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STAFF REPORTS
July 2024
Wow!! June just skipped right on by, didn’t it? We had a very successful picnic, lots of fun, food and raffle prizes as always. We made about $3,800 dollars in raffle ticket sales.
At Avista Utilities, the utility has requested LU 77 to take out a second wage opener proposal to their membership. That proposal was soundly rejected by their membership. We did meet with the utility on June 21st to try to come to an agreement to take out to our members but could not reach one. LU 77 was back in on June 28th, but we have not heard how that went for them. We did top out another Journeyman Gas Serviceman from that apprenticeship program. Congratulations to Aaron Berry.
At EWEB we have had some interest in the Shop Steward positions and have some folks signed up for the training in September. Kamen Thompson has also asked to be appointed to the Health and Well-being Committee. That appointment should be completed at the July Executive Board meeting on the 13th.
For our Line Clearance Tree Trimmers (LCTT) working on PP&L property, things are still busy. Our negotiating session on June 13th did not go very well. The contractors are insisting that they cannot add anymore to wages and that retroactive is now off the table. They have offered to pay out a lump sum at ratification but we are going to insist on retroactive and a little more on the wages. We have agreed to try to do some bargaining through some email exchanges and during the first exchange they agreed to take the first step apprentice on a two-person crew proposal off their list of requests. We still have outsourced crews in the area working for Trees, LLC., but Asplundh has notified us that their outsourced crews will be going to LU 125 jurisdiction around July 20th.
For our Line Clearance Tree Trimmers working for Davey Tree and West Lane Tree on EWEB property, everything is quiet.
For our Line Clearance Tree Trimmers working for Asplundh on CPI property, things are going well. We did send out bargaining surveys, so be on the lookout for them in the mail. Make sure you fill them out and send them back so we know what is important to you.
One last reminder is that the PNW Lineman Rodeo will be held July 27th in Gresham. We hope to see you there. It is always a good time and an opportunity to catch up with people you haven’t seen in a while.
As Always, Stay Focused and Stay Safe.
Don McElroy
don@ibew659.org
541-601-0863
Outside Construction: With this holiday that is upon us, there are a few companies/contractors that have given the week off to celebrate with our family and friends. Happy Independence Day!
There is a lot of work happening in our area when the rest of the countries outside construction is slow for this time of year. So, just a reminder to all of our members; we are in construction, and a lot of us have not seen this industry in a slow period. Which is a reminder to live within your means.
CLPUD: Quiet as of late. I did meet with Eric Chambers, the new Labor Relations Director, along with Ty Hillebrand (GM). It was a meet and greet just to get familiar with each other. The first impression was a positive one.
I would like to take a moment to thank all who attended our local union picnic! It was great to see all who attended and catching up with friends that you have made over the course of your career along with making new friendships as well.
“United We Stand”
James Davidson
james@ibew659.org
(458) 220-6416
LU659 Brothers and Sisters,
For the month of June:
Mike and I were able to meet with the Avangrid employees to discuss the progress in negotiating.
I participated in LU 1247 blitz, a member-to-future-member blitz focusing on the recruitment of non-represented electricians. Collaborated with the local team to reach out to potential new members; in 3 days, we were able to hit over 700 doors with many good conversations. One person I talked with had been in the trade for over 20 years and had never spoken with anyone from IBEW, and was glad to see us out talking with electricians and breaking down those barriers.
Assisted LU 112 in a similar blitz initiative, helping to boost membership and provide support for unfilled calls within their area.
License Enforcement Meeting: We held the meeting at our training center. Representatives from the State of Oregon License Enforcement, Building Codes Division, and Contractors Board were in attendance, along with many of our local union contractors and one nonunion contractor, Precision Electric. We discussed license enforcement issues and compliance in our local area. This meeting was essential in providing steps that need to be taken to get better enforcement in our area. If you are aware of any licensing issues please reach out to Johnny or myself so we can get complaints turned in so they can see exactly how bad the situation is here.
Negotiation Training with Richard Barnes: The final day of negotiation training focused on enhancing our relationships with our contractors and working on a strategic action plan moving forward for the inside group. Monique, a NECA Rep, three union contractors, and six members from the labor side attended the training.
Our annual LU 659 Picnic was at Joseph Stewart County Park. It was well attended by members and their families. The picnic included various recreational activities, providing an excellent opportunity for members to relax and socialize. It fostered a community spirit and strengthened bonds within our local.
We encourage you to drive individuals you talk with in the field interested in organizing their workplace to visit the new "Need a Union" tab on our website and the "Why Be Union" tab.
The RENEW program is actively seeking more participants. To enhance participation across all groups, Zoom links will now be sent out prior to the meetings. If you wish to be added to the RENEW program text group, please get in touch with Ryan via email or phone.
Also, as you may have noticed, we have a new texting platform for mass messaging of members. This will be a great way to communicate, as most people overlook emails and other forms of communication.
In solidarity,
Ryan Smith
Membership Development Rep.
ryan@ibew659.org
(541) 326-9185
Greetings Brothers and Sisters,
June has come and gone in the blink of an eye. At the beginning of the month, we held a License Enforcement meeting at the training center. We had a decent turnout of contractors and people from the BCD (Building Codes Division) as well. This meeting was held to discuss the lack of enforcement in southern Oregon. In a nutshell, they explained that due to a lack of funding at the license enforcement division, it is impossible to put someone permanently down here at this time. They are working on temporary options, though. They now have good ties with the CCB (Construction Contractors Board) here in Medford, so if Jeff Pritchett from the BCD cannot get to it soon enough, they will work in unison with the CCB to get someone quicker. As for the next steps, the license enforcement officials stated that the only way to get more enforcers would be to raise the licensing fee so that they could afford it.
We did end up having a decent number of surveys turned in for negotiations, which I plan on going over with the committee in July. Thank you to all who participated! On this note, a member brought up holiday pay in the Medford unit meeting last month. I looked into it, and due to the fact that we are only open for wages this year, we cannot negotiate holiday pay until next year because it would change the verbiage in the CBA. Next year is a full opener for verbiage, so we will look at it then!
We had our follow-up Richard Barnes class this month as well, and I took away a lot of good things from it. It provided some insight into past issues and helped us make a plan with the contractors to move the industry forward.
We have also been having some meetings about the Obsidian project in the Fort Klamath area. There is no big news to report on this, but stay tuned.
BeneSys has rolled out a new application to have your benefits at your fingertips. They are still working out the kinks, but you can access your ID cards, work history, claims, coverage, and benefits. It is called “BeneSys Now” in the App Store. Contact me if you need more info.
There is a large possibility that we are going to have a big call-out to Lakeview in July, up to 15 members, so if you are currently not working, or know of someone who isn’t, please keep an eye out for this call as it is going to be a big one to fill.
Last but not least, we are looking for more individuals to become shop stewards. This is an extremely important position to be held in each company and our local, and right now Welburn is the only company that has one appointed. Please let me know if you or someone you know would be a good candidate for this position. There will be training provided in September for Shop Stewards. It is your first line of defense as a member within a company, and when used correctly, it can be a crucial way to deal with issues that arise within said company. Thank you all.
Johnny Walker
johnny@ibew659.org
541-601-0843
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