Support Organized Labor
L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — Fantasy of Lights, the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center’s festive holiday array and major fundraiser, had another successful season in 2024. Even after purchasing several new displays, the event still netted $211,817. This will provide more than 2,100 therapy sessions to those who might not be able to afford these services otherwise. Since the event’s inception, more than $4.7 million has been raised, and these funds could not have happened without the IBEW’s commitment to the community. Despite harsh weather, the Brotherhood set up, maintained and stored each of the fixtures throughout the event. Apprentices and instructors came out in full force, and it is encouraging to know that Local 16’s future is in such good hands!
The hall recently hosted a pinning ceremony to recognize more than 200 retirees for their years of service. Most notable of this distinguished group is Anthony “Tony” E. Russell, who received his 70-year pin. [See photo, bottom, left.] Tony’s friendship, sense of integrity, commitment to professionalism, and desire to promote the skills and values of the IBEW are treasured by all who know him. Thank you, Tony, for your example.
Donald P. Beavin, P.S.
2025 Work Outlook
L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — Greetings from Charm City. Work has begun on two major data center projects at the former site of the Eastalco Aluminum Works in Frederick. Local 24 wired the Alcoa plant in the early 1970s and performed maintenance and plant upgrade work until it was shuttered about 20 years ago. The closing of the works, like so many other industrial sites across the U.S., was devastating to the working men and women of our communities. Beginning in 2021, Local 24, along with our partners in industry and government, worked to make the rebirth of the 2,200-acre site a reality.
Along with data center work in Frederick, our signatory contractors have been awarded major projects at Fort Meade, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, the Amtrak Frederick Douglass Tunnel, the CSX Howard Street Tunnel (double-stack) and the Ellicott City North Tunnel (flood mitigation).
In addition to the projects we have been awarded, we are working to support the development of a new container terminal port and US Wind’s monopile manufacturing facility. These projects are at Tradepoint Atlantic on the site of the former Bethlehem Sparrows Point plant.
Like Eastalco, Sparrows Point was a major employer of our members but closed about 15 years ago. To date, Local 24 members have worked hundreds of thousands of hours on various redevelopment projects at the site. We will continue our efforts across our jurisdiction to ensure that signatory IBEW contractors have the opportunity to bid these projects and help us grow our industry.
Live Better/Work Union!
Mike McHale, B.M.
Business Manager Joseph Dabbs Receives Special Appreciation Award
L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — Our local’s Electrical Workers Minority Caucus delegates attended the EWMC 2025 National Leadership Conference in St. Louis in January and hosted a poker tournament in March. During the conference in St. Louis, at the Awards Scholarships Dinner Gala, Business Manager Joseph Dabbs received the Special Appreciation Award for his faithful commitment to advancing the goals of the EWMC.
Business Manager Dabbs has continued to give advice and guidance and has created a working language and approach to our district chapter in several critical matters.
Our RENEW group held a chess tournament in January and a meet-and-greet game night in March. For more information about all of our upcoming events and news, please visit our website at ibewlocal26.org.
Best wishes to the following retirees: William Arnold, Sharam Baghi, Steve Bowling, Ryan Boyer, Krystopher Buchman, Andrew Burgess, Luis Cabrera, Allan Cadwell, Warren Cooksey, Warren Davis, Brian Dawson, Christopher Emmell, Joseph Flanagan, Robert Georgine, Charles Granger, Larry Graves, John Harper, Rodger Harrison, James Hoffmaster, William Jones, John Kirscht, Daniel Lambert, Roy Leyh, Joseph McDonough, Richard McMullan, Clarence Miller, Edward Moore, Robert Schnackenberg, Andrew Strack and Terry Turner.
The following members have passed away since our last article: Richard Bayliff, Dannel Bolt, Patrick Burke, Robert Drevenak, John Exline, Charles Ferguson, Lawrence Flesher, Brian Francis, Larry Grenier, William Haney, Kendrick Harris, Frederick Mace, Michael Malone and Paul Trainor.
Joseph Dabbs, B.M.
New Year, New Opportunities
L.U. 34 (em,i,mt,rts&spa), PEORIA, IL — Our local enters 2025 strong with an abundance of work projected for the year ahead. While several solar arrays are wrapping up in the Peoria and Quincy areas, more are on the horizon. Most notable is a 135-megawatt array in Ipava that is projected to employ 150 electricians.
Our membership continues to grow. We indentured a record number of apprentices in 2024, and 2025 promises to be comparable. One side effect is that we have outgrown our satellite office in Quincy. Research is underway to acquire a larger facility for the branch.
As always, stay safe and practice excellence, brothers and sisters.
Zachary Helms, V.P./Comm. Dir.
Local 80 Returns Home
L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA — Our local was thrilled celebrate its 125th anniversary Sept. 6-8 at the Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, Va. The weekend festivities included a Norfolk Tides baseball game and a special ceremony at the casino, which stands as a testament to the hard work and dedication of our electricians.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the members of Local 80’s RENEW group. These talented young men and women designed and built a float that was featured in Norfolk’s Grand Illumination Christmas Parade, where we were honored to take home the first-place award for non-commercial floats. Thank you for your creativity and commitment!
In exciting news, Local 80 has returned to its charter city of Norfolk with the purchase of the former Ironworkers Local 79 union hall at 5307 E. Virginia Beach Blvd. We are proud to be back where it all began and look forward to continuing our legacy in the community.
Christopher Query, A.B.M.
Honoring Local 90’s 2024 Retirees
L.U. 90 (i), NEW HAVEN, CT — Our local held its annual retirement dinner and 25-year pin ceremony Oct. 17, 2024, at the Woodwinds banquet facility in Branford. [See photo, top, left.]
The retirees honored that night were Erec Betchley, Carolyn Bierce, Robert Blanchette, Dominic Borelli, Brian Bozzuto, James Bracken, George Cappola, Chester Champini, Angel Ferrer, Robert Guerrera, Raymond Pierso, Matthew Pisani, Charles Plungis, Edward Serrano, John Thompson, Gil Traverso, Chris Wininger and Tom Zajac.
The following 25-year pin recipients were also honored that night: Fred Anderson, William Bengtson, Brian Bocek, Ron Capasso, John Cislo, Robert Formanski, Scott Gerich, Anthony Giampa, Brian Godere, Richard Hunt, Joe Julian, Jeff Karavas, Bernard Knochenhauer, Joe Kularski, Ken Lomme and Gary Millette.
Business Manager Sean Daly and the officers of Local 90 wish all of the retirees a healthy and happy retirement!
John Bellemare, Pres.
Local 96 Retirees Holiday Luncheon
L.U. 96 (i), WORCESTER, MA — We hope everyone had a blessed and safe holiday season. We would also like to wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2025.
Congratulations and a big thank you to our retired members for their outstanding service and dedication in moving Local 96 forward over the years.
Happy recent retirement to the following members: Leonard Ciuffredo, Joseph DeMango, John Healy, Jeffrey Lavallee, Richard Lemay, Michael Luukko, James Madden, Wayne Menard, William Robinson, Kurt Smollin, Mark Vigeant and Michael Vizzo.
The following members celebrated years-of-service pins and awards with the IBEW: Gerald Caron, Thomas Cote, Richard Ermanski, Wayne Gendron, Raymond Halvorsen, Michael Lamkin, Joseph Oliveri and Bruce Rochette (50 years); Louis DelSignore, Joseph DiLiddo, Wayne Hickey, Robert Hogan, Gordon Holway, Joseph Horgan, Gary Kapurch, Joseph Kapurch, Paul Kasabula, Richard Lanney, Roger LaRochelle, Daniel Manzaro, Michael Markarian, Norbert Perduta, James Rolf and Charles Saari (55 years); Anthony Desimone, Vincent DiLeo, Donald Garny, Adam Skrzypczak and Chares Triba (60 years); and Sven Borglund, William Durkin, William McGee and Edward Nummelin (70 years).
William Perry, Bus. Rep
Local 120 Preparing for Expansion
L.U. 120 (c,i&o), LONDON, ON — Exciting news for our local: Following a successful application, presentation and membership vote, a renovation of the Offices and Training Centre has been approved, worth more than $12 million. This project will more than double the current square footage of the union hall, sparking new opportunities for growth and development.
Key features of the renovation include:
The addition of four full-sized classrooms.
A warehouse exceeding 3,000 square feet dedicated to hands-on training.
A large storage garage for machinery and training equipment.
An open-concept second floor designed for future expansion.
Additional offices and flexible spaces.
Accessibility enhancements to ensure the facility is welcoming to all.
Local 120 is set to break ground this spring, with the goal of providing state-of-the-art safety training, electrical training and trade schooling to our members by 2027.
Stay tuned for updates as we embark on this transformative journey!
Brennan Hepburn, P.S.
A Visit From the Land Down Under
L.U. 134 (catv,em,govt,i,mt,rtb,rts,spa&t), CHICAGO, IL — This summer we will be honoring the momentous 125th anniversary of our local with a family picnic celebration Saturday, Sept. 6. This milestone allows us to reflect on our rich local history, memorialize the present and prepare for the future.
The 125th picnic will be at the IBEW campus at 6201 W. 115th St. in Alsip. Join us for food and drinks, music, ice cream, face painting, balloon twisters, bounce houses, pony rides, a petting zoo, games, prizes for the kids, and giveaways designed to commemorate this historic occasion. Please mark your calendars: We cannot wait to celebrate generations of hard-working, dedicated Local 134 members and honor their commitment to our great local!
Donald Finn, B.M./F.S.
A Visit From the Land Down Under
L.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se,spa,t&ptc), KANSAS CITY, MO — Last November, Matt Everding, a delegate for the Electrical Trades Union Queensland and Northern Territory branch in Australia stopped by to visit our hall in Kansas City.
Matt is working on the Cross River Rail project in Brisbane, Queensland. It is the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the state. The CRR is a new 10.2-kilometer (6.3-mile) rail link and will be Brisbane’s first underground rail line, consisting of four new underground stations, 5.7-km (3.5-mile) twin tunnels and upgrades to several existing aboveground stations. Brother Matt was optimistic when speaking about it: “It has been a challenging project, but I and the ETU will always stand up for the members of our great union in the fight for safety, wages and conditions.” It was a pleasure to have him visit us, and he is welcome anytime at Local 124.
Just when we thought the local couldn’t get any busier, more work seems to come around the corner. The GM shutdown that is expected to last for six months is underway. Work on Meta and Google data centers is still ongoing, and there is word of yet another company that is bonded for $100 billion! More information is still to come.
In addition, financing has been approved to cap Interstate 70 downtown. Based on grants from the federal and state governments, they will only be capping two of the four proposed city blocks. The project will be on an ambitious timeline because the city hopes to have the park finished in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
We hope all of you are staying warm and safe out there!
Bo Moreno, B.M.
Local 150 Events and Work Outlook
L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL — Greetings! We hope everyone is healthy and work is strong as we enter spring 2025.
Continuing education classes are still available for current members at our JATC; visit lakecountyjatc.org and sign up for a class today.
Local 150’s summer events are just around the corner. We will be looking for participants and volunteers to help with the family picnic, softball tournament, bowling events, golf outing and car show, so call the hall to sign up. We look forward to seeing all of you there!
Our work outlook is strong for this year. On Jan. 24, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the circuit court’s previous licensing decision. This decision has given the city of Waukegan the authority to start construction on the permanent casino at Fountain Square with a completion date in 2027. In Grayslake, T5 Data Centers purchased 160 acres and secured permitting for a 1.2-gigawatt data center with twenty 60-megawatt buildings on site. This project has a tentative start date in May, with projected completion in 2032. We look forward to the upcoming work.
Lastly, the $500 scholarship applications for children of Local 150 active members are due May 30. We wish those who are college bound good luck.
Brothers and sisters, look out for one another and be safe out there!
Aaron M. Rendon, R.S./P.S.
Holiday Fun at Local 164 Children’s Party
L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ — On Dec. 15, our local held its annual children’s holiday party, and a great time full of holiday cheer and Christmas fun was had by all. With more than 200 attendees, our members and their kids and grandkids were treated to a wonderful time. There was great food, music and fun activities — a magician, bounce house, face painting, balloon animals and more.
Of course, Santa made an appearance along with a number of his elves, as well as Spiderman, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Elf and the Grinch. The kids received presents from Santa and gave him their Christmas wish lists. It was a great day of fun, joy and solidarity. It was made possible by our Holiday Party Committee (Santa’s Helpers), chaired by Brother Matt Benevento, who has led the charge of holiday fun for years. An incredible job was done by all, as they do every year.
Business Manager Dan Gumble; President Tom Sullivan; and the officers, agents and staff of Local 164 thank Matt and the committee of dedicated members for another great party, making the holidays special and fun for Local 164 children and families.
Wishing a happy, healthy and prosperous new year to all from Local 164!
Warren M. Becker, P.S.
Holiday Fun at Local 164 Children’s Party
L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ — On Dec. 15, our local held its annual children’s holiday party, and a great time full of holiday cheer and Christmas fun was had by all. With more than 200 attendees, our members and their kids and grandkids were treated to a wonderful time. There was great food, music and fun activities — a magician, bounce house, face painting, balloon animals and more.
Of course, Santa made an appearance along with a number of his elves, as well as Spiderman, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Elf and the Grinch. The kids received presents from Santa and gave him their Christmas wish lists. It was a great day of fun, joy and solidarity. It was made possible by our Holiday Party Committee (Santa’s Helpers), chaired by Brother Matt Benevento, who has led the charge of holiday fun for years. An incredible job was done by all, as they do every year.
Business Manager Dan Gumble; President Tom Sullivan; and the officers, agents and staff of Local 164 thank Matt and the committee of dedicated members for another great party, making the holidays special and fun for Local 164 children and families.
Wishing a happy, healthy and prosperous new year to all from Local 164!
Warren M. Becker, P.S.
