FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER

Hello Local 44 members.  I hope everyone is enjoying our early Fall season so far.  As of this writing, we have numerous open calls on our job board that need to be filled as soon as possible.  If you’re looking for work, please give our office a call at 406-723-3203.    

Another topic of interest, our Local is looking to form a Veterans Committee.  We are looking for members throughout our jurisdiction who understand the meaning of valuable service and solidarity.  Whether it is organizing the local Veteran’s Day parade, sending care packages to troops overseas, or staffing a job fair booth at a nearby base, we want Local 44 members to lead the way in their communities.  Veterans play a huge role in helping the entire IBEW grow and achieve its goals.  We have the means to form such an organizational committee and demonstrate our commitment to our fellow veterans in our Local Union.  Please feel free to reach out to me or Boe with any questions and let us know if you might be interested in helping us start this new endeavor. 

Finally, as I’m sure most of you are aware by now, NorthWestern Energy has entered a merger with Black Hills Energy.  Supposedly the approval process could take anywhere between 12-18 months to complete.  So, in the meantime and until we see how this process plays out, we press forward conducting business as usual.  I’ve been told the Operations side will carry on as usual and most of the anticipated changes could be seen on the upper management and Executive levels.  More to be communicated on this topic in the future. 

I hope everyone has a nice October and I look forward to seeing you at your respective unit meeting.

In Unity,

Scott Klungland

FROM THE ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER

Hope all is well with everyone and their families.  The outside work picture at this time looks good, in the last week there have been unfilled calls loading up on the board.  We are preparing for upcoming negotiations with Triangle communications and Missoula Electric Co-Op to finish the year out.  Unit meetings are going on again, Scott and I are hitting the road to come to your backyard so please don’t be shy and try to make the meeting when we are in your area.

In my years of being a union member the one constant conversation that always comes up during the day is what is in our C.B.A. and how all of them are different.  Through my travels I have had the opportunity to work under many contracts. There are many items that are similar or the exact same around the country, and there are equal to as many items that are completely different.  The hardest thing to do is realize that I cannot bring the best of the best together to make one BAD ASS contract to work under wherever I am at.  The fact is that we must abide by the current C.B.A. in the jurisdiction that we are currently working in and the individuals working for the union hall can only represent us with the items in the contract for that jurisdiction.  Some have a lunch break, some don’t.  Some have better premium provisions than others.  Point being my opinion nor my experience means nothing when it comes to representing or fighting for our rights.  At the end of the day, we must follow the rules of the land that we are working in and if those specific rules are broken or not followed then we have an obligation to stand up for what shall be followed.

Your Brother,

Boe Shuman

(406) 533-8170

RETIRED MEMBERS

Local 44 would like to congratulate the following members who have retired from the trade:

Scott Bielen

Jim Lapierre

John Piazzola

Best wishes for a long and happy retirement!

IN MEMORIAM

Local 44 mourns the loss of the following retired members:

Eddie Stubbs – Groundman – passed away 2/14/23

Joseph Halverson – Groundman – passed away 7/15/25

Emmia Coura – Locator – passed away 8/15/25

Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of these members.

UNION DUES EXPLANATION

There are 2 types of dues that are required to be paid by everyone; Basic Dues and Working Assessments.  Basic dues are set by the IBEW Constitution and the Local Union Bylaws and are the dues that are required to maintain your union membership.  Working Assessments are set by the Local Union Bylaws and are only paid if you are working.

All dues and required payments are collected by the Union and then forwarded at the end of every month to our International Office.  Below is the reference taken in part from the Constitution to explain the Basic Dues Rates paid to the I.O. plus the added portion paid to the Union from the Bylaws. 

Effective July 1, 2025:

A members                                                     BA members

$24 monthly Per Capita Tax                           $24 monthly Per Capita Tax

$23 monthly Pension Benefit                         no contribution to Pension Benefit

$5 monthly Local 44 dues                              $5 monthly Local 44 dues

$52 total monthly “A” Basic Dues                $29 total monthly “BA” Basic Dues

Now let’s get into the different Working Assessment rates from the Bylaws.  Outside Construction and Tree Trimming Classifications all pay a working dues rate that is 1.5% of gross wages every month.  This rate only applies to working in the jurisdiction of Local 44.  All other classifications pay a working dues rate that is 2 times their straight time hourly pay rate every month.

Utility members have the choice to be A or BA members, and all of their monthly dues (Basic plus Working) are deducted from their paychecks and sent to the Union monthly.  Construction members must be A members per the Constitution, and only their Working Assessments can be deducted from their paychecks.  The reason that their Basics cannot be deducted is that Construction members can be traveling members from other Locals, and the employers have no way of knowing where a members’ Basic dues should be paid.  Therefore, Construction members must pay their Basic Dues to their home local themselves.

In summary, if you are not working then you only pay the required Basic Dues to maintain membership.  If you are working, then you pay Basic Dues and Working Assessments.  If you are a Utility employee, then all your dues should be deducted from your paychecks.  If you are a Construction employee, then only your Working Assessments are deducted, and you have to pay your Basic Dues.

You can contact the Office at any time by phone or email if you have any questions regarding your dues payments.  We would also be glad to send the Constitution and Bylaws to anyone that requests a copy.  We do give both to every new member every time along with their Company working agreement.

OCTOBER UNIT MEETING

Lewistown                  Oct. 01, 2025              5:30 PM          NWE Service Center

            Billings                        Oct. 02, 2025              5:30 PM          NWE Service Center

Great Falls                   Oct. 06, 2025              6:00 PM          Great Falls Labor Temple

Havre                          Oct. 07, 2025              6:00 PM          Elks Lodge     

Missoula                      Oct. 15, 2025              6:00 PM          Missoula Labor Temple

Butte                           Oct. 16, 2025              5:45 PM          Local 44 Office

Helena                         Oct. 20, 2025              5:00 PM          Helena Labor Temple

Bozeman                     Oct. 21, 2025              6:00 PM          Bozeman Labor Temple