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Election of Officers
L.U. 1 (as,c,ees,ei,em,es,et,fm, i,mt,rts,s,se,spa,st&ws), ST. LOUIS, MOWith 1,790 members casting ballots, either in person or by mail, the following officers were elected: Pres. Tom George, Vice Pres. Eric Miller, Rec. Sec. Frank Jacobs, Fin. Sec. Bob Egan, Treas. Tom Sansevere and Bus. Mgr. Steve Schoemehl. The Executive Board members are Larry Bausola, Bob Dussold, Bob Muckler, Larry Palazzolo and Dave Sachse. The Examining Board members are Tony Buffa, John Kahrhoff and Dave Mackay.

We wish to extend our appreciation to the election officials, the Apprentice Social Club (who manned the food and beverage tent), the members who expended their efforts on behalf of their chosen candidates and all who cast their votes during this three-year election cycle.

Please be advised of the following member deaths: Vernon Lanemann, Allen Buschmann, Joseph Barciszewski, Theodore Marr, Arthur Schrepfer, Helen Frahm, Lawrence Kaufmann, Patrick Smith, Leonard Myers, T. G. Rillera, James Murvai, Lester Leps, Andrew Orsa, Thomas Coughlin, Jr., Joseph Davis, Calvin Ripplinger, Henry Hopfinger, Henry Mielnik, George Kratzer and William Fisher.

Robert Egan, P.S.

Contract Approved
L.U. 11 (i,o,rts&spa), LOS ANGELES, CAAt press time Local 11 had just concluded its contract negotiations on the Inside Wiremans Agreement. Over 2,000 members attended the ratification meeting and approved, by a 2-to-1 vote, a $5.36 per hour raise over a three-year contract. Effective July 29, 2002, the journeyman wireman rate will be $30.45 per hour.

Local 11 members campaigned to help the Los Angeles Unified School District pass Prop. BB to fund upgrades to the public schools. As a result, we gained a Project Stabilization Agreement with the school districtproving political activism and organizing does work.

Our fourth annual Local-Wide Picnic will be held on October 5 at the Los Angeles Police Academy.

Rusty Roten, P.S.

Facing Challenges

Local 15, Downers Grove, IL, members take a break from building a new transmission substation, one of many "summer critical" projects on the ComEd property.

L.U. 15 (u), DOWNERS GROVE, ILOur local is not facing any shortage of challenges. In late 2000, the ComEd Company merged with nonunion PECO Energy, and almost immediately, The Burke Group consulting firm appeared on the property and still remains. The Burke Group touts itself as a "union avoidance" specialist and lists PECO Energy as one of its respected clients.

In September 2001 the Exelon Nuclear and ComEd companies laid off several hundred of our members across the system. June 7 marked the end of an 11-day arbitration protesting the manner in which our members were transferred, bumped or laid off.

Reorganization seems to be the key word used by management. Each new process is proclaimed as a success by management, but it spells disaster for the workers who must deal with the change every day while trying to provide service to the customer. Our grievance backlog is at an all-time high, and the local is currently in arbitration at least three times a month.

Negotiations began in mid-June with Midwest Generation LLC on a new benefits and pension package. Efforts are being made to improve medical coverage and to provide retirees with health care benefits.

Ronald V. Welte, P.S.

Pocketbook Issues
L.U. 17 (catv,lctt,o&u), DETROIT, MIHealth care and prescription drug costs are out of control. This is a pocketbook issue we must remember when it is time to vote, and focus on candidates who have a sympathetic ear toward labor issues.

The marketplace is dramatically changing in part to deregulation of the electrical industry. We must continue to stay open-minded and take advantage of opportunities when presented.

Discussions are continuing in Lansing about the net-metering concepts and a code of conduct for the utilities in the state. At stake is potential loss of jobs and worker safety issues.

Negotiations with the City of Detroit, Public Lighting Div., have gone nowhere at this writing. I am going to go out on a limb here and say we have a new Commercial Agreement.

Mid-June brought hot and humid weather, and the utility experienced some equipment failures, resulting in power outages in numerous areas around the jurisdiction. Many hours were worked in extreme conditions to maintain the integrity of the system. We commend all of you.

It is with sadness that we report Bros. Ted Rasmussen, Duane Harrison, Jr., Glenn Gottsleben, James Clark, Jr., William Pitt and Lonnie Catron passed away.

Bob Eckhout, P.S.

Fighting in New Arenas

Local 21, Downers Grove, IL, members participated in the Highland, IN, Fourth of July parade.

L.U. 21 (catv,govt&t), DOWNERS GROVE, ILIn a bold move, Local 21 took the organizing fight for AT&T Broadband workers to the political arena. Cable franchise agreements give individual municipalities the right to approve or deny the merger between AT&T Broadband and Comcast. We are concerned about the impact of combining the nations largest and third largest cable companies totaling 40 percent of cable subscribers nationally.

Bus. Mgr./Pres. Ronald Kastner expressed concern regarding the loss of jobs, industry standard, and the basic right to organize and bargain in good faith. In solidarity with the Chicago Federation of Labor, IBEW Sixth District, IBEW Local 134 and the Chicago City Council, we made history by conditioning Chicagos transfer approval on protection of union workers, with a code of conduct governing labor and management relations.

The Local succeeded in other cities including Joliet, Orland Park and Morton Grove, because staff, Broadband employees and our members attended many village and city council meetings.

Tom Hopper, P.S.

Pension Fund Strength
L.U. 35 (i), HARTFORD, CTOne large project moving forward without the help of the IBEW electricians is the Travelers-Citicorp renovation project in Hartford, CT. After exhausting every possible resource available to the local union, we were unable to get on board this project. The Travelers chose to go with a nonunion contractor who provides inferior wages and benefits to its employees.

Bus. Mgr. Ken Leech sent out a communication explaining our ongoing negative situation with the Travelers to numerous trustees, business managers and financial consultants looking for support. The local then put up an area standards picket to put additional pressure on the Travelers.

John Sardo, Pres.