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January - December 2013 Ill. Member Casts Line on ‘Trip of a Lifetime’ The hectic life of an IBEW business manager offers few reprieves and little free time. But for Eric Patrick, leader of Rockford, Ill., Local 196, such hard work was rewarded earlier this year when the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance invited him to coastal Louisiana for a fishing expedition. IBEW Holiday Lights Brighten Cities, Towns In the surge of goodwill that accompanies the holiday season, IBEW locals across the U.S. apply their skills to light displays and community celebrations, winning praise in the media and respect from hundreds of thousands of neighbors for whom a visit to the displays is often a yearly custom. Oregon Natural Gas Project Winning Support The fate of a proposed $7.7 billion liquefied natural gas export facility in Oregon will likely be decided in the next few weeks and members of the IBEW are lobbying for the project’s approval. N.H. Utility Employees Score First Contract Wins When workers vote “union yes,” it’s often a hard-won victory. But tougher still can be the path to a first contract, where the skills of newly-minted activists are put to the test against the possibility of continued company resistance and difficult negotiations. L.A. Local Builds Dreams for Military Veterans Bridging differences between members is often difficult enough for local unions. Deciding how apprenticeships will be filled can sometimes be a point of controversy. Anti-Worker Law Threatens On-the-Job Rights Unions representing more than 1 million federal workers in Canada – including the IBEW – are coming together to take on anti-worker legislation that threatens collective bargaining rights and on-the-job safety N.Y. Local Wins Bargaining Rights at U.N Longtime members of N.Y. Local 1212 who perform all video, editing and broadcasting at the U.N. were deeply worried. Study: Working Women Need Unions A record 67.5 million women are working today, but many women suffer from low-pay and a gender-based wage gap that makes it hard to get by. IBEW Shows Students Importance of Math Math isn’t just important for balancing checkbooks and passing tests. It’s vital to a career in the electrical trade. Local 24 Member Tells House Leaders: Extend Unemployment Benefits Stan Osnowitz, an unemployed journeyman electrician member of Baltimore Local 24, said he hates being unemployed. “It is a waste of my abilities. I love being an electrician,” he says. Out of work since July after working for three years straight, Osnowitz is one of more than two million unemployed job seekers who could lose federal jobless aid if Congress does not act to extend it before the end of the year. Missouri GOP Resurrects Right-to-Work-for-Less Missouri Republicans are looking to start the New Year off on the wrong foot, with another legislative battle over right-to-work-for-less legislation. Five Things Comcast Did This Year to Hurt Workers Here are just five ways Comcast has given workers a raw deal in one of its most financially successful years on record. Fast-Food Workers Strike for Better Pay Fed up with poverty wages, fast-food workers across the country are holding a one-day strike Dec. 5. IBEW Member Helps Provide Hunting Access to Kids with Mobility Challenges A new, custom-built deer blind in Texas Hill Country set the stage for kids with mobility issues to experience the thrill of the hunt safely and comfortably, due to the completion of a conservation project organized and sponsored by the Houston-area union community and the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. Court Rules Against FairPoint Subcontracting When FairPoint Communications bought Verizon’s New England landline holdings in 2008, the company announced that fears among IBEW members who had worked for Verizon that the new company would outsource and cut jobs were unwarranted. Washington, D.C. Local Gives Students Gift of Music Too often when school boards face budget shortfalls, music education is the first to go. But for Washington, D.C., students, music in the classroom is alive and well thanks to a donation from Local 26 and CBS EcoMedia. CEOs pushing Social Security Cuts Enjoy Gold-Plated Retirement Plans Most Americans reject slashing Social Security benefits, but that hasn’t stopped well-funded lobbyists on Capitol Hill from continuing to push Congress to make Social Security cuts. Secret Document Exposes Tories’ Anti-Worker Agenda Ontario Conservative Party Leader Tim Hudak’s antipathy toward unions is no secret, but a recently leaked internal campaign document reveals just how anti-labour a potential Tory government could be. Nonunion Wind Workers Look to IBEW for Better Safety Across the breezy expanse of Iowa, clean wind-powered energy is abundant. But for workers in this booming industry, safety on the job can be scarce. That’s one reason why nonunion employees at the TPI Composites plant in Newton are looking to the IBEW for representation. Beer Billionaire Yuengling Blasted for Right-to-Work Support Dick Yuengling, president of the nation’s oldest brewery, has rarely kept his contempt for unions under wraps. In 2006, he supported a move by workers in his Pottsville, Pa., brewery to decertify their Teamsters bargaining unit. Top 10 Reasons to Enter the 2013 Photo Contest Now The deadline was already extended to Nov. 30, so you have no excuses! Hill: IBEW is the nuclear work force of the future. How the nuclear power industry will find enough qualified workers to build, operate and maintain plants in the future was the topic of an online conversation featuring International President Edwin D. Hill and senior executives from industry. FirstEnergy Corp. Announces Transmission Grid Upgrade Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp. announced Nov. 12 a multibillion-dollar effort to overhaul and expand its electrical transmission network, ensuring reliable service and enhanced capacity to meet the demands of a growing economy. New TV Spot Showcases IBEW Commitment to Community As any member can tell you, the IBEW isn’t just about good wages or strong contracts. It’s also about commitment to community. Why Right-to-Work-for-Less is Wrong for Alaska Families Alaska possesses one of the stronger labor movements in the United States, with a union density rate only second to that of New York State. NACTEL: Knowledge That Keeps You Ahead of the Curve As the economy continues its steady recovery, demand for telecommunications workers is picking up. But many of the best jobs are only open to people who keep up with the industry’s rapidly changing technology. New Jobs Added in October, But Unemployment Still High The Labor Department’s jobs report released last week revealed some interesting data about the health of the economy and the industries represented by the IBEW. President Hill To Congress: Support our Broadcast Partners For many decades, IBEW members have skillfully brought news and entertainment to local audiences across the nation, working for major broadcasting companies like CBS, Fox and ABC. Nova Scotia Utility Threatens Outsourcing Nova Scotia Power’s announcement that it was considering outsourcing at least 250 utility jobs is being criticized by workers and consumer activists as a threat to good jobs and reliable service. Indianapolis Local and Contractors Build Community with Christmas Lights As millions of Christmas and holiday season displays take shape across the nation, picking the best is surely a difficult task. But some shine brightest. The Case for Prevailing Wage The federal Davis-Bacon Act – along with its state and local counterparts — helps keep construction jobs good jobs and maintain high standards in the industry by requiring contractors receiving public funds to pay the local prevailing wage. Who’s Behind the War on Workers’ Rights? The 2010 midterm elections brought to power a wave of anti-worker governors and legislators. Some are notorious for their attacks on workers’ rights: Scott Walker in Wisconsin, Rick Scott in Florida, Rick Snyder in Michigan. Red State, Blue State Voters Want More – Not Less – Amtrak Amtrak has long been the whipping boy of congressional right-wingers, who decry federal spending on the nation’s passenger rail line as wasteful. Wis. IBEW Leaders Open High Schoolers’ Eyes to Building Trades You hear it from the mouths of young people every day: I can’t afford college. The debt would be too big. I’m not sure what to do. Tories Target Federal Workers’ Rights Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government launched a sneak attack on federal workers’ rights earlier this month with the introduction of a new budget bill. Volunteer Fund Helps Furloughed Members in Montana After a generator failed at a Montana coal-fired power plant on July 1, the operator, PPL Montana, announced that some members of Colstrip Local 1638 would later be placed on furlough for at least 90 days. Four Ways to Jump Start the Economy The nation’s economy showed disappointing growth in September, with only 148,000 jobs compared to 169,000 jobs created in August. Record NJATC Donation Will Enhance Outside Line Training The Northeast Line Constructors chapter of the National Electric Contractors Association has donated $1 million to support the national outside apprenticeship program. Chapter Manager Mike Gilchrist said the donation was the groups way of saying thank you to the linemen and contractors who helped rebuild after Superstorm Sandy destroyed billions of dollars of property and cut off power to more than 8 million homes across New Jersey, New York and New England. Central Calif. Local Plays Key Role in Winning PLA Ordinance in Watsonville Labor unions and allies in the city of Watsonville, a fertile agricultural center on the central coast of California, have had much success in 2012 convincing progressive candidates to run and win seats on their city council. Many council members had labor union backgrounds, says Castroville Local 234 Business Manager Andy Hartmann. Mich. Judge Blasts Municipal Union Busting A Michigan judge took an anti-union city manager to task last week, ruling that Lowell City Manager Mark Howe lied and unfairly targeted union activists – just to punish workers for joining the IBEW. Ariz. Whistleblower Fights Worker Misclassification The construction industry is making a strong comeback in Arizona, with the number of construction permits up in 2012. But the state actually lost construction jobs over the summer. The reason, says many industry observers: worker misclassification, which is a way for contractors to keep employees on the worksites but off the books. Danish Union Delegation Visits IBEW Leaders of the Danish Union of Electricians, along with their counterparts on the employer side, visited the IBEW International Office Oct. 1. New York Attorney General Wins $5 Million for National Grid Workers In the midst of the chaos of Hurricane Sandy, National Grid, employing thousands of IBEW members in New York and New England, decided to roll out a new computer system to account for overtime pay and expenses. St. Louis Contractor Dumps Carpenters Local 57 Rice Electrical Services and Controls is the latest member of the St. Louis Local 1 family after the business terminated its contract with a rogue electricians union – the Associated Electrical Contractors Local 57. IBEW Government Employees Director William ‘Chico’ McGill The officers of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers sadly report that IBEW Government Employees Director Chico McGill passed away Sept. 27. With a generous spirit and an outsize personality, he was throughout his career an outspoken voice for workers. Haven’t Quite Finished Your Photo Project? 2013 Photo Contest Deadline Has Been Extended until Nov. 30 The annual IBEW photo contest is a showcase for members to demonstrate their skills with a camera and shine a light on their too-often overlooked jobs. For 15 years, the IBEW Journal and The Electrical Worker have printed hundreds of photos of and by IBEW members at work—turning the lights back on after storms, building architectural marvels and performing hundreds of other jobs that contribute so much to communities across North America and even beyond. Sign Up for NACTEL’s Virtual Open House In today’s economy, education is vital to getting ahead. And the National Coalition for Telecommunications Education and Learning is the place for telecommunications professionals looking to gain an edge through advanced online learning. EPA Coal Rule Threatens Energy Independence, Says IBEW International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Edwin D. Hill issued the following statement today: “The draft regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding emissions from newly-constructed power plants threaten economic growth and America’s energy future. Read more... RENEW Conference Energizes Young Workers More than 100 young IBEW members from across the United States and Canada will be in Washington, D.C., Sept. 27-29 for the first ever Reach out and Energize Next-gen Electrical Workers conference. New IBEW Ad Focuses on Union Skills, Community We know the professionalism and skill that members of the IBEW bring to the job every day. Now hundreds of millions of TV viewers know as well. Coming on the heels of last year’s national ad campaign, a new IBEW spot – titled “Power Professionals” – went on the air this month. Sequester, Six Months In: Shutters Space Fence, Mothballs Nuclear Submarine The Department of Defense has canceled repairs for a damaged nuclear submarine and ended a program that monitors orbiting space junk, two striking examples of consequences of a federal austerity program that could lay off dozens, potentially hundreds, of IBEW members. W.Va. Fracking Industry Spurs IBEW Jobs The IBEW’s efforts to tap into good jobs in the booming energy sector are seeing big results in West Virginia, with hundreds of members hard at work building and maintaining the infrastructure needed to get the Mountaineer State’s rich natural gas load to market. This Fall, A New IBEW News Smartphone/Tablet App Two years after the launch of the first IBEW app, the IBEW is putting the finishing touches on a new news app for digital readers. USA Volunteers Improve Trail Access in Va. Volunteers from Richmond, Va., Local 666 joined members from the plumbers and pipefitters and the Virginia Building and Construction Trades Council on Aug. 21 to help create more accessible walkways for York River State Park visitors with mobility issues. IBEW Activists Join March on Washington Hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to be in Washington, D.C., Aug. 24 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Del. Bus Mechanics Join IBEW Diesel bus mechanics employed by the Delaware Transit Corp. never had much need for a union. That is until one of their own was fired – all because of his breakfast. Selling Security, and Winning it Too: N.C. ADT Employees Vote for a Voice on the Job ADT alarm system installers know that when they finish work at a new customer’s home, they’re offering something priceless – greater peace of mind for the whole family. House Bill Calls for U.S. Call Centers A toll-free call center connection to someone in India has been a punchline for comedians and TV sitcoms for years, but for the thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs in call centers, outsourcing is no laughing matter. Food and Commercial Workers Re-Join AFL-CIO The United Food and Commercial Workers, which left the AFL-CIO eight years ago to join the Change to Win Coalition, is rejoining the nation’s largest labor federation. Federal Workers Alliance, IBEW Challenging Furloughs A coalition of 20 unions including the IBEW has already seen progress from a campaign to challenge the furlough of 650,000 Department of Defense civilian employees. Since July 1, the Federal Workers Alliance has been urging members of Congress to eliminate 11 unpaid furlough days that are part of the federal government’s budget sequester. The furloughs amount to a 20 percent reduction in pay. Union Plus Scholarships for IBEW Families Family members of IBEW members have been awarded scholarships worth $6,250 by the Union Plus Educational Fund. The grantees were among more than 100 winners, representing 36 unions who were awarded up to $4,000. They were chosen out of a pool of more than 5,300 applicants based on their academic performance, financial need and a 500-word essay describing their career goals and their relationship with the labor movement. Detroit Local Targets New Projects, Defends Public Pensions One year before his city made headlines as the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, Detroit Local 58 Business Manager Mike Richard was meeting with his member of Congress to underscore the need to give Detroit and Michigan residents the first crack at construction jobs on several Detroit-area projects that were in the planning stage. Why Raising the Minimum Wage is Good for the Economy Raise the Minimum Wage - President Obama reiterated his call for raising the federal minimum wage in his speech on the economy last week. Washington, D.C., Apprenticeship Club Brings Young Workers Together D.C. Apprentices Get Organized - Washington, D.C., Local 26 journeyman wireman Adam Reed started out in the work force at just about the worst time imaginable. Enter the 2013 Photo Contest! In the midst of the Great Depression, a still photographer shot a picture of 11 ironworkers eating lunch on a steel girder 840 feet above the streets of New York City. The photo, entitled “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” was staged. But the workers who demonstrated the lengths and heights people will go to for a job, were real. And their lack of safety equipment symbolized the sacrifices workers made just to find any job and feed their families. Texas Members, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Improve State Park Union sportsmen take a back seat to no one when it comes to expert, responsible hunting and fishing and working to preserve habitats for wildlife from neglect or abuse. But the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, a union-dedicated outdoor organization, is setting an even broader example by infusing the principle of solidarity into a new program that brings together volunteers—including IBEW members—to tackle conservation projects in parks across the U.S. IBEW, Utility Team Up to Help Neighbors in Need Toronto, Ontario, Local 636 utility workers and Hydro Ottawa partnered earlier this month to help power up a group home that serves residents with physical disabilities and seniors. IBEW Tells Capitol Hill: ‘Let us Keep Our Healthcare’ Electrical workers and their employers are raising the alarm about loopholes in the Affordable Care Act that threaten to undermine quality coverage for more than 26 million Americans. Pittsburgh Apprentices Rescue Seniors from Major Blaze Pittsburgh Local 5 members are being credited with saving dozens of local senior citizens from a fire that tore through a nursing home June 25. Statement of IBEW International President Edwin D. Hill On President Obama’s Climate Action Plan The President’s statement on energy today is a step in the right direction on the long road to reaching a balanced, workable consensus on energy issues. IBEW to Lawmakers: Reduce Immigrant Construction Work Force, Create American Jobs A recent poll shows a strong majority of citizens opposing the use of more foreign guest workers in the trades. And labor leaders are bringing that message to lawmakers as they debate new immigration proposals that would have far-reaching effects on the industry. ‘Moral Mondays’ Protest N.C. Legislation Some say religion and politics don’t mix. But politicians often call upon their religion as an inspiration or justification for their actions. Nowhere is this truer than in North Carolina, where both houses of the state legislature are under Republican control by Tea Party conservatives who often cite scripture to support their agenda. Packer-Town Local Gets Applause for Volunteerism Like nonprofit organizations across North America, the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay, Wis., is scraping for funds to keep its programs alive even while the need to help struggling citizens grows due to a still difficult economy. Freshmen in Congress Say No to Secret Trade Negotiations What if the controversy raging over the National Security Agency’s surveillance of domestic phone calls is overshadowing an abuse of privacy that could undermine our nation’s democracy in a myriad of ways that the NSA spying never could? Winnipeg SimplexGrinnell Workers Score Quick Campaign Win In what organizers are calling a stellar campaign victory, a determined group of skilled technicians working for SimplexGrinnell in Winnipeg stood up for rights on the job and voted IBEW May 22. IBEW Comic Book Recounts Labor’s Story to New Members In a genre best known for caped crusaders and mutants saving the universe, one IBEW local is using comic books to tell the story of another kind of hero: the union men and women who made the American middle class. Telecom Workers Tell FairPoint CEO: Let’s Sit down and Talk On June 3, with a little over one year to go before their contract with FairPoint Communications expires, business managers and co-workers representing 1,700 IBEW members in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont traveled to the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Charlotte, N.C. Minn. Local Takes Contract Fight to City Hall Two Harbors, Minn., power and water workers are going public about stalled efforts to renew their two- year contract. Calif. Local 595 Opens the Zero Net Energy Center Dublin, Calif., Local 595’s new training center formally opens on May 30, instantly becoming one of the most efficient and technologically advanced commercial buildings in the country. First District Vice President Phillip Flemming Dies With sadness, the IBEW announces the death of First District Vice President Phillip Flemming on May 25. He was 68. Shipyard Workers Win Sequester Reprieve Federal shipyard workers across the United States won a temporary respite May 14, when the Pentagon announced that they were exempting employees from mandatory unpaid furlough days. Minn. Memorial Honoring WWII Hero, an IBEW Member, Opens Front and center of a new Memorial Day dedication in Minnesota is an IBEW member and one of the once-anonymous Marines who were the first to raise the American flag on Iwo Jima. New Storm Lab Prepares Michigan Electricians for Weather Disasters Summer is coming. For many, this means vacations on the beach, kids lounging at home and trips to the pool. But for utilities, summer means raging thunderstorms and hurricane season. Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Clays Shoot Supports Conservation Efforts The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, originally sponsored by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, has maintained conservation as a core mission since its founding in 2007. After Lethal Tornado, Okla. Local Launches Relief Fund The mile-wide tornado that tore through Moore, Okla., May 20 killed dozens and left a swath of destroyed homes, businesses and schools in its wake. Illinois Local Hits Homer with Little League Scoreboard When it comes to attitudes about unions and our members, Americans often summon the negative images spread by our adversaries, rather than considering the contributions of union members who could be their neighbors like the firefighters, police personnel or nurses. Or electricians. Jon Gardner Retires as Seventh District Vice President; Steven Speer Appointed Seventh District International Vice President Jon Gardner will retire from office on June 1. Alberta Oil Sands Workers Vote IBEW For the IBEW's Darrell Taylor, organizing water treatment workers at the Alberta oil sands has been a lot like the tricky process of extracting raw fuel from the soil - slow and steady, but promising in the end. Research Encourages Young Worker Movement Effectively bridging the different perspectives and experiences of three and, sometimes, four generations in the same workplaces can be a daunting challenge for seasoned leaders and emerging activists alike. IBEW Veteran Joins First Lady for Jobs Initiative Announcement Eric Varela’s story is all too common. After serving as a combat infantryman in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division, Varela returned to California in 2008 to record high unemployment. Returning High School Graduate Brings Back Solar Power and Sunshine When Dave Royle was a student at central New Jersey’s Woodbridge (N.J.) High School in the late-1980s, he was well known for his smile. Paycheck Deception Legislation Advances in Mo. State House Missouri’s House Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee approved “paycheck protection” legislation on April 10. The bill would weaken public-sector unions by prohibiting members from having dues earmarked for political action from being automatically deducted from their paychecks. Fundraising Effort Supports Pa. Campaign for ‘Right-to-Work’ When Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican, joined with his Democratic colleague W. Va. Sen. Joe Manchin, to propose a bill on background check for gun owners, he was hailed as a “voice of reasonable compromise.” Not so fast. On Workers Memorial Day, Activists Remember Victims, Step Up Fight for Living To honor those who have lost their lives as a result of job-related illness or injury, dozens of countries around world have designated April 28 as Workers Memorial Day. Edison Electric Institute, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Honor National Lineworkers The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) today salute the nation’s men and women who risk their lives daily to keep electricity flowing to the nation’s homes and businesses. Groundswell Challenges President’s Social Security Cuts Labor unions and progressive activists are speaking out and organizing in opposition to President Obama’s proposal to reduce Social Security benefits as part of his budget proposal announced on April 10. British Columbia Members Protests Domestic Outsourcing Labour activists in Western Canada are calling for a moratorium on the federal temporary foreign worker program, saying that the system is rife with abuse. Pittsburgh-Area High School Student Excels in Trade Skills Celebrated poet Maya Angelou once said, “Living a life is like constructing a building; if you start wrong, you'll end wrong.” If the same statement can describe a career, Michelle Braga, a 17-year-old Pittsburgh-area vocational-technical high school student who is aiming for an IBEW journeyman wireman apprenticeship, is on the right track in both spheres. NACTEL: Teaching Telecom Technology Tools The best way to keep working is to keep up with the work, an increasingly demanding task with telecommunications technology. IBEW Says Eastern Pipeline Means Good Jobs, Energy Independence for Canada IBEW members in Canada are cheering TransCanada Corp’s. proposal to build a pipeline to transport crude oil from Western Canada to refineries in the east. Comcast: No Paid Sick Days for Philly Workers The Philadelphia City Council passed a bill last week that would require virtually every employer in the city to provide their workers with paid sick days – earning the enmity of Comcast, a major player in Philly politics. Shipyard Workers Protest Sequestration Workers across the nation rallied March 20 and 21 to protest likely furloughs brought on by the more than $1 trillion in automatic federal spending cuts known as the sequestration. Obama Nominates Pro-Worker Attorney for Secretary of Labor IBEW leaders are praising President Obama’s March 13 nomination of civil-rights attorney Thomas Perez for Secretary of Labor. IBEW President Edwin D. Hill Lauds President Obama’s Energy Department Pick International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Edwin D. Hill says President Obama’s nomination of Ernest Moniz to be the next U.S. Department of Energy secretary “is the right choice to lead our nation as we enter a new era of energy policy.” Policy, Industry, Labor Leaders Release Bipartisan Energy Plan It’s not easy finding common ground in Washington, D.C., these days. Getting Democrats and Republicans – not to mention business and labor – to agree on anything seems an impossible challenge. Burden of Sequestration to Fall on Government Employees Thousands of IBEW members who work for the federal government or for private government contractors awoke Friday morning facing a shaky economic future. The sequestration – the series of draconian federal spending cuts totaling $1.2 trillion – went into effect March 1, meaning that more than 1 million federal workers face unpaid leave or worse unless Congress takes action to rescind the cuts. Business, Labor Agree: Time to Act on Retirement Security It’s one of the biggest challenges facing the economy today: providing retirement security for America’s work force. What the Sequester Means for You If you think the looming “sequester” – the series of automatic federal spending cuts set to go into effect Friday, March 1 – doesn’t affect you and your family, think again. Five-Year Agreement Brings together Merged Utility Units in Vermont Few words are as chilling to workers as “corporate merger.” Too often the aftermath is slashed jobs, cut wages and managers acting unreasonably. Right-Wing Policy Shop: Busted Budgets, Giveaways to the Rich Coming to a State Near You It’s one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in the United States today, exercising an outsized influence in the Republican Party and driving policy decisions in state houses and governors’ mansions across the country. And chances are you’ve never heard of it. Federal Budget Impasse Forces Immediate Navy Job Cuts The Department of Defense is sending out dozens of contract cancelations and preparing to lay off ten, possibly hundreds of thousands of workers because they can no longer fund projects started after 2009, dues to the inability of Congress to pass a budget. Facing Opposition, Ill. Sears Techs Ratify First Contract Years of management favoritism, lack of respect on the job and the threat of declining wages had been wearing on hundreds of Sears service technicians in the upper Midwest for years. Austin Local Says Workers Are Getting Cheated on City-Backed Project Austin construction workers and workers’ rights activists are accusing hotel developer White Lodging Inc., of cheating employees out of tens of thousands of dollars in wages on one of Austin’s most high-profile construction projects. National Right-to-Work Bill Offered in Congress Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has introduced a bill on Feb. 5 that would impose so called right-to-work laws nationally. Activists Call on President Obama to Protect Workers Union members and public safety officials are calling on President Obama to finalize an Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard that would reduce workers’ exposure to silica and save lives. Labor-Management Partnership Nets Toronto Local Big Organizing Win Dial One Wolfdale Electric Inc., was one of the Toronto area’s largest nonunion contractors, performing millions of dollars in commercial and industrial work each year. Have a Union-Made Super Bowl Party! The AFL-CIO Now blog is publicizing a list of union-made food and drinks for members to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday. Texas Member Taken Hostage, Killed in Algeria Victor Lovelady’s family members say he was a hero long before the project manager for a Houston-based energy firm was killed at an Algeria natural gas plant after being held hostage by Al Qaeda terrorists. Pa. Workers Mobilize Against Right-to-Work While gridlock reigns in the legislative halls of Washington, D.C., states are churning with anti-union bills, including Pennsylvania, where activists are fighting back. Kansas Workers Fight to Preserve First Amendment Rights Kansas lawmakers are considering legislation that would drastically curtail the rights of teachers, firefighters and other public workers to participate in the political process. New Safety Accord Protects Railway Workers’ Whistleblower Rights On Jan 15, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration and leading freight railroad BNSF Railway Co., marked a big step forward for on-the-job safety by signing an accord that protects from retaliation workers who report on-the-job injuries. APPOINTMENT Ross Galbraith The International Executive Council has appointed Fredericton, New Brunswick, Local 37 Business Manager Ross Galbraith Eighth District IEC member. Solis Resignation a Loss for Labor Summarizing the Obama administration’s accomplishments in remarks to the IBEW Convention in Vancouver, now-retired General Counsel Larry Cohen said: We again have a Department of Labor that is a department for labor. It is no longer an anti-labor labor department, which it was throughout the Bush administration. Members Urged to Join the 'A' Team Henry Miller, the first President of the IBEW, died in 1896 without enough money for a decent burial... members of the IBEW established a fraternal death benefit association in 1922 whose essential purpose was to provide the named beneficiary of a deceased member a sum that might permit our member to be interred in a dignified manner. Union Sportsman Alliance Celebrates Big 2012 2012 was a big year for union members with a passion for hunting and fishing. The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance – a national organization of union members committed to outdoor sports and conservation – surpassed 50,000 members, its highest number yet. Award-winning Economists: Means Testing is a Dangerous Plan Union folks shouldn’t be surprised when our adversaries play word games. Terms like “right-to-work” or “ownership society” sound, to many, as American as the Super Bowl until people find out that the first could cut their pay and benefits and the second would put benefits like Social Security and Medicare in the private hands of Wall Street. Panorama Photo Now Available Convention 2006 Coverage President Hill's "State Of Our Union" Address...2005

Stan Osnowitz, an unemployed journeyman electrician member of Baltimore Local 24, said he hates being unemployed. “It is a waste of my abilities. I love being an electrician,” he says. Out of work since July after working for three years straight, Osnowitz is one of more than two million unemployed job seekers who could lose federal jobless aid if Congress does not act to extend it before the end of the year.

Missouri GOP Resurrects Right-to-Work-for-Less

Missouri Republicans are looking to start the New Year off on the wrong foot, with another legislative battle over right-to-work-for-less legislation.

Five Things Comcast Did This Year to Hurt Workers

Here are just five ways Comcast has given workers a raw deal in one of its most financially successful years on record.

Fast-Food Workers Strike for Better Pay

Fed up with poverty wages, fast-food workers across the country are holding a one-day strike Dec. 5.

IBEW Member Helps Provide Hunting Access to Kids with Mobility Challenges

A new, custom-built deer blind in Texas Hill Country set the stage for kids with mobility issues to experience the thrill of the hunt safely and comfortably, due to the completion of a conservation project organized and sponsored by the Houston-area union community and the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.

Court Rules Against FairPoint Subcontracting

When FairPoint Communications bought Verizon’s New England landline holdings in 2008, the company announced that fears among IBEW members who had worked for Verizon that the new company would outsource and cut jobs were unwarranted.

Washington, D.C. Local Gives Students Gift of Music

Too often when school boards face budget shortfalls, music education is the first to go.

But for Washington, D.C., students, music in the classroom is alive and well thanks to a donation from Local 26 and CBS EcoMedia.

CEOs pushing Social Security Cuts Enjoy Gold-Plated Retirement Plans

Most Americans reject slashing Social Security benefits, but that hasn’t stopped well-funded lobbyists on Capitol Hill from continuing to push Congress to make Social Security cuts.

Secret Document Exposes Tories’ Anti-Worker Agenda

Ontario Conservative Party Leader Tim Hudak’s antipathy toward unions is no secret, but a recently leaked internal campaign document reveals just how anti-labour a potential Tory government could be.

Nonunion Wind Workers Look to IBEW for Better Safety

Across the breezy expanse of Iowa, clean wind-powered energy is abundant.

But for workers in this booming industry, safety on the job can be scarce. That’s one reason why nonunion employees at the TPI Composites plant in Newton are looking to the IBEW for representation.

Beer Billionaire Yuengling Blasted for Right-to-Work Support

Dick Yuengling, president of the nation’s oldest brewery, has rarely kept his contempt for unions under wraps. In 2006, he supported a move by workers in his Pottsville, Pa., brewery to decertify their Teamsters bargaining unit.

Top 10 Reasons to Enter the 2013 Photo Contest Now

The deadline was already extended to Nov. 30, so you have no excuses!

Hill: IBEW is the nuclear work force of the future.

How the nuclear power industry will find enough qualified workers to build, operate and maintain plants in the future was the topic of an online conversation featuring International President Edwin D. Hill and senior executives from industry.

FirstEnergy Corp. Announces Transmission Grid Upgrade

Ohio-based FirstEnergy Corp. announced Nov. 12 a multibillion-dollar effort to overhaul and expand its electrical transmission network, ensuring reliable service and enhanced capacity to meet the demands of a growing economy.

New TV Spot Showcases IBEW Commitment to Community

As any member can tell you, the IBEW isn’t just about good wages or strong contracts. It’s also about commitment to community.

Why Right-to-Work-for-Less is Wrong for Alaska Families

Alaska possesses one of the stronger labor movements in the United States, with a union density rate only second to that of New York State.

NACTEL: Knowledge That Keeps You Ahead of the Curve

As the economy continues its steady recovery, demand for telecommunications workers is picking up. But many of the best jobs are only open to people who keep up with the industry’s rapidly changing technology.

New Jobs Added in October, But Unemployment Still High

The Labor Department’s jobs report released last week revealed some interesting data about the health of the economy and the industries represented by the IBEW.

President Hill To Congress: Support our Broadcast Partners

For many decades, IBEW members have skillfully brought news and entertainment to local audiences across the nation, working for major broadcasting companies like CBS, Fox and ABC.

Nova Scotia Utility Threatens Outsourcing

Nova Scotia Power’s announcement that it was considering outsourcing at least 250 utility jobs is being criticized by workers and consumer activists as a threat to good jobs and reliable service.

Indianapolis Local and Contractors Build Community with Christmas Lights

As millions of Christmas and holiday season displays take shape across the nation, picking the best is surely a difficult task. But some shine brightest.

The Case for Prevailing Wage

The federal Davis-Bacon Act – along with its state and local counterparts — helps keep construction jobs good jobs and maintain high standards in the industry by requiring contractors receiving public funds to pay the local prevailing wage.

Who’s Behind the War on Workers’ Rights?

The 2010 midterm elections brought to power a wave of anti-worker governors and legislators. Some are notorious for their attacks on workers’ rights: Scott Walker in Wisconsin, Rick Scott in Florida, Rick Snyder in Michigan.

Red State, Blue State Voters Want More – Not Less – Amtrak

Amtrak has long been the whipping boy of congressional right-wingers, who decry federal spending on the nation’s passenger rail line as wasteful.

Wis. IBEW Leaders Open High Schoolers’ Eyes to Building Trades

You hear it from the mouths of young people every day: I can’t afford college. The debt would be too big. I’m not sure what to do.

Tories Target Federal Workers’ Rights

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government launched a sneak attack on federal workers’ rights earlier this month with the introduction of a new budget bill.

Volunteer Fund Helps Furloughed Members in Montana

After a generator failed at a Montana coal-fired power plant on July 1, the operator, PPL Montana, announced that some members of Colstrip Local 1638 would later be placed on furlough for at least 90 days.

Four Ways to Jump Start the Economy

The nation’s economy showed disappointing growth in September, with only 148,000 jobs compared to 169,000 jobs created in August.

Record NJATC Donation Will Enhance Outside Line Training

The Northeast Line Constructors chapter of the National Electric Contractors Association has donated $1 million to support the national outside apprenticeship program. Chapter Manager Mike Gilchrist said the donation was the groups way of saying thank you to the linemen and contractors who helped rebuild after Superstorm Sandy destroyed billions of dollars of property and cut off power to more than 8 million homes across New Jersey, New York and New England.

Central Calif. Local Plays Key Role in Winning PLA Ordinance in Watsonville

Labor unions and allies in the city of Watsonville, a fertile agricultural center on the central coast of California, have had much success in 2012 convincing progressive candidates to run and win seats on their city council. Many council members had labor union backgrounds, says Castroville Local 234 Business Manager Andy Hartmann.

Mich. Judge Blasts Municipal Union Busting

A Michigan judge took an anti-union city manager to task last week, ruling that Lowell City Manager Mark Howe lied and unfairly targeted union activists – just to punish workers for joining the IBEW.

Ariz. Whistleblower Fights Worker Misclassification

The construction industry is making a strong comeback in Arizona, with the number of construction permits up in 2012. But the state actually lost construction jobs over the summer. The reason, says many industry observers: worker misclassification, which is a way for contractors to keep employees on the worksites but off the books.

Danish Union Delegation Visits IBEW

Leaders of the Danish Union of Electricians, along with their counterparts on the employer side, visited the IBEW International Office Oct. 1.

New York Attorney General Wins $5 Million for National Grid Workers

In the midst of the chaos of Hurricane Sandy, National Grid, employing thousands of IBEW members in New York and New England, decided to roll out a new computer system to account for overtime pay and expenses.

St. Louis Contractor Dumps Carpenters Local 57

Rice Electrical Services and Controls is the latest member of the St. Louis Local 1 family after the business terminated its contract with a rogue electricians union – the Associated Electrical Contractors Local 57.

IBEW Government Employees Director William ‘Chico’ McGill

The officers of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers sadly report that IBEW Government Employees Director Chico McGill passed away Sept. 27. With a generous spirit and an outsize personality, he was throughout his career an outspoken voice for workers.

Haven’t Quite Finished Your Photo Project? 2013 Photo Contest Deadline Has Been Extended until Nov. 30

The annual IBEW photo contest is a showcase for members to demonstrate their skills with a camera and shine a light on their too-often overlooked jobs. For 15 years, the IBEW Journal and The Electrical Worker have printed hundreds of photos of and by IBEW members at work—turning the lights back on after storms, building architectural marvels and performing hundreds of other jobs that contribute so much to communities across North America and even beyond.

Sign Up for NACTEL’s Virtual Open House

In today’s economy, education is vital to getting ahead. And the National Coalition for Telecommunications Education and Learning is the place for telecommunications professionals looking to gain an edge through advanced online learning.

EPA Coal Rule Threatens Energy Independence, Says IBEW

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Edwin D. Hill issued the following statement today:

“The draft regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding emissions from newly-constructed power plants threaten economic growth and America’s energy future. Read more...

RENEW Conference Energizes Young Workers

More than 100 young IBEW members from across the United States and Canada will be in Washington, D.C., Sept. 27-29 for the first ever Reach out and Energize Next-gen Electrical Workers conference.

New IBEW Ad Focuses on Union Skills, Community

We know the professionalism and skill that members of the IBEW bring to the job every day.

Now hundreds of millions of TV viewers know as well.

Coming on the heels of last year’s national ad campaign, a new IBEW spot – titled “Power Professionals” – went on the air this month.

Sequester, Six Months In: Shutters Space Fence, Mothballs Nuclear Submarine

The Department of Defense has canceled repairs for a damaged nuclear submarine and ended a program that monitors orbiting space junk, two striking examples of consequences of a federal austerity program that could lay off dozens, potentially hundreds, of IBEW members.

W.Va. Fracking Industry Spurs IBEW Jobs

The IBEW’s efforts to tap into good jobs in the booming energy sector are seeing big results in West Virginia, with hundreds of members hard at work building and maintaining the infrastructure needed to get the Mountaineer State’s rich natural gas load to market.

This Fall, A New IBEW News Smartphone/Tablet App

Two years after the launch of the first IBEW app, the IBEW is putting the finishing touches on a new news app for digital readers.

USA Volunteers Improve Trail Access in Va.

Volunteers from Richmond, Va., Local 666 joined members from the plumbers and pipefitters and the Virginia Building and Construction Trades Council on Aug. 21 to help create more accessible walkways for York River State Park visitors with mobility issues.

IBEW Activists Join March on Washington

Hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to be in Washington, D.C., Aug. 24 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Del. Bus Mechanics Join IBEW

Diesel bus mechanics employed by the Delaware Transit Corp. never had much need for a union. That is until one of their own was fired – all because of his breakfast.

Selling Security, and Winning it Too:
N.C. ADT Employees Vote for a Voice on the Job

ADT alarm system installers know that when they finish work at a new customer’s home, they’re offering something priceless – greater peace of mind for the whole family.

House Bill Calls for U.S. Call Centers

A toll-free call center connection to someone in India has been a punchline for comedians and TV sitcoms for years, but for the thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs in call centers, outsourcing is no laughing matter.

Food and Commercial Workers Re-Join AFL-CIO

The United Food and Commercial Workers, which left the AFL-CIO eight years ago to join the Change to Win Coalition, is rejoining the nation’s largest labor federation.

Federal Workers Alliance, IBEW Challenging Furloughs

A coalition of 20 unions including the IBEW has already seen progress from a campaign to challenge the furlough of 650,000 Department of Defense civilian employees. Since July 1, the Federal Workers Alliance has been urging members of Congress to eliminate 11 unpaid furlough days that are part of the federal government’s budget sequester. The furloughs amount to a 20 percent reduction in pay.

Union Plus Scholarships for IBEW Families

Family members of IBEW members have been awarded scholarships worth $6,250 by the Union Plus Educational Fund. The grantees were among more than 100 winners, representing 36 unions who were awarded up to $4,000. They were chosen out of a pool of more than 5,300 applicants based on their academic performance, financial need and a 500-word essay describing their career goals and their relationship with the labor movement.

Detroit Local Targets New Projects, Defends Public Pensions

One year before his city made headlines as the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, Detroit Local 58 Business Manager Mike Richard was meeting with his member of Congress to underscore the need to give Detroit and Michigan residents the first crack at construction jobs on several Detroit-area projects that were in the planning stage.

Why Raising the Minimum Wage is Good for the Economy

Raise the Minimum Wage - President Obama reiterated his call for raising the federal minimum wage in his speech on the economy last week.

Washington, D.C., Apprenticeship Club Brings Young Workers Together

D.C. Apprentices Get Organized - Washington, D.C., Local 26 journeyman wireman Adam Reed started out in the work force at just about the worst time imaginable.

Enter the 2013 Photo Contest!

In the midst of the Great Depression, a still photographer shot a picture of 11 ironworkers eating lunch on a steel girder 840 feet above the streets of New York City. The photo, entitled “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” was staged. But the workers who demonstrated the lengths and heights people will go to for a job, were real. And their lack of safety equipment symbolized the sacrifices workers made just to find any job and feed their families.

Texas Members, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Improve State Park

Union sportsmen take a back seat to no one when it comes to expert, responsible hunting and fishing and working to preserve habitats for wildlife from neglect or abuse. But the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, a union-dedicated outdoor organization, is setting an even broader example by infusing the principle of solidarity into a new program that brings together volunteers—including IBEW members—to tackle conservation projects in parks across the U.S.

IBEW, Utility Team Up to Help Neighbors in Need

Toronto, Ontario, Local 636 utility workers and Hydro Ottawa partnered earlier this month to help power up a group home that serves residents with physical disabilities and seniors.

IBEW Tells Capitol Hill: ‘Let us Keep Our Healthcare’

Electrical workers and their employers are raising the alarm about loopholes in the Affordable Care Act that threaten to undermine quality coverage for more than 26 million Americans.

Pittsburgh Apprentices Rescue Seniors from Major Blaze

Pittsburgh Local 5 members are being credited with saving dozens of local senior citizens from a fire that tore through a nursing home June 25.

Statement of IBEW International President Edwin D. Hill On President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

The President’s statement on energy today is a step in the right direction on the long road to reaching a balanced, workable consensus on energy issues.

IBEW to Lawmakers: Reduce Immigrant Construction Work Force, Create American Jobs

A recent poll shows a strong majority of citizens opposing the use of more foreign guest workers in the trades. And labor leaders are bringing that message to lawmakers as they debate new immigration proposals that would have far-reaching effects on the industry.

‘Moral Mondays’ Protest N.C. Legislation

Some say religion and politics don’t mix. But politicians often call upon their religion as an inspiration or justification for their actions. Nowhere is this truer than in North Carolina, where both houses of the state legislature are under Republican control by Tea Party conservatives who often cite scripture to support their agenda.

Packer-Town Local Gets Applause for Volunteerism

Like nonprofit organizations across North America, the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay, Wis., is scraping for funds to keep its programs alive even while the need to help struggling citizens grows due to a still difficult economy.

Freshmen in Congress Say No to Secret Trade Negotiations

What if the controversy raging over the National Security Agency’s surveillance of domestic phone calls is overshadowing an abuse of privacy that could undermine our nation’s democracy in a myriad of ways that the NSA spying never could?

Winnipeg SimplexGrinnell Workers Score Quick Campaign Win

In what organizers are calling a stellar campaign victory, a determined group of skilled technicians working for SimplexGrinnell in Winnipeg stood up for rights on the job and voted IBEW May 22.

IBEW Comic Book Recounts Labor’s Story to New Members

In a genre best known for caped crusaders and mutants saving the universe, one IBEW local is using comic books to tell the story of another kind of hero: the union men and women who made the American middle class.

Telecom Workers Tell FairPoint CEO: Let’s Sit down and Talk

On June 3, with a little over one year to go before their contract with FairPoint Communications expires, business managers and co-workers representing 1,700 IBEW members in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont traveled to the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Charlotte, N.C.

Minn. Local Takes Contract Fight to City Hall

Two Harbors, Minn., power and water workers are going public about stalled efforts to renew their two- year contract.

Calif. Local 595 Opens the Zero Net Energy Center

Dublin, Calif., Local 595’s new training center formally opens on May 30, instantly becoming one of the most efficient and technologically advanced commercial buildings in the country.

First District Vice President Phillip Flemming Dies

With sadness, the IBEW announces the death of First District Vice President Phillip Flemming on May 25. He was 68.

Shipyard Workers Win Sequester Reprieve

Federal shipyard workers across the United States won a temporary respite May 14, when the Pentagon announced that they were exempting employees from mandatory unpaid furlough days.

Minn. Memorial Honoring WWII Hero, an IBEW Member, Opens

Front and center of a new Memorial Day dedication in Minnesota is an IBEW member and one of the once-anonymous Marines who were the first to raise the American flag on Iwo Jima.

New Storm Lab Prepares Michigan Electricians for Weather Disasters

Summer is coming. For many, this means vacations on the beach, kids lounging at home and trips to the pool. But for utilities, summer means raging thunderstorms and hurricane season.

Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Clays Shoot Supports Conservation Efforts

The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, originally sponsored by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, has maintained conservation as a core mission since its founding in 2007.

After Lethal Tornado, Okla. Local Launches Relief Fund

The mile-wide tornado that tore through Moore, Okla., May 20 killed dozens and left a swath of destroyed homes, businesses and schools in its wake.

Illinois Local Hits Homer with Little League Scoreboard

When it comes to attitudes about unions and our members, Americans often summon the negative images spread by our adversaries, rather than considering the contributions of union members who could be their neighbors like the firefighters, police personnel or nurses. Or electricians.

Jon Gardner Retires as Seventh District Vice President; Steven Speer Appointed

Seventh District International Vice President Jon Gardner will retire from office on June 1.

Alberta Oil Sands Workers Vote IBEW

For the IBEW's Darrell Taylor, organizing water treatment workers at the Alberta oil sands has been a lot like the tricky process of extracting raw fuel from the soil - slow and steady, but promising in the end.

Research Encourages Young Worker Movement

Effectively bridging the different perspectives and experiences of three and, sometimes, four generations in the same workplaces can be a daunting challenge for seasoned leaders and emerging activists alike.

IBEW Veteran Joins First Lady for Jobs Initiative Announcement

Eric Varela’s story is all too common. After serving as a combat infantryman in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division, Varela returned to California in 2008 to record high unemployment.

Returning High School Graduate Brings Back Solar Power and Sunshine

When Dave Royle was a student at central New Jersey’s Woodbridge (N.J.) High School in the late-1980s, he was well known for his smile.

Paycheck Deception Legislation Advances in Mo. State House

Missouri’s House Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee approved “paycheck protection” legislation on April 10. The bill would weaken public-sector unions by prohibiting members from having dues earmarked for political action from being automatically deducted from their paychecks.

Fundraising Effort Supports Pa. Campaign for ‘Right-to-Work’

When Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican, joined with his Democratic colleague W. Va. Sen. Joe Manchin, to propose a bill on background check for gun owners, he was hailed as a “voice of reasonable compromise.” Not so fast.

On Workers Memorial Day, Activists Remember Victims, Step Up Fight for Living

To honor those who have lost their lives as a result of job-related illness or injury, dozens of countries around world have designated April 28 as Workers Memorial Day.

Edison Electric Institute, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Honor National Lineworkers

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) today salute the nation’s men and women who risk their lives daily to keep electricity flowing to the nation’s homes and businesses.

Groundswell Challenges President’s Social Security Cuts

Labor unions and progressive activists are speaking out and organizing in opposition to President Obama’s proposal to reduce Social Security benefits as part of his budget proposal announced on April 10.

British Columbia Members Protests Domestic Outsourcing

Labour activists in Western Canada are calling for a moratorium on the federal temporary foreign worker program, saying that the system is rife with abuse.

Pittsburgh-Area High School Student Excels in Trade Skills

Celebrated poet Maya Angelou once said, “Living a life is like constructing a building; if you start wrong, you'll end wrong.”

If the same statement can describe a career, Michelle Braga, a 17-year-old Pittsburgh-area vocational-technical high school student who is aiming for an IBEW journeyman wireman apprenticeship, is on the right track in both spheres.

NACTEL: Teaching Telecom Technology Tools

The best way to keep working is to keep up with the work, an increasingly demanding task with telecommunications technology.

IBEW Says Eastern Pipeline Means Good Jobs, Energy Independence for Canada

IBEW members in Canada are cheering TransCanada Corp’s. proposal to build a pipeline to transport crude oil from Western Canada to refineries in the east.

Comcast: No Paid Sick Days for Philly Workers

The Philadelphia City Council passed a bill last week that would require virtually every employer in the city to provide their workers with paid sick days – earning the enmity of Comcast, a major player in Philly politics.

Shipyard Workers Protest Sequestration

Workers across the nation rallied March 20 and 21 to protest likely furloughs brought on by the more than $1 trillion in automatic federal spending cuts known as the sequestration.

Obama Nominates Pro-Worker Attorney for Secretary of Labor

IBEW leaders are praising President Obama’s March 13 nomination of civil-rights attorney Thomas Perez for Secretary of Labor.

IBEW President Edwin D. Hill Lauds President Obama’s Energy Department Pick

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Edwin D. Hill says President Obama’s nomination of Ernest Moniz to be the next U.S. Department of Energy secretary “is the right choice to lead our nation as we enter a new era of energy policy.”

Policy, Industry, Labor Leaders Release Bipartisan Energy Plan

It’s not easy finding common ground in Washington, D.C., these days. Getting Democrats and Republicans – not to mention business and labor – to agree on anything seems an impossible challenge.

Burden of Sequestration to Fall on Government Employees

Thousands of IBEW members who work for the federal government or for private government contractors awoke Friday morning facing a shaky economic future. The sequestration – the series of draconian federal spending cuts totaling $1.2 trillion – went into effect March 1, meaning that more than 1 million federal workers face unpaid leave or worse unless Congress takes action to rescind the cuts.

Business, Labor Agree: Time to Act on Retirement Security

It’s one of the biggest challenges facing the economy today: providing retirement security for America’s work force.

What the Sequester Means for You

If you think the looming “sequester” – the series of automatic federal spending cuts set to go into effect Friday, March 1 – doesn’t affect you and your family, think again.

Five-Year Agreement Brings together Merged Utility Units in Vermont

Few words are as chilling to workers as “corporate merger.” Too often the aftermath is slashed jobs, cut wages and managers acting unreasonably.

Right-Wing Policy Shop: Busted Budgets, Giveaways to the Rich Coming to a State Near You

It’s one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in the United States today, exercising an outsized influence in the Republican Party and driving policy decisions in state houses and governors’ mansions across the country. And chances are you’ve never heard of it.

Federal Budget Impasse Forces Immediate Navy Job Cuts

The Department of Defense is sending out dozens of contract cancelations and preparing to lay off ten, possibly hundreds of thousands of workers because they can no longer fund projects started after 2009, dues to the inability of Congress to pass a budget.

Facing Opposition, Ill. Sears Techs Ratify First Contract

Years of management favoritism, lack of respect on the job and the threat of declining wages had been wearing on hundreds of Sears service technicians in the upper Midwest for years.

Austin Local Says Workers Are Getting Cheated on City-Backed Project

Austin construction workers and workers’ rights activists are accusing hotel developer White Lodging Inc., of cheating employees out of tens of thousands of dollars in wages on one of Austin’s most high-profile construction projects.

National Right-to-Work Bill Offered in Congress

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has introduced a bill on Feb. 5 that would impose so called right-to-work laws nationally.

Activists Call on President Obama to Protect Workers

Union members and public safety officials are calling on President Obama to finalize an Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard that would reduce workers’ exposure to silica and save lives.

Labor-Management Partnership Nets Toronto Local Big Organizing Win

Dial One Wolfdale Electric Inc., was one of the Toronto area’s largest nonunion contractors, performing millions of dollars in commercial and industrial work each year.

Have a Union-Made Super Bowl Party!

The AFL-CIO Now blog is publicizing a list of union-made food and drinks for members to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday.

Texas Member Taken Hostage, Killed in Algeria

Victor Lovelady’s family members say he was a hero long before the project manager for a Houston-based energy firm was killed at an Algeria natural gas plant after being held hostage by Al Qaeda terrorists.

Pa. Workers Mobilize Against Right-to-Work

While gridlock reigns in the legislative halls of Washington, D.C., states are churning with anti-union bills, including Pennsylvania, where activists are fighting back.

Kansas Workers Fight to Preserve First Amendment Rights

Kansas lawmakers are considering legislation that would drastically curtail the rights of teachers, firefighters and other public workers to participate in the political process.

New Safety Accord Protects Railway Workers’ Whistleblower Rights

On Jan 15, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration and leading freight railroad BNSF Railway Co., marked a big step forward for on-the-job safety by signing an accord that protects from retaliation workers who report on-the-job injuries.

APPOINTMENT

Ross Galbraith

The International Executive Council has appointed Fredericton, New Brunswick, Local 37 Business Manager Ross Galbraith Eighth District IEC member.

Solis Resignation a Loss for Labor

Summarizing the Obama administration’s accomplishments in remarks to the IBEW Convention in Vancouver, now-retired General Counsel Larry Cohen said:

We again have a Department of Labor that is a department for labor. It is no longer an anti-labor labor department, which it was throughout the Bush administration.

Members Urged to Join the 'A' Team

Henry Miller, the first President of the IBEW, died in 1896 without enough money for a decent burial... members of the IBEW established a fraternal death benefit association in 1922 whose essential purpose was to provide the named beneficiary of a deceased member a sum that might permit our member to be interred in a dignified manner.

Union Sportsman Alliance Celebrates Big 2012

2012 was a big year for union members with a passion for hunting and fishing. The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance – a national organization of union members committed to outdoor sports and conservation – surpassed 50,000 members, its highest number yet.

Award-winning Economists: Means Testing is a Dangerous Plan

Union folks shouldn’t be surprised when our adversaries play word games. Terms like “right-to-work” or “ownership society” sound, to many, as American as the Super Bowl until people find out that the first could cut their pay and benefits and the second would put benefits like Social Security and Medicare in the private hands of Wall Street.

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President Hill's "State Of Our Union" Address...2005

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January - December 2013

Ross Galbraith