L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OHIO — Local 8 now has an officially chartered women's committee, a first for the Fourth District and fifth in the entire IBEW as of this writing. The committee, led by Sisters Ann Peek and Christina Rademacher, has been meeting since October 2016, and was officially chartered by Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson on April 11, 2018.

The women's committee was created for women to network, mentor apprentices, volunteer for community services and activities, and especially to help women feel connected and part of their local union. The committee, which also includes Sisters Miranda Streight, Heather Rork, Marlene Suchora and Shanice Stewart, has been instrumental with many volunteer projects and career days at area vocational schools and high schools to recruit new women into the building trades. Sister Peek has also been appointed as the Fourth District representative on the International Women's Committee. [Editor's Note: To read more, see news story "Women's Committees Empowering the Sisterhood," in the May 2018 issue of The Electrical Worker and posted on the IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/articles.]

Local 8's inside work is currently at full employment with dozens of traveling brothers and sisters helping on our projects. Bus. Mgr. Roy Grosswiler expects the work outlook to remain busy for at least into next year.

Please remember to vote and attend your local union meetings.

Mike Brubaker, P.S.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — Local 16 would like to welcome two new signatory contractors into the union family. 2B Solutions recently signed a national voice-data-video agreement. The company is currently focused on the high-end retail market but has serious intentions of expanding into other aspects of the trade.

Morton Solar electrical contractor signed a letter of assent for a large solar array project that it is installing with a southern Indiana energy company. This public utility has plans for several other renewable projects in the jurisdiction. Hopefully this will lead to a long and prosperous relationship between the customer, the contractor, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The 21st annual Turkey Testicle Festival was held April 28 with over 300 in attendance. Twenty members in need were helped and another $11,945 was sent to the 50th IBEW Reunion. Since the festival's inception, nearly $400,000 has been raised! Many thanks go to everyone who worked so hard to make this worthwhile event possible.

2018 marked the 25th year of the Miracle Ride for Riley Kids, and Local 16 was proud to be an active sponsor. For more information, please visit www.MiracleRide.net.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 22 (i,lpt,rts&spa), OMAHA, NE — Local 22 is proud to introduce the class of 2018 apprentice graduates. Please join us in congratulating them for their accomplishments.

The inside wireman graduates are: Ben Baker, Joe Baughman, Robert Brazda, Jason Brewer, Don Carda, Justus D'Amico, Camden Elsasser, Trevor Foulk, Anthony Garcia, Macario Gonzalez, Eli Granados, Jeremy Grimes, Nick Guthrie, Mike Hoschar, Jason Johnson, Tim Justus, Colin Kennedy, Chris Kinney, Wes Lucas, Mike Mass, Andy Masters, Jake McCunn, Severin Michalski, Corey Moore, Mike Nelsen, Ryan Newman, Joe Noonan, Adam Oleson, Nick Pafford, Steve Pounds, Jake Rees, Justin Reeve, Jason Regan, Josevidal Reicks, Taylor Richardson, Chris Saab, Matt Schafer, Corey Shearman, Jake Smith, Brad Stagemen, Richard Stuart, Garrett Taub, Brett Terry, Jesse Trede, Evan Vaughn, Jared Wiebelhaus and Elijah Woitaszewski.

The residential wireman graduates are: Andy Doty, Jesse Graham and Robert Madrigal.

The telecom wireman graduates are: Brett Becker, Matt Deseck, Paul Euteneuer, Tim Fritz, Sophia Graves, Caleb Holmes, Kevin Kuder, Tom Lickly, Dave Maguire, Patricia Munch and Dwayne Shaw.

Congratulations to the class of 2018 Apprentice of the Year Award recipients: inside wireman graduate Garrett Taub and telecom wireman graduate Paul Euteneuer.

As these graduates transition from apprentices to wiremen, may we all continue to act as mentors for them and continue to build upon our IBEW heritage.

Joel Anderson, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — We have successfully negotiated a new three-year voice-data-video agreement. Thank you to those members who provided their input during negotiations. If you know of anyone interested in a VDV apprenticeship, please have them contact the apprenticeship office for details.

I would like to thank retiring Executive Board member Ray Starks for his many years of service and his commitment to the local union throughout his career. Ray served as apprenticeship instructor for cable splicing, as a foreman, and as local union treasurer. Good luck in your retirement, Bro. Starks.

Bro. Jerome Miller was appointed to fill Bro. Starks' position on the Executive Board for the remainder of the unexpired term of office. And Bro. Balfour Albacarys-Roop was appointed to the Examining Board to fill Bro. Miller's unexpired term. I look forward to working with both as we continue moving the local forward.

At the May membership meeting, retired Bros. Dave Hodge, Tim Tacka, Rich Harrison and Bob Fifield received their 50-Year Service Pin Awards. Bro. Ernie Mills received his 60-Year Service Pin Award. Congratulations, brothers, and thank you for paving the way for all of us.

Peter P. Demchuk, B.M.

L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt, i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — Agreements were reached on both the Inside and Residential agreements for the Metropolitan and Shenandoah Zones. The new contracts were ratified at a specially called meeting in May, and the new agreement books will be printed up and mailed to each member soon.

Local 26 congratulates the class of 2018 graduates of our Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee program and the "R to A Upgrade" program. There were 139 graduates (see accompanying photo). Best wishes to the graduates, our new journeyman electricians!

Local 26 is proud to announce the winners of this year's scholarship award: Michael Bellerose, Jennifer Jenkins, Dinh Tran and Logan Donaldson. Congratulations to all and stay tuned for further details in our next article.

It is with regret that we report the following members have passed away since our last article: Edward J. Krause III, Donald A. Shaw, Robert E. Simpson, Scott M. Mathison, Stephen C. Baker, Andrew C. Hanko, Robert E. Mundy Jr. and Edward C. Merkel. May they rest in peace.

Best wishes to the following new retirees: Joseph M. Stephenson, Barry A. Cook, Michael F. Barlow, Winfred D. Peters, Allen T. Slaughter, Gregory D. Clum, Stephen M. Raddie, Puthyrom K. Vy, William G. Distler Jr. and Dana F. Spratt.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 34 (em,i,mt,rts&spa), PEORIA, IL — Thank you to everyone who attended our local's 7th annual spring golf outing. For the fifth year in a row the outing was held at Quail Meadows golf course in East Peoria and a highlight of the outing was the picture-perfect weather for golf. Members ranging from those with just a year of service to those with all the way up to 40-plus years of service enjoyed swapping stories and the occasional jokes. A big thank you to Bro. Dave Ramsay and his volunteers for once again organizing the event.

Congratulations to our newest journeymen. Local 34 commends the three residential, three telecom and 22 inside members who recently passed their respective journeyman wireman tests. All those long days of work and evening classes paid off and will soon be just be a fond memory. Congratulations to the new journeymen: Lucas Ioeger, Chris Schrader Brian Schwind, Leonard Pamson, Sam Borland, Chase Whitten, Roger Burton III, Daniel Cannon, David Condre, Michael Crady, Chad Cunningham, Wayne Dew Jr., Cory Ford, Joshua Fuller, George Hill III, Brent Lowder, Timothy Madison, Steven Nelson, Nathan Ronna, Derek Stoller, Jacob Suydam, Gregory Ummel, Zachary Zimmerman, John Kelley, Jason Shaw, Kenneth Page, Chase Shank and Adam Ott.

Tim Sprout, A.B.M.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OHIO — The current work situation is good and the outlook for work remains strong. We currently have about 90 travelers working in our jurisdiction. Amazon in North Randall has about 180 of our members working on that project and the Euclid Amazon project is just getting started. Zenith Systems has the Euclid Amazon work.

Zenith Systems was just awarded the massive Metrohealth Hospital project. With the end of the basketball season, the Q Arena expansion will balloon up to 50-60 more members working for Einheit Electric. Sargent Electric has the Pitt Ohio job on Chevy Boulevard in Parma and it is scheduled to start at the end of June. Multiple school projects are underway in Cleveland, Euclid, Westlake and North Olmsted. The electrical and the technology are being done by IBEW members working for Contemporary Electric, Einheit Electric, Zenith Systems, US Communications, Legacy Electric and Harrington Electric.

It is very important that all members and their families support labor-friendly candidates this November. As we have been talking about at the union meetings, there are many important issues at stake. If you are not registered to vote or you have moved since you last voted, you can contact our registrar, Bus. Rep. Jim Embrescia, at jembrescia@ibew38.org and he will get the forms to you.

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

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st), SEATTLE, WA — Local 46 was recognized for our organizing efforts at the Ninth District Progress Meeting in May. Local 46 received the Henry Miller Award for 2017 in recognition of our local's commitment to organizing. While membership in the IBEW increased 3 percent overall in 2017, the membership in Local 46 increased by 6.4 percent, twice the national rate! Additionally, Local 46 was second in the Ninth District for the number of new contractors organized.

Local 46 congratulates Bro. Allan Waud, who received the Above and Beyond Award at the progress meeting. This prestigious award is in recognition of Bro. Waud's commitment to "organizing and furthering the purposes for which the IBEW was instituted."

As of this writing, our Wireman Unit Negotiating Committee has received NECA's "last, best, and final" offer of $13.50 per hour over three years. The committee did NOT recommend accepting this offer, and on June 9 the Wireman Unit members voted overwhelmingly to reject NECA's offer and to give the business manager strike authorization. Local 46 is one of only a very few locals that does not have a mandatory CIR clause in our collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Over 30 wiremen participated in a Bannering Campaign to encourage our signatory contractors to join NECA at the bargaining table. Local 46 thanks all the members who helped with the Bannering Campaign.

Warren Shill, V.P.

L.U. 48 (c,em,i,rtb,rts,st&tm), PORTLAND, OR — As the weather turns from rain to shine here in the Pacific Northwest, opportunities for community engagement abound. Local 48 has a wonderful and growing relationship with the communities we serve, and we like to participate in events that give the local visibility. We understand that "to organize all workers in the entire electrical industry … into local unions," the communities we serve have to know who we are, what we do, and where to find us.

To that end, 2018 will mark Local 48's fifth year entering the Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade. This popular event draws approximately 325,000 spectators to view nearly 100 illuminated entries, including two from Local 48. Our float entry will have superheroes and a live band on a float lit with LEDs. Our marching entry will have 50 LED-illuminated members wearing hardhats and carrying signs.

We have also been invited to march in the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. Fifty IBEW women will march dressed as Rosie the Riveter to help lead off the parade as part of the service group. The Grand Floral Parade is expected to draw up to one million viewers.

Ray Lister, B.R.

L.U. 60 (i), SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — Congratulations to RENEW 60 for reaching its one-year anniversary in March of 2018.

With the guidance of Bus. Mgr. Paul Garza and the direction of RENEW leaders Christopher Vaquera and James Wiemers, RENEW is becoming an important part of Local 60's community involvement. From volunteering on Habitat for Humanity projects to political volunteering and leadership training, RENEW is actively involved and well on its way as a force within the local. The future looks great because of these young leaders.

Mike D. Hernandez, A.B.M.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO — We thank everyone who helped with our recent job fairs. The benefit of having one of these events can't be overstated for organizing. We had two events over two weeks and collected 132 applications.

But the biggest benefit was the fact that we hit 311 jobsites and 929 doors in nine days. A week out from the job fair at the time of this writing, we have already organized 10 electricians, and several others have given notice to their current employers to come aboard soon. With the number of doors we hit during this effort, we contacted nearly 10 percent of the nonunion electricians in our jurisdiction.

We were fortunate to have great support from many, including: Eighth District Int. Vice Pres. Jerry Bellah, the International Membership Development Dept., Int. Rep. Adrian Sauceda, Int. Rep. Mike Ham, District Organizing Coordinator Dave Thomas, and State Organizing Coordinators Zack Esquibel, George Halliday, Willie Kniffin and Keith Allen. Participants also included organizers from several locals including: Les Thompson and Daniel Mondragon, Local 113; Jon Stevens, Local 969; Gene Baca and Manual Gonzales, Local 111; Truett Thompson, 415; Jack McBroom, 233; Dwight Rose, 44; and Brad Baugh, 354. Participating Local 68 Volunteer Organizing Committee members included: Travis Trujillo, Robert Delgado, Augie Blea, Troy Cooperman, Troy Ingalls, Cliff Sterling, Ung Dao, Juan Figueroa, Jeremiah Jessen, Jeff Walker, Randy Kambic, Mike Thomas, Mike Kincaid and David Grossett. As part of this effort, our VOC put in 54 hours.

These recent organizing efforts would not have had the same impact for our local without all the help we got. In Brotherhood we trust. Thanks to all!

Jeremy Ross, Organizer Morgan Buchanan, Pres.

L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA — Congratulations to our 2018 apprenticeship graduates. Their hard work and dedication has paid off. The recent graduates are: Bryan Brooks, Quentin Cressman, Joshua Crowther, Kevin DeCarlis, Corey Nash, Zachary Tabor, Tyler Whitley and Shahied Williams.

Asst. Bus. Mgr./Dispatcher Wil Morris and Membership Development Coordinator Shawn Bruce successfully completed COMET Train-the-Trainer classes. Local 80 will continue to train the members and apprentices on why organizing is so important to our industry.

Local 80 has continued our organizing campaign and has organized 25-plus new members and is targeting open-shop electrical workers on the benefits of the IBEW.

The work picture continues to look good, with many projects already starting and more to start over the next couple of months.

Wil Morris, A.B.M.

L.U. 82 (em,i,mt&rtb), DAYTON, OHIO — Congratulations to the electrical and teledata apprenticeship graduating class of 2018 for successfully completing their apprenticeship programs! Graduates, it is now time to become a journeyman and to apply the skills you have been taught over the past five years on the job and in the classroom. Get involved and be a positive addition to Local 82!

Local 82 hosted the IBEW International Bowling Tournament in June. Thank you to all the brothers and sisters who came out to help make it a success — couldn't have done it without you! A big shoutout to Johnny "Porkchop" Morris for all the hard work and time he put in to it. You did a great job, Bro. Morris, and I bet you can't wait to do it again! We hope everyone who participated had a great time.

Doug Searcy, P.S.

L.U. 94 (lctt,nst&u), CRANBURY, NJ — In April, NxtUp94, the young workers' committee of IBEW Local 94, donated nearly $8,000 worth of food to Rise Food Pantry, located next door to Local 94 headquarters in Hightstown, NJ. The young workers placed donation containers at every work location and also collected monetary donations from members, in lieu of food donations. This was the fifth annual food drive organized by NxtUp94.

Leslie Koppel, executive director of Rise Community Services and a Middlesex County Freeholder, said that NxtUp94's contribution will greatly benefit the area households that her organization serves, especially during this time when donations are at their lowest. She noted that the food donated in the drive will help to feed 125 families per week, for two whole months.

New Jersey Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, who is also president of IBEW Local 269, commended his brothers and sisters for putting together this much-needed food drive. "This is a great way to get our young members involved, and to help our community at the same time," DeAngelo said.

"The success of this endeavor is a shining example of what our local union is all about," Local 94 Bus. Mgr./Pres. Bud Thoman said. "We power our state and empower our communities."

Frank Brennan, P.S.

L.U. 104 (lctt,o&u), BOSTON, MA — Local 104 would like to congratulate two recent Lifesaving Award recipients.

IBEW Lifesaving Awards were presented to Syracuse, NY, Local 1249 member Michael Koferl and Eversource representative Mick Collins for their quick actions to perform CPR on a Michels Power journeyman lineman, Leon Larned, who had suffered a near-fatal heart attack.

Michael and Mick had just finished dinner at the end of their fourth day on storm restoration work in Local 104's jurisdiction in the Cape Cod area. They were conversing in the lobby of the hotel before their crews retired for the night when a hotel employee rushed to them reporting a man had collapsed on the hallway floor. The two men ran to the collapsed man immediately and quickly assessed the situation. They determined he was unresponsive and not breathing. They quickly began rescue breathing and chest compressions for nearly 7 minutes before the paramedics arrived. The paramedics rushed the man to the hospital, where he ended up having open-heart surgery. The ER doctors and paramedics stated that if it were not for the quick thinking and expert response of Michael and Mick, which enabled Leon to maintain oxygen flow to his brain and vital organs, we would be dealing with a much more tragic situation.

We are happy to report that Leon has recovered and returned to work with his crew with Michels Power in Connecticut.

Brian Murphy, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 108 (ees,em,es,lctt,mar,mt,rtb,rts,s,spa,t&u), TAMPA, FL — Doug Bowden was elected Business Manager of Local 108 during local union elections last year, and Chris Parsels was appointed as an Assistant Business Manager. Soon after the elections, a Resource Recovery Facility in Tampa was organized with 40 new employees voting for IBEW representation. The workers located at Covanta Hillsborough can generate up to 46.5 megawatts of renewable energy.

Tampa Electric Company recently transported Local 108 members to Puerto Rico for power grid restorations. The men were deployed in January and each crew member volunteered for the assignment. Included in the IBEW crew were lineman, mechanics, and a communication tech. Equipment was also transported.

The IBEW Local 108 crew from Tampa maintained rigorous work schedules for several weeks in Puerto Rico. Crews were scheduled seven days a week in 16-hour shifts. They received only two days of rest for each month of work. Every day in Puerto Rico was business as usual for the IBEW professionals, who focused on their special assignment. The crews were very serious about their restoration project. In recent months, Local 108 has also deployed into several eastern U.S. states for restoration services. Puerto Rico brought an opportunity for TECO employees to serve a large community in distress.

Bruce Bailey, P.S.

L.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se,spa&t), KANSAS CITY, MO — Here in the great state of Missouri, the former Republican governor has resigned under the weight of multiple scandals. He ran as a family-values candidate and an advocate for the working class. His various scandals and his signing of "right to work for less" legislation into law proved his campaign to be all lies.

The former governor and the current U.S. president have a lot in common. Both are novice politicians. Both are very degrading to women and other constituents. And both are very anti-labor.

IBEW members active all across the state of Missouri were a large part of a successful campaign to get the repeal of anti-worker RTW legislation on the ballot for a vote. Now we are working hard to get our members out to the polls this August. I predict we will prevail in this effort.

Our jurisdiction is poised to have full employment. Many large projects will be starting soon.

Congratulations to the class of 2018 apprenticeship graduates — our newest journeyman wiremen.

Steve Morales, P.S.

L.U. 130 (i), NEW ORLEANS, LA — The work picture in New Orleans is steady. Our organizers Rodney Wallis and Corky Cortez have been busy, bringing in new members and contractors. We welcome these new brothers and ask the membership to help mentor them as new IBEW members. Bus. Mgr. Paul Zulli has signed several new contractors this year.

Brandon Robichaux won our Apprentice of the Year competition. At press time, Brandon was scheduled to compete for the state competition in June 2018.

At this writing, we were looking forward to hosting the Fifth District Progress Meeting in July, and Paul has been busy with the preparations. We were scheduled to host a reception for the delegates at our Union Hall in the Alexander Room and to honor Fifth District Int. Vice Pres. Joseph S. Davis.

It recently was announced that New Orleans will host the Super Bowl in 2024. A complete renovation of the Super Dome will no doubt bring opportunities for work in the future.

We recently had a Health & Welfare, Pension Education Seminar for the membership. We had a panel of attorneys, actuaries and plan administrators on hand for presentations and questions, hosted by H&W Committee member Corky Cortez.

Contract negotiations begin in August. Bus. Mgr. Zulli has also been busy working on an outline. Our members recently received a survey and questionnaire package to assist in the process. Their suggestions and answers reflect our concerns and actions. Bus. Mgr. Zulli looks forward to another successful result.

The future looks exceptionally well for Local 130. Many large projects are planned; however, we are still awaiting their release.

Billy Buckel, P.S.

L.U. 134 (catv,em,govt,i,mt,rtb,rts,spa&t), CHICAGO, IL — IBEW Local 134 partnered with "Built to Last," a TV show on ABC, to positively highlight the unionized electrical industry of Chicago.

Local 134 produced three stories to highlight the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute and the unique work our members do.

The first piece highlighted Rico Smart, now a second-year apprentice, who decided by high school that being an electrician was the career path for him. Rico got a head start by joining Chicago Builds, a training program for high school students, to gather as much knowledge as he could before becoming an IBEW apprentice.

"Built to Last" highlighted the incredible work Local 134 does during Rebuild Chicago, an annual event aimed at helping those less fortunate receive the upgrades to their homes necessary to live safely and comfortably.

Finally, Local 134 members were highlighted for the work they do on the most iconic bridges that line Chicago's winding river. Each season, as sail boats come out of storage, they must pass through the Chicago River where suspension bridges are raised and lowered to allow them through. Local 134 members play a critical role in making sure these bridges operate smoothly with the City of Chicago's Department of Transportation.

Kevin Connolly, R.S.

L.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL — IBEW Local 146 congratulates the local's 2018 apprenticeship graduating class. The recent graduates are: Travis Dilley, Jacob Dust, Benjamin Garrett, Joey Hass, Kyler Moore, Tyler Sickles and Travis Will.

We commend the graduates on their success and wish them all the best in their IBEW careers.

Steven Tilford, P.S.

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL — Recently the following members became journeyman wiremen: John Harris Jr., Justin Hoffmann, Justin Hove, Nick Lehman, Trevor Mongeau, Cameron Ruth and Brandon Tenegal. Best of luck to all in your careers and may you enjoy many profitable and healthy years in the trade. The following apprentices received the 2017-2018 Hansen Award: JW apprentices — 1st year apprentice Eric Morales, 2nd year Mark Scales, 3rd year Jordan Mahoney, 4th year Mike Knapik, 5th year Justin Hove; VDV apprentices — 1st year Allan Miller and 2nd year Robert Beddia. The Outstanding Apprentice Award went to Nick Lehman. Congratulations to all on a job well done!

The scholarship winners were chosen by random drawing at the June meeting. This scholarship program is funded by the local and available to any member's child. We had 21 applications returned this year, which represents an uptick in participation. The winners are as follows: Melissa Tekampe, Dominic Rivas, Gina Stoll, Kristina Kauth, Maille Dunn, Leah Anderson, Jeremy Schwingbeck, Natalie Knurek, Skyler Morley, Lyndsey Bassett, Cora Dollenmaier and Molly Robbins. All winners were contacted and will be joining us at the July meeting. Congratulations to our 2018-2019 $500 scholarship winners!

The picnic is scheduled for Aug. 11 at Lakewood Forest Preserve.

See you at the meeting. In solidarity.

Wendy J. Cordts, P.S.

L.U. 158 (i,it,mar,mt&spa), GREEN BAY, WI — Local 158 had a job fair in May, and though the numbers were down, the number of qualified applicants was impressive. Our local will be needing more manpower in later summer and fall, with a scheduled nuclear plant outage in the fall and a very large project we are waiting to be released in midsummer. The whole state will be looking for this same manpower.

On one of our ongoing projects at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, our local members were involved in switching over eight high-pressure sodium light poles with 1,300-watt LED light poles. They were remounted with the use of a helicopter. See accompanying photo of Local 158 electricians who worked on the Lambeau Field project. We have been fortunate to have had a lot of work at the Packers' stadium throughout the years.

Donald C. Allen, B.M.

L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ — We congratulate our own Local 164 recreational hockey team, the "Local 164 Wirenuts," for putting together a perfect 17-0 record and winning the championship in this, their inaugural season.

The Wirenuts play in the Montclair State University, Floyd Hall Adult League. The team includes journeymen and apprentices of varying ages but of the same dedication to excellence. The team captain is second-year apprentice Matt Reilly and the co-captain is second-year apprentice Skyler Izzo — both of whom helped organize the team and manage the season and schedule.

We again thank the Wirenuts for their collective effort and congratulate them for a great season. We wish them luck in the future.

Warren Becker, V.P.

L.U. 212 (i), CINCINNATI, OHIO — The long-awaited announcement on Cincinnati's pro soccer team, FC Cincinnati, receiving a Major League Soccer franchise came May 29. It took six months of lengthy negotiations with the city and others, all hinging on the location of the new stadium. The new stadium will be built on the site of an old high-school stadium, and the FC Cincinnati franchise will build the high school a new stadium close by. This could turn out to be another great stadium project for Local 212.

Local 212 congratulates the class of 2018 apprenticeship graduates. We are proud of the graduates and wish them all the best in their IBEW career.

Work continues to be steady in our area. Multiple projects at University of Cincinnati, along with two power-house shutdowns and the Union Terminal remodel have made for a busy spring.

Our union is not a spectator sport. Get out there and get active.

Phil Bovard, P.S.

L.U. 234 (i&mt), CASTROVILLE, CA — Our local is honored to announce the results of our first Christopher Burditt Memorial Scholarship awards. The recipients by county are: Monterey County, Maiya Rose Harper; San Benito County, Joseph Howard; and Santa Cruz County, William Marlatt. Congratulations!

In partnership with the Burditt Family, Local 234 offers each recipient a $1,000 scholarship. Award criteria require the student to have an immediate family member affiliated with any union (past or present membership) and to submit a 500-word essay based on one of three topics regarding unionism and organized labor.

On behalf of our members, their families and the local, we all join in congratulating the recipients on their thoughtful and well-written essays on labor. We are pleased to support their academic endeavors and wish them well for their futures. In solidarity.

Stephen Slovacek, P.S.

L.U. 270 (i&o), OAK RIDGE, TN — At this writing, our work picture is looking somewhat better. We still don't expect our work to really pick up until spring 2019.

Local 270 recently hosted a fish fry for our retirees. We would like to thank retired member Rick Berrong for catching all the fish that was served. We had close to 100 people in attendance and the event was an enormous success.

Local 270 congratulates our newest IBEW journeyman wiremen. These recent Oak Ridge Electrical JATC apprenticeship graduates are top-notch and have a bright future in store. [See accompanying photo.]

Kevin Webster, R.S.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR — At Local 280, change and progress are underway and continuing. We have a new training center facility on the east side of the Cascades in Redmond, and we are progressing in the direction of day school for our apprenticeship. We recently hit a record high in membership. Our organizers continue to hold new-member dinners to explain our organization, the benefits of union membership and how it works for them. Member retention remains strong.

We do have concerns regarding solar installation work projected in the state and a need for manpower to meet the demand. A gigawatt of solar fields in the state by 2020 is projected and manpower is a concern. We are optimistic that things will play out in a way to cover this work.

Another challenge at the time of this writing is being able to man all the data center work our local currently has going on. It has been a walk-through at the Facebook data center project since the middle of May and it's expected to continue in that way for the foreseeable future.

Congratulation to our graduating apprentices! The graduation was June 20. Twenty-seven newly licensed IBEW Local 280 journeymen are now in the field, helping advance our organization's future.

Thanks to all members who voted in the May 2018 elections — labor votes do count! Not voting is submission to those who would harm your standard of living if they are not kept in check.

Stay "hungry," active and engaged even in good times.

Lynn McDonald, P.S.

L.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS, MN — "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." That Postman's Creed could be applied to IBEW Local 292 brothers and sisters.

Local 292 members braved 18 inches of snow and blizzard-like conditions to volunteer to help complete work on the Eagles Healing Nest project in the county of Anoka, providing a place of refuge for military veterans. The former Anoka State Hospital, once known as the Anoka Asylum Building, has been converted into housing for homeless veterans.

Sixteen members of Local 292 and four members of Local 110 made the final push in less than ideal conditions to get the project completed on time. Just another example of union Brotherhood giving back to the community.

Eric Peterson, P.S.

[Editor's Note: The Local 300 article below was submitted by Jeffrey C. Wimette, who was business manager at the time of submission. Wimette left that position as of June 30.]

L.U. 300 (govt,i,mt&u), MONTPELIER, VT — Sisters and brothers of Local 300, as of June 30, 2018, I relinquished my duties of business manager to Bro. Tim Watkins. Bro. Watkins has played a significant role in the development of Local 300 over the past 20-plus years. He has a vast knowledge of Local 300 and the IBEW, and he possesses the skills required to continue the forward momentum of the union movement. I wish him and the other members of the local office well.

I would like to thank the members of Local 300 and those throughout the IBEW community for their guidance, wisdom and continued support that helped me develop the tools, knowledge and strength to continue the pursuit for a better way of life for working women and men. I will be leaving the position of business manager; however, I will not be leaving the IBEW. I will be working with the locals throughout the New England states in the pursuit to grow our IBEW membership and educate those who require the tools and knowledge to gain the benefits that members of the IBEW enjoy today. I will always keep my door open to the members of Local 300 who wish to talk, reminisce, strategize or share a beverage and ratify an agreement. I wish you all well and thank you for your time, efforts and support to myself, Local 300, the IBEW and your fellow IBEW brothers and sisters. Cheers and be well.

Jeffrey C. Wimette, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 302 (i,rts&spa), MARTINEZ, CA — Our local is happy to announce that on May 31 we held our apprenticeship graduation for Inside Wireman and Sound & Communication units. It was a great evening for the graduates and their families. We congratulate our new installers and journeymen.

The recent apprenticeship graduates are: Kyle Bethel, Joseph Bologna, Jeffrey Butson, Andrew Byrd, Adrian Correa, Stefan Demeyere, Joseph Dirckx, Vincent Fenton, Jason Garrison, Zachary Gonsalves, Ryan Green, Ryan Jester, Dominic Lopez, Amanda Malone, Bryant Maly, Brian Martinez, Anthony Mendoza Jr., Josue Munoz, Timothy O'Leary, Troy Oleson, Javier Resendiz, James Smith Jr., Gabriel Wence and Jared Wise.

On a different note, we held our annual Golf Tournament at Lone Tree Golf Course in Antioch. It was an enjoyable day for all who attended. The winning foursome were: Steve Sloper, Kiel Sloper, Ryan Sloper and Steve Dockham. Kyle Berg won closest to the hole and Local 551 Pres. Nick Paglia had the longest drive.

Thomas B. Hansen, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 350 (i), HANNIBAL, MO — In 2017, several longtime Local 350 members received IBEW Service Awards for years of service ranging from 50 to 70 years.

Recipients of 50-year service awards were: Bros. Don Baker, Charles Blackwell and John Janes.

Bro. James Mudd received his 55-year service award. Bro. Gene Gray received his 65-year service award, and Bro. William Oltman received his 70-year service award.

Congratulations and thank you to these brothers for their dedicated service.

William Tate, B.M.

L.U. 424 (as,ees,em,es,i,mo,o,ptc,rtb,rts,spa&u), EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA — Greetings, brothers and sisters. Congratulations to Sister Jennifer Horne on being nominated to the Provincial Apprenticeship Committee. For other members who might be interested in applying for a position on this committee, please contact us at SCrichton@ibew424.net.

Ten new commercial projects have been awarded since our previous report. Western Electric has ongoing work with up to one year left on the Stantec Tower project. Canadian Power PAC has ongoing work at: the University of Alberta, the Alberta School for the Deaf, NAV Canada, Ross Shepard High School, TransED LRT, and many other projects. Western Pacific Enterprises has construction ongoing for the Stanton Hospital in Yellowknife. TransED LRT has a delayed start but should begin hiring in the next few months. BFI Electric has the API Pharmaceutical Process Plant project ongoing. Also awarded were the Brymar CRU Beaumont new retail mall project, and the Elko's Electric Livingston Scotia Place project. J.H. Mckenzie Electric has the Edon project. Genstar Electric has the Jagare Ridge CRU project.

The industrial sector is expected to be slow for the next several months as layoffs at NWR and Fort Hills continue. Unemployed members are encouraged to take Heat Trace and Pipe Bending courses while waiting to take their next call, and to work with our organizers.

Scott Crichton, P.S.

L.U. 520 (em,i&spa), AUSTIN, TEXAS — Congratulations to the Austin Electrical Training Alliance 2018 apprenticeship graduating class. All of the graduates also passed the state of Texas Dept. of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) journeyman test. The outstanding apprentice of the class was August Wells, and Chris Upton represented Local 520/AETA at the Seventh District Apprentice Competition.

Class of 2018 apprenticeship graduates are: Hermilo Aviles Jr., Michael Beuhler, Zachary Boothe, Matthew Castleman, Michael Clark, Anthony Dietrich, Dewarn Easley, John Gonzales, Marcus Gonzalez, Christopher Green, Ronnie Hardi Jr., Matthew Hargus, Daniel Hernandez, Robert Kucera, Jared Mather, Nicholas Murillo, Zachary Richardson, Jovan Rodriguez, Joseph Sandoval, Matthew Sigur, Robert Snowden, Phillip Tink, Eric Turner, Chris Upton and August Wells.

A banquet was held to honor their achievement and to celebrate with family and friends. Once again, congratulations to all!

Lane Price, Pres./P.S.

L.U. 530 (i,o&rtb), SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA — At the recent Annual OPC Hockey Tournament in London, Local 530 once again took home top honors. In a heated final we sent Ottawa to the showers to become the winningest local in tournament history. Thanks go out to the coach and trainers who helped us not only win but bring home all the available hardware this year.

Upcoming Rec Committee events include the Golf Tournament on Aug. 10, and the Labour Day parade on Sept. 3. We look forward to seeing all who wish to attend.

With Local 530's work picture good now and looking better for the future, we'd like to thank our brothers and sisters from surrounding locals for helping us man our jurisdiction now and in the future.

Al Byers, P.S.

L.U. 558 (catv,em,i,lctt,mt,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), SHEFFIELD, AL — Greetings, brothers and sisters. On Thursday, May 17, we celebrated the graduation of the Electrical Training Alliance class of 2018. This was a night to honor 28 wiremen and 7 linemen for their accomplishments. This character-building program is the gateway to a world of opportunities that no one can take from them. We take great pride in our training facility, director, instructors, and office administration. We believe this program is the first line of defense in such an aggressive market that we are facing today. We also congratulate Matt Galliano, wireman Apprentice of the Year, and Lucas Wesley Richardson, lineman Apprentice of the Year.

Work has been steady throughout the first half of the year. We had a successful outage at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, and the Esco Group replaced a nonunion contractor at the Bunge Plant in Decatur, AL. We are very optimistic about the work outlook for the remainder of this year. We would like to congratulate the Fifth District team and the International Office on a huge victory at the Atlanta Gas Light Campaign in Georgia.

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

L.U. 602 (i,o&u), AMARILLO, TEXAS — On May 9, 2018, God in his infinite wisdom called our brother Charles Dale Hulsey to eternal rest. Dale, as we called him, was a 68-year member of Local 602. He was a decorated war veteran and a mentor to many young IBEW members coming up through the years.

At his funeral many kind words were shared, and the pastor referred to Dale's many memorable spoken mannerisms and quips such as, "Would it break your jaw to say thank you." There were lots of good stories and tears that day. It made me think of one of my own sayings, "What's your end result." I usually use this expression in relation to grievance or strategizing methodology, but that day it took on a whole new meaning. After the service, I began to think of "end result" in terms of a lifelong meaning.

Brother Dale has set the bar in Local 602 for being a top-notch union man, a fine electrician and dedicated mentor to all the members he knew. Dale is remembered and loved for his accomplishments, his valor and his loyalty.

Dale is survived by his union family of 300+ brother and sisters. When God almighty in his infinite wisdom calls me home, I hope and pray that I can be remembered like Bro. Dale Hulsey! A man among men, and brother to the end! Rest in peace, brother!

Robert Melton, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 666 (i,mt&o), RICHMOND, VA — At press time, we are on the eve of significant transitions in our local. Foremost in those transitions are certainly our longtime business manager and our longtime financial secretary.

Bus. Mgr. James H. Underwood was initiated into our local Oct. 5, 1973. He was first elected to the Executive Board in July 1985. In July of 1994 he was elected to his first of eight terms as business manager. Bro. Underwood has also served as a Health and Welfare trustee since 1983.

Fin. Sec. Larry R. Jarvis was initiated into our local Aug. 5, 1977. Bro. Jarvis was elected treasurer in July of 1982. He was elected financial secretary in July 1991 and has served nine terms in that position. Bro. Jarvis has been a Health and Welfare trustee since October 1993 and a Southern Electrical Retirement Fund (SERF) trustee since 1994.

Both Bus. Mgr. Underwood and Fin. Sec. Jarvis retire Aug. 1, 2018. Thank you, brothers, for your many years of dedicated service to our local!

Charles Skelly, 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 — We give a big shout out to our members at Rend Lake Conservancy District who worked over 48 hours straight on May 16-18 to repair a faulty 36-inch steel water main at the water treatment plant.

The faulty water main forced the loss of over 175,000 gallons of water as the southern nine counties here in Illinois were declared disaster areas, and burn bans were implemented, resulting in the temporary closure of many businesses and government offices. Our members continue to receive high marks and flattering compliments from management and community officials for their rapid response and determined effort.

We have new contract agreements with: Southwestern Electric Cooperative (2.5 percent annual wage increase with 100 percent employer-paid insurance for FMCP Plan 16); Cairo Public Utility Company (3.0 percent annual wage increase); Mt. Vernon Motor Shop (2.5 percent annual wage increase the first three years and a wage opener the last year); and Wabash Telephone Company and City of Flora (1.85 percent annual wage increase).

Line construction members have ratified a new 3½ year agreement. It features a wage increase of 1.75 percent beginning July 2018, then 1.75 percent on Jan. 1, 2019, then 3.5 percent each calendar year; and the contractors pick up the first 25 cents of any LINECO increase during the term of agreement.

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

L.U. 760 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), KNOXVILLE, TN — The Electrician Training Academy Knoxville (ETAK) along with committee members, local officers, family members and guests celebrated the class of 2018 apprenticeship graduates and their successful completion of the apprenticeship program.

The 12 new journey level members proudly displayed their journeyman wireman ticket, the Electrical Training Alliance and Department of Labor (DOL) certificates, and transcripts from Pellissippi State Community College, where they earned 45 semester hours of college credits.

The graduates each received a special gift from Sue Wojciechowski, wife of Wayne Wojciechowski, our JATC chairman. Sue paid the fee so each graduate would receive the 57 semester hours of recommended college credit from the American Council on Education. Other gifts and awards were presented by IBEW Local 760 and the East Tennessee Chapter of NECA. Additionally, awards were presented by some training partners including Ideal Industries, Klein Tools and Milwaukee Tool.

The class of 2018 apprenticeship graduates are: Christopher Beckerdite, Andre Boyd, David Clotfelter, Howard Crowe, Russell Hancock, Patrick Hoque, Logan Lowry, James Parkes, Jeffrey Richards, Gavin Stover, Nathaniel Stover and Christopher Watson.

Jason Leary, A.B.M./Organizer

L.U. 776 (i,o,rts&spa), CHARLESTON, SC — Vaniel Danzy, known to all here in Charleston simply as "Tee," is gone. He was a union brother, teacher, foreman and active member loved by everyone, bar none. There is a major void where he once stood. Bro. Tee was 42 years old with a wife, five children and a large family. The man practiced and demonstrated quality in every way.

Take care of yourselves, brothers and sisters. You know how it is with us. Most of us have a little something to eat in the morning, at breaktime, lunchtime, afternoon break and then dinner. That's five meals. I don't know what Tee did, but I know he looked like a lot of us do. About middle age and a little bit on the large side, like myself. We have to be here to take care of our families and to teach others what we know. The first reality about the Code of Excellence is that we have to be here to practice it. We have to take care of ourselves. We can't worry about safety and think nothing of our health; that just does not make sense. Believe me when I say I am not preaching. I just never thought of it myself — until now. Rest in peace, Bro. Tee.

Andy Weiner, P.S.
James Holman, B.M./F.S.
Greg White, Pres.

L.U. 952 (i), VENTURA, CA — This past April, Local 952 held its COMET (Construction Organization Membership Education Training) class to teach first- and fifth-year apprentices the importance of union labor, as well as hands-on training on how to talk to unrepresented workers about union labor and the benefits of organizing. A special honor was the presence of Ninth District Int. Rep. Ken Scherpinski. Recently appointed, Int. Rep. Scherpinski gave the local's apprentices a wealth of knowledge, including how to respond to harsh criticism when speaking to unrepresented workers who are wary of "going union."

The "Above and Beyond Award" for 2017 was presented to Local 952 organizer Bro. Chris Huston. Huston was honored for his outstanding work and commitment to organizing workforce labor in Ventura County.

Dane A. Sutherland, P.S.

L.U. 1116 (em,lctt&u), TUCSON, AZ — Hello, brothers and sisters. 2018 is an active year for negotiations, so please attend your regular unit meetings to keep up to date on what's going on. Please make sure that your current address is on record at the union office. Remember that Local 1116 is now active on social media; you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

We may not always agree on our politics, but we should all agree that we need to be involved in the fight to protect workers' rights. Congress and the Supreme Court are aggressively working to diminish the rights of union members all across America. Educate yourself and vote for the candidates who will protect your rights as an employee. People want to work for the companies that we work for because we are paid above-average salaries and we have great benefits. The companies that we work for don't give us the things we have; we negotiate for them and it is getting harder every time to keep what we have and gain any ground.

We must stand united to make a better future for ourselves and for those who come after us. Get involved with your local union, talk to non-members and encourage them to join. "Unions are one of the last remaining checks on corporate power, so it's no surprise that corporate-backed extreme special interests are attempting to effectively end unions as we know them," said Sarita Gupta, Jobs with Justice executive director.

Sharon Williams, P.S.

L.U. 1340 (i&o), NEWPORT NEWS, VA — Our 75th Anniversary Banquet & Oyster Roast will be held at the Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, on Saturday, Oct. 6, beginning at 6 p.m. Catering will be provided by Silver Service Catering. Please make your reservations early by calling the office at 757-875-1340, so we can get a count of all attendees.

The construction work picture continues to be slow in the jurisdiction, but most of our members seeking employment have been able to find work on the road. Many thanks to those locals providing opportunities for our brothers and sisters in other areas!

Several Local 1340 journeymen recently completed a Module 1 Motor Controls class. Congratulations to all. For information on upcoming classes, please contact Jerry Goddard at 757-875-1744.

Local 1340 and EMCOR Government Services will be negotiating this summer for the third contract of the Langley Air Force Hospital maintenance unit.

Congratulations to all new journeymen in the class recently completing our apprenticeship program: Antwain Carey, Chase Conner, Marcus Frey, Nicholas Hendley, Nicholas Maday, Stewart Mattox, Robert Pacheco, Paul Smith, Robert Thorson and Luis Vazquez. We welcome them to the ranks of qualified electricians!

James Avery, P.S.

L.U. 1466 (u), COLUMBUS, OHIO — Local 1466 would like to say that we hope everyone is enjoying the summer and spending quality time with their friends and families. Thank you for always working hard to keep each other safe and looking out for one another.

We also wish everyone a happy Labor Day in September. It is easy to forget that this holiday is a day to honor the hard work of the members of organized labor. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears that were shed by those who came before us to help us become the union that we are today. While you are enjoying the holiday with your family, please remember to take the time to think about your brothers and sisters who always have your back, as well as those who set the stage for us to be where we are today.

Jimi Jette, P.S.

L.U. 2150 (em,govt,lctt,o&u), MILWAUKEE, WI — It is with great sadness that Local 2150 reports the loss of former business manager Forest Ceel.

On April 23, 2018, Forrest Ceel passed away unexpectedly while traveling back to Wisconsin from Arizona.

Local 2150 and the labor movement were always a part of Forrest's life and who he was. His father, Jerry Ceel, was the founding business manager of Local 2150. During his 35 years as a member of Local 2150, Forrest held many roles and positions, including as a registrar/lobbyist, Executive Board member, unit chair, president, and business manager. Forrest succeeded Dan Sherman as Local 2150 business manager in April 2009 and continued in that role until August 2011, when he resigned because of health issues.

The commitment and dedication that Forrest dedicated to IBEW Local 2150 and the labor movement will continue to be felt for years to come. He will be missed, and our thoughts are with his family.

Nancy Wagner, P.S.