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January/February 2003 IBEW Journal

Its Up to You!

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.

Dominic Rivara, B.M./F.S.

Linemans Rodeo

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.

Duane Pearce, V.P./P.S.

100 Years Celebrated

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.

Wally Sickles, B.M./F.S.