L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OHIO — The inside work scene in Toledo is strong with 100% employment and dozens of travelers helping us man our jobs. This will sustain us for the next several months at least, and perhaps longer as some projects have yet to break ground. We need welders and overhead crane operators especially and welcome the traveling Brotherhood for good jobs in the Glass City.

Local 8 has secured a new and unprecedented written working agreement for the electrical supervisors employed by Day & Zimmermann at the Fermi Nuclear Plant. Previously, workers in those supervisor positions had become at-will employees, leaving them excluded from the parameters of the General President's Project Maintenance Agreement (GPPMA) and proper representation.

The election of Local 8 officers recently concluded, with Roy B. Grosswiler re-elected as business manager and Eric Grosswiler as president. Other notables (and first time as officers) include: Vice Pres. Dominic Chamberlain, Fin. Sec. Ann Peek, and Treas. Perry Hester. Congratulations to everyone elected and best wishes in your leadership roles.

Please stay safe in all that you do and attend your union meetings.

Mike Brubaker, P.S.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — The 22nd Turkey Testicle Festival was once again held on the last weekend of April. It was another resounding success with over $31,000 raised for the year. This brings the grand total generated since its beginning to almost $500,000 for brothers and sisters in need.

Local 16 held its annual Family Picnic on May 19. Despite some challenging weather that morning, more than 320 people enjoyed great food, games, children's activities, and the opportunity to renew old friendships. Two retired members, Donald L. Pyle and Anthony E. Russell, received pins recognizing their 65 years of service in the local. Retired member Vernon O. Seddon was acknowledged for his 70 years of IBEW service. Special thanks are due Carolyn Bittner and Sara Schapker for skillfully directing the kitchen crew and keeping everyone well fed.

Things have also been busy for the Political Action Committee. They have held a poker run, golf scramble, and raffles. Anyone interested in this great organization should come to the union hall on the second Tuesday of the month.

The JATC performed a neighborhood cleanup this spring. Thank you to all for making it shine!

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — The local awarded service pins to those in attendance at the April union meeting. Bros. Santo Azzarello and Richard Robbins were awarded their 60-year pins. Bros. Richard Jordan, Charles Klingelhofer and Bruce Parish were awarded their 50-year pins. Bro. Aaron Butcher received his 15-year pin.

On Tuesday, May 7, 27 members received Shop Stewards training put on by the International Office. This four-hour course covers all aspects of being a steward, from how to handle a possible grievance to the legal requirements that come with the job. I thank those who attended for getting involved.

The local held four retirement seminars for members over the age of 50. Three meetings were held in Baltimore and one was held on the Eastern Shore. Trustees, administrators and our Pension Fund consultants went over pension options as well as spousal benefits, retiree health care coverage and Social Security options. Members and their spouses attended, and dinner was served. The positive feedback was proof of how helpful these seminars can be when planning for the next phase of our life. Thanks to all involved in making the seminars a success.

Peter P. Demchuk, B.M.

L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — Local 26 is proud to announce the four winners of this year's scholarship award: Janiya Brooks, Sarah Byram, Sarah Donaldson and Molly Meador. Congratulations to all and stay tuned for further details in our next article.

Thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed the Manassas, VA, picnic on June 22 and the fishing trip on July 15. The Maryland picnic will be Saturday, Aug. 24. The annual golf outing was June 3, with 550 golfers. Thank you to all who played, donated and volunteered. It was a successful event for a great cause, Dollars Against Diabetes.

Congratulations to the 2019 graduates of our JATC program and the "R to A Upgrade" program. Graduation ceremonies were June 1 and there were 173 graduates. Best wishes to our new journeyman electricians!

Best wishes to new retirees: Jonathan F. Stetson, George D. Tolbert, Patrick C. Ortman, Colleen M. Melton, Robert F. McCarthy Jr., Charles E. Blackwell, Preston H. Williams, David H. Gossard, Richard L. Dixon Jr., David E. Icenhower Jr., Richard Yuracka, Thomas M. Smith, David J. Didion, Randal J. Colbert, Mitchell W. Bademan, Barry S. Payne, Gregory T. Baldwin, Ali Jabarooti, Gregory S. Shifflett, Paul J. Good III, Robert Backover, Harold W. Tomlin, Michael M. Bowman, Eddie W. Yates, Ronald C. Washabaugh, Misael Martinez and Hans Baumann.

Sadly, several members passed away since our last article: John P. Mudd, Robert L. Siemon, James V. Pitcher, Frank J. Thompson, Larry H. Cross and James T. Blanche.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OHIO — Two-hundred Cleveland Building Trades members from multiple trades and over 80 IBEW Local 38 members came out with banners and signs at the grand opening of a new Menards store in Cleveland. The signs and banners were in protest to Menards not using a local workforce to build its new stores — and to educate the public about the company's building policies. Many people beeped their horns in support as they drove by, and several people decided not to enter the store's grand opening after learning about what Menards did. There have been multiple protests, and more are planned.

The work picture looks good for Cleveland. Over 100 IBEW members are currently working on the Rocket Mortgage Field House (formerly the Quicken Loans Arena) expansion and renovation project. Members there are working for several different contractors including Einheit, Irizar, Speelman, United, and Lakeland Electric companies. More calls to the union hall for journeymen and technicians are expected for that job, as the project has to be completed before the opening of the Cleveland Cavaliers' season.

The next phase of the East Bank Flats project on the Cuyahoga River will include apartments, cinemas and retail, and it is scheduled to start late this summer; Lake Erie Electric has the job.

Multiple other new projects are expected to start this fall.

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

L.U. 40 (em,i&mps), HOLLYWOOD, CA — Local 40 held its Annual Golf Tournament this summer and provided an opportunity to bring the members of Local 40 and the members of other crafts and guilds in the motion picture industry together for a wonderful day of golf. Every year the local partners with a local charity. This year's charity was the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, which provides emergency food and assistance to those in need and helps the homeless.

Events like this show the community that union members care about the communities we live in and are taking an active role in finding ways to help. A special thanks to Bros. Tyler Lane and Dustin Little, our two co-chairs of the Golf Tournament, for all their hard work and dedication to make this event happen. We also thank all of our event sponsors who generously donated.

Local 40 also held its annual fishing trip this summer, bringing the members together for a day out on the open sea — and demonstrating that the members are not just friends, but an extended family. The local thanks Bro. Frank Monzon, who each year has led the charge to organize and coordinate this event, making it the success it is.

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

L.U. 42 (catv,em,govt,lctt&o), HARTFORD, CT — Halfway through 2019 and things at Local 42 are as busy as ever. Our work picture is booming with both transmission and distribution working overtime. There is railroad and substation work as well.

Local 42 held its annual Dinner Dance/Apprentice Graduation on April 13. Congratulations to the class of 2019 apprenticeship graduates: Joseph Carasone III, Joshua Bouthiller, Jacob Fascendini, Thomas Bane Jr., Patrick Dudzinski, Zackary Fonicello, Robert Perri, Michael Theriault, James Miodowski Jr., Trevor Howell, Kevin Ryan, Alec Wasilonsky and Trent Stimson.

May 4 was the Local 42 Trap Shoot. And on May 11, Local 42 held its 15th annual motorcycle ride and poker run, to benefit The Bridgeport Burn Center Hospital. This year is Local 42's 50th anniversary, and we are planning a huge dinner gala/celebration to be held Dec. 7 at Foxwoods Resort & Casino.

Regretfully, we must report the loss of several Local 42 brothers: Howard Duffy, Steven Wysocki and retirees George Breede, Leo "Bobby" Faucher and John "Tommy" Bullock. We extend condolences to their families.

Derek Santa Lucia, P.S.

L.U. 44 (catv,lctt,o,rtb,s&u), BUTTE, MT — On April 26 this year, a grand opening was held for the new Stan I. Dupree Training Center in Helena, MT.

Those in attendance included: Eighth District Int. Vice Pres. Jerry Bellah; delegates from the Eighth District office; Western Line Constructors Chapter NECA Exec. Dir./Chapter Mgr. Jules Weaver; and the Mountain States Line Constructors Apprenticeship & Training JATC board of trustees.

This state-of-the-art training center has: a large classroom (which can be divided) that features state-of-the-art technological teaching aides and can seat up to 80 people; a large break room; an indoor lab building; and hands-on training equipment including a Three Phase Innovations scale-model Mobile Cabinet transformer, training equipment that will help both the apprentices and journeyman linemen.

The Helena center currently has about 100 apprentices in the apprenticeship training program. Recent years have seen an increasing number of apprentices, making the old training center too small. JATC instructor Tim Newman noted that the old training center was 2,200 square feet, and the new facility is about 7,700 square feet, with the ability to expand and grow as needed! Future training equipment may include a back hoe, as works are in progress to add more equipment.

The future is indeed bright!

Dwight Rose, Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st), SEATTLE, WA — April is always a special time at Local 46! Every April, at our general meeting, we get the opportunity to celebrate our sisters' and brothers' years of service in the IBEW. This year we recognized over 1,100 active and retired members, including 116 retired members with more than 50 years of IBEW service. Local 46 extends a heartfelt "thank-you" to each one of you for your continual service and dedication to our local and the IBEW!

At a New Member Orientation in May, we had the honor of swearing in 89 new members of IBEW Local 46. Our membership has surpassed 5,800 and continues to grow! In just the first five months of 2019, Local 46 welcomed over 300 new IBEW members.

Be sure to mark your calendar for our Seattle Picnic on Sunday, Aug. 18, at Vasa Park Resort, beginning at 10 a.m. Please join us and be sure to bring the kids or grandkids. This is a family event with great food, fun, and lots for the family to do!

Effective Aug. 5, 2019, our Inside Wireman Unit will receive a $1.75 per hour wage and benefit increase, and our Sound & Communication Unit will receive a $0.50 per hour wage and benefit increase. Both units voted on the allocation for these raises at their June unit meetings.

Warren Shill V.P.

L.U. 50 (u), RICHMOND, VA — IBEW Local 50 RENEW members and the Executive Board participated in a volunteer event with Grace & Holy Trinity Church in Richmond on Friday, March 8, this year.

Every Friday, the church feeds between 100 and 250 homeless and hungry in the community. The church relies heavily on the college students from nearby Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for many of its volunteers. Local 50 coordinated with VCU social work intern, Savannah Williams, planning the volunteer event. However, on the weekend of March 8, many of the VCU students were away for spring break. Our IBEW Local 50 volunteers assisted with preparing and serving food, washing dishes, and other cleanup, such as vacuuming and mopping. Our volunteers also assisted at the church's Red Door Clothes Closet, which is open to all people in need, bringing donations of men's clothing. They also helped with the Friday distribution of personal care items, such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc.

RENEW Committee Chmn. Dustin Sadler said that he was "extremely proud of our local for the impact made in our community today."

Thank you to Bus. Rep. Doug Williams for contributing information for this article.

IBEW Local 50 represents over 3,000 workers with four employers in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

John Albert, Sr. B.R.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO — Greetings, brothers and sisters. On Saturday, June 1, Local 68 held its election of officers and also elected delegates to the IBEW 40th International Convention.

Newly elected officers are: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Jeremy Ross, Pres. Morgan J. Buchanan, Vice Pres. Bruce Dahl, Treas. Kyle Weber and Rec. Sec. Nick Shimon; Executive Board members Robert Delgado Jr., Tony Pastore, Curtis Engle, Michael Thomas, Deb Tikka, Troy Ingalls and Lavell Flamon; Examining Board members Mike Lowitzer, Ken Pafford, Mark Kirkham and Steve Block. Building Association: Ross Aaron, Jeffrey Clark, Sean McMahon and Ricardo Felix. Delegates to 40th International Convention: Jeremy Ross, Morgan J. Buchanan, Mike Jacks, Robert Delgado Sr., Bruce Dahl, Ted Thomas and Robert Delgado Jr. Congratulations to all newly elected officers.

The Local 68 Retirees Club held their last meeting before summer break with a presentation of IBEW service pin awards. Retirees were honored for IBEW service ranging from 50 years to 65 years. Awards were presented for a combined total of 730 years of service. Congratulations to all honorees and their families.

Mark your calendars: The IBEW Local 68 Annual Picnic will be Saturday, Aug. 17.

We extend deepest sympathy to the families of recently deceased members: Robert Mennenga, Larry D. Thompson, William L. Barnhart, Robert A. Blume, Henry Geisheimer, Christopher Wise, Lloyd W. Mayer and John B. Peacock.

Morgan J. Buchanan, Pres.

L.U. 70 (lctt&o), WASHINGTON, DC — In March of 2018, Bus. Mgr. Bill Tipton opened a Local 70 satellite office in Virginia. It has been more than a year now since that office opened, and we are still getting a positive response from the membership and contractors regarding the satellite location. It is a big help for our members who live in Virginia or go to work there. The new office saves those members a trip through traffic in Washington, D.C. The membership thanks Bill and his staff for the great job they are doing going into his fifth year in office.

George A. Embrey, B.R./Exam. Board

L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA — Local 80 is embarking on its 120th anniversary as of May 2019.

Notably, one of our signatory contractors that has also stood the test of time will celebrate its centennial in 2020. E.G. Middleton Inc. spans three generations as a company, with the next generation learning the industry. Middleton's reputation for performing quality work over the last 100 years in Hampton Roads, VA, warrants satisfied repeat customers, and in some cases at the same location years later.

For example, 32-year local union member Bro. Simon Bettinger, who as an apprentice started his career at the Norfolk AT&T Building, is now general foreman for Middleton performing electrical upgrades for the same customer.

The current Norfolk AT&T Building project started in late May 2018 and includes installation of new electrical service and major, large-scale electrical upgrades. With all the major electrical system changes, a project of this size and complexity takes a total team effort.

Congratulations to Bro. Simon Bettinger and his crew of 10 electrical workers on performing their tasks safely and productively while keeping the original power and equipment online without interruption. This project is scheduled to be significantly completed this summer — just another reminder of superior leadership and quality IBEW craftsmanship at its finest.

Local 80 hosted its annual picnic on May 4. There was a good turnout, and everyone enjoyed the festivities.

Recent contract negotiations went well, and we secured a three-year contract.

We are continuing to organize new members in our shipyards, naval facilities and non-union shops.

We mourn the loss of member Paul Chapman, who passed away April 17, 2019. Our condolences go out to his family.

Wil Morris, A.B.M.

L.U. 90 (i), NEW HAVEN, CT — Greetings, brothers and sisters.

Work in our jurisdiction remains steady. A project labor agreement was signed with General Dynamics, for the new construction of the South Yard assembly building at the electric boat yard in Groton, CT. Various projects are underway at Yale University.

Our Local 90 membership outing is Sept. 7, at Camp Mountain Mist in Meriden, CT.

Sadly, one of our members is in need of a live kidney donor with type "O" blood. The member's name is Clifford O'Connell. Bro. O'Connell has 29 years of service with Local 90. A dedicated family man, he has a wife, Andrea, and a daughter, Erin. Time is of the essence for Bro. O'Connell. The waiting list for a donor is five to seven years. His life is on the line! If anyone can help Clifford, please call the Hartford Hospital donor coordinator at 860-972-9918.

We wish all members and their families a safe and enjoyable summer!

John Bellemare, Pres./Bus. Agent

L.U. 108 (ees,em,es,lctt,mar,mt,rtb,rts,s,spa,t&u), TAMPA, FL — Congratulations to our substation electricians who recently achieved journeyman status and are employed by Tampa Electric, an Emera company. IBEW Local 108 is extremely proud of these guys, who worked hard to achieve journeyman status as substation electricians. These men are a huge asset to the department and the company as a whole. They have definitely raised the bar on professionalism in the industry. Congratulations, guys! We are proud of you.

Bruce Bailey, P.S.

L.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se,spa&t), KANSAS CITY, MO — In Jefferson City, MO, our state legislators have completed another session where only a few gains for working families were successfully passed. We did avoid a few anti-worker bills like reducing unemployment benefits, misclassification of workers, prevailing wage by county, and "right-to-work" by county. It is very difficult to stop all of the anti-worker legislation.

The simple solution to this problem is to elect labor-friendly candidates. Please vote. One labor-friendly elected official on the Kansas side is Gov. Laura Kelly. She is working with a Republican-majority legislature trying to restore Kansas to a functioning state after the failed Brownback tax experiment. We wish her luck.

The Local 124 apprenticeship class of 2019 celebrated graduation and advanced to journeyman status. Congratulations to our newest journeyman brothers and sisters. In solidarity.

Steven Morales, P.S.

L.U. 134 (catv,em,govt,i,mt,rtb,rts,spa&t), CHICAGO, IL — IBEW Local 134 and the Electrical Contractors' Association of City of Chicago's LMCC, Powering Chicago, continues to positively impact the community we serve. Just in the first few months of 2019, we've partnered with the Chicago White Sox to provide a unique, one-of-a-kind experience to families in need, and we've worked with Special Olympics to ensure this year's athletes received their materials in time for the annual games.

Not only did IBEW Local 134 members and the Electrical Contractors' Association of Chicago donate time and resources for the annual Rebuild Together Metro Chicago event in late April, but through our partnership with the White Sox, we also were able to give four tickets and Sox gear to each of the 75 families who were impacted by the event. For the past 25 years we've made it an annual tradition to give back to those in our community, along with other union trades, through Rebuild Chicago.

Special Olympics has a history that dates back to the summer of 1968, when the first games were held in Chicago — so, it's only fitting that we donated our Local 134 union hall's space as a staging ground to hand out shirts to the 4,000 athletes participating this year.

Kevin Connolly, R.S.

Decatur, IL, Local 146 congratulates class of 2019 apprenticeship graduates. Front row: graduates Richard Karr, Tanner Miller, Tyler Murphy, Tyler Cothern, Adam Gensler, Brandon Bryant, Kevin Rhodes, Tom Tripp, Darren Allin, Allen Presley. Back row: Bus. Mgr. Josh Sapp; Training Dir. Jason Drake; Robert Berry, JATC secretary/NECA; graduates Don Brown, Jon Burckhardt, Jon Koester, Blake Davis, Ian Weddle, Alan Handy, Jacob Gough and Paul Grubb; Blain O'Connell, NECA; and Justin Martin, JATC chair/IBEW.

L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ — On Saturday, April 27, Local 164 once again participated in National Rebuilding Day, a day of community service organized by Rebuilding Together, a national organization dedicated to helping homeowners stay safe, warm and independent in their homes. The organization assists those who cannot maintain their homes for themselves, including veterans, and also assists various community service-based nonprofit facilities.

Our members come out every year and give of their time to help with the Rebuilding Together project and serve the community. It is an amazing day of brotherhood and camaraderie.

It takes many weeks in preparation for the big day and doesn't get done without the members. Hudson County is coordinated by Bro. Victor Badaracco Jr. Essex County is coordinated by Bro. Earl Rush. Bergen County is coordinated by Bros. Mike McCarthy and Warren Becker. But it doesn't get done without the over 100 members who make it happen.

Bus. Mgr. Dan Gumble and Pres. Tom Sullivan thank and congratulate everyone for another successful year and a job well done.

Warren Becker, V.P.

L.U. 212 (i), CINCINNATI, OHIO — Bus. Mgr. Rick Fischer, Bus. Agent Chad Day and Pres. Jason Mischke presented the terms of a newly negotiated six-year contract at a special meeting May 14, 2019. The new contract, ratified by the membership, includes a raise of $10 over six years and institutes a new option for a NEFP 401(k) plan. Our new wage starting June 3 will be $30.18 per hour.

Our work outlook remains steady with 60 on Book 1 and five on Book 2. This summer, new work at CVG (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport) and Amazon Prime Air will continue to keep us busy.

There is also speculation about a possible new Hard Rock Hotel, following Hard Rock International's acquisition of Jack Casino and Turfway Park.

Our two Activate Health & Wellness Centers continue to be an important resource. They have helped our members save on the cost of routine visits, as well as prescription medications.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley spoke at our JATC facility. He announced a plan for all future solar work to be done at prevailing wage.

As always, I challenge you to get active. Our union is not a spectator sport!

Phil Bovard, P.S.

L.U. 234 (i&mt), CASTROVILLE, CA — We here at Local 234 are pleased to report on another graduating class of apprentices. Graduation was held May 24. Our members who have truly distinguished themselves as graduates are: for Sound & Communication — Adrian Mendoza; and for Inside — Sabyn Cupples (overall Outstanding Apprentice for the five-year program), David Durbin, Ivan Garcia-Ponce (Outstanding Fifth-Year Apprentice), Michael Gruber, Andres Laureano, and Patrick Ortiz (perfect attendance). These gentlemen, who are well prepared to follow their predecessors, will go forth as journeymen to build bridges, roads and streets, schools, hospitals, businesses, and utilities, and also to replace our aged-out infrastructure, all of which we so badly need.

Our graduates received generous donations from electrical industry suppliers Milwaukee, Fluke, Ideal, Platt, and Klein. In addition, our Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) will send Sabyn Cupples to NTI this summer.

Also attending the celebration were our outstanding apprentices for each class and their guests. Those apprentices were as follows: 1st year class —Darien Rosbach, 2nd year class — Gilberto Espindola, 3rd year — Kevin Rategan, 4th year — Jeff Beers, and 5th year class — Ivan Garcia-Ponce.

On behalf of our Local 234 members, their families, our staff, and all IBEW members, we extend sincere congratulations to the Local 234 graduates and to all graduating IBEW apprentices.

Stephen Slovacek, P.S.

L.U. 236 (catv,ees,govt,i,mo,rtb&t), ALBANY, NY — After a tough set of sessions, we have negotiated a contract that will carry us into 2022. A survey sent out to the membership revealed that focus needed to be placed on positive language changes for our members. We made every effort to make that happen.

Our work picture continues to improve after a slow winter, with large projects such as Regeneron on the horizon that will provide a large number of electricians with work.

Our members continue to improve our community and the image of the IBEW through various committees. The Community Outreach Committee filed for nonprofit status to provide additional ability to benefit those who need it most. The RENEW Committee seeks to engage our youngest members in brotherhood and show them that we are more than just a place to provide a job; we are a place to provide a second family.

Thanks to everyone who has been a part of Local 236, and we strive to make it a better place for electricians to be every day.

Michael Martell, Exec. Board

L.U. 270 (i&o), OAK RIDGE, TN — At this writing, our work picture looks very good. We are working several traveling brothers and sisters and expect to put many more to work in the next few months.

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

IBEW Local 270 congratulates our newest class of apprenticeship graduates on becoming journeyman wiremen. These recent Oak Ridge Electrical JATC graduates are top-notch and have a bright future in store.

We also congratulate Kevin Lawlor, an IBEW member and Oak Ridge Electrical JATC teacher, on his upcoming retirement. Bro. Lawlor has taught for 30 years and has passed down his knowledge to so many of our members throughout the years. He will be greatly missed.

Jake Lequire, R.S.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR — In Local 280 we are still enjoying a great work picture. We continue to add previously unrepresented electrical workers to our ranks weekly.

With projects ranging from data centers to solar farms, hospitals to schools, water treatment plants to new housing projects, the work opportunities in Local 280 are unlimited. 2019 will be another banner year and 2020 looks to be great as well.

We are blessed and cautious heading into contract negotiations. Local 280 enjoys a great relationship with our contractors and hopes to continue with that good partnership with these negotiations, increasing opportunity and position for our members and contractors. It's an honor to be associated with the men and women of the IBEW, a brotherhood that includes what I consider to be the greatest trades people to be associated with daily.

Local 280 was honored to be able to help Oregon state Rep. Dan Rayfield and his band, the "Polkaticians," in putting together a float for Portland's Rose Festival Starlight Parade held in June.

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

L.U. 302 (i,rts&spa), MARTINEZ, CA — This year's apprenticeship graduation dinner was held May 30.

That night, 12 inside wiremen and five sound and communication installers graduated from our apprenticeship programs.

Congratulations to our new journeymen and installers for all their hard work, commitment and success. The recent graduates are: Michael Alvarez, Zachary Beason, Drew Crider, Gary Cruz, Walter Duran, Jeremiah Lesmeister-Neckel, Tyler Lightfoot, A.J. McNally, Patrick Murray, Jerrick Page, Lennathan Pak, Bryce Perez, Ryan Roos, Lou Saephan, David Troxell, Isaac Westphal and Thomas Young.

We wish them all the best as they start a new chapter in their careers.

Melissa Vaughn, R.S.

L.U. 332 (c,ees,i&st), SAN JOSE, CA — In anticipation of the next major transition of our industry, IBEW Local 332 has made a valuable and significant investment in our ability to modernize our workforce by offering a series of classes covering current industry solutions using digital technology. The classes will range from a course in basic computer skills to advanced applications of Bluebeam, Revit, PlanGrid, and a variety of Microsoft office products used in administration.

In addition to teaching fundamental functions for each of these programs, all these courses will be taught from a field application perspective, increasing our workforce's efficiency and productivity through better communication and collaboration methods.

While this is an important first step, there is a lot of ground we will need to cover, given rapidly changing technology in an evolving industry. Computers are now a pivotal foundation of how our projects are built and are largely steering the industry toward destinations that are currently unknown. The opportunity exists for our electrical workforce to take the reins and steer this trend in a direction that will benefit not only our current market share, but also our future prosperity.

Chris Doyle, JATC Sr. Instructor

L.U. 340 (i,rts&spa), SACRAMENTO, CA — Local 340 held a combination Open House/Pin Party in early May to celebrate our new facility and to honor the Local 340 members (past and present) who made it all happen.

One of this year's recipients was former Local 340 business manager A.C. Steelman, who attended and told me he is truly enjoying his retirement. He received a 50-year service pin and certificate, presented by his son Local 340 Pres. Mark Steelman and Ninth District Int. Rep. Michael Meals. Congratulations, Bro. Steelman, and congratulations to all Local 340 members who received pins this year. Your hard work and dedication got us to where we are now and we are very grateful.

Work in our jurisdiction and new member installations in Sacramento are still booming at the time of this writing. We've been able to fill all of our job calls with Local 340's new and current members and with many of the travelers who like to work in sunny California. Thank you to the fellow IBEW local unions for sharing your members with us, and thanks to the locals that are employing our members who choose to travel. It is a great feeling that IBEW locals everywhere are working the members, organizing new members and growing our national numbers.

Robert D. Ward, B.M.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL — Work remains steady in Local 364 heading into the fall with several projects underway and more being completed by the end of the year.

On Saturday, July 20, IBEW Local 364 held our summer picnic at our union hall and banquet facility in Rockford. Several hundred members and their families attended. Everyone had a great time. There were several games and fun activities throughout the picnic including egg toss, horseshoes, a rock-climbing wall and water slide just to name a few.

The summer picnic is becoming one of Local 364's more popular events and each year it gets better and better.

We would like to thank all the travelers who have helped Local 364 through a busy 2019, and we look forward to a safe and prosperous fourth quarter.

Brad Williams, P.S.

L.U. 424 (as,ees,em,es,i,mo,o,ptc,rtb,rts,spa&u), EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA — Local 424 nominations for officers took place in May. Thank you to all the candidates who put their names forward. As this article went to press, the ballot count was scheduled to be held at the Local 424 office in Edmonton on June 27, 2019. At press time, results were pending.

Renovations for the local's new EBFA building have been completed. The Employee Benefits Funds Administration has now moved into its new location. The Electrical Industry Training Centre of Alberta (EITCA) is expected to move operations over in the near future.

There are several ongoing commercial projects in Edmonton and the surrounding area. Western Electric has ongoing work at the Stantec Tower. Canadian Power Pac and Western Pacific Enterprises have work at the TransED LRT.

Scott Crichton, P.S.

L.U. 494 (em,govt,i,mt,rts,spa&t), MILWAUKEE, WI — Since 2000, recycling little aluminum tabs from the tops of soda cans has generated over $360,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin Inc. Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. The organization provides a place to stay for families with hospitalized children under 21 years of age (or 18, depending on the house), who are being treated at nearby hospitals and medical facilities.

Revenue from recycling these little bits of aluminum helps us keep families close to the resources they need to thrive. Saving pop tabs is easy! They're compact, with a high concentration of recyclable aluminum.

Member James Turdo of Uihlein Electric and his daughter Jenna Turdo delivered 118 pounds of tabs to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin's tab toss day. Again, thank you to all the Local 494 members who donated pop tabs to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.

John T. Zapfel, Political Dir.

L.U. 540 (i), CANTON, OHIO — Local 540 is proud to recognize the apprenticeship graduating class of 2019.

Congratulates to all the graduates on successfully completing their JATC apprenticeship. Graduates Heidi Steiner (Inside) and Patrick Swejk (Telecom) were 2019 Apprentice of the Year Award recipients.

The following brothers and sisters graduated on May 23: Inside graduates — Tyler Brahler, Reese Colaner, Jason Crosier, Kyle Friedman, Andrew Gore, Justin Guy, Daniel Hill, Steve Kromi, Blake Miller, Austin Neisel, Jacob Rippi, Garrett Robbins, Eric Sanford, Keith Schwyn, Charles Schoenfelt, Heidi Steiner, Paul Stiles, Bryan Stragisher, Robert Wester, Hunter Williams and David Yoskey. Telecom graduates — Joshua Porter, Patrick Swejk and Steven Teppert. Winners of the Vern Wolgamott Perfect Attendance Award were: Austin Neisel, Jacob Rippi, Joshua Porter and Patrick Swejk.

Good wishes to all graduates on their IBEW careers.

Rick Waikem, R.S./P.S.

L.U. 558 (catv,em,i,lctt,mt,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), SHEFFIELD, AL — Greetings, brothers and sisters.

Congratulations to the 2019 apprenticeship graduating class of inside journeyman wiremen and outside journeyman linemen from the Electrical Training Alliance for all their hard work and dedication in achieving this monumental task. There were 24 wireman graduates (pictured below) and four lineman graduates in the class. Special congratulations to Nicholas Suns on his Outstanding Wireman award, and to Eric Smith, honored as Outstanding Lineman. IBEW Local 558 is very proud of all who graduated, and we are assured that the reputation as well as the future of the local will be protected.

Also, Local 558 celebrated our Spring Picnic on May 18 this year. We enjoyed a large turnout of members and their families along with great food, music, prizes, and fellowship. It was an excellent time for young and old members to get together, and the weather was perfect. A big thank-you to the staff and members who helped make the picnic a success.

In closing, I would like to commend Florence Utilities as well as the City of Florence for the Chris Williamson dedication memorial marker placed at one of the city's substations in his honor. Bro. Williamson tragically lost his life while working storm work in Florence on June 5, 2014.

Mac Sloan, Pres./Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 640 (em,govt,i,mo,mt,rts,spa&u), PHOENIX, AZ — The work outlook in Phoenix is still strong. We thank all of our traveling brothers and sisters who have helped us man our work throughout this boom!

Our organizers have been working hard to bring in new members and we have seen a substantial increase in our membership since January of 2018.

On Memorial Day, Local 640 was proud to present a $10,000 check to the VFW post members from Tolleson, AZ, to help them build a new VFW post. They have not had a place to call their own, and with land donated to build a post, we wanted to assist in keeping the construction project moving forward. We value our veterans and are going to do everything we can to help them.

Tim Wilson, B.R./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 — On Saturday, June 1, newly topped out journeyman lineman Brennon McCord won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League All-American Tournament on the Potomac River. This first-place finish came with a $100,000 check and the opportunity to be a "sponsored" fisherman for the next year. Congratulations to Brennon for this tremendous accomplishment.

Earlier this year, members at Vectren ratified a new three-year agreement with annual wage increases of 2.75%, 2.75%, and 3.0%, while our Ameren Illinois members recently approved a two-year contract extension that contained annual wage increases of 2.5% each year, but is contingent on the amendment / extension of Illinois Senate Bill 1652 from the 2011 legislative session.

Members at Tri-County Electric Cooperative ratified a new five-year contract with annual wage increases of 2.5%, 2.5%, 3.0%, 3.0%, and 3.25%.

For our Inside members, Scarborough Alliance Group will hold two Retirement Planning Workshops at our local this fall. The first one will be Saturday, Sept. 21, and the second one will be on Saturday, Oct. 19. Both will be from 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

As of this writing, our referral books are as follows: Inside Construction — 98, Outside Construction — 8, Line Clearance — 1.

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

L.U. 704 (catv,em&i), DUBUQUE, IOWA — We are excited to welcome a new unit into our local following a NLRB election and a unanimous vote in favor of IBEW representation. We recently worked with, and organized, the Hilton Garden Inn hotel workers in Dubuque. The unit includes front desk, housekeeping, kitchen and maintenance workers. We are currently in negotiations, and our team is more than up to the task. It has been an exciting challenge and the workers deserve all the credit.

We participated again this year in the Dubuque Area Labor Management Construction Expo. The building trades unions came together to show over 400 high-school students the trades with hands-on activities. Our workstation included conduit bending and wiring up a junction box. We believe this promotion is not only good for the students, but it also gives their teachers a close look at what we do.

Lastly, we congratulate Don "Sarge" Rausch on his retirement. Don is a 44-year member and has been the local union treasurer for the last 37 years! It's incredible to think about how many apprentices Don has trained over the years. At our May meeting, the local presented Don with a recognition plaque for his many years of service to our local.

David Becker, P.S.

L.U. 760 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), KNOXVILLE, TN — Local 760 congratulates recent apprenticeship graduates of the Electrician Training Academy of Knoxville (ETAK).

The recent graduates include: Zachary Beard, Tyler Collier, Adam Crawhorn, Philip Daugherty, William Gamble, Mitchell Jenkins, Rhonda Johnson, Clinton Jones, Abel Lupescu, Ryan Oakley, Christopher Phillips, Jacob Sercovich, Richard Smith, Wesley Smith, Austin Stinnett, William Watson and Joshua Welch. Additionally, five veterans were among the graduates: Billy Decker, David Farmer, David Fellows, Zachary Hawkins and Erik Hunt.

Graduate Rhonda Johnson had perfect attendance. David Farmer, outstanding graduate, obtained a 95.5 grade average. William Gamble and Wesley Smith are already pursuing training for the EPRI Instrumentation Level A exam.

Speakers at the graduation ceremony included: Local 760 Bus. Mgr. Tim Tate; Chase Pendergraft, East Tennessee Chapter NECA; Jack Rolling, Milwaukee Tool; Dr. Anthony Wise, president of Pellissippi State Community College; JATC Chmn. Wayne Wojciechowski; and Local 760 Pres. Larry Cole.

Dr. Wise presented certificates to all graduates who have earned 45 semester hours of credit toward an associate degree. Sue Wojciechowski presented ETAK $990 to register each graduate for the 57 semester hours of "recommended" college credit with the American Council on Education.

Congratulations to all the graduates on achieving their new journeyman wireman status and keeping the IBEW strong.

Jason Leary, A.B.M.