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Special Message from International President Hill:

September 19, 2002

"Thanks for Overwhelming Response to EST Survey"

The IBEW continues its uphill fight to persuade the U.S. Department of Labor to reverse their decision on the designation of a new job classification called the Electronic System Technician (EST).

Our efforts have been greatly aided by the overwhelming response to the EST survey sent to our inside construction locals. As of today, nearly 95 percent of our inside locals have returned completed surveys. This information will not only provide us with greater ammunition to argue against the EST standard, it will give us a valuable base of information from which to build for the future.

We continue to believe that the EST standard violates long-standing DOL policy by duplicating much of the existing electrician standard. This standard will make it more difficult for our inside locals to compete for voice-data-video work. In our opinion, this is nothing more than a political payoff by the Bush Administration to the Independent Electrical Contractors and the National Systems Contractors Association for past support.

We have powerful political forces aligned against us on this issue, but we are determined to fight the new standard with all our strength. It is heartening to know that the inside branch of the Brotherhood has responded with such a full measure of solidarity. Secretary-Treasurer OConnor and I extend our deepest thanks to all locals who responded with over 100,000 surveys.