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Second District Progress Meeting

June 21, 2001

The 2001 IBEW Second District Progress Meeting took place May 7-9 in Boston, Massachusetts. At the opening of the General Session on Monday morning, International Vice President Frank J. Carroll introduced International President Edwin D. Hill, who addressed the 251 IBEW delegates and guests in attendance. President Hill discussed electric utility deregulation and its impact on IBEW members, organizing efforts in the Construction Branch, and the availability of the Enhanced Training Opportunities Program (ETOP) to all IBEW manufacturing locals.

Numerous additional distinguished guest speakers addressed the gathering on the first day of the meeting.  Robert J. Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, spoke of the major victory that student activists won at Harvard University in their social justice movement for campus workers. Joseph Nigro, secretary treasurer/general agent of the Boston Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, emphasized the importance of organizing and noted that the IBEW Second District has 53 Project Labor Agreements currently in place for union construction projects. Other guest speakers on Monday  included: IBEW Telecommunications Director Joseph Penna; Michael Barry, director, Northeast Region, NECA; Rich Parenti, director, Midwest Region, NECA; and Myles Calvey, business manager of IBEW Local 2222 and chairman of IBEW Telephone System Council T-6.

International Secretary-Treasurer Jeremiah J. OConnor addressed the delegates  on day two of the Progress Meeting. On the political front, OConnor spoke of the necessity for unified grass-roots political action to combat the anti-worker agenda of right-wing activists elected to go to Washington. He cited the Bush administration Executive Order banning Project Labor Agreements on construction projects using federal money; the revocation of OSHA standards on job-related repetitive motion injuries; proposals to extend NAFTA throughout the Western Hemisphere; and calls for paycheck deception legislation to silence working families as part of campaign finance reform. OConnor also emphasizing the importance of organizing and noted that the growth of the IBEW membership requires a team effort across the board. In addition, he spoke of the IBEWs redesigned web site and the enhanced features it offers.

Jose Alvarez, regional director, AFL-CIO Field Mobilization and Community Services, Northeast Region, spoke on May 8. He told the delegates that the IBEW is in the forefront of organizing and that more members from the IBEW have run for public office than any other union. Stating that some politicians in Washington are doing all they can to dilute labor laws, he said union members must mobilize and be prepared to leave their comfort zone to be successful.

Other guest speakers included: C. James Spellane, director, IBEW Journal and Media Relations Department, who gave a presentation on the redesigned IBEW web site and informed delegates about services now available on the Internet; Ron Perrone, managing director of sales and marketing, ASB Capitol Management, Inc., who presented information about proxy voting; and Linda Horan, Local 2320 recording secretary and project coordinator for the IBEW School-to-Work Project, who presented a video, School-to-Work: On the High Road. Horan presented International President Hill and International Secretary-Treasurer OConnor with a Recognition of Appreciation plaque from the School-To-Work Project.

International Vice President Carroll spoke about the value of paying union dues. Union dues are not just a bill to be paid, he said, noting that dues are actually an investment and that interest on membership dues is returned in better wages, fringe benefits, collective bargaining agreements and grievance procedures.

COPE Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the following IBEW local unions that made contributions of $5 or more per member: Locals 7, 35, 42, 90, 96, 99, 103, 104, 208, 300, 457, 488, 490, 567, 791, 1274, 1750, 1768, and 2322.  A plaque for most outstanding contribution per member was presented to Local 104.  And a plaque for most outstanding contribution from a local went to Local 103.