L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — Our members were once again able to demonstrate their abilities and bless clients of the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center through the 27th annual Ritzy's Fantasy of Lights. For more than two months, volunteers hauled, set up and maintained displays that allowed the center to raise $240,167, which is the highest total to date. This year approximately 17,466 vehicles (including horse-drawn carriages) toured the event. These funds will help to underwrite up to 4,803 sessions of physical, occupational and speech therapy for tri-state children and adults who couldn't otherwise afford these life-changing services. Since its inception, Fantasy of Lights has generated over $3,890,000. Local brothers and sisters have also contributed their time to building a much-needed storage facility for the lighting displays.

Also, in service to our community, Terry Bennett, David Green, Paul Green and Mark Tooley recently completed a volunteer lighting retrofit at the Gibson County Senior Center.

Many thanks go to Bryan Diehl, Greg Hebbeler, Ryan McRoberts, Nick Vaught and Brandon Wongngamnit for their efforts to negotiate a fair and equitable contractual bargaining agreement that will serve the needs of the membership and promote the unionized electrical industry.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 20 (i,u,t&em), GRAND PRAIRIE, TX — The North Texas Electrical JATC held its annual Completion Dinner at the Hilton Arlington on Sept. 4, 2020. Awards are presented to apprentices for outstanding on-the-job and school performance. Taken into consideration are the apprentices' grades, attendance, job evaluations, attitude and community involvement.

Local 20 and the North Texas chapter of NECA each give an award to a graduating apprentice for an overall outstanding performance. Both the NECA Outstanding Apprentice Award and the IBEW Outstanding Apprentice Award went to Daniel R. Burgos.

In addition, the following were awarded: Local 20 Gold Pliers Award — Joseph Barkell (1st Year), William Rematore (2nd Year), Andrew Carnes (3rd Year) and Preston Pack (4th Year); NECA Achievement Award — Joseph Barkell (1st Year), Salim Amara (2nd Year), Andrew Carnes (3rd Year) and Jordan Werry (4th Year); Local Union 20 Federal Credit Union Award — Michael Rowe (1st Year), Daniel Rivera Alsina (2nd Year), Roger Rosillo (3rd Year), Preston Pack (4th Year) and Anthony J. Kottaridis (5th Year).

The Ft. Worth Local Union 116 Federal Credit Union Award went to graduating apprentices Daniel Burgos and Anthony Kottaridis. Recipients of the Perfect Attendance Award were Daniel Burgos, Roger Ewing, Anthony Kottaridis, Jose Lara, Brian Quintero, Orlando Rangel and Marco Solis.

Price Warwick Jr., B.M./Pres.

L.U.24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — Normally this post would include a picture of those who volunteered at our annual children's Christmas party, which was unfortunately canceled as we continue to battle COVID-19. As winter set in, the work in our area slowed just slightly, and we have a positive outlook for 2021.

We have finished up negotiations with Clear Channel Outdoor, ABM Electrical Power Solutions and will soon start negotiating a new VDV agreement.

This year's tool and boot sale associated with our annual drug-testing program is postponed until the fall. If your card expires before then, call Mobile Medical at 877-201-7474 to find a testing site and time convenient for you.

I'd like to welcome Carmen F. Voso on staff as a service agent. Carmen comes from a long line of Vosos that have served the local throughout its history, and I look forward to working with him.

The vaccines are arriving, and we are turning the corner on what seems to be a never-ending battle with COVID-19, so please continue to protect each other. Stay safe and stay well; we need you to move us all forward.

Peter P. Demchuk, B.M.

L.U. 26 (i,es,ees,govt,em&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — At last, it's springtime in Washington, D.C. The Local 26 Scholarship Committee is reviewing the many scholarship applications and will make a decision in the near future. The winners will be announced in our next quarterly magazine, In Charge, as well as in our next Electrical Worker article.

As of this writing, due to the ongoing pandemic, the annual DAD's Day golf outing and both the Md. and Va. picnics are not going to be held this year. General membership meetings have continued to be canceled, too. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the union hall at 301-459-2900. We hope that everyone is remaining safe, as much as possible.

Best wishes to the following new retirees: Daniel S. Bryant, Kenneth E. Burch Sr., Bradley S. Burns, Luis A. Carrera, Fabien Chiepodeu, Eric W. Daum, Anthony F. Donahue Sr., Charles J. Donoghue, Bernard G. Durkin, Henry M. Emory, Michael P. Kemp, John R. Kurty, Dominic Pagani, Dominic A. Paluti, Charles E. Remmers, Michael J. Stone and Estes M. Thompson.

The following members have passed away since our last article: Clarence E. Batson, William S. Crain, Kevin D. Dyson, Warren C. Hogan, Robert L. Moats, Hermitt Mosley and Ronald L. Rohrbaugh.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OH — National Real Estate Advisors (NREA), which is the real estate branch of our NEBF pension fund, has signed a deal with developers to finance a 23-story, 298-apartment-unit building at 10600 Chester Avenue. NREA's involvement makes this project possible and makes it an all-union project. The $101-million-project is called The Artisan, and Contemporary Electric has been awarded the job.

In recent talks with construction managers from Gilbane Co. and Welty Co., who are managing the new downtown Sherwin Williams tower and the new R&D center in Brecksville, the managers stated that they expect to move ahead with construction of both projects in the fourth quarter of this year.

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

L.U. 40 (em,i&mps), HOLLYWOOD, CA — As we continue to battle the virus that has turned all of our lives upside down in one way or another, our local continues to adapt to a new way of functioning. Although we began to improve our digital infrastructure years ago in order to meet our members' needs, COVID-19 has forced us to speed up our timeline to make more improvements. Local 40's digitized system was well on its way before the pandemic with features allowing members to pay dues and reference contracts and current wage rate sheets as well as access health, pension and retirement information. Since the reality of a world under quarantine has set in, we at the local have had to make many other changes to the digital platform to adapt to a contactless society. This includes using the Zoom platform to coordinate meetings, swear in new members and communicate to our members the latest safety protocols and benefit information.

On another note, we at Local 40 would like to recognize our 2020 graduating apprentices: Kevin Butcher, Nathan Daniels, Gary Fried, Aaron Houson, Thomas Klohn, Gregory Marquez, Kyle Reninga, Michael Robinson, Thomas Rootring, Kent Scraper, Tyler Shannon and Robert Tehee. We thank them for all the hard work and encourage them to become leaders in the labor movement.

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

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st), SEATTLE, WA — This holiday season we were able to help members in need through our three holiday assistance programs. Our first program, Thanksgiving Meals for Members, was coordinated by Rep. Shannon Hagen. Shannon distributed a total of 55 meals. Our second program, Holiday Meals for Members, was coordinated and distributed by Political Director Keith Weir. Lastly, our Angel Tree Program assisted eight families with Christmas gifts for their children. Local 46 thanks staff for helping our members in need and making the holidays brighter.

Our Anti-COVID Inoculation Plan involved member volunteers creating care packages including sanitizer, Local 46 masks, anti-fog wipes and hard hat stickers. Thank you to all who volunteered their time.

Members of our "900 Strong" Sound and Communication Unit voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement on Feb. 13, 2021. This was the first vote conducted electronically by one of our large construction units. Negotiations were challenging! The unit voted for strike authorization, then rejected NECA's first proposal. Through it all, the 900 stood strong! Thanks to the solidarity of the unit, plus support from our local's other units, the Building Trades, labor community and International leadership, they managed to secure a record-setting wage increase of $12 per hour over three years! This was in addition to many other language improvements with no concessions!

Deva Nelson, P.S. and Warren Shill, Pres.

L.U. 48 (c,em,i,rtb,rts,st&tm), PORTLAND, OR — It has come to our attention that members may not always feel comfortable reaching out to us directly. We are here today to invite you to the discussion.

Tell us how you are doing — what challenges you and your family are facing or any other concerns you may have. If ever there was a time for frank discussion, that time is now. That is why we are putting out the call to all members: We want to hear from you! Remember, we are members, too!

We are union strong. That strength comes from the many voices and contributions of all members. We are here to give back to our members for those contributions, and we will do everything in our power to address members' concerns — whether that means finding appropriate ways to work through jobsite issues like discrimination and safety problems or other assistance with insurance or unemployment challenges.

Still waiting for your unemployment check? Please let us know; there are ways we can help expedite the process to help you get your money faster.

Worried about your health insurance running out? We can help you contact Harrison for assistance. You also have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through your Harrison health care plan. Don't let the stigma of mental health or other health concerns derail your progress. All health care issues are confidential!

These are just a few examples of ways we can assist you. We are here to help, but we need your help understanding what assistance is needed most.

We welcome all voices, so please don't hesitate to reach out to the hall if you need assistance or have concerns. Our conversations with you are confidential as well.

Here are just a few of the ways you can make your voice heard:

• Attend one of our monthly virtual Town Hall meetings. Details can be found at ibew48.com.
• Attend one of the constituency group virtual monthly or weekly check-in meetings.
• Contact the hall directly for help with unemployment or health insurance issues (Portland: 503-256-4848;
  Vancouver: 360-892-0171).
• Register for Race Talks by texting your first and last name to
  971-263-0009.

Contact Garth Bachman, business manager/financial secretary directly if you would like to privately discuss any concerns or questions at busmgr@ibew48.com.

We look forward to hearing from you and to building new avenues for supporting our members!

Donna J. Hammond, B.R.

L.U. 158 (i,it,mar,mt&spa), GREEN BAY, WI — Our local has had a very busy 2020. A huge thanks goes out to our local sisters and brothers as well as those traveling who went above and beyond in manning our many projects during this terrible pandemic. Once again, the IBEW stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the ballpark. At our peak last fall, we had over 300 electricians working on a new paper machine project at Green Bay Packaging, 180 electricians on a solar farm at Point Beach Nuclear Plant, 80 electricians at Marinette Marine and 300 more electricians at various other projects throughout our local. A busy year for sure.

Once again our local collected nonperishable items during the Christmas holidays for two local charities located in Green Bay, the Freedom House and Golden House. Local 158 members and our retirees donated much-needed items that these two charities were very grateful to receive. We have been doing this for about 10 years now and the gratitude is so great a reward.

Donald C. Allen, B.M.

L.U. 212 (i), CINCINNATI, OH — Work remains steady in the tri-state area. We have been sending out Book 2 weekly and expect this to continue for the foreseeable future. We are at $31.30 currently with $1.75 raise allocation in June.

At the beginning of the year, our members were eligible for new benefits. As part of last year's raise allocation, we now have an Eye and Dental plan, which is included in our Health and Welfare Fund.

By now, as everyone has taken a sigh of relief that the 2020 election is over, it's more important than ever to stay engaged. We must hold our newly elected representatives' feet to the fire on issues affecting working people. Let them know to pass the PRO Act! The work of our union is not a spectator sport. Get active. Tag, you're it.

Phil Bovard, P.S.

L.U. 236 (catv,ees,govt,i,mo,rtb&t), ALBANY, NY — The warmer weather is rapidly moving in, and with that comes a break from the slow winter work picture we have experienced. A shout- out to our sister Local 43, Syracuse, N.Y., for putting so many of our brothers and sisters to work during this period!

As of Jan. 1, 2021, the decision was made to make changes to our health insurance carrier for the membership, providing considerable overall savings. As with any monumental change, it was not without bumps in the road. However, the initial wave of concerns has been addressed, and the savings will mean additional benefits available to the members as well as the ability to free up future raises to place in other areas. We appreciate the membership's patience during the transition and look forward to everyone being able to reap the benefits of the decision.

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

Mike Martell, A.B.M.

L.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS, MN — As of Feb. 1, calls for work have continued to be slow. As anticipated, the construction industry in our area is experiencing a lag because of the COVID-19 crisis. Work dried up as existing projects came to an end and new construction slowed amidst a cautious economy. We are looking forward to spring with the possibility of project startups, including some large solar installations in our area.

IBEW Local 292 members will be involved in negotiations this spring for our Inside Construction, St. Cloud-area addendum and the Limited Energy contracts, as well as several other smaller contracts. These contracts will affect an overwhelming majority of our membership. Please keep an eye on your mail, email and IBEW292.org for updates on the negotiating committee's progress, future meetings and contract votes.

The Veterans Committee participated in a Habitat for Humanity Veterans Build project last fall. This project helped to put a veteran into a home in Sauk Rapids, Minn. The Veterans Committee group is one of several affinity groups we have within Local 292.

Andy Snope, B.R./P.S.

L.U. 306 (i), AKRON, OH — Hopefully, everyone is having a better year so far than we had in 2020. We are all looking forward to things returning to normal so that we can safely return to the many social activities we've had to forgo since the pandemic began.

Yet even as much of the country was in lockdown, construction continued; for as we know, electricians are essential workers. Local 306 was fortunate to have enough work that we were able to offer employment to many from Book 2. Thank you to all the traveling brothers and sisters for their assistance in manning our numerous projects, including the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Akron.

One good thing that came out of 2020 was that we elected a new president whose ideals seem more aligned with union labor than the last. We look forward to the return of union strength, the promise of more infrastructure projects, help protecting prevailing wage and a partner in the fight against so-called "right-to-work."

On a sad note, we regret to report the many we have lost over the past year. Gone but never forgotten, Brothers: Richard Donley, Morgan Douglas, James Ess, Arthur Goodspeed, Richard Hill, Bennie Jamison, Robert Martz, William Murphy, Kirk Shemuga, John Staton, Michael Sutter, Alvin Tasker and Scott Zack. We extend our deepest condolences to all of their families.

Thomas Wright, P.S.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL — Work remains strong going into the second quarter of 2021. Our Facebook project in DeKalb is rolling right along with over 200 journeyman wiremen onsite; and with the spring weather, we expect more calls to continue to come in for this project.

As of this writing, the Illinois Gaming Board is in the final steps of approving the much-anticipated Hard Rock Casino in Rockford. We have been anxiously awaiting this project, which is years in the making. There are many steps in the process of approving a casino in Illinois, and we have cleared every obstacle to date and will hopefully have some answers soon. With any luck, by the time to you read this work will have already begun.

As we move forward with the COVID-19 vaccination process underway and as we slowly work our way back to some degree of normalcy, Local 364 will be getting back to our highly anticipated member events in the near future. We remain optimistic that by later this year we will be able to hold full membership meetings and events that we were unable to have in 2020.

Please stay safe and healthy.

Brad Williams, P.S.

L.U. 440 (i,rts&spa), RIVERSIDE, CA — COVID-19 put restrictions in place that would be genuine obstacles for any organization trying to get a new program off the ground — OR it could have been a blessing in disguise. Success can often depend on disposition, and Local 440 was NOT going to let our mentor program be on hold any longer. We officially kicked off the program in November 2019, and we had a few in-person meet-ups on mentor skills-building on the second Saturday of each month and a social hour on the fourth Friday of each month. Then COVID-19 hit, and we were restricted from meeting. Thanks to some outside-the-box thinking and a willingness to participate from our membership, we have been able to accomplish the following: 18 mentor meet-ups held (both in person and via Zoom), 9 mentors paired with mentees and 300+ members attending events.

Our program is still in the startup stages but is genuinely off the ground, and we have a legitimate game plan and system in place for our mentor program. If you are interested in participating, please email Mentor@ibew440.org and you will be added to the email list and notified and invited to any and all upcoming events. If you are a local trying to get your mentor program off the ground, feel free to reach out to us for help so you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

Bernie Balland, Mem. Dev.

L.U. 494 (em,govt,i,mt,rts,spa&t), MILWAUKEE, WI — Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Across the country, blood drives are hosted by unions, companies, schools and other organizations that are essential to helping meet this constant need for blood.

Throughout the pandemic, IBEW Local 494 has sponsored blood drives and acted as a host for several community drives, saving and prolonging the lives of over 300 patients.

Blood donations are facing a serious shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Mayo Clinic, COVID-19 has caused many hospitals to survive on a one- to two-day inventory of blood instead of the normal two-week supply. This holds true locally, and Local 494 is proud to team up with the blood center to provide a safe outlet for people to make a difference in the community. As blood banks face Coronavirus-driven shortages, donating has never been more crucial.

To help the Versiti Blood Center maintain a reliable blood supply, schedule an appointment to donate blood today and encourage your school, church, civic organization or company to host a blood drive in the future. For anyone wishing to host a blood drive, please contact Tara Blaesing at tblaesing@versiti.org.

John T. Zapfel, Pol. Dir.

L.U. 540 (i), CANTON, OH — Our local would like to wish everyone a happy new year and a great start to 2021. We congratulate all members who have reached milestones in their years of service through 2020.

Specifically, we'd would like to recognize the following members, who have reached significant milestones: Edward Evans has 60 years of service; James Abbott, David Blocher, Charles Butterbaugh, Ronald Diezman, Robert Ehret, James Fliger, John Johanning, Louis Lewis, James Lindimore, John Myers, Louis Narduzzi, Glenn Oberlin, Dennis Rooney, Vernon Schaub, Gerald Sinay and Dennis Spencer have 55 years of service; and Jerry Babarcik, Robert Bair, Cecil Ford, Ronald Geiser, William Groh, Robert Houmard, Ronald Keirn, Mark King, Jerry Kurzen, Roger Manse, Jerry Moore and Robert Zander have 50 years of service.

Local 540 would also like to take a moment to remember the members we lost in 2020.

Here's hoping 2021 brings us all good health and a safe and profitable year.

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

L.U. 640 (em,govt,i,mo,mt,rts,spa&u), PHOENIX, AZ — Thankfully, 2020 is done! Our large Intel project has been completed, and we are looking forward to the $12-billion Taiwan Semiconductor Plant coming around the end of this year. Most of our members were able to continue working last year, but we are at over 200 virus cases since the start of COVID-19, with one casualty.

We are expecting 2021 to remain busy and will be glad when our brothers and sisters can come and help man our work! With a new president in office, we will have a voice in policies that promote and protect labor for the next four years at least. Let's make the most of it! Keep an eye on the International's jobs page as opportunities come up. Stay well and take care of each other.

Tim Wilson, B.R./P.S.

L.U. 702 (i,o,u,uow,em,rts,rtb,spa,t,catv,lctt,cs,c,es,govt,mt,mo,ptc,se,st,
ws,as,et, it,p&pet), WEST FRANKFORT, IL — A HUGE congratulations to our member, Brodie House, on winning the Carhartt + Union Sportsmen's Alliance (USA) Reel Time Getaway with Mark Zona! This trip is sure to provide Brodie with memories to last a lifetime. We thank him and all of our members for supporting the USA and its purpose.

With sadness, we report the passing of 33-year member Joe Curry, who was killed in a vehicle accident on Feb. 11, 2021. Joe was a journeyman lineman on Outside Construction who served as a mentor to apprentices and journeymen alike, and he will be sorely missed from our ranks.

We are currently in negotiations for new agreements at Penn Aluminum International, Wabash Telephone Company and also the city of Poplar Bluff for both the police officers and dispatchers.

In Missouri, we continue our organizing efforts and have filed for representation elections at the city of Poplar Bluff for the Street, Motor Pool and Cemetery Departments. At the city of Malden, we are pursuing voluntary recognition with the council for employees in the Electric Department.

As of this writing, our referral books are as follows: Inside Construction — 90, Outside Construction — 48, Line Clearance — 9.

Mark Baker, P.S.

L.U. 728 (em,i,rts&spa), FT. LAUDERDALE, FL — Chasing a dream requires efforts, passion and hard work, which our new apprentices possess. Big congrats from Local 728 to the Dec. 2020 graduating class of the Florida East Coast NJATC! Continue to strive, prosper and keep our union strong.

Effie Cruz, Mem. Dev.

L.U. 824 (ptc&t), TAMPA, FL — On Feb. 7, Super Bowl Sunday, over 500 members and their families held an informational picket outside of Raymond James Stadium demanding a fair contract from Frontier Communications. Our members have stuck with Frontier Communications through a rocky transition from Verizon, the COVID-19 virus and bankruptcy. Our loyalty has been rewarded with retro-aggressive proposals, including the gutting of our active medical benefits during a pandemic, drastic reductions in our 401(k) options and the elimination of our retiree healthcare after a lifetime of service.

The picket was part of a strategic plan because Frontier Communications is corporate partners with the world-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Raymond James Stadium, where Super Bowl LV was held. We chartered buses to take our members back and forth from our union hall to the drop location. We pulled a permit with the city of Tampa, and we worked with local law enforcement to set a safe drop-off zone to ensure the safety of our members and the public. We also flew an aerial banner over the stadium.

Our position is simple: If Frontier Communications can emerge from bankruptcy and make their executives whole with over $60 million in bonuses, and if Frontier can get billions and billions of their debt forgiven, then they can make their employees — our members — whole as well.

Keith LaPlant, Pres.

L.U. 876 (as,catv,govt,lctt,o,t&u), MT. PLEASANT, MI — In an attempt to keep a qualified work force available and reduce our unfilled calls, Local 876 leaders had to think outside of the box. Asst. Bus. Mgr. Mike Cornell developed a PowerPoint presentation to assist non-members signing Book 4. The presentation shows future members how to track their position, re-sign and bid work — all online — on their phone. The presentation also includes a ALBAT portion, which explains how to apply to apprenticeships. The Book 1, 2, 3 and 4 rules are always followed and never altered. The scheduling of the presentation has reduced the amount of time the local spends putting workers on the book. We can accomplish this safely by wearing masks, keeping social distance and not having more than the allowed number of persons in the room, per pandemic protocol. Bus. Mgr. Chad Clark understood the issues, welcomed Mike's vision and supported the idea: "I can honestly say that Mike Cornell did a great job on this. The program brings value and is a time saver for the local," Clark said.

Chad Clark, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 1340 (i&o), NEWPORT NEWS, VA — As this article is written, the year 2020 has just ended. As we begin a new year, here's a list of new members who joined our local during the past year: Trenton Artis, Curtis Barnes, Michael Coburn, Casey Forrest, Blake Geiger, Ryan Holloway, Kevin Kievecz, Douglas Law, Quiriat Mendoza Lopez, Jake Malcolm, Talon Manibusan, Jeysen McDade, Kenneth Nusz, Adam Taylor, Clay Taylor, Jacob Vera and Bobby Wood. Please be sure to welcome them.

Sadly, the following brothers passed last year: Robert Hart (Jan. 1, 2020), Michael "Mickey" Cole (Feb. 23, 2020), Randy Simons (May 29, 2020), Tim Mason (Aug. 26, 2020), Guy Warthan (Sept. 7, 2020), Christopher Lockett (Oct. 4, 2020), John Fay (Dec. 11, 2020) and Leo Barbour (Dec. 23, 2020). Please make sure they are remembered.

Jim Avery, P.S.