LABOR BULLETIN
By
BUSINESS MANAGER BOB WARD
APRIL 2022
LOCAL 340 ORGANIZER TRAINING
We would like to thank all of those who showed interest in the recent Organizer Position, your dedication and loyalty for our Union is what truly helps our Local grow. By the time this reaches you we will have hired our two new Organizers, one for our Northern Unit and the other for Sound & Communications. Making decisions such as this is never easy but we are grateful for the opportunity to offer another the chance to bring more insight and fresh ideas to our membership. We know whoever it is we choose will help lead our membership in the right direction.
340 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP PICNIC
More exciting news for our upcoming picnic, along with booking the venue we are also bringing back the kids area. Your kids are sure to love our carnival games, snow cone machine, and cotton candy machine. We are also going to be having another showdown with our Journeyman vs Apprentices games. You do not want to miss this event! Other details are still being made in the background but if you would like to participate in volunteer meetings or help the day of the picnic please reach out to Office Manager Reyna Jimenez at 916-539-0412. Be on the look out for more picnic news.
NEBF – RETIREE TEMPORARY RETURN TO WORK NOTICE
To help with the Journeyman Inside Wireman and Sound & Communication Installer manpower shortage that all IBEW Locals are experiencing, NEBF has once again changed the working rules for Retirees. If you are currently retired and would like to go back to work for about 3 months or perhaps take some short calls, this temporary Return to Work Amendment changes the suspension rules for certain eligible retirees. Following are the features of the amendment:
- The temporary amendment is effective from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.
- All normal and early retirees with a pension effective date of December 2018 or earlier will be permitted to return to covered and contributory employment only and will be permitted to work for up to 600 hours during the above period without a loss of NEBF benefits. This amendment applies only to the NEBF Plan. (In order to receive benefits from other funds it will depend on the rules of those funds.)
- Once an individual has worked for 600 hours in covered and contributory employment during the term of the temporary amendment, the individual will no longer be able to take advantage of this amendment and the normal rules (permitting work in the electrical industry for less than forty (40) hours per month without a suspension of benefits) will apply.
- Disability pensioners are not eligible (the existing rules applicable to disabled pensioners remain in effect).
- Only retirees who return to NEBF covered and contributory employment will be able to take advantage of this amendment – this amendment will not apply to persons who work for covered employers where no NEBF contributions are required or to persons who work for non-covered employers in the electrical industry.
SCHOLARSHIPS (3)
IBEW Local 340 Harry R. Bain Scholarship Award – Dependents
Our deadline for this scholarship was March 11th. Unfortunately, this year we did not have any applicants. We hope this is good news and everyone’s dependents are doing well in school.
IBEW Founders Scholarship – For IBEW Members only
The IBEW Founders’ Scholarship honors the dedicated wiremen and linemen who organized the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on November 28, 1981. Each year the officers of the IBEW are pleased to offer its working members scholarships on a competitive basis. It is hoped that the awards will not only contribute to the personal development of our members but also steward the electrical industry that our founders envisioned. The award is for $200 per semester credit hour at any accredited college or university toward an associate’s, bachelors or postgraduate degree in an approved field. The maximum distribution is $24,000 per person over a period not to exceed eight years.
Any member interested in applying for the IBEW Founders Scholarship can do so by going on-line at www.ibew.org. Click on “Resources and Links” at the top, scroll down to the box labeled “Founders Scholarship”. You will receive information on this scholarship as well as be able to download the application. These applications can also be picked up at the Business Office. This scholarship is for any member who has been in continuous good standing and paid dues (without an Honorary Withdrawal for the four years prior to May 1, 2022). This is not a scholarship for your dependents. All applications and required information must be mailed directly to the IBEW in Washington, DC postmarked May 1, 2022.
FIVE COUNTIES CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIP
Two $1,500 scholarships are available this year by the Five Counties Central Labor Council in 2022. The applicant must be graduating high school in the Fall of 2021 or Spring of 2022, attended a school located in Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tehama, or Modoc counties and be either a union member or the child or grandchild of a union member or deceased member. For an application or more information on this scholarship, contact the Council by email at FiveCountiesCLC@ymail.com or phone/text (530) 949-7795. Deadline is April 20, 2022.
1st ANNUAL RENEW CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT
The first Annual RENEW Cornhole Tournament was a success. We hope all those who made it out enjoyed themselves. Your support for our RENEW members is much appreciated. We look forward to hopefully bringing back this family fun event again next year.
OFFICE CLOSURES
Memorial Day
Monday May 30th we will celebrate Memorial Day. This is a day when we should all take a special moment in the middle of our Memorial Day festivities to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. The Business Offices and Trust Office will be closed on this day.
ACCIDENTS/ILLNESSES
Retired Brother Ronald McMaster passed on March 1, 2022. He was a 61-year member and 80 years of age.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to this member and his family during this time of mourning.
There will be a Celebration of Life for passed member Clifford Billings on April 24th from 12 pm – 4 pm at the Carmichael Elks Lodge, 5631 Cypress Ave, Carmichael.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
SACRAMENTO MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS – 1st Wednesdays @ 6PM – 10240 Systems Parkway, Sacramento 95827
REDDING UNIT MEETING – 1st Wednesdays
Chico Union Hall @ 5:30 (Odd Months)
Redding Union Hall @ 5:30 (Even Months)
For Northern Area business and then join in the Sacramento meeting @ 6PM via webinar
SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS UNIT MEETING – Quarterly on the 4TH Tuesdays of January, April, July & October at the Hall – NEXT QUARTERLY S&C MEETING Tuesday April 26th @ 5:00PM – Note: Seven (7) members needed to have a quorum.
CIVIL SERVICE UNIT MEETING – Quarterly on the 3RD Thursdays of January, April, July & October at the Hall. NEXT QUARTERLY CIVIL SERVICE MEETING Thursday April 21st @ 5:00PM – Note: Five (5) members needed to have a quorum.
