved in your local union functions! It's forever a pleasure to see that diversity and number of members in one location, enjoying each other's company.

2017 is an election year for Local 300 and a negotiation year for the construction unit. Best of luck to all candidates and the negotiating committee!

With this article, I've included a picture taken at the 2017 Wellness Kickoff Event, where members also enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner.

Be safe and be well.

Tim LaBombard, Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 340 (i,rts&spa), SACRAMENTO, CA — Crab Feeds, picnics, parades and sports events! Another thing I am realizing as business manager is just how important these non-working events are to our members and their families and just how these events truly drive home the fact that being an IBEW electrical worker is so much more than just a job, or even a career. It is about working family values, and those are shared every time members bring their families to any union event, whether it is those mentioned above, or helping at rallies and political events to get out the word that being union is our way of life. In February, I attended the 8th Annual 340 Softball Team Crab Feed, and the room was packed with members and their spouses and many young people who love being involved in their mom's or dad's union events. The Crab Feed was a big success and everyone had fun.

At this writing, Local 340 was making plans to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. And in April, our new basketball team, "The Sparkeez," will take on the Plumbers union at the new union-built Golden One Arena. All are free events for our members and their families and more opportunities to get out in our communities to show that the union way is all about family values.

It was real rainy here in Sacramento this past winter, so some jobs have been delayed a little, but work looks great for our members this year.

Rest in peace, Bro. Wilfred Fisher.

Robert D. Ward, B.M.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL — 2017 is shaping up to be an excellent year for IBEW Local 364. As of this writing we have completed our first of two outages at our Byron nuclear power plant, and several hundred local union wiremen have been employed at the Belvidere Chrysler plant.

Our future work will begin later this spring and summer with two hospital projects underway. The OSF Hospital 118-bed tower should start taking shape as well as the brand new Mercy Hospital project, estimated at well over $450 million.

As spring brings in the construction season, we have several member events happening as well. Our 16th annual golf play day is planned for late July. The return of our summer picnic will take place in August. And we are less than five short months away from the local's 100th anniversary bash, planned for September.

A special thanks to all the IBEW traveling brothers and sisters for helping us complete the above mentioned projects. We could not have done it without you. In brotherhood.

Brad Williams, P.S.

L.U. 480 (em,i&mt), JACKSON, MS — In every organization there are those who stand out for their exceptional service. Bro. Francis Robert was such a man. His contribution to Local 480 was to teach the future wiremen to be the best they could be. For 38 years Francis instructed nearly every electrician in the membership.

An Air Force veteran, Bro. Robert was initiated into the IBEW on Dec. 11, 1974, and retired on April 1, 2011. Unfortunately, his retirement was brief as he passed away on July 22, 2016, and will be sorely missed. But his legacy lives on to inspire others and serve as a reminder of the importance of being involved with the local union.

A man such as Bro. Robert is indeed hard to replace. However, there are those in the ranks who have a fervent desire to make the same commitment as Francis and make this union stronger.

Stephen Magee, R.S.

L.U. 494 (em,i,mt,rts,spa&t), MILWAUKEE, WI — IBEW Local 494 electrician Robert Lehn is retiring from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee school system. He has provided his skill and knowledge, performing electrical services to the state of Wisconsin since 1989. Bob started his electrical career as an apprentice in 1977 and worked for Terminal Electric, now Terminal-Andrae.

After becoming a journeyman wireman, he went to work for the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel, and later took another maintenance position at the state of Wisconsin-Milwaukee school system.

We thank Bob for his devotion to the electrical trade and Local 494 and wish him a long and happy retirement.

Kurt Jante, B.R.

L.U. 520 (i&spa), AUSTIN, TX — We congratulate three of our members on their journey in the IBEW. Chris Wagner, former Local 520 business manager and IEC member, has accepted an appointment as IBEW Seventh District international representative, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Matt Friestman, former recruiter/organizer, was appointed to fill the unexpired term as Local 520 business manager, effective Jan. 1 this year. Nathan Waldock was named to become the Local 520 recruiter/organizer. Congratulations to these three brothers and good wishes to each of them in their new positions.

In our area, city and county elections held in November 2016 were great successes with the election to office of every single labor-endorsed candidate in the region. Thanks go out to our COPE committee and its chairman, Mike King, for unwavering support for labor oriented issues and candidates.

A class was held in January for members interested in becoming contractors, and our Journeyman/Master Assisted Study program continues in assisting our members to move up from the construction wireman/construction electrician (CW/CE) classification to journeyman classification.

Lane Price, Pres.

L.U. 530 (i,o&rtb), SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA — At the time of this writing, we still have members searching for work. While we have work possibly on the horizon, enough to employ everyone and more, we are not there yet. Until that time, we would like to thank Thunder Bay Local 402 for helping keep some of our members employed.

Local 530's Recreation Committee is excited to be holding our local's first Family Fishing Derby this summer, and plans are to make it an annual event. Any member with extra rods or tackle is encouraged to pitch in and help make this a success — after all, it's all for the kids. More details about the event will follow as they become available.

Local 530 is saddened by the recent passing of Bro. Tony Martin.

Al Byers, P.S.

We would like to welcome and introduce a newly hired assistant business manager, Brandon Slay, to our staff. Bro. Slay is a 17-year member, a 2008 graduate of the North Alabama JATC, and a lineman from the Sheffield Utility Department. He will be representing and servicing members at the utilities and cooperatives.

Although our work has been slow, we do have some upcoming projects on the horizon for 2017. There is an Assisted Living Project coming to Madison, AL. Also, another project is slated for the Huntsville International Airport. We are extremely excited to announce that one of our local union contractors has recaptured a contract that historically has been manned by a major nonunion contractor at United Launch Alliance in Decatur, AL. By publication date, we will have successfully completed the scheduled spring outage at TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.

We send our best throughout the Brotherhood.

Tony Quillen, Pres./A.B.M.

L.U. 568 (c,ees,em,i&o), MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA — Local 568 is proud to count among its members three individuals each holding more than 50 years of membership! During the last Christmas party, new Bus. Mgr. André Jean proudly presented the honorees with a watch and an honor certificate. It is a great privilege to count these retired 50-year members among us. They have remained faithful IBEW members throughout the years despite all the changes and challenges that organized labour has ever known. We wish to strongly thank and extend our warmest congratulations to Mr. François Painchaud, Mr. Real Rondeau and Mr. Gerrard Perreault.

• • • • • •

André Jean, B.M.

L.U. 606 (em,es,i,rtb,spa&u), ORLANDO, FL — After another successful union Industry Night Job Fair, Local 606 continues to have full employment and is aggressively organizing nonunion electricians to fill the manpower shortage in our area.

Our signatory contractors are bidding and getting more work all the time. They are breaking into markets we previously have not been part of, such as the University of Central Florida. Our work outlook for 2017 looks very good with opportunities for travelers as well as organizing new members.

As the national political climate continues to go against working people and organized labor, it is important for our members to get involved politically by joining grassroots organizations that support union and working families. As union members, we must campaign and vote for politicians who will make it their priority to legislate with working families in mind. And for those politicians who don't remember the union members who voted for them, we must work to vote them out regardless of their political affiliation. If we all start locally, we as union members can stop the corporate assault on organized labor.

Fernando Rendon, P.S.

L.U. 666 (i,mt&o), RICHMOND, VA — Since our last article, there have had some significant transitions in our local. We were sad to say goodbye to our longtime president, Harry "Freddie" Zahn IV, who passed away in December 2016. Freddie always had the good of the local in his heart during his 34 years of service.

William G. Leigers retired after 37 years of service. For 17 of those years he was the training director for our apprenticeship. Many thanks to Bro. Leigers for the years of guidance!

Catching up a little on other recent retirees, best wishes to: Charles W. Brown Jr., John H. Bulheller, David W. Burk, Joseph P. Doody, Timothy Evans, William Fowler Jr., Larry W. Gilliam, Samuel M. Harris, Ray W. Lassiter, Thomas D. Livsie, Robert H. Martin, Daniel N. Matthews, Thomas E. Scott, Anthony B. Seniunas, Dennis C. Solari, Albert R. Stevens, Charles A. Stillman, Charles M. Trent, David A. Williams and Gary L. Williams.

Charles Skelly, P.S.

L.U. 692 (i,mt&spa), BAY CITY, MI — Greetings, brothers and sisters.

We now have a new U.S. president. The country has spoken. It is now time for us to really go to work to ensure the president fulfills his promises. He claims he wants to save and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, despite Republican desires to cut and privatize "entitlement" programs. Infrastructure is another promise long overdue, and I hope he can deliver on these Democratic platform positions.

On a local infrastructure note, our apprenticeship school addition is in operation with enough space to facilitate training for our apprentices to become the world-class electricians that we expect from our program.

With regret we report the passing of active Bro. Robert Ballor and retired Bro. Robert Young.

To our recent retirees, Rod Baker, Mark Bauer and Dave Merrill, we extend best wishes for a long and healthy retirement.

Many thanks to our sister locals that are employing our members.

Stay safe out there.

Mark Thompson, P.S.

L.U. 702 (as,c,catv,cs,em,es,et,govt,i,it,lctt,mo,mt,o,p,pet,ptc,rtb,rts,se,
spa,st,t,u,uow&ws), WEST FRANKFORT, IL — Due to the closing of Rend Lake Resort & Conference Center, the Annual Retiree Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, April 11, in Mount Vernon at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, 260 Richview Road, in the Mitchell Museum Performance Hall. Doors open at 11 a.m. Please contact the Local 702 Union Hall at (618) 932-2102 to RSVP for the event.

We have a new three-year agreement at Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities that includes a two-step improvement in the defined benefit pension and has wage increases of 1 percent the second and third years, respectively.

We will be in full blown negotiations with Ameren Illinois this spring for all three Local 702 divisions. Upcoming events include the following:

Our referral books are as follows: Inside Construction — 130; Outside Construction — 16; and Line Clearance — 0.

Mark Baker, B.R./P.S.

L.U. 890 (i), JANESVILLE, WI — Local 890 Bus. Mgr. Leo Sokolik presented member Lloyd Laib with his 70-year IBEW Service Award at the local's annual holiday party. Bro. Laib was initiated into the IBEW in September 1946.

Congratulations also to Bros. Ed Haase, Francis Learn and Donald Rogers, who received their 50-Year IBEW Service Awards.

Jason Heidenreich, P.S.

L.U. 968 (catv,i,mt,o,rts,spa&t), PARKERSBURG, WV — IBEW Local 968 held its Annual Christmas Luncheon at the local union office. The local union gave out 130 turkeys and fruit baskets to retirees, widows, and members who were ill. A large number attended the luncheon, where a lot of stories from days gone by were shared among good friends.

Charles "Charlie" Rush received his 70-Year Service Award. Charlie started working for McHenry Electric on Aug. 25, 1943. Charlie and retiree Jack Blue shared experiences they had during World War II. Charlie was part owner of McHenry Electric until he retired in 1987.

Local 968 now has a chartered RENEW Committee thanks to fifth-year apprentices Michael McGee and Jeremy Cunningham.

Our local union is facing uncertain times with the passage of so-called "right to work" and the elimination of prevailing wage in West Virginia. Make no mistake, we will continue to fight on behalf of workers in our state and uphold our standard of living as our founding fathers did many years before us.

Lynford C. Lovell, B.M.

L.U. 1116 (em,lctt&u), TUCSON, AZ — Hello, members! 2017 is an election year for our local union leadership. Nominations will be held in May and voting will be done in June. Please attend the May meetings to nominate the person of your choice to represent you. Elections are held in June, so when you receive your ballots, return them in a timely fashion so that they can be counted. If you are interested in assisting with the election, please contact Scott Northrup at the union hall; there is training that you have to complete beforehand.

Our picnic will be Saturday, April 22, at the Lincoln Park Children's Outdoor Performance Area (COPA), 8155 E. Poinciana Dr., in Tucson. It is a great time for the kids, with a playground and fun activities. Contact Greg Carter if you're interested in helping on the picnic committee.

We are focusing on organizing and community involvement this year, and we hope to have IBEW volunteer T-shirts available soon.

If there is a retiree who is interested in writing a brief article for the Retirees Club section of The Electrical Worker, contact Sarita or Scott at the union hall. Thank you to Gene Penta, who gives retiree updates at the regular unit meetings.

Local 1116 regular unit meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month. The best way to find out what is going on is to attend a meeting. We invite our members from Asplundh and TRICO to join us.

Sharon Williams, P.S.

L.U. 1466 (u), COLUMBUS, OH — During the first part of 2017, IBEW Local 1466 will be rolling out the Code of Excellence program to all of our members. Some of you may have heard of the IBEW Code of Excellence program. For those of you who haven't, it's about being the best trained, most professional workforce in the field today. Our members are the reason that American Electric Power is a successful company. The COE program is designed to reinforce that. We are still in the planning stages, but will be talking more about this at the monthly union meetings.

We also hope to conduct union stewards training this year. It has not yet been determined exactly when that will take place, but we will make sure to let everyone know as we work out the details.

Please try to attend your monthly union meetings, so you can stay updated on everything that is coming up with our local. Hope to see you there!

Jimi Jette, P.S.

L.U. 1900 (so&u), WASHINGTON, DC — Local 1900 send three teams to the Community Services Agency (CSA) "Bowling for Gold" tournament on Jan. 29. The tournament is an annual fundraiser for the CSA, which is a United Way agency affiliated with the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO. All 48 lanes of the Crofton Bowling Centre were filled at 10 a.m. with teams from affiliated unions in the Washington metropolitan area. Regardless of the level of individual bowling skills, everyone had fun raising money for a good cause with our fellow union sisters and brothers.

Jim Griffin, B.M./Pres.