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IBEW CURRENTS

October 1998 IBEW Journal

Once More Into the Breach

It almost goes without saying that when disaster strikes a community in any part of North America, the IBEW will be there to lend a hand and speed the recovery process. So it was in Florida when devastating brush fires ravaged much of the northern part of the state in early summer.

The American Red Cross recently honored Local 756, Daytona Beach, for allowing the relief agency to use the union hall as its headquarters for a three-week period during the fires. When the disaster relief operation grew too large and hectic for the hall to contain it, the Red Cross moved to a larger vacant building. Local 756 members, working for signatory electrical contractor Giles Electric, installed special wiring to accommodate the computers and other equipment needed. Giles donated all material and labor costs to the Red Cross.

Telecom Bargaining Update

As reported in the last issue of the Journal, the IBEW and CWA reached a contract agreement with Bell Atlantic after a brief strike by some 60,000 CWA members and 1,700 members of IBEW Local 2213, Washington Mills, New York. Members of IBEW System Council T-6, covering 13,000 members in ten New England locals, reached an agreement without striking, but honored all picket lines during the walkout.

The two-year contract provides wage increases of 3.8 percent in 1998 and 4.0 percent in 1999. Bell Atlantic increased its matching payments to the employee savings plan to 80 percent. The pension bands were increased by a total of 25 percent over the life of the agreement. As with the other contracts negotiated this year in the telecommunications industry, the unions won provisions providing for company neutrality in campaigns to organize nonunion operations and card check recognition if the union succeeds in obtaining the signatures of more than 50 percent of the affected workers.

In the most contentious of all telecommunications bargaining this year, about 5,000 members of IBEW Local 206, Helena, Montana, recently settled with US West. The 35,000 CWA members who comprise the majority of the vast regional telephone company’s work force conducted a 15-day strike. US West sought "take backs" in benefits and working conditions. The three-year contract provides wage increases totaling 10.9 percent and a 2.1 percent increase in pension bands.  

Skills for the Future

The electrical talent of the future was on display in Kansas City, Missouri, recently at the 31^st annual Skills USA Championships in Residential Wiring, sponsored by the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA).

IBEW International Representative Patrick Reilly serves on the residential wiring technical committee for VICA and served as one of the judges for the contest. Contestants were tested on their ability to install wiring from drawings and specifications sheets. Their work was judged on the basis of quality, accuracy of layout and installation, and adherence to the National Electric Code.

The 1998 residential wiring winners in the high school category were: gold medal, David Reynolds of Westport, Massachusetts; silver, Daniel Pope of Dunn, North Carolina; bronze, Bryant Kelley, Buckhannon, West Virginia. In the post secondary category, the winners were: gold medal, Gregory Baker, Ellinwood, Kansas; silver, Jared Olschewski of Brigham City, Utah; bronze, Thomas McCoy of Larchwood, Iowa. Jared Olschewski is a third-year apprentice from Local 354, Salt Lake City.

VICA is a national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupational education. Its annual championship competitions encourage students to strive for excellence in their chosen fields. 

Pictured at the VICA Skills Championship are: (front row, left to right) high school medallists Pope, Reynolds and Kelley; (second row, left to right) contest judge Frank Patton, post-secondary medallists Baker, Olschewski and McCoy, and IBEW International Representative Patrick Reilly. 

International Representative
William J. Moore

First District International Representative William J. Moore announced his retirement, effective October 1, 1998. He has served the Brotherhood since his initiation into Local 911, Windsor, Ontario in October 1957. He is currently a member of Local 636, Toronto, Ontario.

Brother Moore was business manager/financial secretary of his local, served on its Executive Board and was unit chairman and steward. He was chairman of the Safety Committee, Audit Committee and served on the Sick Committee.

In November 1974, Brother Moore was appointed an International Representative assigned in the First District, serving locals mainly in the utility branch and public sector. Brother Moore was appointed by the Ontario government as the IBEW representative to the First Provincial Advisory Committee on lineman certification and the Provincial Committee on Alarm/Security Certification. He also served on the Provincial Labour/Management Safety Committee and was the IBEW representative to the Ontario Municipal Employees Pension/ Electrical/Electronic Manufacturers Committee. He was the first labour person elected to the Board of Directors and vice president of the Electrical Utilities Safety Association and was later elected its first labour-represented president. Brother Moore was also appointed to the Governor General’s 1987 Canadian Study Conference/Tour representing labour’s views on Canadian problems and was the IBEW First District Vice President’s representative to the National Utility Sector Training Committee.

The officers and staff of the IBEW wish Brother Moore and his family a healthful, enjoyable retirement.