LABOR BULLETIN
By
BUSINESS MANAGER BOB WARD
JANUARY – FEBRUARY
INSIDE WIREMAN’S FEBRUARY 1, 2019 WAGE ALLOCATION
As you were notified, the Inside Wireman’s Allocation Meeting to discuss and vote on the previous negotiated $1.00 increase was held on January 2, 2019. After a very thorough discussion, a vote was taken and it was M/S/C to place $.50 to wages and $.50 to Health and Welfare. Thank you to all who attended the meeting and participated in this allocation vote. All Inside employers have been notified of the February 1st increase.
END OF YEAR DUES STATEMENTS
The end of year statements for basic and working dues have been mailed out to all members who paid dues in 2018. If you did not receive it, call the Hall.
BUTTE COUNTY CAMPFIRE
The final count of IBEW members who lost their homes in this brutal fire, is 21. Thirteen (13) were Local 340 members and eight (8) were members from Locals 6, 551, 332 and 234.
At this writing, the donations from the GoFundMe page and the money that came into our LMCC for the 340 Campfire fundraiser totals over $137,000.00. On behalf of the members who will be receiving help from these donations, I want to thank everyone who gave so generously.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the rebuild of some of our member’s homes should call the Hall or email md@ibewlocal340.org to add you name to the volunteer list. Once we are given the go ahead and the weather clears, we will be contacting you.
STEWARD TRAINING AVAILABLE – EARN CE CREDITS
There are a few spots left if you are interested in attending Steward Training in February. With the number of large projects coming up in 2019 we’re going to need trained job stewards who can represent IBEW workers on the job. Anyone completing the training will receive 8 hours of Continuing Education credits to be used towards State certification.
The two (2) training classes are scheduled as follows:
Inside Wireman Steward Classes:
Monday & Tuesday February 11th & 12th (3 1/2 hours each evening – must attend both nights) beginning at 5PM (Food will be provided)
Government & Single Employer Steward Classes (BAE-Indyne / City of Sacramento / County of Sacramento / NAES-Olympic Power)
Wednesday February 13th (7 hrs) beginning at 8AM (Lunch will be provided)
If interested in attending this training, call Justine Villasenor at the Hall 916-927-4239 (extension 1001).
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, 2019 through December 31, 2019.
- 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 (2)
IBEW Local 340 Harry R. Bain Scholarship Award – Dependents
IBEW Local 340 is once again going to award two college scholarships in 2019 ($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 15, 2019 to be considered.
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, 2019). 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, 2019.
10th ANNUAL 340 SOFTBALL TEAM CRAB FEED
The 10th annual 340 Softball Team Crab Feed will be held here at the Hall on Saturday February 9th. If you are interested in purchasing tickets for this event call the Hall at 916-927-4239 or purchase online at ibewlocal340softball.ticketleap.com. You can also 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 several types of awesome raffles! All members are welcome to attend this Crab Feed.
SPORTSMAN’S CLUB DOG TRAINING/SHOOTING HOLES IN THE SKY
This annual event will be held at 8:00 AM on Sunday February 24th at Yankee Slough Hunt Club, 3805 Highway 65 in Lincoln. This safe, fun event is open to all active and retired members and their children who are interested in hunting and in the training of hunting dogs. 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.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE – OLD SACRAMENTO – SAT. 03/16/19
Local 340 members and families will once again participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday March 16th in Old Sacramento. It’s not a long parade route (just a few blocks in Old Sacramento) but it is a great opportunity for the Local Union to get a whole lot of positive exposure in the Sacramento community. We are going to decorate the golf cart and walk behind it handing out to the crowd specially-designed thundersticks that read “IBEW Local 340 – Irish for a Day – Union for Life”. If you and your family members want to join us, 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. Remember, this is open to all IBEW members and families. Wear your green & we’ll see you there! For more information, contact Justine at the Hall 916-927-4239.
ACCIDENTS/ILLNESSES
None to report at this time but the Safety Committee would like to remind the members who are working that workplace injuries should be reported to the Business Office as soon as possible. If you have a Steward on the job, he can report for you. Thank you.
HOLIDAY BUSINESS OFFICE & TRUST OFFICE CLOSURES
Monday February 18th – Presidents Day
UPCOMING MEETINGS
SACRAMENTO MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS – 1st Wednesdays @ 6PM – 10240 Systems Parkway, Sacramento 95827
REDDING UNIT MEETING – 1st Wednesdays – Redding Union Hall @ 5:30 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 23rd @ 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 18th @ 5:00PM – Note: Five (5) members needed to have a quorum.
