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January/February 2004 IBEW Journal
L.U. 625 (ees,em,i,mar&mt), HALIFAX, NS, CANADA-The International Office has scheduled a "Train the Trainer Course" for February 2004, in Halifax. This new Canadian version will be for all Eastern Canada locals. We will then be able to present the COMET Course to our own members on a regular basis starting this spring. Congratulations to the 11 members who attended the New Member Orientation Course Nov. 29, 2003. In December 40-year service pins were presented to Bros. Frank Holman and Neil Keddy. Bros. Rod Walsh, John E.Ross, and Doug Kidston retired Oct. 1, 2003. Bros. Bob Evans, Seward Farrell, and Steve Tanner retired Nov. 1, 2003. Local 625 thanks these longtime members for their years of proud service. Bro. John Roooney, 41, passed away suddenly Oct. 6, 2003. The Brotherhood will miss him. Local 625's Public Relations Committee gave $500 to the Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank for their Christmas dinner program. Any donations of used furniture will be gratefully appreciated; arrange for pick-up by calling 902-446-3993, or drop off at 2415 Maynard Street, Halifax. The organization can do minor repairs. Local 625 presented the Christmas Daddies Charity with a $1,000 donation. Many thanks to all the members who collect and strip copper from jobs to raise money for area food banks. Tom Griffiths, P.S.
L.U. 639 (i,o&rts), SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA-Labor groups throughout the state worked hard to stop a recall takeover that ultimately removed a duly elected governor from office. Local 639 members contributed significantly toward the union effort. Although the new governor was not backed by labor, we wish him good luck and hope he is not as anti-union as some of his backers. The local started a COPE contribution in December and almost 10 percent of the membership signed authorization cards in the first few weeks. We plan to back labor candidates locally, statewide and all the way into the White House. The Public Relations Committee put on a "yard sale, barbeque, car wash, dog wash" to benefit the Animal Shelter Adoption Partners (ASAP) organization. Rec. Sect'y. Nicole Le Page recruited volunteers for the event. The Joint Apprenticeship Program continued to undergo enhancements in 2003. After building new classrooms in the training center in 2002, the JATC equipped each room with computers, projectors and access to the Internet in 2003. Another big step forward was hiring a part-time training director, Bro. Chuck Headington, who has 20-plus years of experience as an apprenticeship instructor and is a graduate of the four-year NTI program. The Retirees Club sponsored its 20th annual Christmas party for the Head Start children of San Luis Obispo. It gets better every year! Hank Lewis, B.M.
L.U. 640 (em,i,rts,spa&u), PHOENIX, AZ-In honor of deceased apprentice Robert Moran, the year 2004 is dedicated to the safety and training of our apprentices and intermediate journeyman. Our local's float entered in the Tempe Fantasy of Lights Parade won 1st place in the commercial float category. Congratulations to the many volunteers. The $200 prize and all the toys and presents on the float were donated to the Moran family for Christmas. The float was also entered in the Phoenix Electric Light Parade, seen by thousands along the route and on local TV. The new apprenticeship program Web site is www.pejatc.org. The site features information about the program, including classes and on-line registration, related phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other valuable links. Our first EPRI-Level 1 testing was a huge success, with 25 people from Phoenix and Globe testing. Local 640 was designated the representative and referral local for instrumentation technicians for the state of Arizona. The Local 640 Web site is www.ibew640.org. Effective Jan. 1, 2004, the journeyman wireman's scale became $21.55, with $2.96 in Health and Welfare, $1.03 in Pension and $1.00 in Annuity. Dale D. Jacks, R.S. L.U. 648 (em,i,spa&u), HAMILTON, OH-Local 648's Retirees Club took a trip on Nov. 18 to the Omnimax Theater in Cincinnati to see the play "Lewis and Clark," about the exploration of the West. The retirees also held their annual Christmas party at the hall. The Kids Christmas Party was Dec. 13. We had about 90 kids along with their parents and some grandparents. Each child received a gift from Santa along with breakfast. Thanks to Bill and Michelle Bowcock, Smokey and Tina Little, and all those who helped. Local 648 mourns the recent death of John Vogt, a 53-year member, who will be sadly missed. Election year is upon us, and we all need to get out and vote for the working person in this country-and not worry about issues that do not belong in politics. Frank Cloud, P.S. L.U. 659 (c,catv,em,i,lctt,o,st&u), MEDFORD, OR-We are in the middle of negotiations with EWEB. Working on our first contract with EWEB is slow going for now. The Pacific Power & Light contract passed on the first vote overwhelmingly. The three-year agreement features many different rules of pay than in the past. We recently settled a 1-year Inside Wireman agreement which agreed to fund the LMCC Compliance Officer for another year. NW Line negotiations were getting under way at this writing., and proposals had been exchanged. At this writing, the City of Roseburg negotiations were about to begin. Kathy Joy, R.S. |
