L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OH — I want to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Fourth District International Vice President Brian Malloy. To Susie, Breanna and the entire Malloy Family, the brothers and sisters of Local 8 collectively mourn this ever-too-soon loss.

2020 was to have been a historic year for Local 8, and then COVID-19 happened. In the first three quarters of this year, we lost 26 active or retired members, some directly from COVID-19. Our sympathies go out to all their families. We have to de-escalate this pandemic now, put it behind us and hope that no more fall to it.

Workwise, Local 8 peaked at 300 travelers, and most projects were overtime. After 2 months of stay-at-home orders, we managed to get projects up and running again. We rebounded with over 200 travelers working through fall, and our biggest projects should be nearly complete by the end of the year. We expect 2021 to be slow however, due to the unknowns of the economy and the pandemic.

On a lighter note, we swore in 143 new members so far this year: 46 CE/CWs, 24 residential, 9 VDV, 45 inside and 19 meter technicians, a new classification for Local 8. Welcome to all our new members.

On behalf of our officers and staff, Business Manager Roy Grosswiler wishes all of the IBEW a joyous and safe holiday season, and a prosperous new year.

Mike Brubaker, P.S.

L.U. 16 (i) EVANSVILLE, IN, — The IBEW congratulates the following graduates of the 2020 Inside Wireman program: Evan R. Adkins; Scott E. Barmes; Nicholas A. Behrman; Reece R. Brooks; Andrew J. Davidson; Nicholas S. Davidson; Keith A. Dewig; Caleb S. Duncan; Bryan W. Ellison; Jared M. Estes; Chelsea M. Freeman; Thomas M. Goeltz; Timothy R. Golike Jr.; Michael L. Helgesen; Chase W. Keller; Lucas M. Kelly; Colton A. Kyle; Jeffrey A. Lemasters Jr.; John J. Lester; Jonathan E. Lutz; Cody M. Matsel; Nathan S. McNeece; Drew B. Phebus; Andrew D. Robinson; Sara A. Schapker; Nathan R. Spriggs; Jeremy A. Stratton; Corey M. Titzer; Ryan M. Turner; Jason R. Vaught; Taylor R. Watkins; Kurt R. Weatherholt and Jerad G. Williams. This year the John D. Brenner and the Top Graduate Awards were both won by Sara A. Schapker.

Local 16 would like to welcome Mr. Cody Matsel and Oxbow Electric as one of its newest local contractors.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the 134th Labor Day Association's celebration was forced to limit its activities. Member unions were only able to drive through the Princeton downtown. Hopefully, things will return to normal for next year!

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — We have launched a new phone app to help members stay in touch during these trying times and give them greater flexibility in the future. The app is available to all active members of Local 24 as well as our retired brothers and sisters. The app allows members to update their contact info, pay dues, view important announcements, check their position on the out-of-work list and much more. To register, please visit www.ibewlocal24.org.

I am pleased to announce that I have hired Jon McLaughlin as an organizer. Having grown up in a union household, Jon understands the value and necessity in spreading our message to those not yet unionized. I look forward to working with Jon, and I am confident that he will do a great job.

It's sad to say, but it appears we still don't have a hold on COVID-19, and according to health professionals, it appears things will get worse this winter before they get better. For the safety of our members and their families I have decided to cancel the annual Children's Christmas Party.

Peter P. Demchuk, B.M.

L.U. 26 (i,es,ees,govt,em&mt) WASHINGTON, DC — On August 22, 2020, International Vice President Brian Malloy lost his battle to cancer and passed away. Please continue to keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

On September 1, 2020, Gina Cooper was appointed as the new international vice president for the Fourth District. Congratulations!

All of the Local 26 holiday parties have been canceled because of the pandemic. The December general membership meeting will still be held on Friday, December 11, 2020.

Best wishes to the following new retirees: Rogers O. Alexander; Gregory Arnold; Bruce E. Baldwin; John S. Barret III; Mark E. Birch; Steven W. Blackman; Timothy J. Brown; William D. Brunson; Derek H. Clark; Michael J. Delsanto Jr.; Christopher S. Donati; John K. Ewusie; Gary W. Good; Daniel M. Grabill Sr.; Daniel T. Hall; John A. Heizer; Robert K. Iddins; Eric W. Johnson; Joseph L. Keglovich; Stanley J. Kowal; Craig E. Leary; Richard E. Mackenzie; Abraham Matthews Jr.; Mark L. Meeks; John P. Murray; Brett E. Noone; Frank W. Rainey; Cristobal Soro Sanchez; Donald J. Simmel; Michael S. Sparks; Richard M. Spicer Jr.; Keith A. Sutphin; Michael E. Tangy; Donald R. Thorne; Richard D. Tucker; Marcus A. Underwood; Robert G. Vinning; Jeffrey A. Watson and Robert F. Zikowitz.

The following members have passed away since our last article: Marvin D. Daniels; Richard T. Farrell Jr.; Conrad P. Gyuras; Frederick M. Hanel; Robert K. Iddins; Jay K. Inglish; Leonard W. King; Gervis H. Mullins; David K. Peterson; Robert S. Redding; Robert D. Rutan; Donald L. St. Clair; Robert N. Stickman; Randall Thompson Jr.; John C. Vorce; John W. William and Willie F. Woods.

With the holidays approaching, we hope that you and your family are remaining safe and healthy as much as possible, and we wish everyone the best in 2021!

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OH — Hiring continues for projects such as Metro Hospital. Between Zenith Systems, Irazar Electric, Alternalite, US Communications, Einheit Electric and North Electric we have over 100 members working on the project. Bids are also out for the apartments that Metro is building across the street on W. 25th St. Zenith is slowly starting to ramp up at the new Ahuja Hospital in Beachwood and at the Market Square mixed-use development at W. 25th and Lorain. There are plans for more development in the W. 25th area with 200 apartments called Waterford Bluffs.

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 is very excited to resume our new member orientation training and swear-in. We scheduled four days in August, the 24th through the 27th, for orientation training and swearing in. Local 46 is happy to announce 94 new members participated and were sworn in. We welcome these new members and their families with open arms to our Local 46 family.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis we have an increased backlog of applicants waiting for their interviews to enter into our apprenticeship program. We have expanded our Local 46 interview committee to include our rank and file members. They will participate and have direct say and ownership in the process. We welcome these members to Local 46's interview committee and appreciate the time they will give back.

The devastating local wildfires have displaced many families in our communities. Local 46 has implemented a Disaster Relief Squad (DRS). We have secured housing for any Local 46 member displaced due to the local wildfires. We are here for you. True solidarity is the key to our union power.

Deva Nelson, P.S.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER,CO — The pandemic continues and although restrictions still limit what we can do and how we conduct our meetings, the work of Local 68 continues. Our membership has stepped up and taken on a couple of projects to help those in need.

Through the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council, we were made aware of a family in dire need of help. There are 10 members of the family, eight of whom are children all with special needs, whose home was in total disrepair. The county had to step in and considered some tough decisions, such as splitting the family up. That's when the call went out. One of the county commissioners reached out to the Building Trades to see if there was anything that we could do to keep this family together.

Local 68, along with other volunteers from the Building Trades, stepped up. There is much work to be done: The house needs to be totally gutted and rebuilt on the inside to make it livable and bring it up to code. By the time you read this, the work should be completed and hopefully the family will be back in their home. We would like to thank everyone who volunteered time or donated to help out: NECA, Sturgeon Electric, our organizing staff, our agents, our RENEW crew and our SOC who volunteered.

Through our organizing department, Local 68 is also volunteering with a local food bank, the Denver Inner City Parrish. This is a continuous and ongoing outreach effort, so if you'd like to get involved, please call the hall. You may also donate food and clothing, diapers, etc. at the hall and we will make sure that they get to the food bank.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of our recently deceased brothers and sisters: Norman D. Lautenschlager; James A. Englund; Gary W. Whitehead; Barry Brumbaugh; Kenneth F. Waechter and Lyle L. Muir.

Morgan J. Buchanan, Pres.

L.U. 90 (i), NEW HAVEN, CT — Rosendin Electric was awarded the 20-megawatt solar project in Wallingford, Conn. The project will employ 70-90 members. I would like to commend Local 90 members and Rosendin Electric for their efforts and teamwork! The project is projected for completion in December 2020.

Local 90 will have several projects ramping up this winter and spring. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed or delayed work in our jurisdiction. Due to the pandemic, many functions and events have been canceled. Our annual retirement dinner slated for October 22nd was canceled; this year's retirees will be honored at next year's event.

This year's retirees are: Jonathan Perotti, Peter Serrano, J.T. Joyner Jr., Michael Lonardo, James Drury, Gordon Ives, Gregory Shadle, Robert DeCaprio, Joseph Fagan, Kurt Startz, Timothy Manuel, Andrew Tokarski, Joseph Fernicola, Ronald Gosselin, Peter Reilly and David Caperino. Best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement!

The officers and staff of Local 90 would like to wish all a safe and joyous holiday season!

John Bellemare, Pres./Bus. Agent

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL — Well, thank goodness that 2020 is at an end. I think we should all take a drink on New Year's Eve and never speak of this year again.

Recently 11 members' children were awarded $500 scholarships. They are: Molly Robbins, Granville Anderson, Melissa Tekampe, Geneva Gomez, Lyndsey Bassett, Rebecca Curley, Kristi Kauth, Davin Cummings, Caitlyn Coty, Rebecca Funderburk, and Reid McNeill. We wish them much success in their educational endeavors.

We also lost the following retired members this year: Brothers Denver Kelly, Chris Lazzaretto, Tom Gad, Steve Craft, John Kolar, Joe Geraldi, Steve Lahey, John Foli and Tom Bock. We also lost active members Bill Letkey and Damian Rivis. They were all good brothers and wonderful friends to many of us. We wish them Godspeed until we meet again.

Now that the elections are over — and hopefully with a good result — we can get on with the business of righting our ship and bringing our country back on course. Please be safe out there and follow all the proper physical and social distancing guidelines or we will never get out of this pandemic situation. We are all in this together, folks. Don't be selfish and don't be stupid.

Wendy J. Cordts, P.S.

L.U. 236 (catv,ees,govt,I,mo,rtb,t), ALBANY, NY — 2020 has been quite a trip, but we are trying to return things to as normal a state as possible. Our first union meeting since March was held in September and went off without a hitch. It was a welcome return to the way things should be.

The work picture has held steady in this area, but we expect the typical slowdown during the cooler months. Looking to the future, we are working with area leaders to secure large-scale offshore wind projects. Additionally, a pre-apprenticeship program established as part of these efforts will spell opportunity for the men and women of our community, opening the door to a long, fulfilling career.

We've been rooting out the bad actors abusing the Small Works program as well, thwarting attempts to improperly expand the established scope of work. A recent decision from the Council on Industrial Relations deemed pre-fabrication done at an employer's shop outside of the defined scope; this work going forward shall be done by journeymen and apprentices as it should have always been.

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

Michael Martell, Exec. Board

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,I,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR — Just as we started to see some normalcy begin to surface from the onset of this pandemic, Local 280 was hit with numerous historically unprecedented wildfires on the west coast of Oregon.

The governor declared a state of emergency, up to half a million people were evacuated statewide, and as of October approximately 2,500 homes have been destroyed and over 1 million acres have been burned in Oregon.

Local 280's Lane, Linn and Marion counties had two of the largest, most devastating fires. Evacuees sought refuge in the valley where a powerful east wind pushed over an ominous column of smoke, settling in the valley for a week. Smoke was so hazardous jobs shut down. State officials warned of the toxic, smoke-filled air.

Local 280 went into damage control. Members immediately stepped up with whatever they could offer: housing, animal shelter, help evacuating. With the cooperation of the IBEW/NECA partnership within LMCC, a donation of $15,000 was made towards the people impacted by the wildfires.

Thoughts are with our neighbor to the south, Local 659, who lost two electrical businesses as well as the towns of Talent and Phoenix. Our neighbor to the west, Local 932, had towns that sustained major losses of property and economic impact.

Zac Bakke, Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS, MN — As we head into winter, calls for work have slowed. Local 292 is dependent upon a strong community, and we are proud and humbled to be a strong participant in our community. This fall, Local 292 members participated in helping change out an electrical service for our community food shelf in Rockford, Minn. Proudly, 18 Local 292 members showed up over the weekend to help. Many hands made light work as we all pitched in to dig a 100-foot trench to install the new feeder for the upgraded 200-amp service. Members volunteered their time and our LMCC Committee provided the funds to purchase the materials to complete this project. We also want to thank Olympiatech Electric for supporting this project by pulling the permit and donating tools and other resources for the completion of this volunteer effort. The RiverWorks Community food shelf serves clients in the town of Rockford and many other surrounding communities in the far western suburbs. During this time of a slowdown in work and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, our members rely more on our community for assistance. We are more than happy to return the favor and gratitude by helping our community stay strong and supportive.

Andy Snope, P.S.

L.U. 302 (i, rts&spa), MARTINEZ, CA — 2020 will be remembered as a year of change for a great many reasons. Here in Contra Costa County, in part because of the economic impact of COVID-19, Phillips 66 has announced plans to turn their Rodeo Refinery into the largest renewable transportation fuels plant in the world. This upgrade would produce sustainable gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and renewable hydrogen, and would transition 15% of the plant to solar power. This plan includes 400 green jobs and 500 construction jobs over the life of the project while using local union labor, including Contra Costa County Building & Construction Trades. The refinery has been part of our community's history since 1896, and we are looking forward to building the future at Phillips 66 in the spirit of innovation that this change in business model represents.

Melissa Vaughn, P.S.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL — As we enter into the Christmas season, we have much to be thankful for. Though 2020 will be among the most challenging years on record, we have had plenty of work opportunities for our membership.

In October, we completed another successful refuel outage at our Byron Generating Station. Many thanks go out to our members and our Book 2 brothers and sisters who contributed to our success amidst all the challenges that an outage encompasses.

Local 364's Facebook project is off and running with approximately 80 wiremen onsite. We are expecting many more calls to come in regarding this project as we enter 2021. As of this writing, we have not received word on the Hard Rock Casino project, which, once approved by the Illinois Gaming Board, should begin construction right away.

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting a stop to most of our member activities in 2020, we are obviously looking forward to 2021 as our work picture remains strong. We are hopeful that a return to larger-scale activities is on the horizon.

Happy Holidays!

Brad Williams, Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 494 (em,govt,i,mt,rts,spa&t), MILWAUKEE, WI — The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a reality that U.S. workers have long confronted — U.S. labor law fails to protect working people. The pandemic has underscored the importance of unions in giving workers a collective voice in the workplace.

COVID-19 has fueled strikes, protests and union organizing efforts in response to mass layoffs and concerns of safety protections for essential workers since economic shutdowns began in March 2020. Café workers at Colectivo Coffee saw the value of being in a union and approached Local 494 in Milwaukee and Local 1220 in Downers Grove, Ill., to improve working conditions during the pandemic. The group of café workers at Colectivo is undertaking a campaign to gain support from co-workers for the union. Colectivo, across its cafés, production and corporate staff, has about 500 employees. The majority who work in the café, production, warehouse, roasting and bakery areas would be represented by the proposed union. Colectivo Coffee café workers are gaining support from elected officials as we work toward unionizing the local chain of cafés. If you go to a Colectivo Coffee café, please order your coffee "IBEW Strong" to show your support for the café workers.

John T. Zapfel, Pol. Dir.

L.U. 540 (i), CANTON, OH — Local 540 is proud to recognize our new journeymen for 2020.

Congratulations to our graduating apprentices on successfully completing their JATC apprenticeship programs. This year has definitely had its share of ups and downs, and we are so proud of our graduates.

The following brothers graduated from our Inside program: Nicholas Bogunovich, Tomas Calez, Tyler Couto, Garret Crislip, Tyler DeBord, Joseph Detore, Austen Evans, Tyler Grossenbacher, Nathan Heppe, Jeremy Herndon, Jeremiah Kocsis, Matthew Merrick, Trevor Shetler, Greg Tice, Scott Tweedy, Heath Williams and Ross Young.

The following brothers graduated from our telecom program: Justin Deluca, Charles Oakes and Isaac Wright.

Trevor Shetler (inside) and Justin Deluca (telecom) were 2020 Apprentice of the Year recipients.

Nathan Heppe, Matthew Merrick, Trevor Shetler, Justin Deluca, Charles Oakes and Isaac Wright were all winners of the "Vern Wolgamott'' Perfect Attendance award.

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

L.U. 654 (i), CHESTER, PA — On Saturday, September 12th, Local 654 hosted its annual golf outing at Rock Manor Golf Club for an extra special event. It was a picture-perfect day for golf, but more importantly it was a day to reconnect with brothers, sisters and friends of Local 654.

Despite some new rules and regulations due to the ongoing pandemic, the members of Local 654 were able to gather in a socially responsible way. "We couldn't have asked for a nicer day," said Local 654 Business Manager Paul Mullen. "It was nice to see so many members come out to enjoy this event. We all needed something to look forward to, and it turned out great."

Timothy McLaverty, R.S.

L.U. 1116 (em,lctt&u), TUCSON, AZ — As of this time, many of us are still working remotely or under modified working rules. Our employers are doing what they can to help keep us safe, and we appreciate their efforts. Union meetings are being held, so please attend if you are well.

Negotiations are being held via videoconferencing. Business Manager Scott Northrup and our leadership team are working hard to help us keep the benefits we currently enjoy. Remember to speak to your co-workers about joining the union. As members, it is our responsibility to organize those around us.

The landscape of our work environment changes daily. We need to accept the changes that are occurring and grow with them. As Charles Darwin said, "It is not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change." Let's look at the challenges we face and find new, improved ways to approach them. We can help to shape our future.

As the holidays approach, remember those less fortunate. Please be as generous as you are able to be. While shopping, read labels. If there is an American-made option, please buy it. Let's all do our part to keep people employed here in the U.S.

Local 1116's leadership wishes you and your families a safe, healthy, happy holiday season. Thank you for all that you do each day, for working hard and showing those around you what it means to be a member of the IBEW. Remember, this is your local and you have a voice. Looking forward to better things in 2021!

Sharon Williams, R.S./P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1, St. Louis, MO — Hello from St. Louis. I hope next year will be a lot closer to a normal year than this one has been. I miss our retiree meetings. Because of COVID-19, I didn't get to go to the union hall and get my 50-year pin and a picture standing next to Business Manager Frank Jacobs. I did attend the health fair, and I'd advise everyone to go. Stay warm and wear your mask.

Season's Greetings and Happy New Year!

Neal McCormack, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 26, WASHINGTON, DC — I will try to make up for the missed article due to COVID-19 coverage. Our club had to cancel our annual Crab Feast, which was so sad, as it is one of most popular events.

We continue to stay in touch and managed to still send out our annual raffle tickets — but later than ever! We did manage to have a few Saturdays for volunteers to help, with adequate face masks and distance and the help of our Business Manager George Hogan. The need for medical equipment does not go away during the pandemic. Now that doctors can perform more essential health care than when the pandemic started, the need for recovery equipment remains.

As most readers know, this election is VERY IMPORTANT to retired members on Social Security and Medicare! Hopefully, Biden and Harris will prevail!

As everyone knows, it is hard to make plans when the world is suffering. So now everyone — retirees and those still working — is taking one day at a time. It's not easy, but we do what we must to survive. Hopefully, the saying, "this too shall pass" will still apply.

In the meantime, stay safe, wear your face masks and keep the 6-foot rule for separation! Until we have a cure, these are the best ways to lower your risk and the risk for everyone around you!

Susan Flashman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 53, KANSAS CITY, MO — By the time you read this 2020 will be coming to an end. All I can say is, "What a year!" A worldwide pandemic, record fires, the worst year on record for hurricanes and political chaos. Hopefully everyone has stayed safe and healthy.

Thank you to all the men and women who have been out there on the front lines keeping this country going through the pandemic, fires and hurricanes. You are the backbone and heroes of this great country.

Hopefully by the time this issue runs we will have elected people who will support working men and women and unions. We have been under attack for four years, and I'm not sure we can survive another four if we are stuck with the current administration.

On a happier note, we did finally get to have our annual crappie tournament/fish fry on October 10th. We had a smaller turnout than usual, and the fishing wasn't great, but it didn't keep us from having a good time. Can't wait until next year.

Sadly, we lost another retiree: Clyde Webster. Rest in peace, brother.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Duane Pearce, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 58, DETROIT, MI — Greetings from Detroit. Our retirees' group is still not gathering, as is prudent with the COVID-19 issues swirling around us. We are continuing to publish our monthly newsletter and work to keep our members up to date on any possible happenings surrounding our group. The Labor Day Parade was canceled, but our local union volunteers were on hand at the hall distributing food, t-shirts and election signs to those who "drove thru" our parking lot.

Making the most of summer, the incredible Great Lakes has allowed many of our members to get out on the water, enjoy vacation homes, boats, jet skis, family visits, picnics and fishing. Hunting season is upon us, and our members who hunt will continue to be safe and enjoy their sport.

With the election behind us, it is a time to heal from this recent campaign and continue to support those elected officials that are our friends. There is never a time to sit back and expect things to run smoothly: We must continue our grassroots work to keep America our land of opportunity.

With the holidays soon upon us, Merry Christmas and happy 2021!

Pat Nuznov, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 60, SAN ANTONIO, TX — Grateful and blessed best describes the feelings of Local 60 retirees for the opportunity to call the local's new union hall "home." Gary Aiken and his staff have been most accommodating to the retirees' needs, showing true warmth and respect. Pictured is a gift from Local Union 60's staff and members.

March 12, 2020, was the date of the club's last meeting due to this horrible virus, and to quote a member's feelings, "Surely do miss our social life and seeing and enjoying friendships with all those tasty meals." These are truly uncertain times, with unknown dates as to when the club's meetings will start again. The club's 2020 golf tournament fundraiser had to be completely canceled. When the time comes to safely start up the Local 60 Retirees Club meetings, a notification will be posted in the Local 60 monthly newsletter.

Several Local 60 active and retired members and their family members have tested positive for COVID-19, and our prayers go out to these brothers and sisters for a full and speedy recovery.

Sandy Rogers, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 134, CHICAGO, IL — Our last luncheon election meeting, featuring a St. Patrick's Day theme, took place March 11, 2020, in the Memorial Hall of our Local 134 home. This election brought some new faces to the Executive Board, and the newly elected board members were sworn in by Kevin Connolly, recording secretary, business representative and union trustee for Local 134. This meeting took place just a few days before Illinois put the stay-at-home order into place because of COVID-19. The Executive Board continued to hold their monthly meetings, following all safety protocol rules. All other meetings, activities and gatherings, including the December holiday party, have come to a halt.

This paragraph is dedicated to Louis Rodriguez, whom we lost on July 30, 2020. Lou had 56 years of loyal service with the Local 134. He retired in 1995 and immediately joined the 134 Retirees Club. He served on the Executive Board from 1998 to 2015. His job titles during this long stretch of service included sergeant at arms and co-editor from 1998 to 2000; commentary from 2002-2006; president from 2008 to 2010; and vice president from 2012 to 2014. After that term, Lou was elected to serve the organization as a member of the Executive Board and later resigned in March of 2015. He still did the duties as press secretary, writing articles for The Electrical Worker from 2012 to 2016. Lou then turned those duties over to me, Sue Kleczka. Even with his many words of encouragement, I knew than I had some pretty big shoes to fill. Lou was a warm and kind man with a big heart. He remained an active dues-paying member of the IBEW until his death on July 30, 2020. R.I.P., dear Lou Rodriguez. You will be missed by all retired members.

To all members and all affiliated with our great IBEW, stay well and safe. God bless America and the whole world during this COVID-19 crisis.

Sue Kleczka, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 212, CINCINNATI, OH — A recap of what our "Dear Leader" has accomplished in his first term as president: Because of his policy failure to quickly contain COVID-19, by October 2020, 210,000 of our fellow citizens have died from the COVID-19 "hoax." Because a pandemic playbook had President Obama's name on it, our insecure leader chose to ignore the early action plan. Yes, he has a "huge, perfect brain."

The pandemic has caused the economy to collapse, unemployment to skyrocket, bankruptcy of many small and mid-sized businesses, $4 trillion of new national debt, farmers struggling to survive, a Supreme Court and Federal Appeals Court stacked with conservative judges who often rule against working people. What we have suspected for many years is proven true. Many wealthy taxpayers and businesses pay little to no federal income taxes. A constant flow of lies from the White House has eroded our trust in government and free press. Benefits we have paid for are endangered by threatening cut to these programs. To quote a 1955 Pete Seeger folk song: "When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn?"

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

Bob Schaefer, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 353, TORONTO, ON, CANADA — Since our last letter in the March issue, the whole world has changed due to COVID-19.

We have canceled all Local 353 retiree events. This has saddened those who enjoyed these planned events.

A recent cancellation letter to our over 2,500 retired members and their spouses highlighted that at this time of Thanksgiving, even with all the sad news in 2020, we have so much to be thankful for: All the benefits that we fought and paid for, that presently working members and their families enjoy and continue to support and pay for are also Local 353 retiree health and welfare benefits at no cost. Thanks to the working members of the past and the working members of today.

This virus has brought interesting changes in the workplace and our lives. I can remember negotiating contracts with employers, and when sanitary or personal protection equipment was mentioned, they all balked at the costs. Today, they are part of everyday life. Also, the government laid off health and safety inspectors, which broadened the gap between union and nonunion work. Today, they are hiring.

Robert Rynyk, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 649, ALTON, IL — The outlook for our retiree groups — as with all groups, of course — has been affected by the impact of COVID-19, but most bargaining units continue with limitations set forth by the governor's mandates.

As a reminder, Local 649 Retirees Club monthly meetings take place the last Thursday of each month. Meetings are altered to account for holidays.

When the monthly meetings resume as usual, these meetings will take place at the Bethalto Eagle's Nest restaurant.

To all of our IBEW family everywhere, stay safe, be healthy, enjoy family.

Terry Wilhite, P.S.