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ORGANIZING WIRE

July/August 1998 IBEW Journal

Big Wins in Big Sky Country 

Viewers of local television stations across Montana may notice that their reception is sharper these days. That could be because Local 44 in Butte has conducted several successful organizing campaigns, bringing in broadcasting engineers from stations across the state.

Local 44 Business Manager Stan Dupree reports that in May, 21 employees of Continental Television Network, Inc., which has stations KWYB in Butte, KTMF in Missoula and KTGF in Great Falls, voted overwhelmingly in favor of IBEW representation. This follows another organizing win for Local 44 which in February organized 13 workers at KTVH in Helena. The airwaves of Montana are rapidly gaining the IBEW label.

Dispatches

Another Shop in the Fold

Workers at McNulty & Associates in Michigan voted recently to join the IBEW. Nine of 14 workers voted for representation by Local 692, Bay City, and those nine were sworn in by the local, followed by two of the others. Local 498, Traverse City, accepted another of the McNulty employees and is interviewing the rest. Local 692 has begun negotiations with the company and is continuing its drive to organize members of other nonunion shops in its jurisdiction. (Submitted by Thomas Oslund, Recording Secretary, Local 692)

Energy Electric Workers Organized

In a successful joint organizing campaign, Local 415, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Local 322, Casper, Wyoming, and Local 1250, Rapid City, South Dakota, have organized 63 inside wiremen of Energy Electric. The company, which does business within the jurisdictions of the three locals, signed a Letter of Assent "B" with Locals 415, 322 and 1250 last year, and this year signed a Letter of Assent "A." (Submitted by Richard Kempster, Press Secretary, Local 415)

On a Roll on Long Island

Recently, IBEW Local Union 1049's Organizing Committee has won some major organizing victories. After winning the election and participating in countless National Labor Relations Board hearings, Local 1049 has begun negotiating with Byers Engineering, a nonunion utility markout firm out of Atlanta, Georgia, with the intentions of securing a signed agreement. Unfortunately, Byers Engineering has lost their bid with the utility and may move their operation out of our jurisdiction due to their inability to secure other bid work.

The Organizing Committee has also rid our jurisdiction of Utilx, a nonunion directional boring company based out of New Jersey, which was performing work on Long Island. Local 1049 members gave Utilx the boot, and sent a message, don’t bid on our work if you’re nonunion. Our message was heard loud and clear and Utilx signed an agreement.

T.L.C. Corporation has signed with Local 1049 to perform work with the IBEW. Organizer Richard Fridell has some tips he would like to share with you, in your quest to organize your jurisdiction. Additionally, if you have No Cuts, a subsidiary of Sprint, as a signatory contractor please contact Organizer Fridell. (Submitted by Warren O’Neill, Recording Secretary, Local 1049, Long Island, New York)

 Organized Voices

Lena Rollins, spouse
Local 716, Houston, Texas

In March, I wrote to the IBEW requesting information regarding the benefits of joining the union. I also expressed concern for my husband, Julius "Ray" Rollins.

Ray had been working for a "nonunion" company as an electrician, and he was not being paid on a regular basis. When he would get paid for his hard work and loyalty to the company, the owner would act like he was doing Ray a big favor. I had to apply for food stamps, government health care, and I had to go to community food pantries in order to keep food on our table, knowing the whole time that the owner of the company and his family flourished, due to my husband’s devotion.

I was very concerned for Ray because he was so stressed out all of the time. He never knew if or when he was going to get paid. He worked from sun up to sundown, and I saw him going down quickly.

The worst part of my husband’s story is that the owner of this company is Ray’s own brother. Ray stayed on devoted to his brother’s company until the project he was working on was inspected and finalized.

On April 6, 1998, my husband joined Local 716 here in Houston. He is a different man now. We are a different family now. He is working at the Medical Center for Fisk, and he loves it.

I especially would like to thank Jack and Bruce [Jack Smith and Bruce Ponce, organizers with Local 716] for showing up at our door. I welcomed them into our home. Jack and Bruce were so concerned about the way my husband was being used up. I could see sincerity in their concern and interest in my husband. Jack and Bruce left the blue information packet, and Ray and I went over it that night with enthusiasm. Jack and Bruce make a very nice team

Thank you for giving my husband back his dignity that he had lost. Thank you, Jack and Bruce, for allowing my husband to [have] his human justice, human rights and human security.