The Communicator

Published by Local 44 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

May 2010

FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER

Well it looks like spring has officially sprung, and it is starting to warm up and the grass is starting to grow. That means at some point in time we will have to cut it, the grass I mean. What has not started to grow is work for our Outside Line Construction, and it is not just in our Local. Dan and I recently got back from our Outside Construction Conference in Washington D.C., and it is all over the country. I heard that unemployment is about 7.5% in Montana, and what we learned and pretty much already knew is that it is running about 23% in Outside Line Construction in the IBEW. We keep waiting for something to break now that all the fat cat bankers and Wall Street is doing their normal high dollar business thanks to us and the rest of the middle class in America. It is time for the people with the money to start spending and loaning it to other businesses so that we can get back to work and back to rebuilding the infrastructure in this state and this country. When we do this we will spend money, buy things we don’t need, and we will stimulate the economy in our own Union way by making good money and paying high taxes and complaining about it, but also feeling good about it because we are working. We are a much happier group of people when we are working and doing our jobs. Unemployment breeds something else in us where we turn on our own, and we complain to the hall about issues that we do not control. I wish I did control the issues, so that I could change them. Don’t get me wrong I listen to your issues no matter what they are, that’s what you pay me for, and do whatever we can to change whatever is going on out there hopefully for the betterment of Local 44. One of the speakers at the Construction Conference told a story about the US Census workers. The people hired to be census takers in the recent count of the population in our country received their work packages in the mail. Inside of the package was a hat, a shirt, and what ever other supplies these people needed to do their jobs, and not one item in the package was made in the USA. Think about what this says to the tax payers that just paid billions and put their children and grandchildren in debt for the rest of their lives, and most of them are too young to even know what a job is yet. It is things like this that happen everyday in this country that make you wonder how smart the people are that make these types of decisions. I am no world economist, but I am smart enough to figure things like this out and how to keep the taxpayer a little bit happier and possibly help stimulate the economy a little bit by buying things here to supply our government workers with.

Well that’s probably enough of my thoughts for the month. Let’s everyone think positive thoughts about Line Construction picking up, and just maybe it will cause the phone to start ringing off the hook, and we can get all of our brothers and sisters in Local 44 back to work. Remember what I said about us being happier when we are working? Well, here is one happy thought for you. We still live in the best country in the world, and we still belong to the best Union in the world, and that has to be worth something. If you have a job, do it well and support your brothers and sisters that are out of work.

BE SAFE BE UNION!!!!!!!!          Your Union Brother, Chuck

NEWS TO USE

Hill County Negotiations

We have been up in Havre negotiating with Hill County Electric Co-op. and Triangle Telephone. So far these negotiations have been going fairly well. We did not get everything we wanted, but I am sure the co-op didn’t either. By the time you read this newsletter we will know whether we have a new 3 year agreement, or if the membership turned down the offer and we are going back to the table. The votes will be counted on April 20^th and we will know after that. I would like to thank Dan Nissen and Bill Welch, our two Shop Stewards at Hill County and Triangle Telephone. Dan and Bill are on the Union side of the negotiating team with Flynn and myself. This can be kind of a thankless job, and these two young men have represented their brothers and sisters well. When you see them out there, give them your support along with your opinions.

Bresnan Negotiations

We began our Bresnan negotiations on April 1^st of this year and had a good first session. Since we are just beginning these negotiations, and there has not been anything to consider at this point by the membership, I do not have a lot to report at this time. Our next session is scheduled for the 12th of May in Missoula. We will keep you informed as more develops in these negotiations.

MPC Stockholders

I don’t know if everyone is as confused as I am and others that I have talked to on the recent developments in the lawsuits surrounding this issue. I have received 3 different documents, and one says that I don’t have to do anything for those shares, that I understand. One other one talks about shares purchased or sold during certain periods of time, and that you must submit a claim or it is forever waived. The question I have is if shares were being purchased through the 401K or any other program via the collective bargaining agreement, for Local 44 members, are you entitled to participate in the lawsuit? It also talks about the number of shares purchased or sold during specific time frames. I do not know who would have that information. There may have been shares that were not via the collective bargaining agreement that were offered to employees, and some of our members participated in these programs as well. We are going to discuss this at our next E-Board meeting on April 24^th. I will do my best to keep you informed of what I find out on this issue. If we have any financial gurus out there that have it all figured out, give me a call and lend a hand letting the membership know what to do. I think we have all had enough heartburn over these shares of stock, and if we have a way to get a few bucks for them then we should take advantage of whatever is out there. If you have any information give me call, and if we come up with anything I will let you know.

NLRB Charges

We recently had a decision letter copied to Local 44 in regards to some charges filed against us. The regional NLRB ruled in our favor on theses charges some months ago, and the charges were then appealed to the national NLRB. The letter we received was letting us know that the national NLRB upheld the decision of the regional NLRB, and Local 44 was found innocent of wrong doing in regards to our referral books. I am happy with the outcome of this decision. Maybe we can put this behind us and concentrate on more important issues at hand. Like I have said before, support your Brothers and try not to be so critical of them. If you are not the one responsible for some decisions, it is easy to be critical of those that have been charged with upholding those decisions. Thank you for your support on this issue.

Local 44 Mourns The Loss

On March 4, 2010 Willie Pyette Sr. passed away. Willie was 83 years old. Willie was initiated into Local 393 and traveled into Local 44 in 1968 as a Journeyman Lineman. Willie retired in 1995. Willie will be missed by many and our condolences go out to his family and friends.

On March 22, 2010 Gene Taylor passed away. Gene was 88 years old. Our records indicate that Gene was initiated into the IBEW in 1947. Gene would have been a Local 44 member in 1950 when the Local was chartered. Gene went to Holter in 1953 as an assistant operator. Gene became the head of Generation for Montana Power Co. in 1979 and retired in 1984. Gene will be missed by many and our condolences go out to his family and friends.

Rules of Procedure for Hiring Hall

Following are a couple of reminders about signing the Local 44 Out of Work Book and re-signing monthly.

An applicant must not be working in the trade at the time of signing the Book. If employment is obtained in another area while on the Out of Work Book, the applicant will so notify this local to remove their name from the Book.

Each applicant for employment must register in their own handwriting on the Out of Work Book for which they qualify. The Applicant may be held solely responsible for providing proof of which Book he/she may sign.

Each month applicants must update the books in order to remain eligible for Referral.

Each applicant must re-register in person or by postcard or by fax each month. Postcards must be postmarked for the month of which they are to be recorded.

Postcards must be received by the last working day of the month to be recorded.

If an applicant fails to re-register in any month following their original sign in, their name will be removed from the Out of Work Book.

Articles For The Newsletter

Got something on your mind that you are dieing to share with the members of Local 44? If you do and it meets our strict guidelines of editing: i.e. the language is not linemanized and I like it, send it to Local 44 and you will see yourself in print. Try to think of some new topics or old ones, history is always interesting and fun.

UNIT MEETING SCHEDULE FOR MAY

Line Const. - May 1, 2010 - 10:00 AM - Helena Labor Temple

Great Falls - May 3, 2010 - 7:00 PM - Great Falls Labor Temple

Havre - May 4, 2010 - 7:00 PM - Havre Labor Temple

Lewistown - May 5, 2010 - 5:00 PM - NWE Service Center

Billings - May 6, 2010 - 5:00 PM - NWE Service Center

Bozeman - No Unit Meeting Unless Specially Called

Missoula - May 19, 2010 - 7:00 PM - Missoula Labor Temple

Helena - May 20, 2010 - 5:00 PM - Helena Labor Temple

Butte - May 27, 2010 - 5:00 PM - Local 44 Office

THERE WILL BE NO UNIT MEETINGS SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTHS OF JUNE JULY AND AUGUST. E-BOARD WILL BE SCHEDULED AS USUAL THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS. IF THE NEED SHOULD ARISE AND ANY UNIT NEEDS A SPECIAL MEETING DURING THESE MONTHS, LET ME KNOW AND WE WILL GET ONE SCHEDULED. HAVE A SAFE AND FUN SUMMER, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT ALL OF THE SUMMER EVENTS WE HAVE PLANNED AT LOCAL 44, AS WELL AS OUT ON THE JOB.