L.U. 1 (as,c,ees,ei,em,es,et,fm,i,mt,rts,s,se,spa,st&ws), ST. LOUIS, MO — Special thanks and congratulations to Thomas E. "Tom" George Sr., who proudly served as IBEW Local 1 president since 1998. Bro. George, who resigned on Dec. 23, 2016, has been a journeyman wireman for 50+ years. He dedicated his career to improving and empowering labor locally and statewide, including four terms (1998 - 2006) as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, 74th District. When asked what he considers his greatest achievement, Bro. Tom George happily exclaimed, "My kids!" Tom has a daughter, Gena Gober. His three sons — Anthony, Timothy and Tom Jr. — are Local 1 journeyman wiremen. Tom Jr.'s wife, Andi, and Gena's husband, Matt, are also Local 1 journeyman wiremen.

Congratulations to newly appointed Local 1 officers: Pres. Don Bresnan Jr.; Vice Pres. Frank Valleroy Jr.; Rec. Sec. Chris Clermont; Executive Board members Steven Dussold and James Reinheimer Jr.; Examining Board members Tom George Jr., Joshua Peniston and Sylvester Taylor; and Bus. Rep. Mike Newton.

We mourn the loss of the following members: Kevin Umbach, James Hartman, John Peek, Kenneth Messersmith, Joseph Newman, Paul Siebel, Richard Gibbons, Earl Shannon, Dolores Schrum, Alphonse Kochner, John Stempf, Thomas Hartman, George Pappas, Michael Homewood, Martin Sanzottera, Gilbert Huesgen Jr., Gordon Gregory, Robert Hoffmeister, William Bereitschaft, James Aubuchon, Donald Wilmas, Charles Claypool, Terry Athmer, Stanley Rimkus Jr., Harry Osborn, Frank Phillips, Richard Johnson, John Wilga, Arthur Schumm, Milton McSalley, Donald Auer, Louis Crnko, Dennis Mahoney and Theodore Plack.

Jan Bresnan, P.S.

L.U. 15 (u), DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Greetings from Local 15. Through the hard work of Illinois AFL-CIO Pres. Michael Carrigan, IBEW Local 15 Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dean Apple and Vice Pres. Terry McGoldrick along with a coalition of others, Senate Bill 2814 has passed in Illinois. This legislation was worked on for over two years. The Future Energy Jobs Bill will allow Quad Cities (Local 15) and Clinton (Local 51) Nuclear Stations to remain in operation for up to 10 years by allowing payments for zero carbon emissions. This will save approximately 4,200 jobs and $1.2 billion in economic activity for Illinois. The bill was passed on Dec. 1, 2016, and signed into law on Dec. 7. This bill was strongly supported by organized labor. Exelon Generating and ComEd both thanked the IBEW for its help and support in getting this legislation passed.

There is a continued heavy work load for Local 15 members related to the Exelon Infrastructure Modernization Act (EIMA). This work is also related to legislation passed in Illinois (allowing ComEd to invest in the transmission and distribution system, creating jobs while modernizing the system). The current state of Local 15 is healthy.

Sam Studer, B.R./P.S.

L.U. 19 (u), AURORA, IL — At the time of this writing, Local 19 had started its negotiations with Southern Company, as the current contract was scheduled to expire Feb. 28, 2017. At press time, with negotiations underway, we were looking for a five-year contract and improvements in wages, insurance, pensions, and contract language for our members.

For more Local 19 news and information, please visit us online at www.IBEW19.org and Facebook.

Natalia Guzman, Exec. Board

L.U. 21 (catv,govt&t), DOWNERS GROVE, IL — We thank all IBEW sisters and brothers who donated to our Member Assistance Fund. Your support is overwhelming and exemplifies the power of our Brotherhood.

Just after Thanksgiving, one of our brothers who works for AT&T was robbed and shot. After the shock wore off, Local 21 members began taking collections in their work locations and asked how they could help. On ibew21.org we used our online donation "store" as a portal to collect donations. Using Action Network we sent an email blast to our 5,700 subscribers with an update and offered to accept donations. Within minutes more members donated.

Also amazing were the immediate messages we received from IBEW's newest sisters and brothers working at AT&T DirecTV. These members from other locals inquired how they could help their co-worker and brother. One of them said: "We're all in this together and when one part of the body hurts, it hurts us all."

News of our brother's tragedy spread to all branches of the IBEW. Ninth District Int. Rep. Rick Hite received our email and asked his folks to please consider assisting our brother and to pray for him.

Later we received a call from Seattle Local 77 asking how they could help. Arizona Local 769 also mailed in a donation. Our brother was still being thought of by members from across the country.

Happily, our brother is getting better every day. Local 21 and our brother thank all of you for your support and prayers. Your actions show the true meaning of solidarity. We are proud to call you our sisters and brothers.

Bob Przybylinski, R.S.

L.U. 41 (em,es,govt,i,se&spa), BUFFALO, NY — Congratulations to Pres. Donald Trump. Only time will tell us how the middle class and the working men and women of our country will fare. I can only hope he becomes a great president for all. Although the election did not go as we wanted, we will never give up the fight for the working people of our nation.

Every election at every level matters. School board officials become local councilmen, who become county legislators, who become state legislators, who become U.S. representatives. We must elect individuals at all levels of government who act in the best interest of working people. Pay attention, be involved, become an activist, run for office.

Thank you to all who purchased gifts for St. Luke's Mission of Mercy. We "adopted" 18 families last year. All of the people we help are working and struggling to make it, but need a little extra help from us. Thank you for proving how lucky we are to have this brotherhood and for stepping up to give back to those who are less fortunate.

Gregory R. Inglut, A.B.M.

L.U. 43 (em,i&rts), SYRACUSE, NY — The Central New York Labor Council, AFL-CIO, held its ninth annual Samuel Gompers Distinguished Service Awards Dinner on Oct. 21 last year at the Teugega Country Club in Rome, NY.

Honored from IBEW Local 43 were Membership Development Coordinator Alan Marzullo and Membership Development Reps. Pat Harrington and Kevin Crawford, recognized for their tireless work in organizing.

The entire second-year apprenticeship class was honored as well for their continual charitable work throughout their careers. The awards were presented by IBEW Local 43 Pres. Pat Costello, who also serves as president of the Labor Council.

In December, the first-year apprenticeship class delivered over 1,000 pounds of food to the Syracuse Rescue Mission's food service center, which provides three free meals a day every day of the year for anyone in need.

Local 43 apprentices also donated $1,000 worth of toys to area hospital pediatric units to brighten the holiday for children confined to the hospital. The funds used to purchase these donations were raised through the JATC's Cans for Kids bottle and can drives, as well as through bowling and card tournaments organized by the apprentices.

Congratulations to all on a great job!

Gene Townsend, P.S.

L.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,ptc,rtb,t,u&uow), SPRINGFIELD, IL — Local 51 worked hard for passage of Illinois Senate Bill 2814, which was signed into law Dec. 7, 2016, keeping Clinton Power Station and Quad Cities nuclear plants online and producing clean energy. For Clinton, this means job security for our 275 members there and an uninterrupted flow of tax revenue to entities such as the Clinton school district. Altogether, this bill preserves a total of 4,200 jobs in Illinois. Many of our members helped get this bill passed by writing, emailing and/or calling state legislators.

For the spring legislative session, we will continue working to save jobs in our downstate generating plants. We did get verbal commitments to work on additional legislation for downstate generation from various legislative sources. Once again we will need our membership's help.

Former Local 51 business manager Matthew J. Moore was recently appointed as a Sixth District international representative. Matt has served our local since 1998 and also previously was a local union business representative and assistant business manager. His dedicated leadership allowed our membership to grow and prosper. He will represent the IBEW well in his new role. Former assistant business manager John Johnson was appointed Local 51 business manager to fill the unexpired term. We wish Matt and John success in their new endeavors.

Congratulations to the 14 members at Frontier Communications who accepted an early retirement in December. Thank you to all for your IBEW service and best wishes for a happy retirement.

Our construction transmission work should again be strong in 2017 and distribution/substation work should remain steady. Work safe and attend your union meetings.

Karlene Knisley, B.R.

L.U. 53 (lctt,o,rts&u), KANSAS CITY, MO — Bus. Rep. Dexter Drerup reported that Thomas Hill Energy Center held its first ever employee appreciation day on Nov. 1, 2016, and the New Madrid Power Plant recently held a food drive for some of the area food pantries. In all they collected 5,080 items, with the maintenance department collecting 2,370 of those items alone!

Bro. Drerup would like to personally thank all the members for their generosity! Great work, brothers and sisters!

James Burks, V.P.

L.U. 81 (i), SCRANTON, PA — Lackawanna Energy Center is a three-unit single shaft combined-cycle power generation station currently under construction in Jessup, PA, just north of Scranton. It is owned by Invenergy and reportedly will be the single largest natural gas-fired power plant in North America. Its unique design features some of the newest and most efficient technology. IBEW Local 81 has numerous members working on site, employed by Kiewit Power; Roger Holmes is the site's electrical general superintendent. As of this writing, IBEW members have installed 22,900 feet of 4-inch PVC duct bank. Our members also participated in various borough and county planning, zoning, monthly and special meetings throughout the past two years before the power plant was approved.

The approximate scope of work is roughly $755 million (not including the primary equipment) and the nominal output will be 1,500 megawatts upon the power plant's completion in 2018. Major quantities of electrical work include 513 miles of electrical cabling and 53 miles of various piping. The three-year project will peak at 140 staff and 800 craft workers, which will include 100 to 125 of our members, and take approximately 2.2 million man-hours to complete.

Michael Brust, P.S.

L.U. 103 (cs&i), BOSTON, MA — Local 103 electricians employed with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) were recognized for excellence by the Federal Aviation Administration and Massport Operations. The IBEW electricians were presented with Safety & Security Team Awards for Electrical Department runway-status light system upgrades at Boston Logan International Airport, and for crane repair at Conley Marine Terminal.

Many hours of planning and scheduling went into installing updated equipment, lights, cables and transformers. This project was completed with minimal impact to daily operations, using no outside contractors and was completed in record time with no defects, downtime or injuries. Credit goes to our Local 103 electrical team for a job well done! Kudos for a great job to: Jim Dee, Ralph Visconti, Ted Fullam, Rich Cruise, Matt Clogher, John Nigro, Noel Montesano, Rich Johns, Steve Breslin, Mike Jacobs, Glen Buchanan, Ed Casaletto, Angelo Bonaventura, Joe Clark, Anne Marie Raftery, Chris Bodensieck and Steve Coleman.

Louis J. Antonellis, Pres.

L.U. 111 (em,govt,lctt,mt,o,rtb,spa&u), DENVER, CO — Effective Jan. 15, 2017, Bro. Epifenio "Eppie" J. Martinez was appointed business manager/financial secretary to fill the unexpired term of office, due to the appointment of former business manager/financial secretary Sean P. McCarville as an Eighth District international representative.

Bro. Martinez was hired on to the Local 111 staff in January of 2012. He has been a member in good standing since 1998. He worked for Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo) in various classifications until he completed his apprenticeship as a journeyman lineman. During his time at PSCo, he was very active and participated on various committees, and also served as a steward.

He also served Local 111 as an assistant business manager and as a fully active participant with the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (EWMC) at the local and national level, as well as with RENEW/Next-Gen.

Additionally, Bro. Martinez has served on the: PSCo System Supervisory Joint Apprenticeship Committee; the PSCo Safety Advisory Board; and the PSCo Medical Appeals Board. He participated in: Poudre Valley REA negotiations; San Luis Valley negotiations; PSCo general negotiations; PSCo wage opener negotiations; and PSCo Instrument & Control Technicians negotiations. Bro. Martinez also organized and negotiated on behalf of the PSCo System Operations administrative assistants.

Denny Wallace, P.S.

L.U. 113 (catv,ees,em,i,mo&o), COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Greetings, brothers and sisters. As of early 2017, the prospects for work seem to be much better and hopefully we will soon have the majority of the members working, with some traveling members as well. Dynalectric has secured work on two data centers in town. Work has begun on the Children's Hospital north of town, with work on another hospital on the horizon.

Last December, our Christmas party was a huge success, and the children's party was equally successful. Attendees enjoyed the festivities and had a great time. Special thanks to all who donated toys for children at local hospitals, and to Bro. Justin McMahon, who helped distribute the toys to very appreciative kids. It's nice to show the community we are here to help whenever needed.

Mark your calendars for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade on March 11. Our goal is to double the number of members and family participating for a huge showing that we are "IBEW Strong"! We will have a barbecue at the hall afterward.

Lastly, safety is paramount. Please be aware of your surroundings at work, so we can continue to come home to our loved ones.

Brian Putnam, P.S

L.U. 125 (lctt,o,t&u), PORTLAND, OR — Like any year, our local will be preparing for negotiations and working to maintain our standards while too many employers find ways to eliminate the standards that have defined the IBEW for 125 years. All IBEW members must continue our efforts to push for the wages, hours and working conditions, even when we are angry, disappointed, frustrated or scared — because we are the foundation of America's middle class. Our willingness to stand up and push for fairness allows those with no voice to have standards that otherwise would not exist. Re-examine the IBEW Oath that you took upon earning your membership into this great union, so we can ensure that our legacy remains for future generations.

Mark your calendar and plan on joining your IBEW family and friends at these 2017 events:

• Casino Night: March 4
• Pacific Northwest Lineman's Rodeo: July 22
• IBEW Local 125 Golf Tournament: July 28
• IBEW Local 125 Softball Tournament: July 29-30

Please note that this year's Bend golf and softball tournaments will be held in July.

Marcy Grail, A.B.M.

L.U. 145 (em,i,o,rts,se,spa&u), ROCK ISLAND, IL — Local 145, along with the Quad Cities Chapter NECA, kicked off the winter holiday season with the annual Festival of Trees Parade! Together, Local 145 and the Quad Cities Chapter NECA sponsored and participated in the holiday parade as helium balloon handlers. Unfortunately, due to high winds on the morning of the parade, no helium balloons were allowed to be inflated or fly. However, we still had an excellent turnout of members and their families braving the cold and windy conditions to walk in the holiday parade.

Our retirees gathered together on Dec. 12, 2016, for their annual Christmas luncheon. That day over 60 retired members, family and friends had a nice get-together.

2016 was a good year for the Local 145 members and the 2017 work outlook for our local is encouraging. We extend our best wishes for a safe and prosperous 2017 to you and your family.

Dan Larson, P.S.

L.U. 191 (c,i,mo,rtb&st), EVERETT, WA — As our local continues to benefit from a good work picture, we have much to look forward to: golf, picnics, service award banquets and ballgames. Check our websites for dates.

Even more important is for us to appreciate everything we enjoy as IBEW members: great wages, family medical care, secure retirement, state-of-the art training and fair methods of dispute resolution.

Please help build and strengthen our local by continuing to be the best craftsmen you can be. Take time to teach our newer members and participate in our meetings and activities. While you're at it, sign up for a class yourself at the JATC. Our shared future depends on it!

Bill Mirand, P.S.

L.U. 193 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), SPRINGFIELD, IL — Local 193 retiree Lloyd Winhold received his 70-year service pin at our local's Christmas celebration on Dec. 10. Lloyd retired from the trade in February 1987 after working as a journeyman wireman under the inside agreement for 39 years. He also is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served during World War II in the South Pacific. Congratulations, Lloyd, and thank you for your service.

Happy new year! Our governor is still trying to force his "Rat to Work for Less" agenda on the good folks of Illinois. Blaming everyone but himself, our "Rookie Bookie" has no idea how to pass a budget. The work scene is slow and Illinois needs a budget to get our members back to work. And U.S. Pres. Donald Trump has now been inaugurated. Full assault on working folks and unions is already in play in the White House and in Congress. We must fight the attacks with all our strength and with all the unity we can muster.

Our sympathies go out to the families of recently deceased members Joseph P. Neece and Charles M. Barber. Our brothers will be missed but not forgotten. Charlie Barber was a 68-year member of Local 193. He served as an apprentice instructor, as treasurer of Local 193, and as chairman of the Local 193 Retirees Club.

Don Hudson, P.S.

L.U. 245 (govt,lctt,o,rtb&u), TOLEDO, OH — Happy new year everyone. Hopefully it has been good to you so far. The new year brings numerous contract negotiations, starting with our TV stations. WTOL - Channel 11 negotiations were up first and should be completed by the time you read this. WNWO - Channel 24 is dealing with downsizing, due to technology changes, and the downsizing process is to be completed in March. WTVG - Channel 13 will start negotiations later this quarter. Next up are Bryan Municipal negotiations followed by Hancock-Wood. It looks to be a very busy first quarter.

The outside work picture is pretty slow as of this writing, but it should be picking up by the time you read this and looks good going into spring.

There is an air of uncertainty at the utility, as First Energy is exploring options on the generation side of the corporation.

Local 245 honored three former and current officers for their service to the local. Altogether, the three have a combined total of 131 years of IBEW membership. Honored were: retiree John Carman (former executive board member), with 43 years of IBEW service; retiree Jack Shell (former executive board member), with 42 years of service; and myself, Ray Zychowicz (current Local 245 president), with 46 years of IBEW service.

Thanks to all for your service. Have a safe and happy spring!

Ray Zychowicz, P.S.

L.U. 269 (i&o), TRENTON, NJ — Local members traded in their 2016 post-election blues for some well-needed holiday cheer. December began with a visit from Santa himself as he and his helpers took up residence in the union hall and treated members and their families to photos and refreshments and toys for the little ones. This annual tradition is a staple of our organization and a tribute to all those involved in making it a special occasion. After Santa packed up his sleigh and left to continue his mission, the local held its annual Christmas party for members. Brothers and sisters were treated to beef and beverages as well as cigars rolled by hand on-site. Members also brought gently used coats and new socks to benefit those less fortunate than ourselves. In the winter season, a warm coat and socks can make a big difference in the life of a needy recipient.

On the work front, the out-of-work list remains manageable as some local solar projects are steadily calling for workers. These projects are a testament to the staying power of the solar energy industry here in New Jersey.

Brian Jacoppo, P.S.

L.U. 343 (i,spa&st), LE SUEUR, MN — Our cause is the cause of human justice, human rights, human security — as stated in the Declaration of the IBEW. Workers' rights are human rights. What we strive for as a brotherhood are safe working conditions, fair pay and benefits, and security in our retirement. We are not all labor leaders, but we ALL are what makes the labor movement. On March 4, 1801, Thomas Jefferson, in his inaugural address, declared: "Take not from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned." The power in those words rings true today 216 years later. We will keep what we justly earn and will continue to seek fairness for all who labor.

Local 343 congratulates the retirees of 2016: Richard Sandeno, Gary Freeman, David Christsensen, Tony Dickey, David Kraft, Raymond "Pete" Weis, Michael Kelly, Douglas Haines and Harold Luhman.

We also remember the passing of several members in 2016: John Williams, Douglas Ovens, Ronald Ginapp, Dennis Doherty, Donald Doheny, Kenneth Whitaker, Donald Lohse, John Guyse and Clarence O'Neil.

Come join your brothers and sisters at the annual awards banquet in Winona on April 22 for a night of food, fun and solidarity.

Support American workers and promote American jobs by buying "Made in USA."

Tom Small, P.S.

L.U. 347 (em,i,mt,rtb,rts&spa), DES MOINES, IA — When taking CPR classes, it's common to hope we never are called upon to use the techniques we're being trained for.

On Nov. 16, 2016, a Local 347 member suffered a massive heart attack at the conclusion of a journeyman training class while in the classroom. His misfortune had an element of good fortune in that there were well-trained CPR providers in the classroom.

Bros. Rick Corbin, John Schoolen, Matt Marchese, Derek Sandy and Sister Barb Mentzer stepped forward and started administering CPR, and continued until the Clive, Iowa, Rescue Team arrived some 12 minutes later. The rescue team then used a defibrillator to re-establish a regular heart beat. The heart attack victim later suffered another heart attack at the hospital, but he survived.

These IBEW brothers and sister are to be commended for the immediate action they took at the moment of another brother's need. Also thank you to all the others who helped and cleared the way for the rescue team to enter the building to give needed care to the victim.

This episode speaks to the value of keeping current on our CPR training, and also to the trust we place in the brothers and sisters who surround us.

Mike Schweiger, P.S.

L.U. 351 (c,cs,i,it,lctt,mt,o,se,spa&t), FOLSOM, NJ — The local's 2016 Children's Christmas Party was another success with 700 in attendance.

I would like to thank the Christmas committee and all who helped make the festive occasion possible, including: Wayne Bumm, Don Morgan, Steve Dimatteo, "Santa" Jim Ruff, Bill Hosey, Jim Bresh, Joe Trumbetti, Chuck DellaVechia, Ray Listman, Ed Rieser, Rick Signor, Natalia Fritchman, Lou Jiacopello, Kathy D'Alonzo, Conrad Schaffer and Andy Helsel.

Bill Hosey, Pres.

L.U. 375 (catv,ees&i), ALLENTOWN, PA — Local 375 extends deepest gratitude and well wishes to David Reichard, former president who retired Dec. 30, 2016.

Bro. Reichard began his apprenticeship in 1972 and was initiated in July of 1973, following in the footsteps of his father, Carson Reichard. Over the course of 43 years, Dave has remained a steadfast member and leader of the local. Twenty-four years after his initiation, he looked on proudly as his son Steven was also initiated into the IBEW.

During his career, Dave has worked in the field as a journeyman wireman, assistant general foreman, and general foreman. Before moving into a full-time position in the Local 375 office, he was general foreman at the Conectiv Energy power plant project. It was this transition that allowed Dave to work diligently for the local and for labor as a whole.

Over the years Dave served on numerous committees. Within the local, he also worked tirelessly as an organizer/business representative, as assistant business manager and ultimately as president. In these roles, he has helped shape policy for labor within Lehigh Valley and Pennsylvania.

His commitment to the IBEW and to all of labor has left a positive and lasting impact for generations to come. It is with sincere appreciation that we wish Dave all the best as he begins a new chapter in his life. We thank you for everything, Dave, and we are proud to call you brother.

Christopher Kaufman, B.R.

L.U. 449 (catv,em,i,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), POCATELLO, ID — Greetings, brothers and sisters. In 2016 we made some gains in terms of our attrition rate. Six apprentices graduated, and 21 apprentices were brought in, a mixture of brand new guys and some with experience that began in previous years. With the workload we have had over the last several years, it has been tough trying to keep up with the rate of apprentices graduating and the rate of starting new apprentices.

With organizing efforts and a great work picture, we are starting to make some headway. We all know that we need to keep our apprentice classes as full as possible — and that is exactly what our apprenticeship committee and the apprenticeship director have done. It seems that we will have the ability to continue this practice over the next several years, as our work picture looks great.

With deep regret we report the passing of Bros. Fred Ehlert, Larson Rowen and John Danz. We send our deepest condolences to their families. We are thankful for our brothers' service to the IBEW and they will be missed but never forgotten.

Rodney James, B.M.

L.U. 465 (lctt&u), SAN DIEGO, CA — 2016 was a promising year for IBEW Local 465, as we celebrated the graduation of 25 IBEW journeymen! The 2016 apprenticeship graduating class was the largest we have had in over 10 years!

Congratulations to our new journeyman linemen: Armando Lopez, Miguel Gomez, Steven Rivera, Scott Crummy, Jerry Mitchell, Paul Janssen, Elijah Trujillo, Adrian Beaver, Michael Lloyd, Justin Dukes, Taylor Simmons and Joshua Guymon (outstanding apprentice). Congratulations to our new journeyman meter test electricians: Tracy Akenson, Michael Brooker, Ismael Sandoval, Felipe Martinez and Louis Rainys (outstanding apprentice). And congratulations to our new journeyman substation electricians: Laura Garcia, Alejandro Anguiano, Anthony Funk, Alec Kiln, Paul Arredondo, Billy Outlaw, Che Smith and Edward Aranjo (outstanding apprentice).

The future of our local is bright! I would like to thank the families of each graduating apprentice for sharing in the sacrifices to help make these accomplishments possible. We had a special guest at the apprenticeship graduation ceremony: Bill Haines, son of famous author William Wister Haines, who wrote "Slim the Lineman." Our friend provided a personalized and signed copy of "Slim" to each outstanding apprentice! Thank you to everyone who attended the graduation ceremony.

Nate Fairman, B.M.

L.U. 553 (i,mt,o&ws), RALEIGH, NC — We here in Local 553 just want to say thank-you to all of the outside contractors and fellow union members who came to aid us in our jurisdiction and throughout the state during the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew back in October 2016.

As a result of that storm, the state of North Carolina experienced days of power outages, downed trees, and $6 billion in total damage, with a $4 billion to $6 billion economic impact on the state. It was these contractors and their IBEW electricians who brought electricity and the modern conveniences that use electricity back to our state in the wake of the storm. Thank you to all for your time, toil and bravery that got the job done quickly and safely.

Josh Nixon, P.S.

L.U. 557 (i,mt,rts&spa), SAGINAW, MI — The work outlook in our local has picked up. We have been able to put more members out to work in recent months. This is great, as we were able to bring members home to work over the holiday season.

Our local did some great things for the community over the holiday season. Local 557 "adopted" a family for the Christmas holiday. With the help from our members, we were able to help make an area family's unfortunate situation a little easier for Christmas. In addition to the "adopt a family" event, we also hosted a food drive. The food and funds that were collected went out to local families in our area. The amount of support that was shown by Local 557 members for these two events was extremely motivating. Our members, without hesitation, jumped right into giving back this year. It was a great example of how local unions play a key role in keeping our communities strong.

Howard Revard, P.S.

L.U. 569 (i,mar,mt,rts&spa), SAN DIEGO, CA — IBEW Local 569 is proud of our efforts to give back and support working families!

We recently honored our veterans from IBEW 569 and made a contribution to the Three Wise Men Veterans Foundation to support local veterans with foundation founder and former California Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher.

We also supported families-in-need during the holiday season with a $10,000 contribution to San Diego's Food & Toy Drive, and with the affiliated unions of the San Diego Building Trades Council we collected and donated over 50,000 diapers to local mothers-in-need, in coordination with California Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher!

Additionally, we are providing free electric vehicle charging to our members and employees under our new partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Workplace Charging Challenge. IBEW electricians have installed hundreds of charging units locally and we anticipate thousands more thanks to California's groundbreaking climate policies.

Finally, IBEW 569 welcomes Tammy Spinks as our new Apprenticeship Training director! Congratulations, Tammy, on your new position — we look forward to your efforts to expand apprenticeship opportunities.

We're heading into 2017 as a stronger local thanks to YOU and your hard work! Together, we will continue to make a difference and build better communities.

Gretchen K. Newsom, P.S./Organizer

L.U. 595 (c,cs,govt,i,mt,o,se&st), DUBLIN, CA — This past fall season was busy in Local 595. Here in this region, local elections proved to be victorious, and some of the bond measures that passed will create hundreds of jobs and generate thousands of hours of work for Local 595 sisters and brothers.

Work is well underway at Washington Hospital in Fremont, and as of this writing work was expected to begin on the V.A. Clinic in French Camp in early 2017.

As always, the Local 595 Old Timers Night and Member Recognition Night were well-attended.

From our longtime Years of Service Award pin recipients to our first-year apprentices, Local 595 continues to pass the torch to our next generation of wiremen to move our local forward.

Jason Gumataotao, P.S.

L.U. 611 (catv,es,govt,i,lctt,o,spa,t&u), ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The local's annual Children's Christmas Party was a huge success again last year. We had a change of venue for the party for the first time ever. The 2016 event was held downtown at the Wool Warehouse instead of at our union hall. The committee did a great job as usual and, of course, Santa was there to take pictures and hand out stockings.

At the time of this writing there haven't been any calls for the Facebook job yet, but by the time this article is published, the job should be manning up. An article in the Albuquerque Journal reported that Cupertino (the main electrical contractor) will need 250 wiremen immediately and another 100 by the spring or summer.

Mid-January was the beginning of the 60-day state legislative session. Since the Democrats have control of the state House and Senate there shouldn't be as much concern for so-called "right-to-work," but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Stay involved and never miss an opportunity to vote.

Local 611 extends condolences to families and friends of recently deceased members: Rayborne C. Tedford, John P. Curran, Norval G. Hughes, Tommie F. Strand, Seferino Baca, Robert Raymond King, Arlie A. Dixon, Arsenio Sanchez and Morris Kline.

Darrell J. Blair, P.S.

L.U. 613 (em,i,o,rts&spa), ATLANTA, GA — Last December our local held the annual Friends of the IBEW Holiday Breakfast. This occasion is a great opportunity for rank-and-file members to meet and have conversations with their elected public officials in a relaxed atmosphere over a warm meal. This bipartisan gathering has for many years been one of the more anticipated events in the holiday season. Many members of the Georgia state legislature were in attendance, along with local sheriffs and county commissioners. With an Atlanta mayoral race coming in late 2017, several candidates enjoyed their morning getting to know the workforce that will build the future of Georgia's capital city.

2017 has seen changes in our local. Former business manager Gene O'Kelly has stepped up to accept an appointment as an IBEW international representative. The Local 613 Executive Board appointed Max Mount Jr. as business manager to fill the unexpired term of office. Bus. Mgr. Mount served as the local union president for over a decade. The Executive Board also appointed Brian King as Local 613 president to fill that vacated position. These two gentlemen will sit at the table and guide our local through contract negotiations later this spring.

James Williams, P.S.

L.U. 625 (c,ees,em,i,it,mar&mt), HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA — 2016 saw 32 members of Local 625 retire. Retirees not yet reported in this space are: Clive Wood, Rod Dow, Doug Grant, Richard A. Morrison, Carl Smith, James Fanning and Glen Miller.

We lost several brothers in 2016: Jack Ripley passed away in May at age 69; Wade Devoe, in July at age 62; Jason MacInnis, in October at age 39; and Sheldon Thomas, who was 69, and Perry Hubley, who was 64, both passed away in November.

On Dec. 3, Santa visited Local 625's holiday party for children of local union members. The party was held at Hatfield Farms and Santa presented gifts to the 120 lucky children in attendance.

On Dec. 17, we had a snow storm but that did not stop 222 members and spouses from coming out to the annual Local 625 Christmas Dinner & Dance. Door prizes, spot dances, draws and a free meal were just a few of the rewards for those who attended.

Upcoming work includes the following projects: the IKEA store (60+ jobs); Moose River Gold Mine (100+ jobs); 4 Pad Rink (15+ jobs); Dalhousie Fitness Centre (30+ jobs); the Dalhouse "IDEA" facility; the Willow Park DND facility; Bell Aliant Communications Centre; Tatamagouche P-12 school; and the YMCA/condo development.

2017 looks to be a much better year than 2016 was, and hopefully we will see everyone working again.

Tom Griffiths, A.B.M.

L.U. 627 (u), FORT PIERCE, FL — Unit #2 at St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant has entered into another refueling outage as of press time. Outages bring in many personnel. As always, remember to practice safety on the jobsite and keep a watch out for the other person.

Bus. Mgr./Pres. Mark MacNichol announced that the 3rd Annual Bike Run will take place on May 6. Please join the brotherhood of riders and participate in this run. There is still plenty of time to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the Union Sportsmen's Alliance (USA), visit their website at http://unionsportsmen.org. You will find a lot of interesting information there.

Contract negotiations will take place this year. Stash some of your outage cash for reserve. Unions will be faced with an unfriendly political environment. Members are advised to be prepared and put aside some cash to have on hand for their families.

Ray Vos, P.S.

L.U. 659 (c,catv,em,i,lctt,o,st,t&u), MEDFORD, OR — It is with great sadness that we announce the passing in late 2016 of Helen M. Bieghler and Ronald L. Johnson, both of whom served our local with passion and professionalism.

Helen was a former secretary for Local 659 and served our office for over 35 years before retiring in 1985. She passed away on Dec. 7, 2016. Walt Conner, retired assistant business manager, noted that Helen was a great lady and truly a professional in her work.

Bro. Ronald Johnson joined our local in 1970 as an apprentice wireman. In 1974, he successfully completed the journeyman wireman apprenticeship program and examination; he worked for various electrical contractors.

Prior to his 2008 retirement, Ron served on many advisory boards, committees, councils and trusts. He served on the Executive Board for a term until June 1993. In 2006, he was a delegate to the 37th IBEW International Convention in Cleveland, OH. Ron also helped with numerous local union picnics through the years.

Ron was hired on as a Local 659 organizer in 1994 and later became assistant business manager. In August 2003, Ron was congratulated by then-Int. Pres. Edwin D. Hill regarding the representation election win at Eugene Water & Electric Board.

Bro. Ron Johnson passed away Dec. 6, 2016.

Kathy Joy, R.S.

renovation, the Mentor Aquatic center and the Willoughby women's health care center — are reminders of how our political involvement helps to shape our paychecks and put our members to work.

I would like to thank all our members who have given their free time to do political walks and phone banks. Apprentices, journeyman, retirees, CEs/CWs, officers and registrars have banded together for a common goal, which is to elect politicians who will support our goals and further the purposes of our organization.

Dave Phillips, P.S.

L.U. 683 (em&i), COLUMBUS, OH — With a good change of pace over the winter, the work picture has been busy for Local 683. The work outlook for this spring also looks promising for our local. Our move into our new union hall is complete and the remodel of our meeting room begins this summer! If you need to contact our union hall, the phone number remains the same as before.

Tracy Starcher, V.P./P.S.

L.U. 697 (c,es,i,mt&se), GARY AND HAMMOND, IN — Spring is in the air, and several events are coming up that can cure cabin fever.

Our spring blood drive is scheduled for March 24. Our 3 on 3 Charity Basketball Tourney is in April. The Golf League, weather permitting, usually starts in April. The March of Dimes Walk is May 7. And the Credit Union Annual Meeting is May 6. We hope to see you at one or all of these events.

At our December union meeting, IBEW Local 697 extended honorary membership to Rich Anderson. Rich has been the owner of A&E Electric for over 40 years, and he has served on the Apprenticeship Committee for over 17 years. He was a Town of Griffith School Board member for 35 years and has always been a willing participant in Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity projects when asked by the Local 697 membership. His son Tom is a 30-year IBEW journeyman as well. Thank you to Rich, a true partner in the electrical industry.

Dan Waldrop, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 773 (as,em,i,mo&o), WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA — It is with great sadness that I report the death of Bro. Rob Morneau. He was 44. On Nov. 3, 2016, while working on the roof of Ventra Plastics in Windsor, Bro. Morneau tripped and fell, breaking through a skylight and falling to the floor below. He succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward in the hospital. His death marks the first "at work" accidental death in Local 773's nearly 100-year history. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bro. Morneau's family.

We thank both Local 2038 (Regina, Saskatchewan) and Local 402 (Thunder Bay, Ontario) for providing work for some of our members this past year.

The work picture here is improving with work on the horizon. The much-anticipated Belle River Wind Project is now taking workers as the job progresses. That project is expected to last until October of 2017. Another project, Leamington Substation, is scheduled to begin this winter. Both projects were awarded to Black & McDonald.

Segments of the Windsor/Detroit Bridge project are also expected to be awarded soon.

David Spencer, P.S.

L.U. 777 (u), READING, PA — Members of IBEW Local 777 working for Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed) achieved something in 2016 that has never been done in the history of the company.

Over 450 workers supporting different job classifications and skill levels in the electric distribution industry went more than one year without an OSHA recordable accident. It was a gradual transformation from what was once a record that needed improvement. The change can be attributed mostly to the workers themselves and their diligence in looking out for each other and themselves on the job. Also contributing to the success are a program and an environment whereby union workers can initiate operational changes that create a safer working environment.

This safety achievement helped earn our local the Pennsylvania Governor's Occupational Safety & Health Award.

Looking forward, the members are working to keep all of our brothers and sisters safe, and hopefully to improve on our record this year.

Mark C. Power, P.S.

L.U. 827 (catv&t), EAST WINDSOR, NJ — On Feb. 2 last year, Local 827 steward and member Fred Sidoti was working at the Garden State Mall in Paramus, NJ. While Fred was taking his lunch at the food court, a frantic mother screamed that her baby was choking. Many other onlookers seemed unsure of what to do, and a mall supervisor called over the radio to alert security that the infant was not breathing.

Fred sprang into action and began to administer CPR while the Paramus police and emergency personnel were in route. As Fred continued with this lifesaving technique, food that was lodged in the baby's throat came clear and the baby began to breathe again.

After the police and the EMTs arrived, they treated the infant and transported the baby to the hospital for further observation.

Fred's actions are believed to have saved the child's life! He is a hero and a proud member of the IBEW. We congratulate Fred for receiving the IBEW Lifesaving Award.

R.W. Speer, Pres./B.M.

L.U. 965 (em,govt,ptc&u), MADISON, WI — Thank you to IBEW Local 965 members who recently came to the aid of a fellow sister in need. When Jessie Brandl, an assistant project designer out of Wisconsin Rapids, realized that winter was on its way, one thing was standing in her way, an empty woodpile. Jessie's husband, Craig, was having spinal surgery and so was unable to manage the task of restocking the woodpile this season, so the call for help went out. Jessie's call was answered by her brothers and sisters of IBEW Local 965 from Wisconsin Rapids, Tomah, Portage and Fond du Lac, WI.

The day was spent cutting, splitting and stacking a winter's worth of firewood for Jessie and her family. They were very thankful for a job well done by fellow members of IBEW Local 965.

Robert Jung, P.S.

L.U. 1015 (em&i), WESLACO, TX — IBEW Local 1015 congratulates recent OSHA 30 training class graduates. On Dec. 17 last year, graduates of the class were awarded their OSHA certificates.

With their persistence, hard work and determination — along with the help of OSHA instructor Raul Torres, Rio Grande Valley Laredo Electrical JATC Training Dir. Servando Munguia, RGVLE JATC office manager Christina Martinez, RGVLE JATC secretary Yasmin Deleon, and Local 1015 Bus. Mgr. Sergio A. Salinas — these students were able to complete their 30-hour OSHA course. The purpose of the "general awareness" OSHA course is to provide workers with introductory information about OSHA. The mission of OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America's workers. Some required training covers topics such as lockout/tagout procedures, blood-borne pathogens, noise, confined spaces, fall hazards in construction, personal protective equipment, and a variety of other topics.

The Rio Grande Valley Laredo Electrical JATC was able to provide this OSHA30 training free of cost through grant funding of $110,000 awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission and signed by Julian Alvarez, one of our commissioners representing labor.

Yasmin Deleon, P.S.

L.U. 1049 (lctt,o,u&uow), LONG ISLAND, NY — After 35 years of service, Bus. Mgr. Donald Daley Jr. announced his retirement, effective Feb. 1, 2017. Don has served the IBEW as a steward, Executive Board member, vice president, president, and as business manager of former Local 1381. In 2008, after Locals 1049 and 1381 amalgamated, Don became Local 1049's assistant business manager. In 2010 he was appointed business manager and was subsequently elected to that post.

Under Don's leadership, Local 1049 has prospered, grown and flourished. The membership, in all divisions, have seen steady and consistent increases in their wage and benefit packages. Under Don's leadership we have grown the membership into nontraditional areas of utility work. Our membership numbers are at their highest.

In 2014, Don had the vision to facilitate the local's purchase our new union office and training center. And with the sale of our Hauppauge Building, our general fund has never been healthier.

On behalf of my fellow officers, the Executive Board and the business staff, I want to wish Don all of the best in retirement. May God continue to bless him and his family.

In December, with the full support of the officers and business staff, the Executive Board appointed then-senior business representative Ron Bauer as our new business manager. Throughout his career, Ron has been an active steward, safety advocate, Executive Board member, a member of the business staff and a strong advocate for labor.

We are confident that under Bus. Mgr. Bauer's leadership, Local 1049 will continue to thrive.

Thomas J. Dowling, R.S.

L.U. 1105 (i), NEWARK, OH — Local 1105 would like to proudly introduce Bro. Brian R. Burkhart, who has been a member of IBEW Local 1105 since 2007. Prior to his IBEW apprenticeship, Bro. Burkhart served in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army from 1989 through 1993.

On Dec. 20, 1989, the 82nd Airborne Division invaded Panama to capture drug lord Manuel Noriega, during Operation Just Cause. Upon this mission, Bro. Burkhart was struck by a bullet on the left side of the head by sniper fire during a firefight. He recovered at Walter Reed Memorial Hospital at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was subsequently awarded the Purple Heart for his service to the country during that mission.

On Veteran's Day 2016, Bro. Burkhart was nominated by a fellow paratrooper, who served with him in Operation Just Cause, at Wishes for Warriors event in Temecula, CA. Rick Gravesen of Patriot Ordinance Factory presented Burkhart with a POF 415 rifle with the 82nd Airborne Division patch engraved for his duty in combat. IBEW Local 1105 was honored to sponsor Bro. Burkhart's trip to the Wishes for Warriors event.

Donny Rutledge, P.S./Organizer

L.U. 1141 (em,i,mow,rts&spa), OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Greetings, brothers and sisters.

It's been a positive 2017 so far at our local. As of this writing, we are looking for volunteers for the upcoming Oklahoma City "Run to Remember" Memorial Marathon on April 30. This will be our third consecutive year staffing water stop #13 at Lake Hefner. Last year, not only did we get 75 volunteers at the water station, but also dozens of our fellow brothers and sisters ran in the race representing our local union. Call the union hall at (405) 670-4777 to sign up to volunteer. And check out footage and photos of last year's event at www.bit.ly/1141marathon.

We were also happy to host our latest Apprenticeship Graduation on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Thanks to all the families who came out and helped make it a very special occasion. Congratulations, graduates, on the next step of your careers!

Until next time, please work safe, and thank you for all you do on the job and in the community.

Dewayne Wilcox, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 1245 (catv,em,govt,lctt,o,pet,t&u), VACAVILLE, CA — IBEW members who work for the City of Vallejo recently received their first general wage increase in nine years, thanks to a newly ratified agreement. The City of Vallejo workers, who were formerly represented by IBEW Local 2376, voted to merge with IBEW 1245 in December 2015, and Local 1245 finally secured a successor agreement after 25 separate bargaining sessions over the course of 12 months.

Thousands of Local 1245 members at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) also secured a new four-year agreement in late 2016, which includes a combined 12.5 percent wage increase, along with improvements to short-term disability and paid family leave.

Local 1245 supported the successful organizing effort at Baltimore Gas & Electric. The local dispatched five member-organizers and one staffer to help spread the word about the union and collect authorization cards during December, and sent another group out in early January to get out the vote for the union election. [Editor's note: See news story about the victory at BG&E on Pg. 1 of this issue.]

In Outside Construction, the work outlook remains very strong, and we expect to see an increase in 2017 in all types of work, including distribution, transmission, substation and underground.

Rebecca Band, P.S.

L.U. 1249 (catv,lctt,o,t&u), SYRACUSE, NY — Local 1249 hosted a fundraising event, "Grow a Beard for Your Brother." Members started with a freshly shaven face on Nov. 1 last year and then put away the razor for the rest of the month. The 23 brave participants donated money to join the competition and then raised money from family and friends. Proceeds went to the National Sisterhood United for Journeymen Linemen (NSUJL). Over $3,000 was raised.

The competition ended Nov. 30. There were six categories to compete for. Following are the lucky winners: Hairless Cat (saddest beard) — Jared Maker; Life is Not Fair (ugliest beard) — Nate Parkman; ZZ Top's Competition (longest beard) — Tim Daley; GQ Style (prettiest beard) — Gene Bailey; The King (best all-around beard) — Jason Nesci; and Future Politician (most money raised) — Ryan Youngman.

Local 1249 thanks everyone who participated and donated. We can't wait to do it again next year!

Jennifer Schneider, P.S.

L.U. 1347 (ees,em&u), CINCINNATI, OH — IBEW Local 1347 members stepped up to help spread care, warmth and gifts during the holiday season last year!

The holiday season can be tough for so many people. Part of our IBEW Local 1347 mission is community outreach. We are proud and humbled by the amazing donations members made for our Thanksgiving Coat Drive and Meals for the Cincinnati Community projects.

During the 2016 Christmas holiday season, we provided every child in Cincinnati Children's Hospital with a teddy bear.

Thank you to the Local 1347 fundraiser participants and to all members who donated their time to deliver over 600 teddy bears to hospitalized children. We are proud to be able to share warmth and care with the community during the holidays.

Andrew Kirk, B.M.

L.U. 1501 (ees,em,mo,pet,rts&t), BALTIMORE, MD — Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dion F. Guthrie attended his 11th straight IBEW International Convention last year. The first International Convention he attended was in Seattle in 1970.

The 39th IBEW International Conventions took place in September 2016 in St. Louis. Bus. Mgr. Guthrie noted that his appointment by Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson to serve on the Finance Committee at the 2016 convention was an honor and one of the highlights of his career.

At the 2016 International Convention, Int. Pres. Emeritus Edwin D. Hill swore in Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson and all of the IBEW leadership team. Renewing our IBEW legacy and charting a new course for our future was clearly on the table and has been achieved.

James Boyd, F.S./P.S.

L.U. 1701 (catv,ees,i,o&u), OWENSBORO, KY — 2016 was a successful year for Local 1701. Work was good for our membership and several travelers. The 2017 outlook is also optimistic with several projects already underway and more scheduled after the first of the year.

The International Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro is under roof and I.E.S. has the electrical contract; Beltline Electric has the work at three Convenient Care Centers in our jurisdiction; union contractors are bidding work at the Hanson, KY, Carhartt manufacturing plant; and several utility plant shutdown projects are scheduled for spring.

Local 1701 held elections in June of 2016. Timothy Blandford was elected business manager, and Andy Daniel was elected president.

Our annual picnic was Sept. 10 at Golfland USA. Members enjoyed a fine meal including BBQ chicken and Boston butt roast.

Thirty-seven service pins were presented at our December meeting for eligible members with years of service ranging from 20 to 65 years. Carroll Hagerman received a 65-year pin. And 50-year pins were awarded to: Virgil Abel, John Badertscher, James Baggett, John Chappell, James Cook, James Kamuf, Jessi Lowe, Larry McMahon, George Moore, Gordon Payne and Ronnie Townsend.

The 2016 elections have destined Kentucky to become a so-called "right to work" state, with prevailing wage repealed. How this will affect our bidding process and standard of living is uncertain.

Richard Thomson, P.S.

L.U. 1837 (rtb&u), MANCHESTER, ME — Eversource New Hampshire field technicians and specialists overwhelmingly ratified their first contract agreement. The workers organized under an Armour-Globe NLRB petition and their agreement is an addendum to the existing Utility Group contract at the company.

"I think it is a good agreement for the field techs and I'm pleased we were able to include them in our current contract with Eversource," said Tom Ryan, IBEW Local 1837 assistant business manager for New Hampshire. "We were able to maintain most of the benefits that our members enjoy."

One of the biggest successes for the union bargaining team was stabilizing and equalizing the pay rates for the classifications covered by the agreement. Every field technician and specialist received a wage increase to at least cover the cost of their union dues and most received more than that. Since the contract expires on May 31, it is likely that they will receive an additional wage adjustment upon ratification of the successor agreement.

As union members, they will have the opportunity to make proposals and vote for the Utility Group contract as well as vote for IBEW officers and leadership positions. For the first time, field technicians and specialists now have a contract that guarantees that all work performed outside of their normal schedule will be paid at overtime rates.

The field technicians and specialists are commonly referred to as "writers" and are responsible for work associated with the design, maintenance, construction and operation of the Eversource electric distribution system in the Granite State. Currently, there are 27 workers in the Field Technician A/B/C and Field Technician Specialist classifications.

On the union negotiating team were: technicians Vaughn Taylor and Dan Pariseau; Local 1837 Bus. Mgr. Dick Rogers; Administrative Asst. Sue Ekola; and Asst. Bus. Mgr. Tom Ryan.

Matthew Beck, Organizer/B.R.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1, ST. LOUIS, MO — Greetings and good wishes to all for the year ahead now that the holiday season is over.

With the horrible 2016 election results, nationally and in Missouri, we need to be politically active. Our new governor ran on passing a devastating so-called "right-to-work" law. As of this writing, the state legislature was moving rapidly to send a "right-to-work" bill to the governor. If we are asked to write letters or make phone calls to our state representatives and state senators, please follow through.

Remember our Electrical Workers' Voluntary Fund meetings. They are a great way to keep informed. Stay in touch through the Local 1 website www.ibewlocal1.org. Stay active and engaged, and stay informed.

Neal McCormack, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NASSAU CHAPTER — Our Nassau Chapter Bowling League is a terrific activity for all. [See accompanying photo.]

Bowling is a lifetime sport that you can play for, well, your whole life. All of us have bowled as a child with family or at a birthday party, in high school or college on a team or with friends. Bowling is a sport that can grow as you grow, but you do not have to have a 220- or 160- or even a 60-pin game average to enjoy bowling. Bowling is a sport, a social interaction and a low impact exercise all in one. People of any age can participate. The oldest player in our Bowling League is 91, and he can still throw a strike.

ect with old friends or make new ones while staying healthy and active.

John Milligan, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH FLORIDA CHAPTER — Our chapter had its annual Christmas/Hanukkah party at the Delray Beach Country Club on Friday, Jan. 13. The food and the entertainment were excellent and enjoyed by all the guests.

The chapter meets on the second Friday of the month, from October to May, at 10 a.m. at the South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, in Delray Beach. We welcome all Local 3 retirees to our meetings.

Bob Rosenhouch, Co-Chmn.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, SUFFOLK CHAPTER — After enjoying bagels, coffee and cake, we started our December meeting. It was reported that our Toys for Tots Drive was very successful due to our members' generosity. Our Annual Food Drive again hit its mark. We donated over 300 pounds of nonperishable food for Long Island Cares, Harry Chapin Food Bank. At meeting's close, Chmn. Jack Foley and his wife, Ann, wished everyone a happy holiday season.

Our Annual Holiday Party at the Watermill Caterers was a wonderful success. There was plenty of food, 50/50 basket of cheer, and best of all many good friends to share the day with. We thank Cathy and John Schoenig for their hard work to make the party a success. We also thank their committee — Lois and Andy Weiss, Loretta and Frank Bono, Maryann and John Arendt, Eileen and Vinnie Crisostomo — for the beautiful favors. The chairman presented our annual plaque awards to Allan Eimer, Olivia and Hank Schmidt, Cathy and John Schoenig, and Michael Zoldack to thank them for their hard work for the club.

Our New York City bus trip was again a great success. Thank you to Olivia and Hank Schmidt for all their work planning the trip. We visited Rockefeller Center and went to see the famous holiday tree, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Bryant Park. We walked down Fifth Avenue to see the holiday window displays. We also boarded a bus for the ride and got to see street performers at Columbus Circle and along 7th Avenue.

We wish everyone a happy, healthy new year.

Harvey Goldman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WESTCHESTER / PUTNAM CHAPTER — On Dec. 13 last year, 90 chapter members and guests attended our 28th annual Christmas/Hanukkah Luncheon, at the Leewood Golf Club in Eastchester, NY. The beautiful setting, affordable prices, and the fact that the Leewood employees are union members, keeps us coming back year after year.

For 2016, only four of our members became Gold Club members, reaching the golden age of 80. Those members, Sidney Gitter, Michael Brennan, Daniel Greaves Jr. and Neil Peterson, were awarded plaques, recognizing their many years of service to the IBEW.

A special award was given to retiring Asst. Bus. Mgr. Paul Ryan. Paul was awarded a plaque for his 43 years of service to the IBEW. He also was presented with a U.S. flag, flown by Intrepid former crew members from the flag bridge of the USS Intrepid, for his dedication to the international labor movement and his U.S. Army service in Germany and Vietnam.

As we are very supportive of our military, the reading by Carole Mills of the poem "Old Glory" was the perfect ending to a very pleasant afternoon.

Richard Mills, Treas.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 35, HARTFORD, CT — The Retirees Club met for their annual luncheon in October at Adams Mill Restaurant. It was an excellent buffet and over 40 people attended. Thank you to Local 35 for hosting this event.

The December meeting of the IBEW Local 35 Retirees Club was well-attended as we held our holiday luncheon. Special thanks to retired Local 35 member Charlie Rose for inviting Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Sean Connolly, who spoke at the event. Connolly spoke about department services for veterans including housing, health care centers and more. He also discussed the Department of Mental Health Services, and spoke about the Connecticut Hall of Fame and the founding of the first home for veterans after the Civil War. Connolly noted that the DVA proudly serves over 200,000 veterans in Connecticut.

We remember those members who passed in 2016. Included in memoriam are: Richard Avery, George Clark, Salvatore Firetto, Robert Fritz, William Johnson, Richard Kinghorn Sr., James Martocchio, Charles Rady, Charles Steelman, Richard Sutter, Charles Thorpe, Arthur Titus and John Welch.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!

Kenneth R. White, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 53, KANSAS CITY, MO — As you read this, we will be coming into the spring of a new year. We hope everyone had a great holiday season and wish you all the very best for 2017.

For those who may not be aware, there is a group of retirees who started getting together every other month for lunch. We meet at the Lumberyard Grill and Pub at 201 Main Street in Urich, Missouri, at 11:30 am on the second Thursday of the odd months. We would welcome any retired members who would like to join us. A big thank-you to Bro. Ron Schock for getting this started. As you can see in the accompanying picture, it's a pretty good group of retired members.

Mark your calendars: the annual Local 53 Crappie Tournament will be held June 3, 2017, at Truman State Park in Warsaw, Missouri. You can contact the hall for more details.

Local 53 will be celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2017. More details will be passed along as they become available.

It is with sadness that I report we have lost a retiree since our last writing. Bro. Harold "Dean" McKinnie passed away in November. Rest in peace, brother.

Duane Pearce, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 60, SAN ANTONIO, TX — The year 2016 was a very unforgettable year … welcome 2017. Also, unforgettable, the members who passed in 2016: George Calvert, Roy Gaylor, Charles Watson, Arturo Mueller, Andy Lynn, Jimmy Criollos, Bill Wurzback, John Belohlavek and Bill Kasberg. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and yours.

Retirees Club members once again were very generous with their donations for the club's Wounded Warriors Christmas Project. Personnel at the WW Headquarters were very appreciative when the items were delivered by club Pres. Coy Rogers and his wife, Sandy.

Since the club is self-supporting, a golf tournament is held annually for a fundraiser, scheduled this year for April 22. The time has come to start planning for this special event. A committee meeting will be held after the regular monthly meetings until the tournament. Donations play a major part in a successful fundraiser, such as donating items for door prizes and goody bags. Cash donations go to prizes for the winning teams and help finance the lunch that will be served to all after the tournament. Also of great help are the volunteers who donate their time and assistance, gathering and putting together the items, placing signs of hole sponsors, etc. Anything and everything is very much appreciated. For more information, please give me a call at 830-444-1242 or e-mail me at sandyrogers24@hughes.net.

Sandy Rogers, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 99, PROVIDENCE, RI — The Local 99 Retirees Christmas Party was held Dec. 20, 2016, at Ralph's Catering & Kitchen in Cranston, RI, with about 200 people in attendance. We had a feast of family-style soup, pasta, chicken, roast pork, salad, dessert and coffee.

Retirees Club Pres. Robert Pierce noted the brothers who passed during 2016 by leading a moment of silence in remembrance. Mary Germershausen received an award in commemoration of her father Raymond's 60 years of service in the IBEW and his creation of the Local 99 Retirees Club.

Local 99 Bus. Mgr. Michael K. Daley presented service pins to 53 members for IBEW service of more than 25 years. Awarded 45-year pins were: August Andrade, James Brown, Allen Durand, Donald Keegan, Gerard LeBlanc, Thomas Leddy, Alan Paul, Glenn Petrarca, Gary Philkrantz, Frederick Porter, David Ray, Michael Steffel and David Vitale.

Awarded 50-year pins: George Brown, Gerard Coutu, Gerald Dolin, Frank Dombkowski, Richard Edwards, Edward Fortier, Roland Furia, Ernest Laferte, Ronald Leddy, Kenneth Mathieu, Donald Peck, Robert Pierce, Richard Reynolds, Charles Skwirz, Gerald Sweeney, John Takian, Thomas Tufano and John Vitulli. Awarded 55-year pins: Richard Borrelli, David Campopiano, Francis Cronin, Raymond Forward and Brenton Morgenstern. Awarded 60-year pins: Louis DelSesto, Thomas Peckenham and Richard Stromberg. Awarded 65-year pins: Mark Brunelli and Gerald Griffin.

The retirees thank all of these brothers for their longtime IBEW Local 99 service and leadership.

All Local 99 retirees wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe 2017.

Frank J. Colucci, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 105, HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA — Another successful year for our seniors! Some of our more popular events have been the Euchre Club, Bowling Team, Best Western Carin Croft, Mohawk Raceway, Octoberfest, Pig Roasts, dinners at Michelangelo's, and trips to St. Jacob's Market and Playhouse Theatres. Such great times were enjoyed by all! Remember, seniors — Don't Wait, Participate! All of the above events were made possible by our hard-working Executive Board. Our sincerest thanks to each and every one of them!

Eden McLean, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 113, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — A few months ago, a member of our club shared with me an article from 1916 that was reprinted in our local Colorado Springs newspaper The Gazette. It was titled "Back Pages." One of the paragraphs in the article contained what I found to be very interesting, because it reported some historical information about our local union. It brought to mind the dedication, commitment and sacrifice of those generations of members who came before us. This historical account is 101 years old and was written when our local union was only 16 years old.

The 1916 article reads as follows:
"The Colorado Springs local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has been granted its request for higher wages and better working conditions. The scale raises the wages from $4.50 to $5 a day, and provides for double time pay for overtime after 9 at night or on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays."

It behooves us all, both retirees and active members, to carry on and work to improve that which has been provided by those who came before us. May we ever be vigilant in carrying out the objects of our IBEW!

Bill Campbell, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 134, CHICAGO, IL — Spring is on its way, and most of the population in the northern half of the United States look forward to saying goodbye to the winter season. The polar vortex that put a deep freeze in the North and reached all the way to the South right before the holiday season was brutal. Thank you to all of our IBEW electricians who work so hard to keep our power on in all types of weather conditions.

I don't know what the future has in store for us. With Pres. Trump and his administration now in place, will this be very good or very bad? I'm hoping that the Democratic Party and elected officials in Washington, D.C., and across the nation who are friends of working families will keep the scales balanced for all the people in America.

The Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series, marking a first in 107 years, since 1909. That means many Cubs fans never got to see this in their lifetime. It was a first time in my life so far. Cubs World Series T-shirts, hats and jackets went flying off the store shelves. Five million people lined our streets for the victory parade. It was quite the celebration. I look forward to the 2017 baseball season.

Sue Kleczka, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 164, JERSEY CITY, NJ — Retirees Association Pres. Jerry Rider oversaw our holiday party on Dec. 21 celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. The well-attended luncheon brought in donations to help families in need. Attendees enjoyed a great meal, music, dancing and friendship. Thanks to Tom and Eileen Barry and Jim Myers, along with a large cast of helpers, for helping to make the party a success.

We have plans for 2017 including fresh-water and salt-water fishing trips; a New York Yankees game; trip to Atlantic City; Golf League; and a Scholarship Golf Tournament & Raffle. Last year we gave out five scholarships for children/grandchildren of our members, totaling $15,000. Our luncheons bring out about 75-100 brothers each month. Stories fly, exaggerations grow, all in good nature. And we laugh a lot. We enjoyed working with each other in our active days and still have a ball with each other.

On Dec. 10, Local 164 had a gala dinner-dance for the retirees, bringing out 500 active and retired members, spouses and friends. Local 164 Bus. Mgr. Dan Gumble and Pres. Tom Sullivan gave out 50-, 55-, 60- and 65-year IBEW service pins and watches.

Local 164 has a great history of building up the area west of the Hudson River, including Jersey City and Newark, for over 100 years. Good luck to all our active IBEW brothers and sisters for another 100 years of prosperity and success.

Dave Judovin, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 212, CINCINNATI, OH — Our deepest sympathy to the families of recently departed longtime members: Bros. Henry Abel, Robert Schulte and Hubert Brown. Bro. Abel was a 64-year IBEW member; Bro. Schulte was a 33-year member; and Bro. Brown, a 36-year member

We mourn for all our recently departed members. The death of Bro. Hubert Brown is especially tragic, as he was ejected from his tractor after being rear-ended by a drunk driver, resulting in fatal injuries. Known as "Brownie," he served Local 212 as a trustee of the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Trust, E-Board member, assistant business agent and organizer. He also served for 20 years as a Whitewater Township trustee. He was a dedicated and trusted member and friend. We pray for God's mercy upon all our departed brothers and their families.

More than 150 members and guests enjoyed food, drinks and friendship at our Annual Christmas Party on Dec 7. As that date marked the 75th anniversary of the beginning of World War II at Pearl Harbor, club members Henry Abel, Jim McInerny and Wayne Myers Sr. were honored for serving our country during that epic era of American history. Kudos also to Mike and Brenda Himes for lovely parting gifts, including IBEW Christmas ornaments.

Finally, remember that elections have consequences. Take notes for the next time you are in the voting booth to cast your vote.

Bob Schaefer, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 236, ALBANY, NY — On Tuesday, Oct. 11, last year, over 50 IBEW Local 236 retirees and their spouses attended the 42nd Annual Reunion Luncheon, held at Treviso in The Italian American Community Center. The food and service provided by the staff at Treviso were great, and the comradery enjoyed by the members as they shared stories was even better. Thank you to the following officers of the Retirees Club for organizing such a great event: Pres. Phil Clemens, Vice Pres. Bob Jenne, Sec. James Porter and Treas. Lou Lourinia.

The Local 236 Retirees Club would like to invite all Local 236 retirees to join us at our next Retirees Club meeting. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month in the following months: February, April, June, August, October and December. Meetings begin at 10:30 a.m. and are held in the second floor conference room at the Albany Labor Temple, 890 Third Street, Albany, NY.

Jim Porter, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 257, JEFFERSON CITY, MO — The Local 257 Retirees Club finished 2016 with a Christmas show at the Main Street Music Hall at the Lake of the Ozarks and our annual Christmas luncheon on Dec. 13 as guests of the Local 257 members. After the luncheon we collected money for St. Jude's Children's Research Center, and also held an auction of IBEW collectible items that were donated from our retirees' personal archives. Proceeds from the auction were used to help fund our Retirees Club. Everyone had a great time.

We wish to thank the Local 257 members for hosting a fantastic Christmas meal. We also thank Mike Manning, Local 257 organizer, for acting as our auctioneer. And we thank Juanita and Elaine for decorating the union hall for our Christmas party.

On a sad note, we lost Montie Mountjoy, our secretary and treasurer for many years, on Nov. 20, 2016; and we lost Helen Polly (mother of member Kenny Polly) on Dec. 22 last year. Our thoughts and prayers are with both families.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year's holiday. We wish everyone happiness and good health for 2017.

Delores Melloway, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 353, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA — On Wednesday, Nov. 30, last year over 5,000 Toronto building tradesmen and women protested on Queen's Park lawn, due to the Ontario Liberal government's continuing attacks and dismantling legislation being buried in omnibus bills.

Over 50 Local 353 retirees took part in this protest with working members, to show their displeasure with this action that removes protection for workers and the public that they had fought for. All organized within five days.

April 19 this year is the date for our 7th Annual Pin/Award Presentation Breakfast to honour members with 50 years of service or more. We removed the service award presentation from the Retirees Christmas Dinner/Dance, as this large presentation and group pictures took away from the Christmas Dance celebration.

This year we will present service awards to those able to attend. To be awarded are: 85 50-year watches and pins; 22 55-year pins; 45 60-year pins; 17 65-year pins; and 13 70-year pins. Pictures will be taken of each group and published in our local's newspaper. This will bring the number of Local 353 living members with 50 or more years of service to approximately 900 members.

"Listen to the heart beat of your union! What keeps it alive keeps you alive."

Robert Rynyk, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 530, SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA — On Friday, Nov. 18, last year, many of our retirees attended the local's 75th Annual Dinner Dance Banquet. When Bob Morrison came forward to receive his 60-year service pin, he and Tom Randall received a standing ovation, and this is the reason why:

In 1972, Bob Morrison, Tom Randall, Cecil Mills, Roger Cataford and another member, whose name we could not recall at press time, made it known they wanted Local 530 to have a Pension Fund. It was a bold move at that time, as no construction workers had any pension plan, other than the government plan. Roger Cataford was appointed chairman, and the five men made their convincing arguments to the members. They held meetings until 3 o'clock in the morning. Many younger members were against the idea; they wanted the money to remain in their take-home pay. Because of the wisdom of many of the older men, who would not really benefit from the plan, but who could see that it would be a wonderful benefit for those down the road, the plan was put into motion. The committee made collections, retroactive to 1962, for the fund and it cost everyone 10 cents an hour.

The membership started out with $30,000, minus $3,000 required to hire a pension actuary from Toronto to put the financial facts and figures in place.

Bob Morrison tells me that when he retired in 1997, there was $30 million in the Pension Fund. Bus. Mgr. Mick Cataford said there now is $150 million in our Pension Fund. Bob and Tom are the only surviving men of the original five. What a wonderful gift these five men with vision gave us — financial security in our retirement years! God bless all five of them.

Nancy Stinson Philbin, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 531, LAPORTE, IN — The Local 531 Retiree's Christmas Party was Dec. 14. The local union Executive Board catered our holiday lunch. Attendees participated in our annual gift exchange and everyone had a great time as always. We had a good turnout of about 33 members, which included newly retired members as well.

We are always glad to see more interest in our club. Our meetings are the second Wednesday of April, June, August, October and December, at 12 noon at the union hall. All Local 531 retirees are welcome. Thanks to everyone. Be happy and stay safe!

John Talerico, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 611, ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Our Christmas party in December was a great success. The party was held at the "Old Wool House" on 1st Street. The food was catered by La Hacienda and the music and decorations were also hired out. Santos Griego was in charge of planning and did a great job. Bill Thompson from the JATC played Santa and gave out holiday stockings. Sorry, no retiree group picture this year … too crowded and busy!

Important Reminder: Please keep your paperwork on file with the local union office updated and current regarding information such as marital status, addresses, family names, etc. It's important that members keep their union file updated and current, which helps facilitate the death benefit process for family members following a death. It's simple — contact the union office and update your information to confirm the information on file is correct and current.

Work in the local's jurisdiction is increasing as the new Facebook project gets underway in Los Lunas. The local has already had an increase in apprenticeship applications and this work should help the out-of-work list. The project's first phase will take about three years with more phases to follow. The union general contractor has a good reputation for hiring union labor.

We extend condolences to the families of several retired members who recently passed away: Raymond C. Tedfor, John P. Curran, Norval G. Hughes, Tommie Strand, Seferino "Seff" Baca, Robert R. King and Alie A. Dixon.

Tracy Hall, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 995, BATON ROUGE, LA — We had a combined luncheon with the wives at the union hall on the first Monday in December. Attendance was good and the food was great.

Some of the members are talking about going back to Drusilla Restaurant for a luncheon again in March. This leads me to inviting all you retirees to come join us at our first meeting of the year. It will be the first Monday in February at the union hall. The meeting usually starts at about 8:30 a.m.

I want to let everybody know that Mr. Herman Milton, one of our retirees and a NECA contractor, won the Comstock Award for outstanding contributions to the industry.

W. Roland Goetzman Sr., P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1245, VACAVILLE, CA — IBEW Local 1245 retirees celebrated the holiday season through giving. The Yerington IBEW Local 1245 Retirees Club purchased 10 wreaths for "Wreaths Across America," an annual ceremony that commemorates fallen soldiers by laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and 1,100 additional locations in all 50 states. The club also donated to Yerington Animal Protection Society, the Yerington Senior Center and a nonprofit dental office called Healthy Smiles. Local 1245's Reno/Sparks Retirees Club also continued their tradition of giving around the holidays in 2016. By selling raffle tickets at its monthly meetings, the group raised $900 and divided the proceeds evenly among three worthy charities — the Ronald McDonald House, Reno Veterans Guest House and Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation.

Rebecca Band, P.S.