L.U. 1 (as,c,ees,ei,em,es,et,fm,i,mt,rts,s,se,spa,st&ws), ST. LOUIS, MO — In June, the Local 1 membership ratified a new three-year contract with signatory contractors. Through a collective effort, the Labor Management Committee negotiated for months to complete terms of the agreement. The Local 1 representatives who sat through months of negotiations are commended for their tireless work for the membership. Their work ethic and dedication to the well-being of the Brotherhood are the reason they were selected to represent our local. Sincere thanks to our negotiating committee for their efforts.

In June, Bus. Mgr. Frank Jacobs sent a letter to the membership outlining issues we currently have with Laborer's Local 110. Please be mindful of the instructions in the letter on how to handle any situations that may arise on your project. As always, Local 1 members will always follow the principles of union solidarity. If you have any questions, please contact the hall for further information.

With regret we report the death of the following members: Loyce Criner, Larry Stevens, Arthur Walsh, Thomas Przyzycki, David Woodson, Neil Gwin, Robert Faudi, Walter Wise, Warren Kuhnert, Joseph Friedman, Vonza Wilborn, Harold Heineman, James Whitehead, John Cotner, John Sanfilippo, Carroll Quinn, Charles Peat, Delores Boehner, Robert Schaeffer, Leodis Waller, John Bender, James Lampson Jr., Donald Rolf, Thomas Foerstel, Owen Prince, Frank Thompson, Nicole Galloway, Alvin Kroeter, Ronald Kinzler, Darryl Sklebar, Robert Franklin, David Linneman and Roland Speer.

Matt Gober, P.S.

L.U. 11 (i,rts&spa), LOS ANGELES, CA — The Next Generation Youth Caucus from Local 11 is seeking to recruit members who are ages 35 and younger (members of all ages are welcome).

The Youth Caucus meets the second Wednesday of every month at 4 p.m. in Commerce, CA. They were originally formed as an offshoot of the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus and had their first meeting in August 2012. [To read more, see "EWMC Honors Legacy, Empowers Young Workers," The Electrical Worker, July 2013.]

The main goal of the Youth Caucus is to get more youth involved in Local 11 and community activities. Newly elected Youth Caucus officers are: Pres. Alton Wilkerson, Vice Pres. Horacio Garcia, Treas. Katy Haugland and Rec. Sec. Corey Davidson.

On June 20, the Youth Caucus brought the 2nd Food Truck Festival to our training facility. They hope to continue to host fundraising events throughout the year and continue to participate in community outreach.

Local 11's future looks bright and we look forward to the present and future leaders produced from our Youth Caucus who will continue to lead this local. Check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Ewmc-Next-Generation-Youth-Local-11/346266842090428?fref=ts

Diana Limon, P.S.

L.U. 15 (u), DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act legislation; the General Assembly overrode the veto and the "Smart Grid" is back on track. This will result in billions of dollars being spent to modernize the electrical grid and thousands of jobs for IBEW members.

Our local held its election of officers. Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dean Apple, Vice Pres. Terry McGoldrick and Rec. Sec. Christine Watkins were re-elected for a three-year term.

On the fossil side, Kincaid Station is waiting for FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) approval to transfer ownership to EquiPower. Our members at Kincaid voted (67 yes to 2 no) to take the EquiPower benefits plans between the date of transfer and the collective bargaining agreement expiration (September 2013) over "mirrored" Dominion plans.

As a result of the Midwest Generation "Lean Operations" reduction in force, all 70 members who requested the severance package were able to retire. Fewer than 10 members were involuntarily laid off. Midwest Generation got bondholder and court approval to continue negotiating the Powerton/ Joliet leases until Sept. 30, 2013. The prior deadline was July 1, 2013.

The Nuclear side held a "State of Nuclear Meeting" to discuss major issues. We now have a new travel agreement in place for Local 15 members to go to Clinton Nuclear Station to assist during an October outage.

We started a Job Call pilot program on the Commercial side to improve the process of filling open clerical positions. The first job call was a big success. In May, a group of our Underground workers started their cable-splicer apprenticeship.

Our aerial group was called to assist an Iowa utility with some challenging 345-kilovolt lines that stretched across the Mississippi River. They completed the job safely and efficiently.

Local 15 wishes all a safe, happy Labor Day!

Doug Vedas, P.S.

L.U. 37 (em,o&u), FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA — Local 37's NextGen Committee recently hosted a meet and greet for members age 35 and under from the Fredericton area. The goal was to bring together some of our younger union members for a bite to eat, give them a chance to meet some other members, chat with the business manager, share some laughs, and win some prizes — all in a fun and casual environment.

The result? A great turnout with members sharing the kinds of perspectives, questions, ideas, and trends that we all need to pay attention to — youth are one of the key drivers to ensuring our union grows and survives. It was encouraging to see instant camaraderie and connection in a group of people that, although similar in age, are very diverse in background and interests.

The NextGen37 Committee looks forward to planning their next event and hopes to connect with even more members!

Mary J. Williamson, A.B.M.

L.U. 41 (em,es,govt,i,se&spa), BUFFALO, NY — In June, Local 41-represented Volland Electric celebrated its 70th year in business.

The company was founded as an electric motor repair shop in 1943 by Alexander T. Volland. Mr. Volland saw the need for quality, on-time rebuilding of electric motors during the World War II era shortage of new motors. Volland Electric has continually practiced the philosophy of anticipating customer needs and providing quality customer service and equipment.

Today, the family owned business — now run by CEO Ron Graham, son-in-law of Mr. Volland, and Graham's sons Chris (president) and Kirk (vice president) — understands that meeting customers' needs has meant diversifying into multiple areas, which has broadened the work force.

Volland Electric now sells, services and installs cranes, hoists, welders, magnets and pumps. Each time a new line of equipment is added, Local 41 members at Volland are willing to step up to meet the new challenge head on.

The vision of management and the high-quality skills of IBEW Local 41 members have helped keep Volland Electric prosperous for 70 years. Thanks to all for their continued success.

Gregory R. Inglut, A.B.M.

L.U. 43 (em,i&rts), SYRACUSE, NY — The Central New York Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Committee's Annual Graduation Ceremony took place Saturday, June 1. Twenty-five apprentices graduated to journeyman wireman status. Training Dir. Jeff DeSocio in his remarks had kind words and advice for the graduating class.

Congratulations to the entire graduating class. Special congratulations to award recipients, including Jeffrey Richmond as Scholarly Apprentice of the Year. Jeffrey finished the program with a final classroom average of 96.1 percent and more than 9,000 on-the-job training hours.

Other awards included: the Most Outstanding Apprentice Award presented to Matthew Haynes, and a Perfect Attendance Award received by apprentice Jasminko Corbic.

A final award, presented by Bus. Mgr. Don Morgan to William Towsley Jr., was one of personal sentiment, for Towsley's continued dedication to the IBEW.

Congratulations to the newest journeyman wiremen of IBEW Local 43!

Gene Townsend, P.S.

L.U. 47 (lctt,mo,o,u&uow), DIAMOND BAR, CA — Happy Labor Day! The annual Southern California Edison/IBEW Local 47 Lineman's Rodeo was June 8. The winning journeyman team was SCE's Kevin Smith, Ryan Roth and Jason Patterson. The winning senior team was SCE's Jack Flavin, Willie Rios and Juan Pulido. The winning apprentice was Steven Escamilla from SCE. Gerad Coburn, SCE, won the Groundman Competition. Congratulations to everyone who participated.

More than 200 stewards attended our Annual Stewards Conference in Pala, CA. Bus. Mgr. Pat Lavin welcomed guest speakers including Ninth District Int. Vice Pres. Michael S. Mowrey; Kirk Groenendaal, special assistant to the International President for Membership Development; and Int. Reps. Charles Randall and Tracy Prezeau. Also on hand was California State Controller John Chiang.

After more than a year of negotiations, a first contract was agreed to and ratified by the workers at ArborMetrics, a line clearance, patroller company.

Local 47 was recognized as the bargaining representative for a group of municipal utility workers at the City of Vernon. Bargaining will begin soon.

We are sad to report the passing of retired member William Shiver. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Work safe, live well, work union!

Stan Stosel, P.S.

L.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,ptc,rtb,t,u&uow), SPRINGFIELD, IL — We welcome clerical and technical workers at EnerStar Power Corp. in Paris, IL, into the local union. These new members ratified their first-time agreement on May 13. Additionally, our members at NECA-IBEW Benefits Administration ratified a new, three-year agreement.

After more than a year of contract negotiations, our Frontier and Frontier Legacy contracts were recently ratified. Both are four-year agreements. A two-year Wireless USA contract was also ratified.

At press time, we are still in negotiations with Dynegy Midwest Generation regarding our coal plant agreements, and a federal mediator is involved. The company wants major concessions from the union and we hope to reach the best deal that we can.

Congratulations to our brothers from the LaSalle area on winning our 2013 golf outing. We were able to award seven $500 college scholarships to the following recipients: Susan Bloemke, Molly Clifton, Sydney Edwards, Brian Hartrup, Brian Jennings, Daniel Smith and Joseph Tomlovich.

Local 51 recently held its election of officers. Elected were: Bus. Mgr. Jim Bates, Pres. Walter Westfall, Vice Pres. Wesley Heckman Jr., Rec. Sec. Debra Perry and Treas. Julie Brandt.

Please work safely and attend your monthly unit meeting. We look forward to seeing you at our annual fish fry on Sept. 21 at Clinton Lake.

Karlene Knisley, B.R.

L.U. 53 (lctt,o,rts&u), KANSAS CITY, MO — IBEW Local 53 and Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. reached a tentative agreement July 18. At the time of this writing, a membership vote on the contract was scheduled at Thomas Hill Power Plant on Aug. 14 and at New Madrid Power Plant on Aug. 15. There are some major changes in the tentative agreement, with one of the biggest being medical. Under the tentative agreement, the employees would have a choice between a PPO and a HAS.

Local 53 held its 25th Annual Crappie Tournament on June 8 at Truman Lake. The lake was about 14 feet high this year, which made it a little tougher.

First place went to the team of Nathan Warstsadt and Jason Moppin (representing Southwest Co-op) with a total weight of 9.12 pounds. Second place went to the team of Gary Jump and James Fleeman (Southwest Co-op) with a total weight of 7.48 pounds. Third place went to the team of Darin Lankford and Doug Shelling (representing Construction) with a total weight of 7.32 pounds. Fourth place went to the husband and wife team of David and Shelley Johnson (Laclede Co-op) with a total weight of 7.10 pounds. Fifth place went to husband and wife team Jim and Jeanie Gaylord (representing Construction) with a total weight of 6.75 pounds.

The staff of Local 53 fried plenty of fish. Each paid entrant received a goody bag with some nice door prizes. Everyone had a good time.

Hope all finds and keeps you well … Local 53!

Tracy A. Riley, V.P.

L.U. 57 (lctt,mo,o,t&u), SALT LAKE CITY, UT — After 10 months of tough negotiations and multiple ratification votes, the members working for Rocky Mountain Power, a MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, voted to accept the tentative agreement. While the terms are acceptable, MidAmerican continues to use a strategy of regressive and concessionary bargaining, as has been witnessed by all who are employed by MidAmerican and its subsidiaries.

On a positive note, the Rocky Mountain Power (Laramie) agreement was extended for a year, and the Idaho Falls Power agreement was ratified. With the assistance of the International Office, we have also launched an informational Web site aimed at Idaho Power employees. The employees have been asking questions, so it was a good time to try out the site. If you know of anyone who works for Idaho Power, have them check out www.abetteridahopower.com or contact us at the Local 57 office.

Be safe and keep your focus during your workday.

Scott Long, P.S.

L.U. 103 (cs&i), BOSTON, MA — Congratulations go to the 151 recent electrical apprenticeship graduates. They are commended for their commitment to both themselves and to Local 103. They have spent the last five years learning the mechanical portion of the trade, attending classes at night to learn about electrical theory, electrical code requirements and much more. Their commitment to work and education has provided them with a solid foundation, which they will utilize throughout their careers.

The 36th Annual Pin Night was June 18. On Pin Night members receive a pin and certificate for their years of service and dedication to the electrical industry. Members who have served 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, or more years receive the honor. This year 317 members received a service pin. Recognized for the most years served was Brother Robert W. Baker, with 71 years of IBEW service. Congratulations and thank you to all for your service.

A portion of the Pin Night event was dedicated to the 2013 Local 103 IBEW scholarship winners. A total of $100,000 was awarded equally in college education scholarships to five sons/grandsons of members and to five daughters/granddaughters of members. Best of luck to the students in the fall.

Kevin C. Molineaux, P.S.

L.U. 111 (em,govt,lctt,mt,o,rtb,spa&u), DENVER, CO — The general election for local union officers was held June 7. Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Michael A. Byrd was re-elected for a fourth term. Also re-elected were: Pres. Mike Kostelecky, Vice Pres. Kristie Knudson, Treas. Robert Estrada and Rec. Sec. Patrick Quinn. Elected to the Examining Board were: Jeff Jablonski, Michael R. Moore and Reginald Vigil.

Due to an unfortunate error on the initial ballot, the Executive Board election was approved to be re-run, with ballots mailed June 8 and counted July 12. Elected to the Executive Board were: Ron Geary, Nate Gutierrez, Kevin "Smiley" Henderson, Rich Meisinger, Richard Sisneros, Alfred Wallace and Charles Young. All officers and board members were sworn in Aug. 2.

Another noteworthy topic is the outpouring of membership support for a fellow union brother in crisis. Bro. Matt Bucholz was diagnosed with leukemia, which has been a struggle for him and his young family, wife Crystal, and three young sons. Fundraising efforts got underway immediately. The outpouring of love and support for this young family is what union brothers and sisters do for a fellow member in times of crisis and hardship. These efforts exceeded expectations when members from other employers, who don't even know Matt and his family, collaborated in widespread fundraising efforts to help this family. This is what union brotherhood is all about.

Mike Kostelecky, P.S.

L.U. 125 (lctt,o,t&u), PORTLAND, OR — The 17th Annual Benefit Golf Classic was held in June. This annual event raises funds for the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel Health Care Center in Portland and specifically helps fund burn prevention education. Last year, the facility treated approximately 400 patients — many injured on the job.

The local's Executive Board Rec. Sec. Ray Cowell and Vice Pres. Paul Dietrich were honored with "Sponsor of the Year" recognition, which is given to sponsors and/or volunteers whose time and/or monetary contributions make the tournament possible. As anyone who knows Brothers Cowell and Dietrich would assume, each man demonstrated absolute humility when presented with this recognition. Congratulations, Ray and Paul!

Marcy Grail, P.S.

L.U. 153 (em,i,mt,rtb,rts,se,spa&st), SOUTH BEND, IN — The Local 153 elections recently took place, and we wish to congratulate those members who were elected. Thanks to the outgoing officers for their service to the local over the past three years.

We have started and welcomed new apprentices, in both the Inside and the Residential programs, to Local 153 and the IBEW family. These are the largest apprenticeship classes we have had for some time, and we hope this is a sign of an improving economy.

At the June union meeting, Billy Brenneman was recognized by the trustees of our Money Purchase Plan (MPP), and also by the large membership crowd in attendance, for his 20 years of service to the MPP.

Stan Miles, Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 193 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), SPRINGFIELD, IL — Happy Labor Day! The holiday is taken to show the world that labor is united to fight for fair wages, good conditions and fair work for a fair day's pay. The parade and picnic are just a part of all of this, to refocus on our Local 193 and other labor locals. Our struggle is to make the voices of working people heard and to never be taken for granted. We never want to see a devastating so-called "right-to- work" measure in Illinois!

The IBEW Poker Run for Charity and the Rick Ross IBEW Golf Outing were both held in August. Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who make these events happen. At this writing, the Cubs vs. Cardinals bus trip was planned for Aug. 10 (a report to follow for our next article).

Apprentice classes start in September; Local 193 welcomes all of the apprentices to the IBEW-JATC program. The Sixth District Progress Meeting will be held in Minnesota; it is always an informative gathering.

Habitat for Humanity completed houses 91 and 92, and at press time Habitat volunteers were starting number 93. The entire county thanks our wonderful volunteers.

Our condolences go to the families of recently deceased members Luther Bach and Timothy Curtis. Our brothers will be missed.

Don Hudson, P.S.

L.U. 197 (em&i), BLOOMINGTON, IL — At this writing, Jack Roberts and Robin Roberts were hard at work completing preparations for the 25th annual golf outing. The festivities were scheduled for July27 at Fairlakes Golf Course in Secor. Jack and Robin have co-chaired the golf committee for years and it's always a great outing.

Work is still slow in our jurisdiction. A few calls have trickled in, but nothing like we have hoped. If you are on Book I, we encourage you to get out and sign some books.

The theme for the Labor Day parade is "Buy Local — Build Local." Places like Kroger and Dunkin Donuts have brought in workers from outside our community with little to no benefits and pay substandard area wages to complete their projects. In turn they want the local community to support their stores. Instead of buying groceries, coffee and donuts from these stores, I would encourage everyone to patronize the merchants who have used our labor.

Come out and march together at the Labor Day parade. We start lining up at 9 a.m. in front of Diggers in downtown Bloomington. The Labor Day T-shirts can be picked up at the hall prior to the parade or on parade morning. Stay involved in the union!

Mike Raikes, Pres.

L.U. 223 (em,govt&i), BROCKTON, MA — As we go through the summer we wait for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to select the location where the slot parlor authorized by the Massachusetts Legislature will be located. At press time the two front runners are the former Raynham dog track and the Plainridge horse track. Both will provide much needed construction jobs in Massachusetts.

We are reaching out and meeting with open-shop contractors to discuss the benefits of being signatory. With the economy finally starting to turn the corner, it is our hope to show these contractors the benefits of being an IBEW contractor. Our commitment is to provide highly skilled journeymen and trained apprentices to these contractors.

The work outlook reflects the expectation for the projects set to begin. It is hoped there will be no more delays as the projects in the pipeline are beginning to come to fruition.

Doug Nelson, B.A.

L.U. 269 (i&o), TRENTON, NJ — Active members and retirees gathered recently for the annual dinner honoring our retired members for their service and commitment to our local. New faces have joined the ranks and, sadly, some faces were conspicuously absent. The yearly event is always marked by good friends, good food and good spirits, and this year's dinner was no exception. Service pins were handed out along with the customary good-natured roasting of the recipients by the guests. Once again, this year's dinner went off without a hitch, thanks in large part to all who helped organize and plan the event. A job well done by all!

The membership also welcomed back Bus. Mgr. Steve Aldrich at the July meeting. Steve suffered a severe accident at his home but has returned to resume his full-time duties. He was warmly received by the members and he went out of his way to thank everyone who provided help and support during a very difficult time. We look forward to having Steve around a good deal longer.

Brian Jacoppo, P.S.

L.U. 343 (i,spa&st), LE SUEUR, MN — Happy Labor Day, brothers and sisters! Local 343 has an abundance of work. The Rochester Proton project, Prairie Island steam turbine upgrade, Le Suer bio-gas project, Bingham Lake ethanol plant and other projects throughout the jurisdiction are providing our members the long-awaited opportunity to work closer to home.

But what about Labor Day? The first U.S. Labor Day was celebrated in New York City's Union Square on Sept. 5, 1882, to appease city workers after numerous strikes. It became a federal holiday in 1894, but at a cost, a cost measured in lives. Following the deaths of 30 striking American Railway union members at the hands of U.S. Marshals and the U.S. Army during the Pullman Strike, the U.S. Congress unanimously voted to approve rush legislation making the first Monday of September, Labor Day, a national holiday. Traditionally, Labor Day was celebrated with street parades to show the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by festivals for the workers and their families.

Let's show our strength, comradeship, enthusiasm and devotion to the cause of the IBEW. We are the American working class and proud of who we are.

Be American … buy American.

Tom Small, P.S.

L.U. 347 (em,i,mt,rtb,rts&spa), DES MOINES, IA — Local 347 congratulates all of the new officers of the local. Elected to office are: Bus. Mgr. Pat Wells, Pres. Scott Farnsworth, Vice Pres. David Butler, Rec. Sec. Matt Deangelo and Treas. Kyle Overton. Executive Board members are: Edward Allen, Jason Ballard, Tim Hawthorne, Michael O'Brien, Dale Wion and Douglas Wolf. Al DeHeer is business agent, and Doug Buchman is organizer.

Local 347 also wishes to thank former business manager Kevin Clark, Jerry Kurimski and Courtland Pfaff for their service to the local during the previous term. Bro. Kurimski served as assistant business agent and Bro. Pfaff as organizer.

Work in the area looks promising in the coming months. Have a great Labor Day.

Mike Schweiger, P.S.

L.U. 357 (c,i,mt&se), LAS VEGAS, NV — Congratulations to our 2013 scholarship winners! They are: Trevor Davis, Shelby Hinricksen, Kenneth Kuhn, Ciara Cihak and Dillion Lacy.

We are having great success with our Member to Member and Member to Future Member drives, thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the brothers and sisters who reach out and lend their time to these important events.

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of retired member Gary Pitts, who died July 6. He is survived by his wife and children, as well as his father, Cliff Pitts, who is a retired fellow member. Bro. Gary joined the IBEW in 1983 following in his father's footsteps. He served his local as a business agent from 1998-2001 and was an assistant business agent from 2001 until his retirement in 2011. Our sincere condolences go out to Bro. Gary's family. He will be greatly missed.

Jennifer Tabor, P.S.

L.U. 441 (as,i&rts), SANTA ANA, CA — Local 441 recently held its election of officers. Congratulations to all newly elected officers!

They are: Bus. Mgr. Richard Samaniego, Pres. Doug Chappell, Vice Pres. Randy Long, Treas. Mike Gale and Rec. Sec. Neal Lauzon. Executive Board members are: Dean Francis, Matt Iantorno, Shane Levoit, Stephen Westbrook and Fred Young. Examining Board members: Joel Cypert, Kevin Dykema, John Leyvas and Nick Sparks.

Our local is proud to recognize member Charlie Hobbs for volunteering his services to help the Make a Wish Foundation. A member of Local 441 since 1989, Charlie recently got involved in the Make a Wish Foundation of Orange County. He donated material and labor to install electrical work for a project known as "Colette's Garden." Colette is an 8-year-old girl who can't be exposed to the sun for an extended period of time, leaving her to spend most of her time inside her home in Huntington Beach. Charlie and the other volunteers renovated the house, focusing on a new driveway, fresh paint, barbecue, water fountains and new gardens for the front and back yards so Collette has a scenic view from inside the house. Local 441 is proud of members like Charlie, who so willingly offer their time and talents for the community.

Richard Vasquez, B.R.

L.U. 449 (catv,em,i,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), POCATELLO, ID — I wish to first thank everyone who participated in the local elections. Newly elected officers are: Bus. Mgr. Rodney James, Pres. Chris Lochridge, Rec. Sec. Aaron Mayer, Treas. Colby Averett; Executive Board — Chris Abernathy, Colby Christensen, Phil Colman, Clay Hirning, Gary Oneida; and Examining Board — Leola Duke. The choices that are made in elections at the local level are important and help determine the direction of each local. The people who run our International Office began their careers at the local level. So you can see how important it is.

As of this writing, events were scheduled as follows: our regular summer picnic on July 13; our Western Counties picnic, in conjunction with the Magic Valley Central Labor Council, on Aug. 24; and the annual Chukar's Baseball Night on Aug. 17. Hope everyone has enjoyed a safe and prosperous summer.

Congratulations to Thomas Stears, Robert Simpson, Keith Burke and William J. Dalton on their retirement. Local 449 thanks them for their years of service. The local wishes them well and hopes they have many years of relaxing retirement.

Chris Lochridge, Pres.

L.U. 459 (eees,em,govt,so&u), JOHNSTOWN, PA — Local 459 members Thomas Zimmerman, Jason Halverson and Jeremy Tarbay out of Somerset, PA, competed at the NSUJL Linemen's Benefit Rodeo in Claysburg, PA, on June 1.

The NSUJL (National Sisterhood United for Journeyman Linemen) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing assistance to families of fallen or injured IBEW journeyman linemen and apprentice linemen. NSUJL hosted their inaugural rodeo this year. The Local 459 team of three took second place overall and plans to participate in upcoming years.

Teams from as far away as California participated in the NSUJL's event. The organization had a successful first year. Family and friends of all participants had fun while learning about the NSUJL and the support the organization provides for families of injured and fallen linemen.

Jeremy Tarbay, S.S./P.S. Pro Tem

L.U. 551 (c,i&st), SANTA ROSA, CA — We put all of our local hands out to work through the past winter and spring, and were able to get a good chunk of travelers out too! Thank you to all involved for coming out and giving Local 551 a hand to get our jobs done! With our larger project at peak, the work picture is starting to stabilize. As usual we are working hard to open more jobs as others come to a close.

We hope to see all our members, with family and friends in tow, at the North Bay Labor Council's Labor Day Pancake Breakfast. Politics and pancakes — good times, people!

And now the election results! Congratulations to our business manager and all officers. Onward to the next three years!

The Local 551 election of officers was held June 4. Officers elected are: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Jack Buckhorn, Pres. John McEntagart, Vice Pres. Denise Soza, Treas. Sergio Sales, Rec. Sec. Mitch Clarey; Executive Board members John Caster, Michael Donegan, Gary Giuliani; and Examining Board members Robert Barsi, Charles O'Neil, Thomas Ritch and Steve Stobel. The election judge was Denise Anderson, and election tellers were Dave Borgeson, Charlie Crocker, Rob deRutte and Hanna Dolan.

Denise D. Soza, P.S.

L.U. 569 (i,mar,mt,rts&spa), SAN DIEGO, CA — Local 569 held its annual graduation ceremony June 14. Congratulations to all of the graduating journeyman inside wiremen and journeyman soundmen.

More than 400 attendees gathered to honor the graduates and award recipients. Award recipients included the following: Outstanding Inside Wireman Graduate — Matthew Russell; Outstanding Sound Graduate — James Golden; IBEW Local 569 Service Award recipient — Charles Brown; and apprenticeship scholarship recipient — Eloy Bazan Jr. Several graduates received Perfect Attendance Awards: Chad Barsoom, Brett Browne, Ben Cusey, Octave Damond, James Golden, David Laabs, Christin Rivera, Matthew Russell, Douglas Smith and Michael Wheeler.

We also congratulate other award winners: Journeyman Trainer of the Year — Ron Zieber; Lifelong Learning Award recipient — Arturo Pino; and Certificates of Appreciation awardees — Student Council Pres. Michael Wheeler and Sound Technician program Student Council Rep. Matthew Santiago.

A Certificate of Meritorious Service Award — from the California Apprenticeship Council, Division of Apprenticeship Standards — was presented to each of the following Local 569 members for their years of service on the JATC board: Alex Concha, David Taylor and Cas Wesolowski. Concha and Taylor have served on the JATC board for five years, and Wesolowski for 10 years.

Congratulations to all for a job well.

David Taylor, Pres./P.S.

L.U. 595 (c,govt,i&st), DUBLIN, CA — Our new ZNE training center is up and running. Students and instructors are very excited about their new digs. Gov. Jerry Brown, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee and IBEW Ninth District Int. Vice Pres. Michael S. Mowrey joined many other dignitaries at our ribbon cutting ceremony in May.

Mel Switzer, who served as apprenticeship coordinator and longtime JATC instructor, recently retired. After working in the field as a foreman for over 30 years, Mel joined the JATC staff and never looked back. In 2011 Mel was recognized by IBEW Hour Power as the first Instructor of the Year award winner. Mel has shown great commitment to Local 595 and to his students. He has been a leader in the field and will be greatly missed. Congratulations and best wishes to Mel.

When we ratified our new contract in June, our members made a statement about doing something about a declining market share. We have expanded the scope of the CE/CW program in Alameda County and have rolled out the program to our NECA partners to go after work lost to non-signatory electrical contractors. The results will be threefold: more projects for our contractors, more work hours for our members and an increase in IBEW membership as we organize a new work force that will work side by side with our journeymen and apprentices on jobs that we otherwise would not be doing. It is a bold move that we are taking to grow our ranks and our market share. We received marching orders from Int. Pres. Hill to do what it takes, and our members are up to the challenge.

Tom Mullarkey, B.R.

L.U. 601 (i&rtb), CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, IL — Local 601 held its class of 2013 apprentice graduation May 31 at the I Hotel. Congratulations to our new journeyman wiremen: Roger Ponder, Stephen Adams, Dan White, Ryan Logsdon, Chris Wehrle, Mike Maxwell, James Barron, Matt Horton, Justin Robl, Jarrett Clem, John Moore, Dan Kaiser, Cody Jones, Chase Nappe, Darin Kresin, Jamie Matthews, Jake Dalton, Stuart Weiss, Brett Shilts and Ryan Bensyl.

Local 601 held its election of officers June 4. Congratulations to newly elected officers, and happy retirement to former business manager Michael Herbert.

Newly elected officers are: Bus. Mgr. Charles Hoss, Pres. Bryan Holderfield, Vice Pres. Kenny Schrock, Rec. Sec. Chet Gentille and Treas. Ted Burgin. Executive Board members: Bob Withers, Tui Lynch, Dan Bender, Toby Allen and Shane Street. Examining Board members: Jake Malloch, Blake Withers and Dan Fletcher. Assistant business managers: Frank Rubenacker and Pat Smith.

Our work picture is still slow. We have 46 on book 1 and 167 on book 2. A few jobs will hire a few more electricians, but several projects are winding down.

At this writing, Local 601's summer golf league and softball league had started. The softball team's spring fundraiser was well attended; thanks to all who helped.

Also at this writing, the 37th Annual Invitational Softball Tournament was scheduled for Aug. 10-11.

At press time, plans were underway for a Labor Day celebration for the entire family with free food and drinks. The Labor Day event includes a parade, a band and a softball tournament as well as games and inflatable rides for the kids.

Robert Withers, Tr. Dir. Dan Hatter, P.S.

L.U. 611 (catv,es,govt,i,lctt,o,spa,t&u), ALBUQUERQUE, NM — On July 12 our annual apprenticeship graduation ceremony banquet was held at the Holiday Inn Pyramid. Completion certificates were presented to Derrick H. Clark, Andrew J. Cusimano, Nevarro Jay Davis, Brandon W. Fontaine, Christopher Goodrich, Michael J. Hawkins, Alan K. Jander, James M. Johnson, Charles F. Kessler, Manuel C. Marquez, Raul A. Martinez Jr., Anthony R. Ortiz, Patrick A. Pollard, Ryan D. Ralston, William J. Rigo, Benjamin J. Roberts, Daniel G. Rodriguez Jr., Andrew W. Romero and Michael R. Trujillo. This year's outstanding apprentice was Charles F. Kessler; Charles was also the district contest winner. Congratulations to Charles and to all of the new journeymen.

This year's recipient of the C.S. Mitchell Award was Michael Bochte. Congratulations, Michael.

Our local held a special election in July. The winners are: Bus. Mgr. Mark Trujillo, Rec. Sec. Cliff Trujillo and Treas. Lloyd Beebe. Congratulations to all the winners.

Local 611 extends condolences to the friends and families of members who recently passed away: Frank K. Hunt, Clyde E. Rodgers, Olen C. Chambers, Wallace J. Curley, Jose B. Roybal, Billy F. Smith, Delbert W. Noblitt, Thomas R. Clark, Patrick K. Thompson, Eustacio Padilla, George E. Carnahan Jr. and Roy L. Carpenter Jr.

Remember: Our regular monthly union meetings are on the third Saturday of each month.

Darrell J. Blair, P.S.

L.U. 617 (c,i,mo&st), SAN MATEO, CA — Congratulations to the Apprenticeship Class of 2013! The local welcomes into its ranks the new inside wiremen and Sound and Communications installers. The inside wireman graduates are: Gareth Baker, Thomas Becerra, Paul Boissiere, Christopher Bonini, Sean Burke, Alex Cerna, Casey Cerna, Dave Del Carlo, Paul Do, Carlos Downing, Brenton Eddens, Kenneth Engelhart, Samba Fall, Tony Finau, Michael Garcia, Sean Gates, John Gilbert, Christopher Gomes, Jason Grove, Matthew Hertzberg, Markos Hionis, Brandon Howe, Anthony Johnson, Jacob Kelly, David LaVey, Danny Lopez, Michael MacDougall, Christina Paparic, Jason Pollard, Lalesh Prasad, Lucas Salazar, Casey Scatena, Greg Schmidt, Paul Swinfard, Samuel Torres III, Beau Tyrrel, Jose Milex Viernes, Derrick Williams and Bryon Winton. The Sound and Communications installer graduates are: Marco Carrizales-Hernandez, Lance Davidson and Michael Estrada. Christopher Gomes was recognized as Outstanding Electrical Apprentice of the Year, and Michael Estrada was awarded Outstanding Sound and Communications Apprentice. We are proud of you all, sisters and brothers!

The local is proud to welcome back the winning team of officers re-elected for a third term and sworn into office in July: Bus. Mgr. Dominic Nolan, Pres. Mark Leach, Vice Pres. Dan Pasini, Rec. Sec./Treas. D.J. Siegman, and Executive Board members Frank Thomas, Paul Martin, Scott Wright and Dave Mauro. Congratulations to Examining Board members Long Nguyen, Matt Schlecht and Daniel Eaves. Thank you all for your service to the local!

Dan Pasini, V.P.

L.U. 625 (ees,em,i,mar&mt), HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA — Congratulations to Nathan Page, Trevor D. Boutilier, Adam Bates, Pat Currie and Stephen Schnare for finishing their apprenticeship and receiving their Red Seal Certification for construction electricians. Now it's your turn to mentor, brothers.

Recently retired members are: Ozzie Gray, Eric White, Eric Nelson, Jim Clattenburg, Lee McCulloch, William Joudrey, Gary Dow, Ken Reid, Stephen Pulsifer, Gus Gallant and Ronald Bennett. Thank you, brothers, for a lifetime of devotion to the trade and union.

Our condolences go out to friends and family of recently departed members. This year, Bro. Derry Gillis, 65, passed away Feb. 5; and Bro. William Pitcher, 62, passed away Feb. 12. Late last year, Bro. Jack McGee, 71, passed away Nov. 12 and Bro. David MacNabb, 64, passed away Dec. 4.

Local 1432, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, has requested Local 625 accept their charter and the amalgamation has passed, has been approved by the International Office and is awaiting final approval from the PEI Labour Board. Bro. Ray McBride, business manager for 28 years, will stay on until the last document is signed. Local 625 is happy to welcome our brothers on the Island into our local.

Local 625 is undergoing changes too. Five construction units are now two units. Unit 1 and 2 monthly meetings can be attended online live through the member section of our Web site. Our new Collective Agreement provides for more mobility and name hire to promote activity in the outlying areas. Our wage increases over three years are higher than any other building trades received.

Remember: "Give eight hours of work for eight hours of pay."

Tom Griffiths, A.B.M.

L.U. 627 (u), FORT PIERCE, FL — IBEW Local 627 member Phinehas Weatherly, a Florida Power & Light power delivery employee, received the NextEra Energy Inc. Chairman's Hero Award. FPL is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc.

Congratulations to Bro. Weatherly for his quick thinking. He received recognition by NextEra Energy Inc. Chmn. Lew Hay for the actions he performed upon arriving at an accident scene. The Chairman's Hero Award is given to an employee for helping someone in a life-threatening situation.

The local also thanks Rick Kuykendall, journeyman instrument and control technician, for his 31 years of service. We wish Rick a happy and healthy retirement.

Craig Bushman received notification of certification for completion of the requirements for Senior Reactor Operator. Congratulations to Bro. Bushman.

Local 627s' annual picnic was a success and enjoyed by all attendees. Numerous thank-you notes from the membership were sent to the picnic committee, headed by Bro. Pete Wilson. Members appreciate the effort put forth in organizing the event.

Ray Vos, P.S.

L.U. 647 (u), LITTLE ROCK, AR — In 1970, after returning home from Vietnam, a young Marine Corp veteran went to work for Arkansas Power & Light Co. and joined the IBEW.

He began as a draftsman and later moved to a transmission line crew, but was laid off during a downsizing in 1976. Fortunately, the story didn't end there. He was eventually re-hired as a mechanic at that "new power plant," Arkansas Nuclear One.

At ANO he led an active role in his local as a steward and by serving on contract negotiation committees. In 1989, he became assistant business manager. In 1992, Bro. Gary Mitchell was elected business manager/financial secretary of Local 647.

As business manager, Bro. Mitchell has dealt with the many challenges that have faced the IBEW — everything from storms and outages to coal plant scrubbers and nuclear dry fuel storage — with an attitude that has clearly stated, "we are the IBEW and we want the work!"

In September, Bro. Mitchell will start a new chapter of life … retirement; and after all he has done for the IBEW, we think he deserves it.

The officers, members and delegates of Local 647 thank him for his service. May God bless him with a long and happy retirement.

Shannon Walters, Treas.

L.U. 649 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), ALTON, IL — Local 649 elected officers for a three-year term, to serve from 2013 to 2016. Mark Woulfe will serve a second term as president. Phil Davidson replaces Ed Taylor as vice president. Ryan Griffin will serve a third term as recording secretary. Tim Wieckhorst will replace outgoing treasurer and former vice president Bill Gottlob. Bill has been an active member of Local 649 since 1971. We wish him all the best.

Executive Board members are: Robb Ridenour, John Gottlob, Rick Kessinger, Joe Elliott, Pete Dochwat, David Mahanay, Daniel Daine, Tim Wense, Dave Burns, Ron Miller and Scott Wagner. Special thanks to outgoing board members Scott Frenz, Tim Zini and Tim Kusmierczak. Dan Mandorca, Steve Naylor, Mike Shewmake and David Wiseman are on the Examining Board.

Jack Tueth retired after six terms as business manager. The local made great progress under Jack's leadership. We wish Jack a long and happy retirement. After 12 years as assistant business manager, Charles Yancey was elected business manager/financial secretary. Alan Rubenstein remains in his job as organizer. Former training director Terry Shewmake is our new assistant business manager.

Charles Yancey, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 673 (catv,i,rts,spa,t&u), PAINESVILLE, OH — On June 28, the first annual Jacob and Isaac King benefit dinner was held to benefit the children at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.

Bro. Bob King and his wife, Michelle, were making an effort to turn their own personal tragedy (they lost two sons) into "positive healing" by organizing this benefit. The original goal was to collect 100 toys to distribute to the children at the hospital. That goal was surpassed, and well over 200 toys were collected along with cash donations that totaled over $2,500.

The June 28 evening featured a pasta dinner, a DJ, Chinese Auction, a 50/50 Raffle and other prize drawings. Members commented on what a wonderful job Bob and Michelle did organizing this wonderful benefit.

Local 673 is proud of the work Bob and Michelle have done and looks forward to contributing to their cause again next year.

Jim Braunlich, P.S.

L.U. 683 (em&i), COLUMBUS, OH — The 45th IBEW Reunion in June was held in Buckeye Lake, Oh. Many brothers and sisters from all over the country attended, upholding the theme "In Brotherhood Everyone Wins." This was a great event with good food and brotherhood. We wish our brothers and sisters in Tennessee continued success hosting the 46th reunion.

The political season is starting up again. Educate yourself about the candidates who will help unions and working families in your state.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

Eric Evans, V.P./P.S.

L.U. 725 (i,rts&spa), TERRE HAUTE, IN — Congratulations to the apprenticeship graduating class of 2013! This year, we graduated 35 apprentices to journeyman inside wireman status.

The 2013 graduates are: Joshua D. Anderson, Jeremy R. Auterson, Ronald J. Banta, John A. Batchelor, Riley D. Bishop, Wade G. Burton, Bret M. Campbell, Richard E. Duchene, Isaac C. Eccles, Robin G. Evans, Nicholas J. Fusco, Danny J. Hall, Dustin A. Hardiman, Wesley A. Hawkins, Gregory R. Hays, William D. Hayes, Robert L. Hert, Carla M. Johnson, Matthew R. Ketner, Alex J. Kyle, Jerry L. Love, Erwin D. Loveland, Kyle D. McGlothlin, David L. Meeker, Jim K. Moreland, Joshua J. Pickering, Adam R. Price, Seth M. Recknor, Nicholas D. Rentschler, Wesley B. Richards, Brandon D. Rohrmayer, Brent A. Sappingfield, William L. Trosper, Douglas L. Wilkins and Michael A. Wilson. Outstanding job!

Two members received special recognition as Outstanding Apprentices: Richard E. Duchene and Gregory R. Hays.

Local 725 held its election of officers June 7. Congratulations to the newly elected offphotoicers: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Joe Kerr, Pres. Paul A. Rupska, Vice Pres. Larry Boyles, Rec. Sec. Nathan H. Bartlett, Treas. John Hedden II; Executive Board members Rich Beeler, Mike Belfi, Eric Biernbaum, Tracy Wayne Cook, Mike McNabb, Byron "Lee" Stupp; and Examining Board members Tony L. Cargle, Donald Scott Jenkins and Chuck Jennings.

Tom Szymanski, P.S.

L.U. 827 (catv&t), EAST WINDSOR, NJ — Retired Local 827 member Pete Busacca was honored June 29 at the Hudson County (New Jersey) Central Labor Council's COPE Legislative Brunch. Bro. Busacca began serving as a delegate on the CLC in 1989. He was council secretary/treasurer for five years and has served as council president since 2004.

Bro. Busacca served Local 827 as a steward and unit chairman before retiring from Verizon after 35 years. While employed, he worked as an installer, frame attendant, switchman and power technician. Pete is a dedicated family man. He and his wife of 45 years, Doreen, have three grown daughters.

Suzanne M. Wallin, R.S.

L.U. 915 (i&mt), TAMPA, FL — This year's graduating apprenticeship class had 36 apprentices graduate to inside journeyman status. Three graduates had perfect attendance for all five years: Ruth Ann Braden, David Harrison and Jose Wells Jr.

The fifth-year outstanding apprentices were: for September — Jose Weil; for December — Caleb Breitbach; and for April — Leon Justin. The Brad Felkner Award went to Nicholas Tandy. Our best wishes to each graduate for a successful and prosperous career.

Local 915 hosted a Contractors Training course, conducted by Matt Kolbinsky from Pro Union Consulting, to aid in educating those interested in becoming a contractor. Local 915 had 20 of its own members attend along with approximately 13 others from the Fifth District. Attendees spoke highly of the training and knowledge they acquired from this program.

It is a great honor to recognize former business manager Bill Dever's new appointment as an IBEW International Representative as of this July. With Bro. Dever's resignation as Local 915 business manager, the Executive Board appointed Bro. Randall King business manager to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. Bro. Jon Dehmel was appointed president to fill the position vacated by Randall King. We are proud of all and wish much success.

Theresa King, P.S.

L.U. 949 (em,t&u), BURNSVILLE, MN — Local 949 Bus. Rep. Mike O'Connor reports the retirement of two members from Frontier Communications of International Falls, MN, who, between them, have nearly 86 years of service!

Tom Urban was initiated in November 1969 and Dean Gelineau in October 1970 into former Local 1716, when the company was Continental Telephone. They were part of a group transfer when then-Local 1716 amalgamated with Local 949 in 1993. Both Bro. Urban and Bro. Gelineau retired in December 2012. Congratulations and best wishes in retirement to each of them.

Cy Grover, P.S.

L.U. 1049 (lctt,o,u&uow), LONG ISLAND, NY — In June, after 43½ years of dedicated service, Executive Board then-chairman Thomas Russo retired. Tom served the local as a volunteer on numerous committees, as a steward and as an Executive Board member for many years. His experience and steady hand at the helm of the Executive Board will be missed.

On behalf of Bus. Mgr. Don Daley, the business staff, Executive Board, my fellow officers and newly elected Executive Board Chmn. William Roulette, I wish Tom and his family the best that life has to offer.

Bus. Mgr. Daley and the business staff have been working tirelessly with National Grid, PSEG and Long Island Power Authority regarding the many issues surrounding the bifurcation of the work force as well as the new LIPA legislation. We, at Local 1049, have been extremely active in the entire legislative process. And, thanks to member support at public meetings, we have been able to affect positive changes in the legislation. One of these changes will allow our cross-trained members to participate in electric storm restoration. Other changes will help keep good paying jobs on Long Island. The issue has always been about retaining jobs and returning jobs to Long Island. We will continue applying pressure to those who have made commitments to that end.

With all of the potential changes and rumors of same, I encourage you to attend the general meetings.

Thomas J. Dowling, R.S.

L.U. 1245 (catv,em,govt,lctt,o,pet,t&u), VACAVILLE, CA — Bus. Mgr. Tom Dalzell was elected to his third full term in office in a mail ballot. Mike Davis was re-elected president. Also re-elected were Vice Pres. Art Freitas, Rec. Sec. Chris Habecker and Treas. Cecelia De La Torre. Executive Board members re-elected were Anna Bayless-Martinez, Mike Cottrell and Tom Cornell. Pedro "Pete" Sandoval defeated Mike Jacobson for the Southern Area Executive Board seat. Stan Zamora was elected to the newly created PG&E General Construction Department seat on the Executive Board, and Mike Scafani won a six-way race for the newly reconfigured Northern Area Executive Board seat.

Elections were also held for Advisory Council positions, and units elected unit officers.

Line Clearance tree trimmer Justin Casey received the 2013 Young Organizer Award, presented by the Public Interest Network. PIN honored five organizers under age 30 from a national pool of nominees.

Work remains robust in Outside Construction for Local 1245.

The local created an on-line "pension calculator" to help members at PG&E choose between new retirement benefit options negotiated by the local.

Congratulations to retiring longtime Sr. Asst. Bus. Mgr. Dorothy Fortier on her 38-year career. She was a skilled grievance handler and negotiator, and will be remembered as a tireless advocate for Clerical members.

Several Local 1245 units sponsored charitable and sporting events recently, with more in the pipeline. Community service activities engage our members while building bridges to our communities.

Four Clerical members from PG&E — Jose Rey Mendoza, Cruz Serna, Georgette Carrillo and Valdemar Guzman — played a key role in the successful campaign to defeat Measure G, an attack on city workers in Fresno.

Eric Wolfe, P.S.

L.U. 1249 (catv,lctt,o,t&u), SYRACUSE, NY — James Van Splunder, a retired journeyman lineman from IBEW Local 1249, was invited to participate in a special Memorial Day service in Washington, DC, this past May. The World War II veteran, now age 91, was given the honor of representing veterans from that war by placing a wreath at the national World War II Memorial during the ceremony.

Bro. Van Splunder lives in a small town in Erie County. The town of Holland, NY, which posted a story about James on its Web site, had 36 residents from the community attend. Some 35 family members from around the country also attended, including his wife and two sons.

Van Splunder's wife, Ruth, noted what an honor it was and that they are a truly patriotic family. Van Splunder started with the Merchant Marines in 1941 and in the five years he served, he traveled the world. He spoke of the opportunities he experienced, as well as the dangers and close calls. "It was quite a war, I'll tell you that," he said.

Van Splunder is still involved in his community and continues to show his patriotism. We are proud to call him "Brother."

Jennifer Schneider, P.S.

L.U. 1253 (i), AUGUSTA, ME — IBEW Local 1253 held elections for officers in June. The results are as follows: Bus. Mgr. Charles Fraser, Pres. Nick Paquet, Vice Pres. Charles Young, Rec. Sec. Harry Lyons; Examining Board members Scott Cuddy, Jeff Rose, Chris Trider; and Executive Board members Colin Clark, Mike Corcoran, John Weed and Lee Whitaker.

Former business manager Jeff Rose decided not to run for a third term, choosing instead to hand the reins over to the next business manager. Jeff stewarded Local 1253 through the Great Recession and one of the worst construction markets in 80 years. We are grateful for his dedicated service, and we are a stronger local because of his vision.

We also experienced great loss recently. Nichole Cable, daughter of member Dave Cable was killed in May. More than 20 brothers turned out to search for the missing girl during a 500 person manhunt. This was a great tragedy for the whole community.

Scott Cuddy, P.S.

L.U. 1393 (catv,lctt,o,t&u), INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The local swore in newly elected officers during the July Executive Board meeting.

Officers are: Pres. Michael J. Edwards, Vice Pres. Ronald W. Thompson, Rec. Sec. Rick Byrer, Treas. R. Greg Madden and new Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Robert C. Fox. Executive Board members sworn in at that time are: Unit 1 — Donald Small; Unit 2 — Steven Moore; Unit 3 — Bradley Colter; Unit 5 — Michael Griggs; Unit 6 — Gary Henry; Unit 7 — Timothy Overman; Unit 8 — James Fitzgerald, 1st term; Unit 9 — Brent Lewis; Unit 10 — Mark Kelley; Unit 11 — Zachary Kolb, 1st term; and Unit 12 — Kevin Crull.

The elected delegates to the AFL-CIO Indiana State Convention are: Pres. Michael Edwards, Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Robert C. Fox, Kevin Crull, Mark Kelly, Scott Kinnett, Zachary Kolb, Brent Lewis, Nick Neal and Donald Small.

Special thanks to outgoing officers — former business manager/financial secretary Thomas Bailey, Unit 8 Executive Board member Joey Robinson and Unit 11 Executive Board member David Friedt — for their time and service for the membership.

Robert C. Fox, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 1439 (u), ST. LOUIS, MO — The last six months have been very disappointing to our local, the members, families and friends. We experienced two electrical contacts. One resulted in the loss of an arm from the elbow down; the other was a fatality. These types of accidents can shake a local down to its foundation. Safety is paramount to Local 1439 and the IBEW.

The membership recently ratified a four-year agreement with Ameren/Missouri. Members also ratified a one-year agreement with the City of Potosi, MO. And at press time we were scheduled to vote on an agreement with Liberty Utilities.

The Local 1439 "GEN-UP" Committee is off to a good start. We look forward to the progress of our future leaders.

Mike Walter, P.S.

L.U. 1505 (em), WALTHAM, MA — Int. Pres. Edwin D. Hill recently visited Local 1505's hall and met with Bus. Mgr. David Johnson and his staff. Pres. Hill was in town to film the Manufacturing Code of Excellence video at one of the local's represented locations.

Shown in the below are, from left: Asst. Bus. Mgr. Harry Robbins, Office Mgr. Linda Hilton, Chief Steward Dennis Griffin, Bus. Mgr. David Johnson, Chief Stewards Steve Castagno and John Wheeler, Int. Pres. Hill, Chief Steward Rosa Ortega, Asst. Bus. Mgr. John Cassin, Chief Stewards Kevin Wells and Edward Brown, Pres. Betty Lapointe, and Chief Stewards Rick Xavier and Dave Laorenza. Not pictured is Chief Steward Bob Garnhum.

David Johnson, B.M.

L.U. 1579 (i&o), AUGUSTA, GA — As we head into the final months of 2013, I would like everyone to think about grievances. Think about why we file them and when should we file a grievance. Grievances are not something to file when the water on the job is cool instead of cold or when your foreman is in a bad mood.

There are some guidelines to follow when considering a grievance: (1) Have you really been wronged? Is your grievance legitimate or frivolous? Can you, your steward and the foreman involved settle the problem without a grievance? (2) When you decide to file a grievance, write down everything right away and continue to update the situation as time goes on. (3) If the grievance is not settled in the first couple of steps, it may go to an arbitrator. Remember, the arbitrator will hear the case like a judge, so the more detailed information you have will make the case stronger. (4) Never lie or mislead your steward (or anyone else). Never leave out information that may come up during the grievance process. If untold information comes up, we can be made to look foolish by the contractor. (5) Remember, grievances cost time and money so let's use this procedure wisely.

The future in our jurisdiction looks good. With all the work and jobs that we have coming, protect your work by doing a great job, show up every day and help your fellow brothers and sisters, don't bash them. We are IBEW; prove it.

Until next time, God bless.

Will Salters, A.B.M.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1, ST. LOUIS, MO — Retirees of Local 1 send greetings to all of our brothers and sisters everywhere. At mid-year, we hope we will have good things to report for the rest of 2013.

The work situation has improved slightly, but there is still a long way to go. We know our local is fighting a difficult battle with those who would take our work, break down our working conditions and wages, while destroying the things that generations before us have built. We retirees stand with our working members in this fight. We call for the support of everyone who believes in the prosperity that comes from a strong union work force.

The retirees had a golf outing in June and all had a good time. Our president recently had a hole-in-one. Congratulations, Pres. Richard Weller!

Plans are underway for retirees to partner with apprentices in the construction of a float for the Labor Day parade. Good luck!

The retirees meeting of July 17 was well-attended and informative. A guest speaker informed us of benefits available to military veterans. We also had short reports from the business manager and the financial secretary of Local 1.

Meetings for the rest of 2013 are: Sept. 18 (luncheon) and Nov. 20.

Don Appelbaum, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NASSAU CHAPTER — It is my sad duty to announce the passing of two of our most beloved brothers. We were saddened by the passing of our oldest member, Joe Franco, at age 96, and our past chairman Vinny DiFazio. I have never been to a meeting without those two gentlemen being there. They will be dearly missed.

Vinny left behind a great legacy. He helped bring the club together as he planned trip after trip to many different places, and you could be assured that the price you paid was a rock bottom price; his negotiating skills were something to behold.

At the June meeting we give an award to a member who has helped the club in a positive way. This year's award went to Vice Chmn. Irving Raver.

Irving took on the task of getting members checked for asbestos-related problems. He worked with the people who could get settlements if members had a positive X-ray. He worked to get appointments, and kept the retirees informed of the need to get checked. Thank you, Irving Raver.

Hope everyone has enjoyed a safe and happy summer.

Bob Cooper, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH FLORIDA CHAPTER — Our chapter held its annual barbecue at the Delray Beach South County Civic Center on March 15. Many Local 3 retirees attended.

Our meetings include informative talks by invited guest speakers. Currently we are having lively discussions about employment, upcoming contracts and benefits. Our questions are answered concerning other union benefits.

The chapter meets the second Friday of each month at 10 a.m. in the Delray Beach South County Civic Center, from October to May. Many of our members are "Snow Birds" and we welcome all Local 3 retirees to our affairs and meetings.

Dick Dickman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH NEW JERSEY CHAPTER — On June 10 this year, 640 union members received awards at the Service Awards Luncheon held at the Electrical Industry Center in Flushing, NY. Among them were five retirees from the North New Jersey Chapter: Ronald DePaola, Anthony LaBate, Marty Beck, Kenneth Hillenmayer and Bob Huth. Congratulations, brothers. We asked Local 3 Pres. John Marchell to join us for the group picture (see accompanying photo). Thank you to all involved.

The speeches by Local 3 Pres. Marchell and Bus. Mgr. Christopher Erikson were very informative regarding the new contract and benefit increases.

We get all the benefits of retirement. We still have to show our support. Show up at the Labor Day parade, at the rallies. Volunteer to man the phones. Walk that extra mile to show that Local 3 is strong.

The Local 3, North New Jersey Chapter, summer get-together was June 24-27 at Woodloch Pines, Hawley, PA.

The picnic was July 10 at Congers Lake Memorial Park. Thanks, Carl Soreco, for organizing it.

On August 12-15, we gathered at the Educational Center, Cutchogue, NY.

All these great activities have made for a fun summer. Those who could not attend the events were missed. Good health to all.

Anthony LaBate, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA GULF CHAPTER — Blessed with a beautiful Florida sunny day on April 11, the SWFL Gulf Coast Chapter held the Fifth Annual Golf Outing at the Raptor Bay Golf Club in Bonita Springs. Attended by many visiting IBEW retirees from Florida's east coast — with a great golf course, good food and spirited repartee — the event was a good time for all.

The SWFL monthly Retirees Club meetings regularly include the pension director's report, which contains information on the current state of Local 3, updates on political developments locally and in Florida, and details of upcoming social events such as the Fifth Annual Christmas Party on Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Raptor Bay Golf Club in Bonita Springs. Chm. Hank Schwietering has promised that this year's party would be the best yet.

We meet in Fort Myers, FL, 12 months a year on the second Monday of the month. If you live in Florida or are planning a visit and would like to attend a meeting, just e-mail Sec. Nick Faello at: faello18@embarqmail.com or Chmn. George Dondero at: gdondero@aol.com for times and dates. Looking forward to seeing you.

George Dondero, Chmn./P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, SUFFOLK CHAPTER — Our trip to the United Nations and the Lincoln Center was a great success. Thanks to Olivia and Hank Schmidt for their hard work and planning.

Our chapter was invited to the Long Island Education Center by Local 3. Upon arrival we were greeted by Pension Dir. Thomas Gallager. He explained some facts regarding the new contract.

Tuesday morning after breakfast we went to the conference center. We attended a class about healthy living and heard from guest speakers.

Our Tuesday night barbecue was a great success due to the hard work of the volunteers who cooked and served. Then it was on to the fun and games. We had horse racing and some interesting games. A club member made Fourth of July souvenir cups for all.

On Wednesday morning at the conference center a nutritionist discussed diabetes prevention and nutrition. The club made arrangements for a tai chi class. In the evening we had ice cream sundaes. We enjoyed a musical performance by one of our members.

Thursday morning we had closing remarks by Chmn. Jack Foley and our first lady Ann Foley. They thanked all the volunteers who helped with the cooking, entertainment, cleaning and setting up.

Harvey Goldman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WEST FLORIDA CHAPTER — In March, six members of our Retirees Club and their wives took a seven-day cruise aboard Celebrity Cruise Line's newest ship, "Reflection." Club members pictured in the accompanying photo are: A. Parrilla, C. Phillips, T. Connors, F. Ledetsch, T. Broderick and B. Costa.

Ports of call included San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. This was our fifth group cruise. It was smooth sailing all the way and everyone looks forward to our next outing.

Ben Costa, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WESTCHESTER / PUTNAM CHAPTER — Nothing is more touching than the story of a retiree and chapter member, John Hansen, and his participation in the Meals on Wheels volunteer program.

Born in Port Chester, NY, John says this program gives him a strong connection to the surrounding communities and by serving meals to the homebound and elderly, he feels a sense of accomplishment.

Since 2001, John has supervised meals five days a week delivered to approximately 30 people on two routes that encompass neighborhoods in Port Chester, Rye, and Rye Brook. He is dedicated to giving back to the community and plays an active role helping those in need.

I asked John why he decided to commit himself and become a volunteer. He told me, "I had a friend who was an amputee and needed Meals on Wheels for lunch, so I decided to join after my retirement."

As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

A chapter donation of $250 was made to Meals on Wheels of Port Chester, Rye, and Rye Brook.

John Rich, P.S.
Bob Cuneo, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 11, LOS ANGELES, CA — A special thanks to the members and guests who participated in the Summer Lunch at the ETI on June 12. We're already looking forward to the Holiday Party on Dec. 11 at Taix's Restaurant. Mark your calendar and pass the word!

Hope you stopped by the club's booth at the Local 11 picnic. At the time of this writing, we were expecting a big turnout at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena.

Also at this writing, plans were being made to tour the historic naval ship USS Iowa at the Long Beach Harbor on Aug. 22.

Have a great season ahead and enjoy every day of your well-deserved retirement.

Harvey "Butch" Bachand, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 42, HARTFORD, CT — The Retirees Club wishes to invite anyone who's a retired member of Local 42 to join them. The club meets several times a year at Local 42's hall. Retirees meet at 9 a.m. to discuss business, talk about old times, share funny stories and enjoy coffee and donuts. If you would like to come and join them, the club would love to have you. If you're interested call us at 860-646-7297.

The Retirees Club thanks all the ladies in Local 42's office for their hard work in putting all the events together. They always greet everyone with a smile and are ready to help.

The Dinner Cruise was cancelled for June 15, 2013, due to all the rain we had. The Connecticut River flooded Charter Oak Landing. The cruise is rescheduled for Sept. 7, 2013. The rest of our events so far have been very successful.

Remember: The Annual Christmas Smoker will be held at the Dec. 12, 2013, union meeting at the Knights of Columbus in East Hartford, CT.

Jacquelyn Moffitt, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 60, SAN ANTONIO, TX — As a fundraiser, the Retirees Club held a golf tournament in April. A lot of fun, an excellent lunch and amazing golfers added up to a huge success. The tournament would not have been such a success without the support of all the sponsors and those wonderful volunteers. Our gratitude and thanks go out to everyone. Looking forward to maybe another tournament next year.

I wish to acknowledge the members of our club who dedicate their tireless effort ensuring a successful and fun club, the Retirees Club officers. Returning to office are Pres. Gene Chamberlain, Vice Pres. Tommy Huckelba and Treas. Bobby Wolff. Elected to office is Rec. Sec. Betty Cannon. Executive Board members are: Bobby Caldwell, David Gonzalez, Robert Hall, Owen Ray and Al Reina. Sgt. at Arms: Don Nichols. Congratulations to all and thank you.

After a short break for the summer, the Retirees Club will resume monthly meetings this month. We meet the second Thursday of each month, 12 noon, at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Training Bldg., 3630 Belgium Lane. All Local 60 retirees are welcome; you will never meet a stranger, just friends. Please join us!

Sandy Rogers, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 90, NEW HAVEN, CT — On June 4, the Local 90 Retirees Club held its last meeting of the current season. As we do every June, we held our election of officers at that meeting, followed by a pizza party. The officers at our next meeting will be: Pres. Robert Mantovani, Sec./Treas. Hugh McGuire and Vice Pres. Gerry Asplund.

Our new year begins Sept. 3, 2013, the date for our next scheduled meeting. It will be held at 2 North Plains Industrial Rd., Wallingford, CT, at 1:30 p.m.

In that same week, thanks to Local 90, the retirees have been invited to the annual membership outing held Sept. 7, 2013, at the YMCA Camp Mountain Mist in Meriden, CT.

We hope everyone had an enjoyable summer season, and we wish all IBEW members a good season ahead.

Richard Launder, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 99, PROVIDENCE, RI — We held our annual May Breakfast at the Providence Marriott Hotel; the event was sponsored by the local union. Bro. Gerald Trottier began the event with a blessing for the wonderful food, and Pres. Robert Pierce led everyone in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Pres. Pierce read the names of our recently deceased brothers, Charles Dalton and William F. Altham, and held a moment of silence in their honor.

Pres. Pierce introduced Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and Secretary of State Ralph Mollis. Both gentlemen addressed the group and spoke of creating an even playing field in the state for the construction trades.

Pres. Pierce also introduced our Local 99 Bus. Mgr. Michael K. Daley, who welcomed everyone to the festive occasion. It was a wonderful day, filled with great food and fun reminiscing with friends.

Following the breakfast, Pres. Pierce gathered the sunshine committee together to visit Bro. John T. O'Brien and present him with a 55-year service pin. The group enjoyed coffee and doughnuts with Bro. O'Brien and his wife at their home.

Raymond J. Germershausen, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 103, BOSTON, MA — The Retirees Club celebrated our 40 Year Anniversary and remembers those brothers and sisters who served before us. It was an enjoyable luncheon and many of our members were present. There is always room for more to attend and take part in seeing old acquaintances.

The Golf League is playing at Presidents Golf Course in Quincy on Wednesdays. All are welcome.

Best wishes to all retirees from the board of directors.

Rich Leary, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 113, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — We were deeply saddened by the sudden, unexpected passing of then-business manager Charles R. Johnson Sr. on Feb. 18, 2013. He was 58.

Bro. Charley had served the local as vice president, president and was elected business manager/financial secretary in June 2010. He had also served as a delegate to the area labor council; additionally, he had served on the JATC and numerous committees. He is missed by all who knew him.

The Executive Board appointed then-president Mike Ham as business manager/financial secretary for the balance of that unexpired term. Bro. Mike was subsequently elected business manager in June. We wish him much success as he continues in this leadership position.

Our retirees group honored Claudette Kunau and Jean Kitchens with plaques of appreciation for the many years they served as callers, notifying members about club activities. While Claudette continues to serve as our secretary/treasurer, Marilynn Sears has volunteered to fill Claudette's position as a caller.

Our monthly luncheon meeting is at 11:30 a.m. on the second Friday of each month at the Country Buffet, Citadel Crossing shopping center. We look forward to seeing you there!

Bill Campbell, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 130, NEW ORLEANS, LA — On May 30, we had our annual crawfish boil. A total of 118 confirmed, and 86 people actually attended. We had a phenomenal celebration and plenty of leftovers.

On June 20, we ventured to the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, MS. All participants played their card. In conclusion, we were awarded with $100.

On June 27, we had our quarterly meeting. Forty-eight people were in attendance. We had plenty of food and drinks for all.

With deep regret we lost the following brothers: Kenneth R. Herty, Robert L. Ferreira, Henry R. Taylor and Lynn Zeringue. May their souls rest in peace.

Until our next meeting, God bless America.

George Clesi, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 134, CHICAGO, IL — The 25th anniversary celebration for our Retirees Club was spectacular. More than 150 members and guests attended a catered luncheon that included a wonderful sweet table.

We also honored our founding president, Irv Blaszynski, as well as past presidents. Additionally, 50-, 55-, 60- and 65-year members were honored. Honorees included: George Tzinares, Dan Enwright, Jack Amaro, Ronald Sowizol, Roger Van Wazer, Charles Yeksigian Joseph Keenan, Chuck Sugrue, John Krueger, Kurt Arntzen, Tom Payton Sr., Lawrence Kulik, Wilfred Diesel, Anton Schnaufer, Frank Hauser, Bob Fee, Norman Becker, Richard Eshoo, Don Mahoney, Paul Wiora, Tom Sinclair and Edward Polaski.

Our club's current and former leadership gathered to pose for pictures for posterity. Assembled were current board members: Pres. Richard Sipple, Don Mahoney, Bernard Martin, Jim Fliris, Walter Felde, Tom Bohn, Hugh O'Connell and Vito Alberotanza. The past presidents included: Irv Blaszynsger, Roger Van Wazer, Robert Mersch, Louis Rodriguez and Mario Coletta.

Come to club meetings — there are no strangers at Local 134, only friends you haven't yet met! Welcome to all Local 134 retirees. To join the club, contact Mario Coletta at 773-736-1480. From noon to 1 p.m. is Greet & Meet time at club meetings, held the second Wednesday of each month. The regular meeting continues until 2:30 p.m. at the union hall, 600 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago.

Louis Rodriguez, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 197, BLOOMINGTON, IL —
The Retirees Club recently held their quarterly breakfast at Times Past Inn, and attendees had a good time. We want to remind all the retirees that we get together the third Tuesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the hall. Come out and enjoy coffee and donuts, and reminisce with other retirees.

We heard reports that retirees Ken McLean, Don Armstrong and Tom Willen are busy volunteering their time helping with community projects. Whether by helping the Bloomington Township Fire Department with electrical upgrades or assisting a senior citizen who doesn't have the resources to hire a contractor, these retirees have been there to lend a hand.

Mike Raikes, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 212, CINCINNATI, OH — After many years of renting and several failed attempts to purchase a suitable office building, Local 212 finally has a home: 212 Crown Pointe Place. Our building should serve our needs for many years. Our charter members would be very proud to see the progress we have made.

In March, the 14th annual S.W. Florida 212 reunion gathered at the home of Danny Johnson in Fort Meyers. Great food, desserts and drinks mixed with an afternoon bull session made for a great day. In attendance: Stan Johnson, Danny Johnson, Jay Rizzuto, Dick Braswell, Dan Archiable, Al Niederhelman, Walt Zimmer, Don Wedgewood, Tom Miller and their "dates." Next year — Venice, FL.

At the May meeting, the membership elected officers: Pres. Mike Himes, Vice Pres. Wayne Myers Sr., Treas. Bob Simon, Sec. Jean Kumler; and E-Board members Kurt Kube, Steve Hill, Elwood Schneider and Dick Warman. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who agreed to run for office.

Service pins were awarded to club members: Dick Braswell — for 65 years of service; Elwood Schneider, Tom Lanter and Noel Bruzina — for 55 years; Milt Binder, Bud Brown and Paul Kallmeyer — for 50 years.

In July, we picnicked at Fernbank Park on the river. Busy, busy.

Bob Schaefer, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 291, BOISE, ID — The June picnic was held in Meridian at Settlers Park. There was a small turnout and it was probably because of the weather and a few members who were unable to attend due to medical problems. As always, we had our die-hard members who showed up to make it a great event. We had great food furnished by our members, especially those great snickerdoodles. Pat Penn won our monthly $5 drawing. Thanks to Phil Oakes for stepping in to help with the barbecue, since Bob Leeper was recovering from knee injury. Special thanks go to everyone who came early and stayed late to help with setup and cleanup.

Work is picking up and the future is looking brighter for those who are still in the work force. Continue to pray for our service men and women, our country, our leaders and the unemployed.

Look for the union label! Defend and protect the right to be union members, always!

Our luncheons are held the second Thursday of each month. Please contact any club member or the union hall for time and location. Everyone is welcome!

Joe Sirani, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 502, SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA — It was a dark and stormy winter night for the first holiday gathering of the newly chartered Local 502 Retirees Club. (The club was chartered in August 2012.) In spite of the first snowstorm of the season, 96 retirees, spouses and widows arrived at Branch #69 Royal Canadian Legion to enjoy a delicious turkey feast prepared by the Legion. Retirees Club Pres. George Willard welcomed the assembly and emphasized that the evening was for the enjoyment of our members and there would be no speeches. This would be a time of socializing, renewing old friendships and making new ones. Bro. Willard did draw our attention to the professionally decorated hall. Installation and decorations were provided by Local 502.

Bro. Willard introduced Bus. Mgr. Jean-Marc Ringuette and Pres. David Steven of Local 502.

Pres. Willard and Vice Pres. Doug Hansen presented door prizes to the retirees. A great time was had by all and we look forward to our next social gathering.

The Executive Board of our club includes: Pres. George Willard, Vice Pres. Douglas Hansen, Treas. Edward Ross and Sec. David MacPherson. Executive Board members also include: Hartley Bastarache, Michael O'Brien and Robert Clark.

David MacPherson, Sec.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 530, SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA — This month I wish to highlight two members of our retirees group who attended the first retirees meeting in 1994 and continue to attend and support our club.

James Wright served a year in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. In 1948 Jim received a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto. Jim joined the Comstock local in 1950. When work turned scarce he took a teaching assignment in two Sarnia high schools, teaching Electricity for 5½ years. In the early 1970s, he went to work for BG Checo, and at that time became a member of Local 530. Jim turned 88 years of age in June.

Eric Lawton served in the British Grenadier Guards in WWII. Eric was a reconnaissance tank driver and was wounded in Holland. He then went to Germany as part of the occupation army. Eric came to Canada in 1948. He received his electrical training in England but wrote all of his exams in Canada. He joined Local 530 in 1952. With a work shortage he found employment with CNR for two years; he then worked for Polysar Corp. for 16 years. Eric celebrated his 90th birthday on July 2.

Great guys to have around, I feel.

Nancy Stinson Philbin, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 640, PHOENIX, AZ — After an eight-month 2012-2013 meeting season, the Golden Age Roadrunners are on their four-month hiatus as of this writing. At press time, members have scattered to cooler climates, or are hidden at home with the AC on high!

With the exception of April, our October through May 9:30 a.m. meetings feature a freshly prepared breakfast before the general meeting. We try to feature a speaker who enlightens us "more mature" folks regarding any changes the government mandates that affect our financial or health matters.

The April meeting began at 11 a.m. with a buffet luncheon prepared and served by a team of apprentices. All proceeds are made available to apprentices who might be in need of financial assistance, and in slow times this can be helpful. After the luncheon, nominations for board members and officers were taken from the floor; the general meeting and monthly raffles followed.

Carlos Santa Cruz will take over the reigns as president from Jim Riley, who did a fine job as leader for the past six years.

We encourage all Local 640 retirees to attend our meetings and become a member of this fine and active group.

Daryl Knupp, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 756, DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Our very popular fish fry before our summer break was attended by a wonderful crowd of 62 people on May 9. Everyone had a great time and as usual the fish and all the sides were delicious. Thanks to Greg and the guys for their dedication!

Our Pres. Jimmy Warren stepped down due to personal commitments, and his leadership will be missed. At press time, Vice Pres. Joe Gardner was stepping in to fill the vacancy until a new president is chosen.

We wish to invite any retired and unemployed brothers and sisters and their spouses who are in the area to come join us. Our meetings are on the second Thursday of each month, 11:30 a.m., at the Local 756 union hall in Port Orange, FL.

Our next meeting is Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013. We look forward to seeing you in September.

Diane Gibbs, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 995, BATON ROUGE, LA — On June 3 we had a luncheon with the wives attending. The food was good as usual. Approximately 60 people attended.

This quarter the local gave out four 50-year service award pins, 14 55-year pins and five 60-year pins. Receiving 65-year pins were: George Abbott, Leo Davis, Gus Guarino, Julius T. Hill, Aubry Jackson, Leslie G. Mitchell and Boyd G. Shelton.

W. Roland Goetzman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1245, VACAVILLE, CA — Local 1245 retirees at NV Energy are getting additional financial assistance for their medical care, thanks to a three-year campaign launched by the local in 2009.

The additional assistance comes in two ways. NV Energy has increased the "cap" on company contributions to retiree medical premiums, and established a new "discretionary fund" that will be administered by a trio of retiree activists.

The assistance for retirees didn't come easy. In 2009, NV Energy acted unilaterally to freeze its contributions to retiree medical premiums, forcing retirees to absorb all future increases in premium costs. IBEW 1245 responded with a multifaceted "Shame on NV Energy" campaign that widely publicized the retirees' plight.

In late 2012, a settlement of the dispute created mechanisms to assure that retirees will pay no more in premiums in 2013 and 2014 than they would have before the 2010 cap. In addition, the company placed money in a "discretionary fund" that can be used to help bargaining unit retirees with a demonstrated need.

"People's costs are not going to be 100 percent compensated, but at least it's some assistance on premiums and medically related out-of-pocket expenses," said Ron Borst, president of the Reno/Sparks chapter of the IBEW Local 1245 Retirees Club and one of the new fund's trustees. The other trustees are retiree activists Rita Weisshaar and Tom Bird. The local's benefits specialist is Bryan Carroll.

Eric Wolfe, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1547, ANCHORAGE, AK — The IBEW Local 1547, Unit 102, Retirees Club held its inaugural gathering at the Fairbanks Hall.

The group will meet on a regular basis to share highlights of old times, socialize and stay connected with activities happening at the hall. Pictured in the accompanying photo are: standing, Roger Burns, Randy Britschgi, Zinn Decker, Don Mcadoo, Derrall Johnson, Rick Spencer, John Giuchici, Scott Matthews, Dave Hufman, 'Red' Miller and, seated, Bev Roof, Bill Digan, Don Moore and Bill Moberly.

Melinda Taylor, P.S.