By BUSINESS MANAGER BOB WARD
BURNEY FOREST POWER EMPLOYEES CHOOSE LOCAL 340
For the last several months, Local 340 has been involved in a unionization drive at the Burney Forest Power facility in Burney. Employees at the co-gen plant, which is operated by NAES Corp., came to Local 340 to unionize and have a voice at the table with management. Assistant Business Manager (North) Andrew Meredith coordinated our efforts at the plant, shoring up support and securing authorization cards from a majority of employees. After securing the cards, Local 340 quickly filed for an NLRB secret ballot election. During the week leading up to the election, Sacramento Assistant Business Manager Brother Rusty Johnston and Brother Meredith made house calls to visit with employees and make sure the election was successful. I’m happy to report that on December 21st the employees voted by a large majority in favor of Union representation through Local 340! Brother Meredith is now preparing for negotiations with the employee-elected negotiating team.
MONTHLY BASIC DUES INCREASE – ALL ACTIVE MEMBERS
Most of you have increased your payments by $1.00 for your monthly dues beginning January 1st, but for those who haven’t, we cannot post your dues unless the correct amount is received. If you have a bank generated monthly check sent to the Hall, please contact your bank with your new amount.
CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGES
The beginning of the year is a good time to update your contact information with the Local. If you have had any address, email and/or phone number changes in the last 6 months, give us a call.
END OF YEAR DUES STATEMENTS
These end of year statements have been mailed out to all members who paid basic and/or working dues in 2017. If you have not received a statement and need the info for your taxes, call the Hall.
DOG TRAINING & SHOOTING HOLES IN THE SKY
This annual event will be held at 8:00 AM on Sunday February 25th at Yankee Slough Hunt Club, 3805 Highway 65 in Lincoln. This event is open to all active and retired members and their children who are interested in hunting and the training of hunting dogs. It is safe and fun. Cost is $112.50 per shooter for 5 birds and kids shoot free. If you want to have breakfast beforehand, they will be meeting at Kim’s Country Kitchen, 527 G Street in Lincoln at 6:30 AM. Otherwise, meet at the parking lot of Yankee Slough at 8AM. For more information, contact Brother Zack Collins at zackery_collins@hotmail.com.
340 SOFTBALL TEAM CRAB FEED @ THE NEW HALL
Even though the Business Office may not have moved into our new Hall by early March, the 9th annual 340 Softball Team Crab Feed will be held there on Saturday March 10th in Rancho Cordova. If you are interested in purchasing tickets for this event call Patty at the Hall at 916-927-4239 or get in touch with one of the Softball players. Tickets are $60.00 per person for all you can eat crab, pasta, salad and bread. This fun event is known for great food and fellowship, as well as an awesome raffle. All members are welcome to attend this Crab Feed.
Also, speaking of softball, the 340 Softball Team is open to all Local 340 members and they are looking for experienced players interested in joining the team. If you think that’s you, please contact Brother Matt Meredith for more information. His email address is Matthew.meredith340@gmail.com.
ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE – OLD SACRAMENTO
Local 340 will once again participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday March 17th in Old Sacramento. This event last year was a whole lot of fun and our Local was very well received by the spectators. It is a very short short parade (just around a few blocks of Old Sacramento) but the Local Union gets a whole lot of positive exposure. We will all walk behind our decorated golf cart and hand out to the crowd specially-designed green Thundersticks that read “Irish for a Day – Union for Life” as well as gold IBEW pencils. If you and your family members want to join us (kids included) we will meet at the Old Schoolhouse yard in front of Joe’s Crab Shack in Old Sacramento between 11:00 and 11:30 AM. The parade starts at 1:00 PM. Wear green or your favorite IBEW Local 340 shirts and join us! All members are welcome!
SCHOLARSHIPS
IBEW Local 340 Harry R. Bain Scholarship Award –For Dependents
IBEW Local 340 is once again going to award two college scholarships in 2018 ($1,000.00 and $500.00). These scholarships are available to sons, grandsons, daughters, granddaughters or legal dependents of members of Local 340. The General Rules and Instructions, as well as the application, can be picked up from the Sacramento Business Office or the Redding Office. You can also call either of these offices to request they be mailed to you. Please note: the completed application must be received in the Sacramento Business Office by March 16, 2018 to be considered.
IBEW Founders Scholarship – For IBEW members (not dependents)
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, 2018). This is not a scholarship for your dependents. All applications and required information must be mailed directly to the IBEW in Washington, DC and must be postmarked May 1, 2018.
CONGRATULATIONS
Brother Danny Patrick stopped in the office recently to wish us a Happy New Year as well as to report that his parents will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in February. Our congratulations go out to Danny’s parents, our own IBEW Retired Brother Dave Patrick and his bride Jewell, on this momentous occasion.
REST IN PEACE
Brother Charles Eddie Russell – 62 year member / 84 years of age.
We have also been notified that Brother Jerry Weidman’s wife Hyon, passed away suddenly at the end of December.
Please remember these members and their families in your thoughts and prayers.
FEBRUARY BUSINESS OFFICE & TRUST OFFICE CLOSURES
Monday February 19th – President’s Day
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
SACRAMENTO MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS – 1ST Wednesdays @ 6PM – Sacramento Hall
REDDING UNIT MEETING – 1st Wednesdays – 5:30 PM – Redding Hall
SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS UNIT MEETING – Quarterly on the 4TH Tuesdays of January, April, July & October at the Hall – NEXT QUARTERLY S&C MEETING Tuesday April 24th @ 5:00PM
CIVIL SERVICE UNIT MEETING – Quarterly on the 3RD Thursdays of January, April, July & October at the Hall. NEXT QUARTERLY CIVIL SERVICE MEETING Thursday April 19th @ 5:00PM!
JOINT EXECUTIVE ALL COMMITTEES MEETING – Saturday February 10th @ 8AM.
