L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — After a long shutdown of most social events due to the pandemic, our local is slowly returning to its normal activities. The retirees are planning their monthly breakfast and lunch meetings. Volunteer work for Easterseals and other charities, as well as PAC fundraisers like the Jason "Flounder" Blanton Memorial Golf Tournament, is again being scheduled. Anyone interested in participating in any of these worthwhile events should contact the hall for more details.

We would like to thank retired Brother Terry Bennett for the beautiful base he crafted for the Harry S. Fisher bust now displayed in the hall. This artwork was graciously donated by the RENEW committee, and it demonstrates RENEW's commitment to the future while honoring the sacrifices of past members.

By the time this is published, Local 16 should have a new agreement that will better serve the needs of our members. During a contract meeting on March 27, the Brotherhood overwhelmingly voted to reject the contractors' first offer and to strengthen the union's bargaining position. Thanks to each of the negotiators for their hard work and to everyone who has consistently supported this challenging goal.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — We would like to wish Brother John Rankin a well-deserved and long retirement. John was initiated into the IBEW on May 23, 1978, and has held several positions throughout his career including steward, foreman, general foreman and vice president of the local. John retires as referral agent and president of the local union after enjoying and doing both jobs well. We thank you, John, for your service to our great union.

The Executive Board appointed Sam Curreri to fill Brother Rankin's unexpired term as president. The board also appointed Ellwood Hanks to fill Brother Curreri's unexpired term as vice president. Brother John Bugglen has been appointed to fill Brother Hanks's vacated seat on the Executive Board. I look forward to working with each of them as they grow into their new roles.

Our members working for ABM Electrical Power Solutions ratified a new three-year agreement in March. The new agreement took effect Jan. 1, 2021, with all negotiated changes being retroactive to the start of the year. I would like to thank the ABM members for their input and patience during these negotiations.

Michael Azzarello, A.B.M.

L.U. 26 (i,es,ees,govt,em&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — Summer has finally arrived in the city! We hope everyone enjoyed their spring. Local 26 held a virtual pension seminar via Zoom in April with approximately 155 participants. Another pension seminar will be held the first Saturday in October, so stay tuned for further details in our quarterly In Charge magazine or on our website.

As of this writing, the 49th annual Midwest IBEW Softball Tournament is still currently scheduled for July 16-18, 2021, at Braddock Park in Clifton, Virginia. Please visit the IBEW Local 26 Facebook page or the tournament Facebook page to get the most up-to-date information.

Even though COVID-19 has affected many conferences, your local union officers and agents have still been busy attending many weekly virtual meetings including the EWMC Conference, the IBEW/NECA Benefits Conference, the Construction & Maintenance Conference, the BMT Conference, and the Fourth District Progress Meeting.

Best wishes to the following new retirees: William P. Autrey, Wilfred H. Bellerose Jr., Ernesto P. Bugayong, Benfacio F. Ciampo, Darryl E. Greene, Bernard F. Gregory, Pero Gunjevic, Juanita Jones, Dale H. Knott, Garland F. Perkins, Robert L. Terrett Jr., Edward V. Turner, Bruce E. Uhthoff and Richard L. Willey Jr.

The following members have passed away since our last article: Florian J. Bonkowski, Philip E. Brannan, John J. Jacob, Jeffrey S. Pawlak, Granville X. Walker, Renee A. White and Paul D. Wilson.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 40 (em,i&mps), HOLLYWOOD, CA — The message was sent out to find young leaders in our local. And not surprisingly, even in these pressing times, a strong Local 40 RENEW committee has arrived. During the pandemic, we have met however possible with one purpose: to reach out and educate our community in a positive and enthusiastic way.

Congratulations to RENEW vice president and first-year apprentice Matthew Lyneis. Matthew is receiving an electrical technology degree. His jovial uplifting attitude and passion should spread like wildfire.

We welcome Recording Secretary Jordan Tuason, first-year apprentice and a man of many skills and talents, who is in the right place with great potential.

Treasurer Anthony Marino, a first-year apprentice and an assertive young man who has already received an associate degree has earned the trust of all who know him.

As president and fourth-year apprentice, I welcome aboard an amazing, dynamic team. Here's hoping that together we can take the apprenticeship to new heights!

Eric Steele, Pres., RENEW Committee

L.U. 42 (o,lctt,em,govt&catv), EAST WINDSOR, CT — Like all IBEW locals, when we look back on 2020, it will bring bittersweet memories. Whether it was a work picture that never really lost steam in the face of COVID-19 restrictions or feeling the loss of fallen brothers and loved ones, we were able to soldier through this chaotic year. 2020 marked the completion, although delayed, of Local 42's new union hall and our OSHE's new training facility; both additions are a breath of fresh air for our local and will ensure that our members get the best training available.

All of our union functions were canceled for the year due to COVID-19; our office was restricted to staff only and our union meetings were suspended for most of the year. We were able to hold our elections with several positions going unopposed, including Business Manager Michael Treadwell, who won another term, and Brother Jason Lockton as a new addition to our Executive Board. Another plus was the negotiation of a lucrative four-year contract, which was negotiated completely via email and Zoom.

Our work picture has been very good and required us to run apprentice boot camps, producing 25 new apprentice recruits.

We mourned the loss of fellow members John Biehn; John Cartier; Dave Gilman Sr.; George Hamlin; Ray Mitchell; Robert Moshimer; Paul Rettig; and Local 42's first business manager, Truman Schlehofer. Brother Schlehofer began his career in Local 37 of New Britain, Conn. before he and 14 other members of Locals 37, 565 (of Bridgeport, Conn.) and 761 (of Greenfield, Mass.) petitioned the IBEW to grant a charter in Hartford, Conn. On Aug. 1, 1969, Local 42 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers was born. Thank you to these charter members for their vision of what Local 42 would become.

Local 42 would also like to acknowledge Brother Bill Risley, who celebrated 60 years of service in the IBEW. Brother Risley also served as business manager of Local 42, as well as assistant business manager, and still serves as Local 42's treasurer. Thank you for your service, Mr. Risley.

Derek Santa Lucia, B.R.

L.U. 44 (catv,lctt,o,rtb,s&u), BUTTE, MT — With the help of both Democrats and Republicans, HB251, Montana's right-to-work bill, was voted down 62-38. Members of many labor unions made calls to their representatives in the House urging them to vote against this bill. When one freshman representative was asked why they voted no, their response was because a bunch of electrical workers had called and asked them to vote no on HB251. It is truly that simple! Thank you to everyone that contacted their representatives to urge them to vote NO. Without the help and support of our members, we could not have done this!

In the second half of the session, HB448 is a net-metering bill with no regard to safety or maintenance. This bill will be a priority, as working in the electrical industry is dangerous enough; having a bill like this, with no concerns for long-term safety, is disturbing.

To keep right-to-work out of Montana, we need to make friends across the aisle. There will be no reason to not invite both sides to Local 44 functions from here on out. If you personally know a legislator, please develop that relationship.

Dwight Rose, Mem. Dev.

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st) SEATTLE, WA — We are currently negotiating the terms for multiple collective bargaining agreements. These negotiations include several construction units: Inside Wire; Residential, Stockman and Light Fixture Maintenance; and Broadcast units such as King, Tegna-KOMO, Sinclair-KTCS and public broadcasting. Our Public Sector units including King County, City of Seattle, Port of Seattle and the Seattle School District are also currently negotiating their respective agreements.

Local 46 has implemented a large negotiating committee of 30 members. Of these 30 members, 10 are apprentices from each year, 12 are journeyman with less than 15 years of membership and eight are journeymen with more than 15 years of membership. We have provided two negotiation training sessions with experienced labor law attorneys for the Inside Wire committee as well as our smaller units. Of the 30 members, six members have been chosen to participate at the bargaining table with three Local 46 staff members and the business manager.

We had a 54% response rate to our online surveys to the Inside Wire unit members prior to negotiations. Local 46 has appointed Sister Jessica Bendixen to fill a vacancy on our Examining Board, and we will begin in-person committee meetings in April.

Deva Nelson, P.S.

L.U. 80 (i&govt), NORFOLK, VA — Hello to all our brothers and sisters! First, we would like to send our condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one or has had to deal with COVID-19.

The pandemic's continuing presence takes a toll on all locals and organizing efforts. We have continued to bring in new members and shown them the benefits to being part of our union. Radio advertisements and door drops have paid off reaching out to these individuals. Our workload has increased tremendously in recent months. We have three projects that have started, including two for Amazon and one for Microsoft. In addition, we have available calls for our local contractors. We are still in need of more than 500 journeyman and other classifications.

Work safe and continue the solidarity.

Wil Morris, A.B.M.

L.U. 98 (as,catv,em,i&it), PHILADELPHIA, PA — Our member Mike Yaworski recently saved a man's life on a Philadelphia construction site. The contractor's general superintendent suddenly fell to the ground, and witnesses had assumed he just tripped. The man lay on the ground, motionless and not breathing. Mike Yaworski jumped to action and used his Local 98 CPR training with perfect technique. Grabbing the fallen man's arm for a pulse but not finding one, Mike immediately started chest compressions and continued for several minutes. His efforts kept oxygen flowing to the victim's brain and vital organs, which kept him alive until EMTs arrived. The man was rushed to a hospital, diagnosed with a major heart attack and soon underwent life-saving surgery. During his recovery, he and Mike had meaningful dialogue and realized how grateful they were for their incredible shared experience.

As soon as Local 98 Business Manager John J. Dougherty learned of Mike's heroism, he nominated him for the IBEW Life Saving Award. Within days of the submission, International President Lonnie R. Stephenson announced that Mike Yaworski had earned the prestigious award. All of us at Local 98 are enormously proud of Mike's heroism.

Frank Keel, P.S.

L.U. 102 (em,govt,i,mt,o&ws), PATERSON, NJ — The IBEW has a long history of taking care of its brothers and sisters. Safety, education, wages and benefits: These are the taglines we promote, and with good reason. They are the foundations of a career and a quality life at home.

The pandemic first showed its strength in early 2020, and the team at Local 102 immediately began to navigate the roadblocks to access COVID-19 testing. We worked hard with our partners in the healthcare community to turn our facility into a mass testing site for two separate functions, one for Local 102 members and one open to public so that we could touch the communities we serve. Testing has been available by appointment every day since then at our onsite clinic.

As vaccines rolled out, members waited while other essential workers moved to the front of the line. We certainly applaud front-line workers but also realized that our membership worked in those very same facilities and were desperate to get the protection they deserved. On March 30, we began providing the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine to our members and their families right at home in our union hall. As of April 9, we have vaccinated over 300 members of our union family and the number continues to grow. Situations change but our passion to take care of our essential workforce will always be there!

Thank you, brothers and sisters, for all you've done this past year!

Bernie Corrigan, Pres.

L.U. 130 (i&ptc), NEW ORLEANS, LA — The work picture in our area is picking up. The coronavirus is still a presence to deal with, but the cavalry of new vaccines may bring an end to this nightmare.

We are very happy with the election of President Biden. Labor has a real chance of gaining strength once again. We have already seen the positive side of this administration. It appears that we have a government under control that is trying to find solutions to ignored issues.
We need to educate our members as to where their loyalty should lie. Our families are supported through the efforts of our organization and others who are willing to fight for workers' rights. Our political friends may not always serve us well, but they do serve us. The other side talks a mean game of what's important for the middle class, using everything from gun control to immigration; however, they have not supported one bill that was beneficial to unions. Even the tax cuts went to the richest one percent. If anything, we spent the last four years contacting our elected officials trying to save what we have. It seems like they came at us at all levels, from pension to apprenticeship, but we manage to avoid the worst.

Our apprentice-of-the-year competition took place on May 1. Kristen Cortez was our winner, and she will be representing Local 130 in the state apprenticeship competition on June 11 here in New Orleans. We are looking forward for the competition.

While things slowed in the area, we managed to get some much-needed repairs on our 38-year-old building by replacing our roof and older fixtures with LED replacements.

Currently we have about 100 men working in various states across the country. As local work picks up, I look forward to seeing many of our traveling brothers and sisters working at home again.

Billy Buckel, P.S.

L.U. 134 (catv,em,govt,i,mt,rtb,rts,spa&t), CHICAGO, IL — Sometimes the person you need the most in a trying moment isn't a person you know at all. This certainly holds true for N'Dana Carter, who recently reached out to Powering Chicago, IBEW 134, after she had been taken advantage of by unscrupulous contractors.

Ms. Carter contacted Powering Chicago Director Elbert Walters III for assistance with electrical work in her home. After Ms. Carter's home was inspected, the call went out to other Local 134 members to assist in the cleanup and repair. After gaining Ms. Carter's trust and forming a partnership, it was easy for the select team of Local 134 volunteers to provide all the necessary repairs. The work needed was well beyond electrical, and the IBEW team rallied around Ms. Carter to complete all the necessary maintenance while being socially distant and respectful of her personal property. Ms. Carter found it to be a wonderful opportunity to work with the electricians of Local 134, and she felt that they "moved mountains" to get her home back in shape.

Chicago can be overwhelming at times, but it survives by the kindness and generosity of organizations like Local 134 working within every community.

Donald Finn, B.M.

L.U. 146 (e,i&rts), DECATUR, IL — Happy summer, brothers and sisters! Our local, as all others, endured a roller-coaster year. We encountered many obstacles but seemed to have an adequate year, employment-wise.

As part of our ups and downs, we've seen many members retire and a few whom have passed. Joseph Bass, Geoff Burris, Jerry Camfield, Len Carroll, Jeff Cox, Ed Fitton, Mark Hall, Joseph Kidd, Neil Marshall, Rod McClain, Brian McElravy, Terry Milligan, Jerry Ohl, Richard Prothero, John Shores and Jimmie Yokley were among the retirees. We wish them all well! The deceased members include Robert Barnes, 93 (42-year member); Clint Camic, 97 (70 years); Edmund Jones, 100 (55 years); Bill McElravy, 89 (50 years); Tanner Mitchell, 23 (2 years); David Mosser, 73 (46 years); Phillip Odle, 80 (59 years); and Shawn Whetsell, 64 (35 years).

Our work picture looks good with some seasonal public-school work, city of Decatur projects, Mueller's foundry, Richland College, a couple of sizable solar farms and a wind farm.

Also, we are sad to see our executive assistant, Pat Camfield, retire as of April 1. We hope that she enjoys her time away from work!

Steven L. Tilford, R.S.

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL — I think this country is very slowly going to return to normal. At least the stress level has decreased significantly. And because of the slight return to normalcy, our local can now start to return to some of our regular activities. I'm sure everyone is happy to hear this!

In that vein, we have scheduled our annual picnic for Aug. 7. It will be held at the union hall in the back parking lot. This will allow for social distancing while still having a fun time and the opportunity to socialize. Yes, it will far different than our normal picnic, but it will still be a good time for everyone. Please come and visit with us.

Also, the car show is making a return this year. It is scheduled for Sept. 4. The rain date is Sept. 11. It will also be held at the union hall, which is where it has normally been held. You can see a lot of amazing cars that people have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into restoring. They are unbelievable! Come on down and take a look.

In the meantime, keep wearing your masks and practicing social distancing. Stay healthy and safe!

Wendy J. Cordts, P.S.

L.U. 236 (catv,ees,govt,i,mo,rtb&t), ALBANY, NY — Officer election season is upon us! While it can be a time of uncertainty, it can also be an opportunity for those with the passion and desire to give back to the local and be part of the labor movement that has provided a fair living for so many of us. If you have that passion and desire, I sincerely hope that you have decided to run for office; having the opportunity to serve is truly a rewarding experience.

This year, solar projects are looking to be the lion's share of the work picture, providing a much- needed buoy to the area after a tough winter.

We want to give a special shout-out to the electricians working at the Kesselring Naval Nuclear Laboratory. They take great pride in having the opportunity to perform work for the U.S. Navy, serving our country in its own right. Despite a demanding schedule and long hours, they still manage to be active in the community and in the local. Thank you to those who answered the call for this project!

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

Mike Martell, A.B.M.

L.U. 270 (i&o), OAK RIDGE, TN — At this writing, our work picture is exceptionally good. We are working with several traveling brothers and sisters at this time and expect to put many more to work in the next few months. We would like to thank all travelers for coming and helping man our work!

There are several changes to report since our last writing. Former business manager Don Russell retired at the end of Oct. 2020. Brother Russell was a loyal and dedicated Local 270 member, volunteering countless hours to its betterment. He served as vice president and president before being elected business manager. We wish him and his wife Mildred a long and happy retirement. Our newly elected business manager, Daniel Smith, formerly the training director for the Oak Ridge Electrical JATC, took office at the end of October.

Local 270 would like to congratulate our newest class of journeyman wiremen. These recent Oak Ridge Electrical JATC graduates are top notch, and they each have a bright future in store. We are proud to say that each journeyman wireman is not only outstanding in electrical ability but also in character. Faced with virtual classes at times due to the pandemic, each student stepped up and pushed through. Congratulations, brothers and sisters!

We regret to report the recent passing of several of our retired members. We lost Brother John "Chester" "Squeaky" Dixon Sr.; Brother Jimmy Lively; Brother Ernie Sharp; and our first female Local 270 officer, Sister Nora Tweed, and shortly after, her husband, Brother Fred Tweed.

David Williamson, R.S.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR — This is not a new development per se, but have you heard of Hawaiian Shirt Friday? It was once called Aloha Friday and has a lot of history behind it. To sum it up, it stands for solidarity. Primarily union tradespeople wear a Hawaiian shirt on Fridays to show solidarity in the field and to mark the end of the work week. We here at Local 280 have embraced Hawaiian Shirt Fridays for years and have recently made a push to get more members to don an American-made Hawaiian shirt on Fridays to show support for one another and have a little fun at the end of the work week. You may be hesitant to wear a Hawaiian shirt, especially to work, but trust me when I say once you put one on, all those insecurities will fade away. You will stand taller, look better and wire faster.

Zac Bakke, Mem. Dev.

L.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS, MN — As of April 1, calls for work have continued to be slow. As anticipated, the construction industry in this area is experiencing an economic lag because of the COVID-19 crisis. We are working closely with our legislature to keep a tax incentive in place that has traditionally attracted large data centers to our area. We hope that we may see some new data center builds in our area by preserving this incentive.

We are also closely following the regulatory process for approval of two large solar projects. We are hoping that large, heavy electrical projects like these will start sooner rather than later to help put our members back to work.

Local 292 affinity groups are a great way to build brother/sisterhood, provide support among each other and get involved with events within our greater community. These groups make our membership stronger and more connected. If you are interested in participating on one of these committees, please contact our office. IBEW Local 292 offers membership to the following affinity groups: Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (EWMC), Sisters in Solidarity (SIS), Reach Out and Engage Next-Generation Electrical Workers (RENEW) and the veterans committee.

As a reminder, Local 292 members will be involved in negotiations throughout the summer for several contracts that 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.

Andy Snope, P.S.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL — Summer has finally arrived, and our work picture remains strong going into the second half of 2021.

The Facebook data center project has well over 300 bargaining-unit members onsite across multiple contractors doing inside and low-voltage work. This project is full-steam ahead, and we would like to thank all the brothers and sisters that have helped and continue to help man the work.

Expansion at the Nelson Energy Plant in Rock Falls is starting to take shape. Preliminary work began in April and should be complete around the middle of June. Currently, we anticipate calls for this project to begin in August and continue into the fall. Major contracts have not been awarded as of this writing. We anticipate around 100 for this project at its peak.

We still have no new information on the Hard Rock Casino Rockford project other than that preliminary approval has been given; but, as of this writing, no timelines and no construction have been started on the new casino. This much-anticipated project will be ready to go once the Illinois Gaming Board gives us final approval.

As we move into reopening Illinois, we anticipate strong work opportunities, not only now but for the foreseeable future. As the majority of Illinoisans receive their vaccinations, the future looks very bright for the IBEW.

Brad Williams, Mem. Dev.

L.U. 440 (i,rts&spa), RIVERSIDE, CA — Our local saw the benefits of hosting an annual golf outing back in 2007. Our first event was with a few members that actually golfed, a few members that drank beers and smoked cigars while on a golf cart and a family member or two from each of those. We had a whopping 36 golfers; no food was provided, and any raffle prizes that we had were nothing to brag about. Fast forward 12 years, and we were set to have a great event last April; then COVID-19 shut us down.

On Saturday, April 17, 2021, Local 440 and 144 of our closest friends, family and industry partners gathered together to celebrate our 12th (or is it the 13th?) annual 440 Sick Committee Golf Tournament. A great time was had by all, and we raised a good amount of funds for our 440 Sick Committee.

Congratulations to our brothers and sisters from our sister local, Local 47, for having the best eraser and turning in the scorecard with the lowest score.

Bernie Balland, Mem. Dev.

L.U. 494 (em,govt,i,mt,rts,spa&t), MILWAUKEE, WI — March was Women's History Month and also Women in Construction Week, and our local celebrated both. Celebrating Women in Construction Week is all about realizing that gender or perceptions should never hold you back.

The need for quality construction workers continues to rise quickly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the construction industry will continue to grow at an above-average rate through 2026. Employment in construction of buildings is projected to be about 1.7 million in 2026.

Women account for only 10.3% of the construction workforce, and it's not due to a lack of qualifications. Women simply aren't applying for construction jobs as prevalently as men. As construction anticipates a rebound from the slowdown caused by the pandemic, hiring more women and providing them with opportunities for advancement is an optimal way for a contractor to expand.

Local 494 has the Sisters of 494 committee to encourage and enhance the solidarity and participation of women in our local union. This committee is for all sisters of Local 494 across all job classifications, a place where you can discuss, collaborate and help resolve issues specific to women in our local.

John T. Zapfel, Political Dir.

L.U. 654 (i), CHESTER, PA — There have been many firsts for our local in the past year due to the pandemic, from delivering hot catered meals to front-line hospital workers in our community to hosting our very first food drive to support local food banks. Apprenticeship classes were switched to an online learning format and the annual children's Christmas event was transformed into our local's very first drive-through holiday celebration. In keeping with this theme of firsts, Local 654 members gathered on March 27 for the first annual Clay Shoot event. This event was put together by President Bill Adams. Commenting on the success of the event, Brother Adams explained, "The weather was perfect for both the new shooters and veteran shooters to show off their skills with a shotgun. IBEW 654 has a proud history of sportsmen, and this event proved to be a great time. Our local proudly supports the Union Sportsmen's Alliance and its passion for hunting, fishing and shooting. The winning foursome of the day were Brothers Vince Ford, Bob Kunze, Ryan Crowley and Chris Clifton."

Tim McLaverty, R.S.

L.U. 692 (i,mt&spa), BAY CITY, MI — As we revel in these upcoming summer months, anticipating languid days evolving into (hopefully) cooler nights, we'll undoubtedly cherish the time spent with family and friends now more than ever before. We'll come together to observe the sacrifices of those courageous men and women who gave their lives for our country, celebrate the freedoms we've been afforded from our independence and honor the legacy of the many brothers and sisters who contributed to the labor movement. We'll also unfortunately be missing those we've loved and lost over the past year who weren't given an opportunity to appreciate our company during one more family get together.

It's been a rough year, America. We've found ourselves divided as neighbors more than perhaps any other time in recent memory. However, if this past year has taught us anything, let it be that time spent with loved ones should never again be taken for granted. Let's hope that we can collectively put our differences aside as we attempt to make up for lost time and connect with each other while celebrating our summer as fellow Americans.

God bless you and your families, sisters and brothers. God bless the IBEW, and may God bless America.

Brendon Baranek, 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 — It is with sadness that we report two deaths. Thirty-three-year member Joe Curry, Outside Construction journeyman lineman, was killed in a vehicle accident on Feb. 11; and on April 11, Joseph Paul "JP" Moore, a troubleman at Ameren Missouri in Cape Girardeau, passed unexpectedly.

We have new agreements at Lake Egypt Water District (annual wage increase of 2.5%, 2.5% and 2.75%) and Wabash Telephone Company (annual wage increase of 2.25%).

Negotiations are ongoing at Penn Aluminum, where we have filed over 45 separate unfair labor practice charges. We will be entering negotiations with Mt. Carmel Public Utility and Alcoa Power Generating Company later this year.

This year's golf outing will be scheduled for Oct. 22 and will only contain one flight of golfers.

In Missouri, we have received voluntary recognition for the five employees of the city of Malden Electric Department; won a state Board of Mediation representation election 19-0 at the city of Poplar Bluff for the Street/Motor Pool/Cemetery Department; and now seek a first contract at both places.

As of this writing, our referral books are as follows: Inside Construction — 75, Outside Construction — 50, Line Clearance — 5.

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

L.U. 1096 (em), BLAIRSVILLE, PA — Brothers and sisters, this past year has been a very challenging one. However, the outlook is very promising with the current administration pushing for the PRO Act and bringing union-oriented people on board. Our local has weathered the pandemic very well and we negotiated one of our best contracts. Three nice raises and minimal healthcare increases, plus the guarantee of apprentices to be put on during the life of the contract, were the highlights.

I appreciate everybody's support during my term, and I'm looking forward to a great retirement. Support your union by attending your monthly meetings and get involved.

Mark Schrack, Former Pres./B.M.

L.U. 2304 (u), MADISON, WI — In February and March, five of our local's members traveled to New York to help with repairs to damaged underground electrical vault equipment from multiple winter storms. They spent a total of 26 days on mutual assistance for Con Edison, primarily in Brooklyn and Queens. Members who responded to this call were Travis Hanson, Jesse Hirsch, Rory Schaaf, Brian Stone and Shawn Sullivan.

Nate Rasmussen, Pres./B.M.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WESTCHESTER/PUTNAM CHAPTER — It is now more than one full year since the terrible pandemic began to spread across America, the worst year most of us have ever experienced. Thank God, with vaccines being administered throughout the country, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

For the past few months, some of our members have been attending Zoom meetings just to keep in touch with one another. Even though we still do not know when we might be able to start having regular meetings again, at the last Zoom meeting we discussed making plans for a fishing trip, a golf outing and our yearly Christmas/Hanukkah party. We try to keep a positive attitude.

Until this pandemic is brought under control, all we can do is follow the safety guidelines, and hopefully our lives will return to being what they were before, or at least close to it.

Dick Mills, Treas.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 35, HARTFORD, CT — What a crazy year it's been! Obviously, we had to suspend our Retirees Club meetings due to COVID-19. This is the first chance I've had to get back to writing.

We hope and pray that this time finds you safe and healthy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have suffered losses due to this horrible pandemic. We hope everyone is getting vaccinated and that we will soon find ourselves in safer times.

We would like to recognize our members who passed away during 2020: Walter Baldyga, Joseph Clang, Anthony Cosentino, Richard Dion, John Morneault, Ronald Parker, Andrew Sanfosso and William Tobin. Our condolences go out to their families.

We are hoping to resume our Retirees Club meetings soon. I'd like to reach out to anyone who is retired to join us. Please contact either myself (pawkrw@aol.com) or President Dennis Machol, (dmachol@cox.net.)

Kenneth R. White, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 53, KANSAS CITY, MO — Well, here we are, springtime 2021. Hooray! I would like to start off with this: I hope everyone is in good health and cheer.

We have a lot to be thankful for and to look forward to. We have a new administration in the White House, doing a good job, I might add. That is refreshing!

Some things to look forward to: gardening, mowing, tinkering around outside in the fresh spring air on beautiful sunny days, fishing and our annual Crappie Tournament, which is always a good time and lots of fun.

Some of our retirees are going on a motorcycle run. I would like to wish them good luck and enjoy your trip. Be safe!

By the way, we are starting up our luncheons in Urich, Mo., at the Lumberyard Bar & Grill. We invite anyone who wants to join us to come on down. It will be on the second Thursday of every month at 11 a.m.

Also, past business managers Brothers Bob Stuart and Jim Lynch received their 50-year service pins at the regular union meeting in March. Congratulations to both of you: We would like to thank both of you for your dedicated service to Local 53. Great job!

It is with sadness that I must report that we lost another retiree, Shorty Hackett. Rest in peace, brother.

Duane Pearce, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 58, DETROIT, MI — It seems incredible that four months after the safest, most efficient, largest participation presidential election of our history, we are seeing some of the most blatant bad behavior in politics since the first wave of Jim Crow laws after the Civil War. The fact that any elected official in this country would want to suppress any citizen's right to vote boggles the mind. How have we come so far to fall backward so quickly? We also need to be alert to any threats to Social Security during this chaos.

We must move forward to protect our democracy, which could mean a number of things: donations, peaceful demonstrations, phone calls, letter writing and open conversations. There are many factions that are in motion that have fed on lies, misinformation and fear. The pandemic hasn't made any of this easier! We can't sit back and expect others to straighten out this mess we find ourselves in.

We all have differences, but if we don't step forward and work to see and celebrate what makes us the same, we will not be successful in overcoming these dark times. Our success lies in inclusion, not exclusion. Let the work continue!

Pat Nuznov, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 60, SAN ANTONIO, TX — We have tentatively scheduled a resumption of local union meetings for Sept. 9, and hopefully our retirees will resume their monthly meetings as well. With the surge of vaccines going into individuals' arms, social distancing and wearing face masks, future gatherings look promising.

Like most clubs the world over, our retirees are missing out on the camaraderie of their extended brothers and sisters from Local 60. An email list is in effect to keep our retirees informed of any news and information that may concern them. If any Local 60 member would like to be added, email sandyrogers24@hughes.net, (subject line, "ADD"). This list by no means replaces the face-to-face interactions retirees are missing from their meetings; it is just a means of getting through this pandemic.

Hopefully, by the middle of this year, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief.

Sandy Rogers, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 136, BIRMINGHAM, AL — We were happy to have our second meeting in a year in April. Everyone has been staying safe and social distancing due to the coronavirus. Our Retirees Club President Brother Frank Perryman, reported that the number of retired members has grown in the local. We had 30 members attend the meeting and hope to have more next month. Thanks to all who showed up, and next month, bring another retired member with you.

Our meetings are on the first Wednesday of the month at the hall. We get started around 10 a.m. to talk about the good old times and how good the local is doing now. We want to thank Business Manager Brother Bill Blackman, the staff and the local for providing lunch for us. We would like to wish the best to all the retired brothers that we have met over the years, both on the road and here at Local 136. Everyone be safe, and remember: If it looks unsafe, it probably is.

Bill Roberson, R.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 212, CINCINNATI, OH — Having a difference of opinion is as natural as breathing. Opinions consume much of our time and energy and define who we are.

However, social media does not typically bring civility to the conversation. Comments on these sites only serve to inflame and embolden people on each side of the issues. Opinions are presented as truth while in reality they're just opinions. We all know a clever wordsmith can twist words around to make the truth appear as lies and lies appear as the truth.

So you are probably asking yourself, "Robert, where are you going with this?" Well, I am concerned about our brotherhood. I expect opposition from corporations, PAC groups and the political right in our cause for justice in the workplace, but negative comments from within our membership really surprise me. We should be encouraging to our younger members to be a positive force within our membership. Support each other. There is a right time and a right place to speak up and also to be quiet.

But then again, this is just my opinion.

Bob Schaefer, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 586, OTTAWA, ON — A big "Thank You" to everyone in Canada and the United States who contributed to the pin collection. A special thank you to Nathan Hanson (Local 292), Nick Shimon (Local 68) and Micheline Taillefer (Local 586) for all their help.

All Inside workers of the 11 IBEW districts (U.S. and Canada), locals and even a few dead locals will be represented on our display of over 300 pins. The display will be assembled under the supervision of Brother Sam Lapierre.

We want to thank Marcel Brousseau (Local 586) for his dedication and time to this project.

J.C. Samson (Sam), Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1245, VACAVILLE, CA / YERINGTON, NV, CHAPTER — We like to say that our local's Yerington, Nev., retirees are "battle born," as many had to go to battle right after we retired when the company we worked for came after our promised and earned health benefits in 2009. Thanks to IBEW Local 1245, we survived that battle and lived to fight the battle of COVID-19.

Local 1245 retirees across northern Nevada have utilized the Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans (NARA) Zoom account, and two of the four chapters lost no time in learning about and holding Zoom meetings along with attending other NARA and Nevada AFL-CIO Zoom meetings. We also joined in Local 1245's monthly Ring Central meeting, held with retiree members across California and Nevada. Through trial-and-error with technology, we have been able to keep up on each other's health and activities.

The process to receive the coronavirus vaccine started off slowly, but more and more of our retirees report at each meeting that they've completed their series of shots. We are looking forward to meeting together in person as soon as we defeat the virus. When we do, we will mourn the members that we have lost to COVID-19 but gather in gratitude to be able to meet once again.

Tom "T" Bird, Chair