Nursing Home Workers Win
IBEW Representation
More than 100 workers at Lemont Rehabilitation Center in Illinois will have a
voice on the job with Local 15, Downers Grove, following a long campaign that
ended with a decisive vote in late April.
The 56-21 vote gives the nursing assistants, dietary, housekeeping and
clerical workers union representation for the first time. Organizer Charlotte White said exorbitantly high health insurance premiums, unfair treatment and
arbitrary leave policies were among the reasons the workers reached out to the IBEW.
An unsuccessful election in June 2003 was overturned by the NLRB, which found the management guilty of firing, spying on, intimidating and threatening
members of the internal organizing committee with physical harm, White said.
"You can just imagine what these people were up against," said White,
praising the 16 active members of the internal organizing committee. "This was one of the most vicious anti-union campaigns I’ve seen."
Union supporters also had to fight the widespread perception that the owner
of the facility, Eric Rothner, was a good-hearted, philanthropic member of the
Chicago Jewish community. He was named one of Chicago’s top 100 Jews of the 20th century by Chicago Jewish News.
On the job, the workers suffered from poor working conditions, with
supervisors falsifying records to compromise pro-union workers. Commonplace practice included playing favorites in the allocation of overtime and personal time. And family health insurance cost $600 a month, White said.
Despite the problems during the campaign, White said she is hopeful they will
be successful in getting a first contract negotiated. She has enlisted the
help of an interfaith group that has agreed to talk to Rothner.
Rothner owns or is a major investor in more than 65 nursing homes in Illinois
and Wisconsin, and workers at the other facilities have been watching the
campaign unfold at Lemont with interest, White said. "People from other nursing homes are calling me now and wanting a union," she said.
Local 15 Business Manager Bob Joyce said it makes sense to seek to organize
nursing home workers, particularly since there is renewed emphasis on growing
membership numbers.
"We will organize anybody anywhere anytime that wants to be in a union,"
Joyce said.
" We Survive Together or Not at All "
Friday, May 07, 2004
IBEW LU 269 installs clean solar energy at hall and trains members
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/southjersey/m031904f.htm
Study: Clean energy would create jobs
Friday, March 19, 2004
By PAMELA KROPF
Gannett State Bureau
TRENTON
The development of clean energy throughout the Mid-Atlantic region would promote job creation and benefit the Garden State's economy, a new report released Thursday by New Jersey Public Interest Research Group shows.
According to the report - which compared job creation from clean energy technologies to those using fossil fuels - renewable energy, such as from wind and solar resources, would create jobs in manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, as well as reduce environmental toxics.
"As this report shows, clearly New Jersey will only benefit from increased clean energy development," Emily Rusch, energy advocate for NJPIRG, said. "Wind and solar not only reduce air pollution and nuclear waste, prevent natural gas spikes and increase reliability, but clean energy also benefits our work force and the economy."
Upfront costs
The report states high system construction costs would be followed by extremely cheap production, but the biggest impediment to developing renewable energy is upfront costs.
"Renewable energy producers are financing 30 years worth of power all at once," the report states. "Coal and natural gas generation, on the other hand, spread the costs of fuel over the lifetime of the plant with the expectation that price fluctuations will be absorbed by the consumer."
To help with high costs, Gov. James E. McGreevey started the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, which includes financial incentives - of up to 60 percent - to owners who install qualified clean energy generation systems, such as photovoltaic (solar electric) systems and wind generators, in the state.
"Renewable energy is clearly the energy of the future and this administration is committed to leading the way," McGreevey said in a prepared statement
Rusch said residents wishing to install solar power in their homes could accrue costs of $6,500 to $10,000 - after the governor's rebate programs.
According to the Board of Public Utility's 2002 Annual Report, renewable energy is cost-effective in the long run.
"The sun and wind will never raise their fuel prices," the report states.
Findings in NJPIRG's report include:
Electricity rates paid by consumers - especially during summertime peaks - would be reduced;
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory predicts that by 2030, 10 percent of the United States electricity demand will be met with solar energy.
If one out of 10 Mid-Atlantic homes used some solar power, 25,390 yearlong and permanent jobs would be created, totaling a payroll of $364 million by 2014;
$23 million in royalties would be paid to rural landowners who lease land for wind generation.
Existing standards
New Jersey already has Renewable Portfolio Standards - which require a portion of electricity provided to consumers to come from clean, renewable resources.
"We are overall comfortable with the standards," Leslie Cifelli, spokeswoman for PSE&G, said.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 269 in Trenton has already begun training its members to be employed as solar installers.
"We've trained more than 50 of our members to install PV (solar photovoltaic) systems," said Clifford Reisser, training director for the IBEW Southern New Jersey chapter. "The bottom line is, this means jobs for our members."
Reisser said the IBEW building has four PV systems.
"We've reduced our electric bill by 65 percent," Reisser said.
`
Study: Clean energy would create jobs
Friday, March 19, 2004
By PAMELA KROPF
Gannett State Bureau
TRENTON
The development of clean energy throughout the Mid-Atlantic region would promote job creation and benefit the Garden State's economy, a new report released Thursday by New Jersey Public Interest Research Group shows.
According to the report - which compared job creation from clean energy technologies to those using fossil fuels - renewable energy, such as from wind and solar resources, would create jobs in manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance, as well as reduce environmental toxics.
"As this report shows, clearly New Jersey will only benefit from increased clean energy development," Emily Rusch, energy advocate for NJPIRG, said. "Wind and solar not only reduce air pollution and nuclear waste, prevent natural gas spikes and increase reliability, but clean energy also benefits our work force and the economy."
Upfront costs
The report states high system construction costs would be followed by extremely cheap production, but the biggest impediment to developing renewable energy is upfront costs.
"Renewable energy producers are financing 30 years worth of power all at once," the report states. "Coal and natural gas generation, on the other hand, spread the costs of fuel over the lifetime of the plant with the expectation that price fluctuations will be absorbed by the consumer."
To help with high costs, Gov. James E. McGreevey started the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, which includes financial incentives - of up to 60 percent - to owners who install qualified clean energy generation systems, such as photovoltaic (solar electric) systems and wind generators, in the state.
"Renewable energy is clearly the energy of the future and this administration is committed to leading the way," McGreevey said in a prepared statement
Rusch said residents wishing to install solar power in their homes could accrue costs of $6,500 to $10,000 - after the governor's rebate programs.
According to the Board of Public Utility's 2002 Annual Report, renewable energy is cost-effective in the long run.
"The sun and wind will never raise their fuel prices," the report states.
Findings in NJPIRG's report include:
Electricity rates paid by consumers - especially during summertime peaks - would be reduced;
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory predicts that by 2030, 10 percent of the United States electricity demand will be met with solar energy.
If one out of 10 Mid-Atlantic homes used some solar power, 25,390 yearlong and permanent jobs would be created, totaling a payroll of $364 million by 2014;
$23 million in royalties would be paid to rural landowners who lease land for wind generation.
Existing standards
New Jersey already has Renewable Portfolio Standards - which require a portion of electricity provided to consumers to come from clean, renewable resources.
"We are overall comfortable with the standards," Leslie Cifelli, spokeswoman for PSE&G, said.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 269 in Trenton has already begun training its members to be employed as solar installers.
"We've trained more than 50 of our members to install PV (solar photovoltaic) systems," said Clifford Reisser, training director for the IBEW Southern New Jersey chapter. "The bottom line is, this means jobs for our members."
Reisser said the IBEW building has four PV systems.
"We've reduced our electric bill by 65 percent," Reisser said.
`
IBEW LU 702 Credit Union to build new branch as it expands
http://www.thesouthern.com/rednews/2004/03/14/build/business/BIZ003.html
SIU CREDIT UNION BREAKS GROUND FOR NEW MARION BRANCH
BY BECKY MALKOVICH
THE SOUTHERN
[Sat Mar 13 2004]
MARION -- An expanded membership is causing the SIU Credit Union to grow in Marion ... again.
For the third time, the Carbondale-based financial institution will relocate, this time into a branch it is building from the ground up.
Bank leaders and guests conducted a ceremonial ground-breaking last week to announce construction of the new 4,765 square-foot facility to be located next to the Illinois Centre mall, behind O'Charley's restaurant.
Ron Lantrip, president and CEO, said the facility was necessary because recent mergers with the Southern Illinois Schools Credit Union and IBEW 702 federal credit union upped the numbers of the already rapidly growing membership.
"We felt we really needed a first-class facility in Marion to provide the best service we can to our membership," Lantrip said. Membership now numbers 20,000 throughout Southern Illinois for the institution that was founded in 1938.
Lantrip said the credit union has thrived because the staff delivers quality service to its membership.
The new Marion branch will be designed for great customer service, convenience and efficiency. Two drive-up lanes can service four customers at a time, and an ATM lane will also be available.
Inside, the facility will feature the latest in banking technology, including a computer center that members can access to find out account information and perform other banking functions.
The branch will also offer a new, remote teller system that will reduce customer waiting time and increase teller safety. A full array of services will be offered, from transactions to loan applications.
The credit union currently employs 58 people at three locations. The new facility will house a staff of eight. Nancy Hooks will be branch manager.
The credit union is not-for-profit and member-owned, and has assets approaching $100 million.
As to the future, Lantrip said the credit union's "ideal goal is to continue to grow in Southern Illinois and expand our services for the convenience of our membership."
Construction is expected to be completed in October.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=SVBIZINK3.story&STORY=/www/story/03-16-2004/0002129150&EDATE=TUE+Mar+16+2004,+12:31+PM
SIU CREDIT UNION BREAKS GROUND FOR NEW MARION BRANCH
BY BECKY MALKOVICH
THE SOUTHERN
[Sat Mar 13 2004]
MARION -- An expanded membership is causing the SIU Credit Union to grow in Marion ... again.
For the third time, the Carbondale-based financial institution will relocate, this time into a branch it is building from the ground up.
Bank leaders and guests conducted a ceremonial ground-breaking last week to announce construction of the new 4,765 square-foot facility to be located next to the Illinois Centre mall, behind O'Charley's restaurant.
Ron Lantrip, president and CEO, said the facility was necessary because recent mergers with the Southern Illinois Schools Credit Union and IBEW 702 federal credit union upped the numbers of the already rapidly growing membership.
"We felt we really needed a first-class facility in Marion to provide the best service we can to our membership," Lantrip said. Membership now numbers 20,000 throughout Southern Illinois for the institution that was founded in 1938.
Lantrip said the credit union has thrived because the staff delivers quality service to its membership.
The new Marion branch will be designed for great customer service, convenience and efficiency. Two drive-up lanes can service four customers at a time, and an ATM lane will also be available.
Inside, the facility will feature the latest in banking technology, including a computer center that members can access to find out account information and perform other banking functions.
The branch will also offer a new, remote teller system that will reduce customer waiting time and increase teller safety. A full array of services will be offered, from transactions to loan applications.
The credit union currently employs 58 people at three locations. The new facility will house a staff of eight. Nancy Hooks will be branch manager.
The credit union is not-for-profit and member-owned, and has assets approaching $100 million.
As to the future, Lantrip said the credit union's "ideal goal is to continue to grow in Southern Illinois and expand our services for the convenience of our membership."
Construction is expected to be completed in October.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=SVBIZINK3.story&STORY=/www/story/03-16-2004/0002129150&EDATE=TUE+Mar+16+2004,+12:31+PM
LU 1288 faces uncertain future at Memphis Utility
http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/opinion_columnists/article/0,1426,MCA_539_2643868,00.html
President search vital to utility's future
Guest columnist Larry Papasan was president of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division from 1983 to 1991.
February 11, 2004
More than a month has passed since the Memphis City Council rejected Mayor Willie Herenton's nominee for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division president and asked that a search be conducted to find the most capable candidate to lead the utility.
I find it disappointing that the search has yet to commence, and that it appears unlikely to get under way in the near future.
MLGW is a billion-dollar utility that has been recognized nationally and internationally for demonstrating sound financial and business practices. The right leadership is essential for its continued success, and for the future of the people and businesses in our community. A decision on a new president for MLGW should neither be made nor held up out of political considerations.
Individuals who are dedicated to the welfare of our community should conduct the thorough search that's needed. I propose the formation of a 5-person citizen search committee that would include one member of the MLGW board of commissioners. Such a structure would allow community involvement in selecting the best candidate, while also using the expertise of someone familiar with the utility industry.
The scope of the search should not be limited. Candidates from inside and outside MLGW, from the Memphis area and other parts of the country should be considered. The search committee should be involved in designing the job description, publicizing the opening in appropriate markets, interviewing candidates and recommending to the mayor the person best suited.
Having served as the president of MLGW for eight years, I have a good perspective on the experience and characteristics needed to succeed in this position.
The right leader at MLGW must be a person with strategic thinking and planning capabilities. He or she needs to have the ability to create an environment that encourages the growth and development of future leaders. The new president needs to have the social conscience and compassion to care for the needs of poor and elderly citizens. This person must build a team for the utility's continued success, while acknowledging, appreciating and drawing from the team that has led MLGW to the success it enjoys today.
The new president needs to be customer-focused and possess excellent communication skills to work effectively with the union that represents many MLGW employees, IBEW Local 1288, and with the mayor, the City Council and utility customers.
Finally, and perhaps most important, the MLGW president must be a person with an understanding of the utility industry. Good business sense alone is not enough when dealing with the complex utility industry, where issues such as deregulation and natural gas supplies affect customers and the rates they pay.
As the largest three-service municipal utility in the nation, MLGW must have a leader who can make sound business decisions based on factors affecting the safe delivery of electricity, the purchase and storage of natural gas and the protection of the aquifers that supply Memphis's excellent drinking water.
While the new MLGW president would not necessarily need expertise in all of those areas, it is imperative to find someone who is experienced in one area and possesses the intellect to learn the others.
The 2,600 employees at MLGW are committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable utility services to this community, regardless of who leads them. However, I believe the benefits our community receives from MLGW's valuable and experienced workforce are at risk because of the current uncertainty, and that risk could continue depending on how the leadership question is resolved.
Forty percent of MLGW vice presidents and 56 percent of MLGW managers are eligible for retirement, statistics that present both an opportunity and a potential difficulty. This team of experienced individuals will provide invaluable knowledge and support to a new president. Many MLGW employees stay with the company after reaching retirement eligibility because of their commitment to what they do, but putting the wrong leadership in place could change that practice. This would be a tragedy for the utility and for the city.
MLGW is under the leadership of a capable interim president - board chairman James L. Netters - and an experienced and financially responsible executive staff. They are competently directing the utility to ensure customers receive services as they have in the past.
Nevertheless, the time is now to begin a search for a permanent leader. A reasonable and thorough search could take four to six months to complete. For that reason, a search committee should be formed immediately and begin the work at hand.
I hope the mayor will acknowledge the immediacy of this need and will make it his administration's priority to form a search committee. MLGW's future depends on the resolution of this issue.
Larry Papasan retired in 2002 as president of Smith & Nephew Inc.'s Orthopaedic Division.
.
President search vital to utility's future
Guest columnist Larry Papasan was president of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division from 1983 to 1991.
February 11, 2004
More than a month has passed since the Memphis City Council rejected Mayor Willie Herenton's nominee for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division president and asked that a search be conducted to find the most capable candidate to lead the utility.
I find it disappointing that the search has yet to commence, and that it appears unlikely to get under way in the near future.
MLGW is a billion-dollar utility that has been recognized nationally and internationally for demonstrating sound financial and business practices. The right leadership is essential for its continued success, and for the future of the people and businesses in our community. A decision on a new president for MLGW should neither be made nor held up out of political considerations.
Individuals who are dedicated to the welfare of our community should conduct the thorough search that's needed. I propose the formation of a 5-person citizen search committee that would include one member of the MLGW board of commissioners. Such a structure would allow community involvement in selecting the best candidate, while also using the expertise of someone familiar with the utility industry.
The scope of the search should not be limited. Candidates from inside and outside MLGW, from the Memphis area and other parts of the country should be considered. The search committee should be involved in designing the job description, publicizing the opening in appropriate markets, interviewing candidates and recommending to the mayor the person best suited.
Having served as the president of MLGW for eight years, I have a good perspective on the experience and characteristics needed to succeed in this position.
The right leader at MLGW must be a person with strategic thinking and planning capabilities. He or she needs to have the ability to create an environment that encourages the growth and development of future leaders. The new president needs to have the social conscience and compassion to care for the needs of poor and elderly citizens. This person must build a team for the utility's continued success, while acknowledging, appreciating and drawing from the team that has led MLGW to the success it enjoys today.
The new president needs to be customer-focused and possess excellent communication skills to work effectively with the union that represents many MLGW employees, IBEW Local 1288, and with the mayor, the City Council and utility customers.
Finally, and perhaps most important, the MLGW president must be a person with an understanding of the utility industry. Good business sense alone is not enough when dealing with the complex utility industry, where issues such as deregulation and natural gas supplies affect customers and the rates they pay.
As the largest three-service municipal utility in the nation, MLGW must have a leader who can make sound business decisions based on factors affecting the safe delivery of electricity, the purchase and storage of natural gas and the protection of the aquifers that supply Memphis's excellent drinking water.
While the new MLGW president would not necessarily need expertise in all of those areas, it is imperative to find someone who is experienced in one area and possesses the intellect to learn the others.
The 2,600 employees at MLGW are committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable utility services to this community, regardless of who leads them. However, I believe the benefits our community receives from MLGW's valuable and experienced workforce are at risk because of the current uncertainty, and that risk could continue depending on how the leadership question is resolved.
Forty percent of MLGW vice presidents and 56 percent of MLGW managers are eligible for retirement, statistics that present both an opportunity and a potential difficulty. This team of experienced individuals will provide invaluable knowledge and support to a new president. Many MLGW employees stay with the company after reaching retirement eligibility because of their commitment to what they do, but putting the wrong leadership in place could change that practice. This would be a tragedy for the utility and for the city.
MLGW is under the leadership of a capable interim president - board chairman James L. Netters - and an experienced and financially responsible executive staff. They are competently directing the utility to ensure customers receive services as they have in the past.
Nevertheless, the time is now to begin a search for a permanent leader. A reasonable and thorough search could take four to six months to complete. For that reason, a search committee should be formed immediately and begin the work at hand.
I hope the mayor will acknowledge the immediacy of this need and will make it his administration's priority to form a search committee. MLGW's future depends on the resolution of this issue.
Larry Papasan retired in 2002 as president of Smith & Nephew Inc.'s Orthopaedic Division.
.
IBEW LU (Fairbanks, AK) member serves as delegate to Conference of Alaskans
http://www.adn.com/front/story/4681706p-4634868c.html
List of delegates to the Conference of Alaskans
Delegates to Conference of Alaskans announced
Anchorage Daily News
(Published: January 29, 2004)
The Conference of Alaskans will meet Feb. 10-12 in Fairbanks to discuss whether the Permanent Fund should be used in financing the state government.
The following list of delegates comes from the Conference of Alaskans' Web site, http://www.conferenceofalaskans.com.
"Jay Quakenbush was born and raised in Fairbanks and is Business Representative for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547. He has four years of college towards Business Administration Degree and is a graduate of IBEW/NECA Electrical Apprenticeship. Board involvement includes Neighborhood Housing Services and United Way of the Tanana Valley as is a former member of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Asembly. "
List of delegates to the Conference of Alaskans
Delegates to Conference of Alaskans announced
Anchorage Daily News
(Published: January 29, 2004)
The Conference of Alaskans will meet Feb. 10-12 in Fairbanks to discuss whether the Permanent Fund should be used in financing the state government.
The following list of delegates comes from the Conference of Alaskans' Web site, http://www.conferenceofalaskans.com.
"Jay Quakenbush was born and raised in Fairbanks and is Business Representative for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547. He has four years of college towards Business Administration Degree and is a graduate of IBEW/NECA Electrical Apprenticeship. Board involvement includes Neighborhood Housing Services and United Way of the Tanana Valley as is a former member of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Asembly. "
IBEW LU 965 (Madison, WI. u&em) faces problems from Alliant Energy
http://www.madison.com/captimes/business/stories/66377.php
Alliant union gets serious
Health plan change, pay scale at issue
By Mike Ivey
January 30, 2004
Frustrated with the failure to reach a new contract after nearly a year of bargaining, the union representing some 1,430 employees at Alliant Energy is turning up the heat.
The picketing comes as Alliant today announced a slight increase in profits during the fourth quarter of 2003.
While nobody is talking strike, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 965 is holding another round of "informational picketing" Saturday to press the utility. The union staged a similar demonstration earlier this week in front of the new company headquarters in the American Center.
Union leaders say the move is in response to Alliant implementing a new medical plan on Jan. 1, 2004. The union maintains that changing the health plan - the second increase in health care costs since the last pay raise in May 2002 - violates federal labor law because the contract is still being negotiated. Unfair labor practice charges have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
Earnings for the period were $48.6 million vs. $46.1 million in 2002. Earnings per share were down slightly for the quarter, however, from 50 cents to 44 cents because more shares were sold during 2003.
For all of 2003, Alliant said its net income was $183.5 million, or $1.81 per share, compared with $106.9 million, or $1.18 per share, in 2002. Earnings from continuing utility operations were up from $165.8 million to $197.2 million - an increase of about 19 percent.
"Our utility operations remain strong and will continue to be the foundation of our business as well as our primary growth engine going forward," said Bill Harvey, president and chief operating officer.
With the company on better financial footing, contract negotiations are to continue Tuesday in Madison.
Other issues besides health care are keeping the two sides apart, including setting a new pay scale. Two votes on a contract have been rejected by the rank and file, most recently on Dec. 19, 2003. The current contract expired on May 31, 2003 and the union has been working under an extension.
"Both of us have agreed not to bargain this through the media but we need to see some movement," said Shawn Reents, business manager of Local 965 and a 13-year employee.
Alliant spokesman Chris Schoenherr also declined to discuss details of the negotiations but said he was surprised the last offer was rejected.
"We thought we had an agreement," he said, explaining that implementation of the new health plan was necessary because the company had changed insurance carriers for 2004. "Because of logistics we had to start the plan. The risk of leaving employees with no health coverage was too great."
The last round of bargaining between Local 965 and Alliant - in 1999 - also wasn't easy. The union ended up rejecting three offers before finally approving a new contract after 10 months of bargaining.
Reents has since taken over leadership of a union rocked by scandal in February 2003 when longtime business manager Mick Koehler was convicted of embezzling $135,000 from Local 965 and sentenced to 25 months in prison. While the union was insured for $95,000 of the losses, the impact has lingered.
Reents said that Koehler's fraud had not only cost the union financially but has hurt recruitment efforts. He said the crime has been mentioned in some anti-union letters sent to workers Local 965 had been trying to recruit.
But labor relations between the IBEW and Alliant, formerly Wisconsin Power & Light, have historically been agreeable. There has been no talk of any walkout since a bitter contract dispute in the mid 1960s.
The union this time is pressing Alliant on the same issue that angered many shareholders and sent the company's earnings for a setback a year ago: the utility's commitment to its "core business."
Ill-timed ventures in energy projects in Brazil and Australia, along with investments outside the energy sector, had put a drag on profits. While Alliant has since moved to sell off some of those assets, Reents said he is not convinced the company has its priorities in the right place.
"When Alliant fails to commit to our utility and the people who do the work to keep the lights on and gas flowing, it's not just workers who lose," he said. "It's also customers and shareholders who lose."
Jim Cavanaugh, president of the South Central Federation of Labor, also criticized Alliant for trying to overturn Wisconsin's Utility Holding Company Act, which limits outside investment by state utilities. Alliant eventually took its case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear it.
"If the company put the kind of effort into putting together a contract with Local 965, this contract would have settled months ago," said Cavanaugh.
Alliant's Schoenherr dismissed those gripes, saying the company is moving in the right direction. He noted the utility generated $875 million for debt reduction in 2003 by exiting "non-regulated business," announced a new generation plant for Sheboygan Falls and put more than $300 million of equity back into utility operations.
Schoenherr said the union should stick with focusing on a "fair and equitable" agreement and not get sidetracked with other issues.
"The facts bear out that virtually every action Alliant Energy has taken this year is focused on our utility business," he said.
Alliant union gets serious
Health plan change, pay scale at issue
By Mike Ivey
January 30, 2004
Frustrated with the failure to reach a new contract after nearly a year of bargaining, the union representing some 1,430 employees at Alliant Energy is turning up the heat.
The picketing comes as Alliant today announced a slight increase in profits during the fourth quarter of 2003.
While nobody is talking strike, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 965 is holding another round of "informational picketing" Saturday to press the utility. The union staged a similar demonstration earlier this week in front of the new company headquarters in the American Center.
Union leaders say the move is in response to Alliant implementing a new medical plan on Jan. 1, 2004. The union maintains that changing the health plan - the second increase in health care costs since the last pay raise in May 2002 - violates federal labor law because the contract is still being negotiated. Unfair labor practice charges have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
Earnings for the period were $48.6 million vs. $46.1 million in 2002. Earnings per share were down slightly for the quarter, however, from 50 cents to 44 cents because more shares were sold during 2003.
For all of 2003, Alliant said its net income was $183.5 million, or $1.81 per share, compared with $106.9 million, or $1.18 per share, in 2002. Earnings from continuing utility operations were up from $165.8 million to $197.2 million - an increase of about 19 percent.
"Our utility operations remain strong and will continue to be the foundation of our business as well as our primary growth engine going forward," said Bill Harvey, president and chief operating officer.
With the company on better financial footing, contract negotiations are to continue Tuesday in Madison.
Other issues besides health care are keeping the two sides apart, including setting a new pay scale. Two votes on a contract have been rejected by the rank and file, most recently on Dec. 19, 2003. The current contract expired on May 31, 2003 and the union has been working under an extension.
"Both of us have agreed not to bargain this through the media but we need to see some movement," said Shawn Reents, business manager of Local 965 and a 13-year employee.
Alliant spokesman Chris Schoenherr also declined to discuss details of the negotiations but said he was surprised the last offer was rejected.
"We thought we had an agreement," he said, explaining that implementation of the new health plan was necessary because the company had changed insurance carriers for 2004. "Because of logistics we had to start the plan. The risk of leaving employees with no health coverage was too great."
The last round of bargaining between Local 965 and Alliant - in 1999 - also wasn't easy. The union ended up rejecting three offers before finally approving a new contract after 10 months of bargaining.
Reents has since taken over leadership of a union rocked by scandal in February 2003 when longtime business manager Mick Koehler was convicted of embezzling $135,000 from Local 965 and sentenced to 25 months in prison. While the union was insured for $95,000 of the losses, the impact has lingered.
Reents said that Koehler's fraud had not only cost the union financially but has hurt recruitment efforts. He said the crime has been mentioned in some anti-union letters sent to workers Local 965 had been trying to recruit.
But labor relations between the IBEW and Alliant, formerly Wisconsin Power & Light, have historically been agreeable. There has been no talk of any walkout since a bitter contract dispute in the mid 1960s.
The union this time is pressing Alliant on the same issue that angered many shareholders and sent the company's earnings for a setback a year ago: the utility's commitment to its "core business."
Ill-timed ventures in energy projects in Brazil and Australia, along with investments outside the energy sector, had put a drag on profits. While Alliant has since moved to sell off some of those assets, Reents said he is not convinced the company has its priorities in the right place.
"When Alliant fails to commit to our utility and the people who do the work to keep the lights on and gas flowing, it's not just workers who lose," he said. "It's also customers and shareholders who lose."
Jim Cavanaugh, president of the South Central Federation of Labor, also criticized Alliant for trying to overturn Wisconsin's Utility Holding Company Act, which limits outside investment by state utilities. Alliant eventually took its case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear it.
"If the company put the kind of effort into putting together a contract with Local 965, this contract would have settled months ago," said Cavanaugh.
Alliant's Schoenherr dismissed those gripes, saying the company is moving in the right direction. He noted the utility generated $875 million for debt reduction in 2003 by exiting "non-regulated business," announced a new generation plant for Sheboygan Falls and put more than $300 million of equity back into utility operations.
Schoenherr said the union should stick with focusing on a "fair and equitable" agreement and not get sidetracked with other issues.
"The facts bear out that virtually every action Alliant Energy has taken this year is focused on our utility business," he said.
IBEW LU 110 Volunteers work three shifts to complete "Ice Palace"
Live Webcam of the 2004 Ice Palace
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/special_packages/winter_carnival/web_cam/
=========================================
Stillwater residents volunteer time and expertise to make ice palace a reality
http://www.stillwatergazette.com/story.asp?cat=NEW&story=6609
By CRAIG DIRKES
Staff Writer
ST. PAUL - Whether they've taken chainsaws to ice
blocks, wired sound systems or drawn blueprints,
several volunteers from Stillwater have donated
time and expertise to help build the first St.
Paul Winter Carnival ice palace since 1992.
By Tuesday, January 19, Stillwater resident Bob
Bielenberg, a retired electrician, had been
hooking up lights and a sound system for 25 days
straight. His volunteer work hasn't gone
unnoticed.
"Every time I come here I see (Bob)," Ice Palace
Co-Chairman Gil Thoele said on Tuesday at the
palace grounds, located just north of the Xcel
Energy Center here. "You just can't get rid of
the guy."
An International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW) Local 110 electrician of 18 years,
Bielenberg is no stranger to volunteering. He
helped found the St. Croix Valley Athletic
Association in the late 1960s. The organization
continues to sponsor local youth athletic
programs and receives annual assistance from more
than 1,000 volunteer coaches, umpires and other
officials.
"Volunteering is something I've always done," Bielenberg said.
The "most enjoyable thing" about working on the
ice palace, he said, "is the different people you
get to work with. ... Total variety."
Design
When standing before the ice palace's 27,000 icy
bricks, 75-foot main tower and mighty 20-foot
turrets, keep in mind that 14-year Stillwater
resident Frank Anderson led the palace's design
team.
A project manager and architect for SLL/Leo A
Daly - an engineering and architectural firm that
has helped produce such Twin Cities landmarks as
the Foshay Tower and Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
- Anderson, fellow architects and about 15 of his
firm's civil, mechanical, electrical and
structural engineers all volunteered to make the
ice palace a reality.
"And when I say volunteer," Anderson said, "I
mean we spent our own time - Saturdays, Sundays
and (weekday) evenings. To my knowledge,
everyone had a blast doing it."
Anderson's 16-year-old daughter, Kristina, also
helped on the design team, as did a University of
Minnesota college student studying architecture.
The budding architects helped "broaden planning,"
Anderson said.
Kristina Anderson now sees skyscrapers in a whole new light.
"When you see a building, you only see what's in
front of you," she said, "but you don't get to
see what it took to make it. This was a real
learning experience. ... I loved it."
Despite the long hours, Frank Anderson marvels at
the soon-to-be-finished project.
"More people have been willing to donate their
time - this thing has just been phenomenal to
watch," he said. "It's just incredible."
Lights and power
When gazing wide-eyed at the palace's brilliant
light display - which has enough juice to power
about two and a half major-chain grocery stores,
and will cost about $32,000 over three weeks -
keep in mind that 20-year Stillwater resident
Leonard Deeg helped wire it.
The president of St. Paul-based Collins
Electrical, Deeg is a St. Paul Heritage and
Festival Foundation board member. He coordinated
financial contributions and volunteer efforts for
the palace from his company, the IBEW and the
National Electrical Contractors Association.
"The best part of all this happened today, when
it really began to look like what we designed,"
Deeg said on Monday, January 19. "We spent months
planning and sat in meetings saying 'Let's do it
this way' - a hockey rink here, a fountain there,
a stage here. It's really coming together."
Deeg and about a half dozen Collins workers began
prepping the palace's electrical system in
September. For five weeks, they ran about 35,000
feet of cable and 15,000 feet of conduit
underneath the parking lot of what is now the
palace site. And although Deeg's crew and dozens
of IBEW volunteers were not scheduled to return
to the site until most of the ice blocks were in
place, those plans changed.
"The biggest challenge is that we had trouble with the timeline," Deeg said.
Builders had aimed to begin work on the palace on
Dec. 10, but couldn't begin harvesting ice until
St. Paul's Lake Phalen froze to a depth of 12
inches. That didn't happen until Jan. 2.
The late-freeze setback forced electrical
personnel to work in three-shift days right
behind construction workers. But by working
together, the problem was solved.
"The IBEW really pulled this project together,"
Deeg said. "It's a real brotherhood. It's amazing
to see how you can count on these guys."
Behind schedule at noon on Monday, Deeg learned
that electricians were needed to work through the
night. "By 2:30 p.m., we had nine volunteers," he
said.
Even Deeg's father, Pete, volunteered as an electrician.
"My mom (Ruth) said she's been married to dad for
50 years," Deeg said, "and when he came home from
his first day of volunteering that first
six-below-zero day, it was the happiest she's
ever seen him.
"There's something to be said about volunteering," he added.
Preparations
Neither construction nor planning has been easy.
Thoele approached Anderson in 1999 about
designing a palace, but plans at that time and
over the next few years never quite "got off the
ground," Anderson said. Thoele and his colleagues
approached Anderson again in 2002.
"They said 'Let's shoot for 2004 - that'll give
us two years to really get it planned and
organized,' " Anderson recalls.
One problem - it wasn't until after planning the
palace began that the NHL named the Xcel Center
the site of this year's NHL All-Star game.
Originally, organizers had planned to build the
ice palace across the street in an Xcel Center
parking lot.
But as luck would have it, when Thoele and other
organizers approached Xcel Energy officials, Xcel
was willing to work in partnership. Others who
planned with Thoele include fellow co-chairman
David Crary, and St. Paul Festival and Heritage
Foundation President Bob Viking.
Anderson helped develop this year's ice palace theme - "A Legacy of Ice."
"We looked for those pieces of other palaces that
we could carry forward and bring back again,"
Anderson said.
This year's design, according to information
posted on the palace's Web site
(www.2004icepalace.com), "represents myths and
fantasies surrounding the change from the deep
cold of winter to the warmth of emerging spring
as represented by ice, fire and water. The 2004
palace embraces ideas and concepts from previous
palaces, yet brings its own unique style and
elements."
Designing the ice palace, Anderson said, was
different than designing school buildings and
telecommunications facilities - his usual
projects -
but "too much fun to be hard."
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/special_packages/winter_carnival/web_cam/
=========================================
Stillwater residents volunteer time and expertise to make ice palace a reality
http://www.stillwatergazette.com/story.asp?cat=NEW&story=6609
By CRAIG DIRKES
Staff Writer
ST. PAUL - Whether they've taken chainsaws to ice
blocks, wired sound systems or drawn blueprints,
several volunteers from Stillwater have donated
time and expertise to help build the first St.
Paul Winter Carnival ice palace since 1992.
By Tuesday, January 19, Stillwater resident Bob
Bielenberg, a retired electrician, had been
hooking up lights and a sound system for 25 days
straight. His volunteer work hasn't gone
unnoticed.
"Every time I come here I see (Bob)," Ice Palace
Co-Chairman Gil Thoele said on Tuesday at the
palace grounds, located just north of the Xcel
Energy Center here. "You just can't get rid of
the guy."
An International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW) Local 110 electrician of 18 years,
Bielenberg is no stranger to volunteering. He
helped found the St. Croix Valley Athletic
Association in the late 1960s. The organization
continues to sponsor local youth athletic
programs and receives annual assistance from more
than 1,000 volunteer coaches, umpires and other
officials.
"Volunteering is something I've always done," Bielenberg said.
The "most enjoyable thing" about working on the
ice palace, he said, "is the different people you
get to work with. ... Total variety."
Design
When standing before the ice palace's 27,000 icy
bricks, 75-foot main tower and mighty 20-foot
turrets, keep in mind that 14-year Stillwater
resident Frank Anderson led the palace's design
team.
A project manager and architect for SLL/Leo A
Daly - an engineering and architectural firm that
has helped produce such Twin Cities landmarks as
the Foshay Tower and Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
- Anderson, fellow architects and about 15 of his
firm's civil, mechanical, electrical and
structural engineers all volunteered to make the
ice palace a reality.
"And when I say volunteer," Anderson said, "I
mean we spent our own time - Saturdays, Sundays
and (weekday) evenings. To my knowledge,
everyone had a blast doing it."
Anderson's 16-year-old daughter, Kristina, also
helped on the design team, as did a University of
Minnesota college student studying architecture.
The budding architects helped "broaden planning,"
Anderson said.
Kristina Anderson now sees skyscrapers in a whole new light.
"When you see a building, you only see what's in
front of you," she said, "but you don't get to
see what it took to make it. This was a real
learning experience. ... I loved it."
Despite the long hours, Frank Anderson marvels at
the soon-to-be-finished project.
"More people have been willing to donate their
time - this thing has just been phenomenal to
watch," he said. "It's just incredible."
Lights and power
When gazing wide-eyed at the palace's brilliant
light display - which has enough juice to power
about two and a half major-chain grocery stores,
and will cost about $32,000 over three weeks -
keep in mind that 20-year Stillwater resident
Leonard Deeg helped wire it.
The president of St. Paul-based Collins
Electrical, Deeg is a St. Paul Heritage and
Festival Foundation board member. He coordinated
financial contributions and volunteer efforts for
the palace from his company, the IBEW and the
National Electrical Contractors Association.
"The best part of all this happened today, when
it really began to look like what we designed,"
Deeg said on Monday, January 19. "We spent months
planning and sat in meetings saying 'Let's do it
this way' - a hockey rink here, a fountain there,
a stage here. It's really coming together."
Deeg and about a half dozen Collins workers began
prepping the palace's electrical system in
September. For five weeks, they ran about 35,000
feet of cable and 15,000 feet of conduit
underneath the parking lot of what is now the
palace site. And although Deeg's crew and dozens
of IBEW volunteers were not scheduled to return
to the site until most of the ice blocks were in
place, those plans changed.
"The biggest challenge is that we had trouble with the timeline," Deeg said.
Builders had aimed to begin work on the palace on
Dec. 10, but couldn't begin harvesting ice until
St. Paul's Lake Phalen froze to a depth of 12
inches. That didn't happen until Jan. 2.
The late-freeze setback forced electrical
personnel to work in three-shift days right
behind construction workers. But by working
together, the problem was solved.
"The IBEW really pulled this project together,"
Deeg said. "It's a real brotherhood. It's amazing
to see how you can count on these guys."
Behind schedule at noon on Monday, Deeg learned
that electricians were needed to work through the
night. "By 2:30 p.m., we had nine volunteers," he
said.
Even Deeg's father, Pete, volunteered as an electrician.
"My mom (Ruth) said she's been married to dad for
50 years," Deeg said, "and when he came home from
his first day of volunteering that first
six-below-zero day, it was the happiest she's
ever seen him.
"There's something to be said about volunteering," he added.
Preparations
Neither construction nor planning has been easy.
Thoele approached Anderson in 1999 about
designing a palace, but plans at that time and
over the next few years never quite "got off the
ground," Anderson said. Thoele and his colleagues
approached Anderson again in 2002.
"They said 'Let's shoot for 2004 - that'll give
us two years to really get it planned and
organized,' " Anderson recalls.
One problem - it wasn't until after planning the
palace began that the NHL named the Xcel Center
the site of this year's NHL All-Star game.
Originally, organizers had planned to build the
ice palace across the street in an Xcel Center
parking lot.
But as luck would have it, when Thoele and other
organizers approached Xcel Energy officials, Xcel
was willing to work in partnership. Others who
planned with Thoele include fellow co-chairman
David Crary, and St. Paul Festival and Heritage
Foundation President Bob Viking.
Anderson helped develop this year's ice palace theme - "A Legacy of Ice."
"We looked for those pieces of other palaces that
we could carry forward and bring back again,"
Anderson said.
This year's design, according to information
posted on the palace's Web site
(www.2004icepalace.com), "represents myths and
fantasies surrounding the change from the deep
cold of winter to the warmth of emerging spring
as represented by ice, fire and water. The 2004
palace embraces ideas and concepts from previous
palaces, yet brings its own unique style and
elements."
Designing the ice palace, Anderson said, was
different than designing school buildings and
telecommunications facilities - his usual
projects -
but "too much fun to be hard."
IBEW Local Unions 1600 and 1522 honored for contributions to Lehigh Valley United Way
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b3_4uwjan28,0,3210059.story?coll=all-newslocal-hed
It's a wrap: United Way raised $11.2 million
Local group surpassed its 2003 fund-raising goal by $121,117.
By Bill Tattersall, Of The Morning Call
Keeping the audience in suspense until the end of the Wrap-Up party Tuesday night, Martin Till, president and publisher of the Express-Times newspaper and chairman of the 2003 Lehigh Valley United Way fund-raising campaign, finally announced that the group raised $11.2 million in 2003.
Exceeding the goal by $121,117 ended a campaign that Till said was streamlined to allow volunteers to be used more productively.
This year, rather than shouting out the total over a drumroll at the annual party held in Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University, the campaign executives held cards that on one side read ''United Way!'' and when flipped over, showed the amount raised.
Tuesday night's snowstorm kept many from attending the party, leaving many of the seats empty and awards unclaimed.
The announcement ended a two-year streak of the agency failing to make its goals. The 2001 campaign fell $500,000 short — the first shortfall since the Lehigh Valley chapter was formed in 1991. It tried to meet the goal by extending the campaign a month, but in the end, recipients of United Way money took a 13.5 percent average cut from the prior year.
In 2002, the campaign fell $300,000 short. But the agency postponed the announcement at the wrap-up party for several months while companies that delayed campaigns becuase of a slow economy tried to meet their goals.
Part of the success of this year's campaign, Till said, was increasing the donation base by adding 13 new workplaces and encouraging 20 campaigns to increase their giving by at least $10,000.
The top five Cornerstone Society accounts for 2003 are: Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and IAM Local 917, $1.4 million; PPL Corp. and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1600, $935,000; Agere Systems and IBEW Local 1522, $325,000; Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, $301,000; and Victaulic Co. of America, United Steelworkers of America Local 2599 and Teamsters Local 773, $295,000. Cornerstone members are companies or organizations that donate more than $100,000 annually.
United Way President Peter Carpino also introduced two new Cornerstone Society members on Tuesday — Giant Food Stores and St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network.
The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley 2003 campaign awards and their recipients are:
Rising Star Award: Joanne Meck, Megan Luhrs and Colleen Ray of A-Tech/Suburban Inc.; Rebecca Oettinger of B. Braun Medical Inc.; Debra Smith of Day-Timers Inc.; Jennifer Martin-Gilio of LifePath; Bruce George, Genavee Johh, Rudolph Schweizer and Paul Seifert of TriQuint Optoelectronics; Gregg Potter from Verizon Call Center and Communications Workers of America Local 13500.
Campaign Excellence Award: Agere Systems and IBEW Local 1522; David Bond, Bon-Ton Distribution Center; Bon-Ton, Robert Houck of Allentown, Lori Kressler of Trexlertown, Kathleen Riepensell of Westgate Mall, Amy Weiner of Palmer Park Mall, Chad Nemeth, regional store coordinator; Erica Bernhard, Pat Taylor and Margi Currie of Brown & Brown; Judy Casamassa of CIGNA, Bethlehem; FlexLink Systems Inc.; GE Polymershapes Insulgard; Gary Evans and Jay Martin of Lafayette College; Betty Anton and Don Hougendobler of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network; Frank Kustek of Liberty Mutual; Scott Hallet and at Nestle Purina Pet Care Co.; Diana Holvo, Kathy Kapcsos, Tammy Tucker Mehlig, Melissa Starace and Rita Straub, Northampton Community College, American Federation of Teachers Local 3579 and IBT Local 773; Fred Acheampong, Sam's Club-Whitehall; Donna DiVentura and Beth Merwath, Sam's Club, Easton; Esther Buss and Barry Wentzel, UGI Utilities Inc. and IBEW Local 1456; Wal-Mart, Darlene D'Alessandro of Easton, Peggy Gencarelli of Bethlehem, Gail Nothstein of Trexlertown, and Colleen Webster of Whitehall.
Morning Call Silver Bowl: Marty Cohen of Cohen & Feeley.
Morning Call Silver Tray: TriQuint Optoelectronics.
Weld Bowl: Leah Nichols, Rodale Inc.
Labor Campaign Excellence Award: Bethlehem Education Association.
Heritage Award: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital.
President's Award: Brown-Daub Dealerships.
Chairman's Award: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of the Lehigh Valley.
Community Caring Awards: Agere Systems and IBEW Local 1522; Air Products and IAM Local 917; B. Braun Medical Inc.; BEF Corp.; Brown & Brown of the Lehigh Valley; Brown-Daub Dealerships; Computer Aid Inc.; The Express-Times; Giant Food Stores; The Guardian; Lehigh, Northampton, Pike and Monroe Counties Building and Construction Trades Council and Affiliated Unions; Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network; Lutron Electronics Co. Inc.; Mallinckrodt Baker Inc. and PACE Local 2-0729; PPL Corp. and IBEW Local 1600; Rodale Inc.; St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network; TriQuint Optoelectronics; Verizon and CWA Local 13500; Wegmans Food Markets of the Lehigh Valley.
.
Help the environment - - - plant a Bush back in Texas
It's a wrap: United Way raised $11.2 million
Local group surpassed its 2003 fund-raising goal by $121,117.
By Bill Tattersall, Of The Morning Call
Keeping the audience in suspense until the end of the Wrap-Up party Tuesday night, Martin Till, president and publisher of the Express-Times newspaper and chairman of the 2003 Lehigh Valley United Way fund-raising campaign, finally announced that the group raised $11.2 million in 2003.
Exceeding the goal by $121,117 ended a campaign that Till said was streamlined to allow volunteers to be used more productively.
This year, rather than shouting out the total over a drumroll at the annual party held in Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University, the campaign executives held cards that on one side read ''United Way!'' and when flipped over, showed the amount raised.
Tuesday night's snowstorm kept many from attending the party, leaving many of the seats empty and awards unclaimed.
The announcement ended a two-year streak of the agency failing to make its goals. The 2001 campaign fell $500,000 short — the first shortfall since the Lehigh Valley chapter was formed in 1991. It tried to meet the goal by extending the campaign a month, but in the end, recipients of United Way money took a 13.5 percent average cut from the prior year.
In 2002, the campaign fell $300,000 short. But the agency postponed the announcement at the wrap-up party for several months while companies that delayed campaigns becuase of a slow economy tried to meet their goals.
Part of the success of this year's campaign, Till said, was increasing the donation base by adding 13 new workplaces and encouraging 20 campaigns to increase their giving by at least $10,000.
The top five Cornerstone Society accounts for 2003 are: Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and IAM Local 917, $1.4 million; PPL Corp. and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1600, $935,000; Agere Systems and IBEW Local 1522, $325,000; Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, $301,000; and Victaulic Co. of America, United Steelworkers of America Local 2599 and Teamsters Local 773, $295,000. Cornerstone members are companies or organizations that donate more than $100,000 annually.
United Way President Peter Carpino also introduced two new Cornerstone Society members on Tuesday — Giant Food Stores and St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network.
The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley 2003 campaign awards and their recipients are:
Rising Star Award: Joanne Meck, Megan Luhrs and Colleen Ray of A-Tech/Suburban Inc.; Rebecca Oettinger of B. Braun Medical Inc.; Debra Smith of Day-Timers Inc.; Jennifer Martin-Gilio of LifePath; Bruce George, Genavee Johh, Rudolph Schweizer and Paul Seifert of TriQuint Optoelectronics; Gregg Potter from Verizon Call Center and Communications Workers of America Local 13500.
Campaign Excellence Award: Agere Systems and IBEW Local 1522; David Bond, Bon-Ton Distribution Center; Bon-Ton, Robert Houck of Allentown, Lori Kressler of Trexlertown, Kathleen Riepensell of Westgate Mall, Amy Weiner of Palmer Park Mall, Chad Nemeth, regional store coordinator; Erica Bernhard, Pat Taylor and Margi Currie of Brown & Brown; Judy Casamassa of CIGNA, Bethlehem; FlexLink Systems Inc.; GE Polymershapes Insulgard; Gary Evans and Jay Martin of Lafayette College; Betty Anton and Don Hougendobler of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network; Frank Kustek of Liberty Mutual; Scott Hallet and at Nestle Purina Pet Care Co.; Diana Holvo, Kathy Kapcsos, Tammy Tucker Mehlig, Melissa Starace and Rita Straub, Northampton Community College, American Federation of Teachers Local 3579 and IBT Local 773; Fred Acheampong, Sam's Club-Whitehall; Donna DiVentura and Beth Merwath, Sam's Club, Easton; Esther Buss and Barry Wentzel, UGI Utilities Inc. and IBEW Local 1456; Wal-Mart, Darlene D'Alessandro of Easton, Peggy Gencarelli of Bethlehem, Gail Nothstein of Trexlertown, and Colleen Webster of Whitehall.
Morning Call Silver Bowl: Marty Cohen of Cohen & Feeley.
Morning Call Silver Tray: TriQuint Optoelectronics.
Weld Bowl: Leah Nichols, Rodale Inc.
Labor Campaign Excellence Award: Bethlehem Education Association.
Heritage Award: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital.
President's Award: Brown-Daub Dealerships.
Chairman's Award: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of the Lehigh Valley.
Community Caring Awards: Agere Systems and IBEW Local 1522; Air Products and IAM Local 917; B. Braun Medical Inc.; BEF Corp.; Brown & Brown of the Lehigh Valley; Brown-Daub Dealerships; Computer Aid Inc.; The Express-Times; Giant Food Stores; The Guardian; Lehigh, Northampton, Pike and Monroe Counties Building and Construction Trades Council and Affiliated Unions; Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network; Lutron Electronics Co. Inc.; Mallinckrodt Baker Inc. and PACE Local 2-0729; PPL Corp. and IBEW Local 1600; Rodale Inc.; St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network; TriQuint Optoelectronics; Verizon and CWA Local 13500; Wegmans Food Markets of the Lehigh Valley.
.
Help the environment - - - plant a Bush back in Texas
IBEW Local 1701 Wins President's Award from United Way
http://www.courierpress.com/ecp/gleaner_news/article/0,1626,ECP_4476_2598018,00.html
Hargis wins Gordon B. Tittle Award
By VICTORIA MARTY, Gleaner staff831-8341 * vmarty@thegleaner.com
January 23, 2004
A "man of wisdom who is truly a doer and has rendered a great service to his community" received this year's Gordon B. Tittle Award for longtime service and dedication to the United Way and the organizations it serves.
"There are 44,995 people in Henderson County, and I know that 44,994 people deserve this honor as much or more than I do," said property valuation administrator Steve Hargis, who has also been active in the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity and is on the board of directors at Methodist Hospital. "The United Way makes us all better."
Hargis was presented the award by Ron Chapman, a former recipient of the Tittle award who knew the award's namesake personally. Tittle was a former United Way campaign chair who died of cancer.
For all Hargis' humility, United Way chairman Doug Bell was not sheepish about the amount of money the United Way raised during the 2003 campaign year. That amount -- $850,000 -- was $11,586 more than the campaign goal of $838,414.
"I was able to work with a lot of great individuals and to meet a lot of wonderful" people this year, Bell said of his leadership role. "The dollars raised here stay here and directly impact people here. The work that we do truly does matter."
Particular employee groups and volunteers who contributed to the 2003 campaign year were also recognized for their efforts.
The President's Award was given to the employee group with the highest per capita giving based on the number of employees. For an employee group of 300 or more employees, the award was presented to Dana Corp. and USWA Local 9443 Unit 2. Western Kentucky Energy and the IBEW Local 1701 won the award for 100-299 employees, Fifth Third Bank for 25-99 employees and Independence Bank for less than 25 employees.
Community Spirit Awards were awarded to employee groups who have given at the level of $50 per capita or more for at least two consecutive years. This year's winners were Accuride, Adams Street Development Corp., Alcan Ingot and USWA Local 9443, Bell South and CWA Local 3314, Big Rivers Electric and IBEW Local 1701, Brenntag Mid-South, Cresline Plastic Pipe Company IAMAW Local 2186 District 153, Dana Corp. and USWA Local 9443 Unit 2, Fifth Third Bank, Henderson Community College, Henderson National Bank, Home Oil and Gas Co. Inc., Independence Bank, Involvement Inc., KB Alloys, Kenergy, Ohio Valley Insurance Services, Ohio Valley National Bank, Old National Bank, Palmer Oil Inc., St. Anthony's Hospice, The Gleaner, Volunteer and Information Center, Western Kentucky Energy and Zachry.
Campaign Chairman's Awards were given to employee groups for overall achievement and impact on the current campaign. This year's recipients were Alcan Aluminum, Methodist Hospital and Tyson Foods.
Bell said that Alcan has been a very key part of every campaign success. Methodist Hospital is also "truly special and often overlooked (because) they are themselves a non-profit that raises that much money."
"Tyson Foods really made a big contribution this year," Bell said, adding that Ralph Guizar of Tyson translated the United Way brochures and pledge cards for Hispanic workers at that industry. "They really went above the call of duty."
The United Way's Allocations Steering Committee volunteers were recognized for helping to decide where funds contributed to the agency are most needed. Those volunteers were Chairman Jim Davis; co-chairs Cathy Hunt and Kay Bryant (Children and Youth); Dave Brauer and Ray Horton (Increasing Self-Sufficiency); Robin Bailey and David Campbell (Strengthening Families); and Ken Jones and Pam Bridgeman (Supporting Older People).
The 2003 campaign volunteers were also recognized. They were campaign chairman Doug Bell; business and industry co-chairs Bob Cummins and Dave Phillips; leadership giving co-chairs Keith Utley and Mike Core; pacesetter chair Jennifer Headdy; commercial co-chairs Kennan Fritz and Angie Lilly; public service co-chairs Miles Hart and Nikki Butler; professional co-chairs John Thomason and Anita Watkins; and special gifts co-chairs Tony Krampe and Taylor DeCorrevant.
Leadership givers were James Jobe, Phyllis McElwain, William O'Nan and Lawrence Suess.
The 2004 United Way campaign chairman will be Bob Cummins. Volunteer leaders will be President Deborah Dewey, President-Elect Tom Davis, Vice-President Dawn Kelsey and Treasurer Gene Melton.
The winner of the raffle for the 1.5 carat diamond ring was Joseph B. Roberts of Henderson County.
Hargis wins Gordon B. Tittle Award
By VICTORIA MARTY, Gleaner staff831-8341 * vmarty@thegleaner.com
January 23, 2004
A "man of wisdom who is truly a doer and has rendered a great service to his community" received this year's Gordon B. Tittle Award for longtime service and dedication to the United Way and the organizations it serves.
"There are 44,995 people in Henderson County, and I know that 44,994 people deserve this honor as much or more than I do," said property valuation administrator Steve Hargis, who has also been active in the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity and is on the board of directors at Methodist Hospital. "The United Way makes us all better."
Hargis was presented the award by Ron Chapman, a former recipient of the Tittle award who knew the award's namesake personally. Tittle was a former United Way campaign chair who died of cancer.
For all Hargis' humility, United Way chairman Doug Bell was not sheepish about the amount of money the United Way raised during the 2003 campaign year. That amount -- $850,000 -- was $11,586 more than the campaign goal of $838,414.
"I was able to work with a lot of great individuals and to meet a lot of wonderful" people this year, Bell said of his leadership role. "The dollars raised here stay here and directly impact people here. The work that we do truly does matter."
Particular employee groups and volunteers who contributed to the 2003 campaign year were also recognized for their efforts.
The President's Award was given to the employee group with the highest per capita giving based on the number of employees. For an employee group of 300 or more employees, the award was presented to Dana Corp. and USWA Local 9443 Unit 2. Western Kentucky Energy and the IBEW Local 1701 won the award for 100-299 employees, Fifth Third Bank for 25-99 employees and Independence Bank for less than 25 employees.
Community Spirit Awards were awarded to employee groups who have given at the level of $50 per capita or more for at least two consecutive years. This year's winners were Accuride, Adams Street Development Corp., Alcan Ingot and USWA Local 9443, Bell South and CWA Local 3314, Big Rivers Electric and IBEW Local 1701, Brenntag Mid-South, Cresline Plastic Pipe Company IAMAW Local 2186 District 153, Dana Corp. and USWA Local 9443 Unit 2, Fifth Third Bank, Henderson Community College, Henderson National Bank, Home Oil and Gas Co. Inc., Independence Bank, Involvement Inc., KB Alloys, Kenergy, Ohio Valley Insurance Services, Ohio Valley National Bank, Old National Bank, Palmer Oil Inc., St. Anthony's Hospice, The Gleaner, Volunteer and Information Center, Western Kentucky Energy and Zachry.
Campaign Chairman's Awards were given to employee groups for overall achievement and impact on the current campaign. This year's recipients were Alcan Aluminum, Methodist Hospital and Tyson Foods.
Bell said that Alcan has been a very key part of every campaign success. Methodist Hospital is also "truly special and often overlooked (because) they are themselves a non-profit that raises that much money."
"Tyson Foods really made a big contribution this year," Bell said, adding that Ralph Guizar of Tyson translated the United Way brochures and pledge cards for Hispanic workers at that industry. "They really went above the call of duty."
The United Way's Allocations Steering Committee volunteers were recognized for helping to decide where funds contributed to the agency are most needed. Those volunteers were Chairman Jim Davis; co-chairs Cathy Hunt and Kay Bryant (Children and Youth); Dave Brauer and Ray Horton (Increasing Self-Sufficiency); Robin Bailey and David Campbell (Strengthening Families); and Ken Jones and Pam Bridgeman (Supporting Older People).
The 2003 campaign volunteers were also recognized. They were campaign chairman Doug Bell; business and industry co-chairs Bob Cummins and Dave Phillips; leadership giving co-chairs Keith Utley and Mike Core; pacesetter chair Jennifer Headdy; commercial co-chairs Kennan Fritz and Angie Lilly; public service co-chairs Miles Hart and Nikki Butler; professional co-chairs John Thomason and Anita Watkins; and special gifts co-chairs Tony Krampe and Taylor DeCorrevant.
Leadership givers were James Jobe, Phyllis McElwain, William O'Nan and Lawrence Suess.
The 2004 United Way campaign chairman will be Bob Cummins. Volunteer leaders will be President Deborah Dewey, President-Elect Tom Davis, Vice-President Dawn Kelsey and Treasurer Gene Melton.
The winner of the raffle for the 1.5 carat diamond ring was Joseph B. Roberts of Henderson County.
IBEW LU 1900 fights pension, insurance and job cuts at Mirant
http://www.gazette.net/200404/business/news/198706-1.html
Mirant cuts 128 jobs, revises benefits
by Kevin Conron, Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan. 23, 2004
Mirant Mid Atlantic pared its payroll by 128 people last year through a combination of voluntary severance packages, layoffs and attrition.
The staff reductions occurred throughout the year, with a wave of layoffs taking effect Dec. 31. The 24 non-union layoffs were chiefly technical and engineering jobs at the four power plants Mirant owns in the Washington, D.C., area. Thirty-five union members took voluntary severance packages.
Among the reductions were 58 employees at the Birchwood Station in King George County, Va., which Mirant sold last year, and some of the staff at power plants on Benning Road and Buzzard Point, both in Washington. North American Energy won a contract to operate those stations for Pepco Energy Holdings, effective Dec. 31.
Staffing reductions are part of Mirant's plan to reduce expenses after it filed for bankruptcy reorganization in July.
No more layoffs are planned, said Mirant spokesman Steve Arabia.
Mirant, of Atlanta, provides power to Pepco's 700,000 customers.
The reductions bring Mirant's workforce to 519 union and 227 non-union employees as of Jan. 1.
On Aug. 10, Mirant unilaterally imposed the terms of a four-year contract that had been rejected July 31 by 87 percent of the membership of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1900. Key issues in the contract were changes in the pension plan, shifting more medical insurance costs to employees and reduced job security.
The union on Aug. 13 filed charges against Mirant with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the company had illegally declared an impasse in contract discussions and imposed a rejected contract on the union. The complaint is pending.
Union members are still smarting over Mirant's decision to revise the retirement package. IBEW President John Coleman said the contract essentially requires less senior union members to work until the age of 65. They could opt to walk away at age 55, but they would suffer a "drastic cut'' in retirement pay.
Arabia said in August that the new package was competitive with other plans in the industry.
"Folks were planning to work 30 years and retire at 55 and enjoy the rest of their life,'' Coleman said. "Now they've added 10 years to their working life.''
It's a young man's job, he explained.
"Once you reach 55 doing this work, your body starts breaking down and your body can't perform at the maximum all the time. They are climbing towers, crawling through boilers. To me it's inconceivable that somebody could perform at the same level at 65 that they do at 55, or 45, or 35."
With the new retirement age, "Mirant quite frankly is hoping you're going to die so they don't have to pay out their pension,'' Coleman said.
"That's just ridiculous,'' Arabia said of Coleman's assertion. "But the fact remains our compensation and benefits package remains very strong, one that many, many employees would be desirous of having.''
Coleman said he does not expect a favorable ruling from the labor board. "The Republican administration is geared to big corporations and with the cuts they're trying to impose on overtime, it's not a working man's administration.''
Mirant cuts 128 jobs, revises benefits
by Kevin Conron, Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan. 23, 2004
Mirant Mid Atlantic pared its payroll by 128 people last year through a combination of voluntary severance packages, layoffs and attrition.
The staff reductions occurred throughout the year, with a wave of layoffs taking effect Dec. 31. The 24 non-union layoffs were chiefly technical and engineering jobs at the four power plants Mirant owns in the Washington, D.C., area. Thirty-five union members took voluntary severance packages.
Among the reductions were 58 employees at the Birchwood Station in King George County, Va., which Mirant sold last year, and some of the staff at power plants on Benning Road and Buzzard Point, both in Washington. North American Energy won a contract to operate those stations for Pepco Energy Holdings, effective Dec. 31.
Staffing reductions are part of Mirant's plan to reduce expenses after it filed for bankruptcy reorganization in July.
No more layoffs are planned, said Mirant spokesman Steve Arabia.
Mirant, of Atlanta, provides power to Pepco's 700,000 customers.
The reductions bring Mirant's workforce to 519 union and 227 non-union employees as of Jan. 1.
On Aug. 10, Mirant unilaterally imposed the terms of a four-year contract that had been rejected July 31 by 87 percent of the membership of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1900. Key issues in the contract were changes in the pension plan, shifting more medical insurance costs to employees and reduced job security.
The union on Aug. 13 filed charges against Mirant with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the company had illegally declared an impasse in contract discussions and imposed a rejected contract on the union. The complaint is pending.
Union members are still smarting over Mirant's decision to revise the retirement package. IBEW President John Coleman said the contract essentially requires less senior union members to work until the age of 65. They could opt to walk away at age 55, but they would suffer a "drastic cut'' in retirement pay.
Arabia said in August that the new package was competitive with other plans in the industry.
"Folks were planning to work 30 years and retire at 55 and enjoy the rest of their life,'' Coleman said. "Now they've added 10 years to their working life.''
It's a young man's job, he explained.
"Once you reach 55 doing this work, your body starts breaking down and your body can't perform at the maximum all the time. They are climbing towers, crawling through boilers. To me it's inconceivable that somebody could perform at the same level at 65 that they do at 55, or 45, or 35."
With the new retirement age, "Mirant quite frankly is hoping you're going to die so they don't have to pay out their pension,'' Coleman said.
"That's just ridiculous,'' Arabia said of Coleman's assertion. "But the fact remains our compensation and benefits package remains very strong, one that many, many employees would be desirous of having.''
Coleman said he does not expect a favorable ruling from the labor board. "The Republican administration is geared to big corporations and with the cuts they're trying to impose on overtime, it's not a working man's administration.''
IBEW LU 702 Credit Union merges and continues to grow as Southern Illinois University Credit Union
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/rednews/2004/01/11/build/business/BIZ003.html
SIU CREDIT UNION KEEPS GROWING WITH TWO MERGERS
[Sat Jan 10 2004]
CARBONDALE -- Southern Illinois University Credit Union continues to grow after two recent mergers with other area credit unions.
On. Jan. 1, SIU Credit Union merged with the Southern Illinois Schools Credit Union of Marion. Records will be merged Feb. 1.
Also in February, SISCU members will be able to bank at all SIU Credit Union locations.
SIU Credit Union officials said in a news release that other than a name change, there will be no noticeable effect on members' accounts or transactions.
In addition, all SISCU employees have been offered jobs at the SIU Credit Union, according to the news release.
SISCU has been a member of Southern Illinois community for 53 years. Its membership is made up of retired and active school employees in school districts located in Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Franklin, Hamilton, Wayne, Jefferson and Perry counties along with West Frankfort Municipal Employee Group and Franklin-Williamson Human Services and members of the Lake of Egypt Association of Property Owners.
SISCU has 3,300 members and is about $14 million in assets.
In late 2003, SIU Credit Union also merged with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 702 Federal Credit Union of West Frankfort.
IBEW 702 Federal Credit Union had about 600 members and $1.1 million in assets. Companies impacted by that merger include Penn Aluminum, Murphysboro; Electrical Specialists, Marion; Oil Field Electric, West Frankfort; and Cairo Public Utility, Cairo.
Recently, SIU Credit Union received its community charter allowing the credit union to serve all people living or working in Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Perry, Union or Williamson counties.
SIU Credit Union, with assets exceeding $85 million and 17,000 members, has been in operation since 1938.
For more information about the merger, contact Southern Illinois Schools Credit Union at (618) 993-5005 or SIU Credit Union at (618) 457-3595. For information on becoming a member of SIU Credit Union, call (618) 549-3636.
SIU CREDIT UNION KEEPS GROWING WITH TWO MERGERS
[Sat Jan 10 2004]
CARBONDALE -- Southern Illinois University Credit Union continues to grow after two recent mergers with other area credit unions.
On. Jan. 1, SIU Credit Union merged with the Southern Illinois Schools Credit Union of Marion. Records will be merged Feb. 1.
Also in February, SISCU members will be able to bank at all SIU Credit Union locations.
SIU Credit Union officials said in a news release that other than a name change, there will be no noticeable effect on members' accounts or transactions.
In addition, all SISCU employees have been offered jobs at the SIU Credit Union, according to the news release.
SISCU has been a member of Southern Illinois community for 53 years. Its membership is made up of retired and active school employees in school districts located in Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Franklin, Hamilton, Wayne, Jefferson and Perry counties along with West Frankfort Municipal Employee Group and Franklin-Williamson Human Services and members of the Lake of Egypt Association of Property Owners.
SISCU has 3,300 members and is about $14 million in assets.
In late 2003, SIU Credit Union also merged with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 702 Federal Credit Union of West Frankfort.
IBEW 702 Federal Credit Union had about 600 members and $1.1 million in assets. Companies impacted by that merger include Penn Aluminum, Murphysboro; Electrical Specialists, Marion; Oil Field Electric, West Frankfort; and Cairo Public Utility, Cairo.
Recently, SIU Credit Union received its community charter allowing the credit union to serve all people living or working in Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Perry, Union or Williamson counties.
SIU Credit Union, with assets exceeding $85 million and 17,000 members, has been in operation since 1938.
For more information about the merger, contact Southern Illinois Schools Credit Union at (618) 993-5005 or SIU Credit Union at (618) 457-3595. For information on becoming a member of SIU Credit Union, call (618) 549-3636.
NOTE: we're adding a few out-of-date articles this week to clean things up
We have several stories which predate the BLOG or simply got stashed away in strange parts of the hard drive that are being posted this week in the interest of passing on information. Carefully check the internal publication dates if you are thinking of using this week's stories. Mike
IBEW LU 1393 Cites safety issues as strike progresses
Safety Issues Disputed in Vectren Strike
By DAN SHAW
Has a gas workers strike jeopardized gas users safety?
The answer depends on which side, the union or the gas company, Vectren is talking.
Bob Fox, business agent for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1393, said he's received reports criticizing the substitutes for the 359 Indiana gas workers on strike.
Some customers have complained that the response time to gas leaks has lagged to 30 to 45 minutes since Vectren employees went on strike Dec. 22, he said. And one customer claimed that a replacement worker could not recognize the difference between a gas-lit and an electrical water heater, he said.
But Mike Roeder, director of Vectren's corporate communications, dismisses the accusations.
"If he's got a specific example, I'd be glad to look into it," he said. "But I sit in every day on a strike update meeting. We're performing the same, if not better than usual. Now, has there been an incident where a call took 30 minutes to respond to in Indiana? Maybe. But unless I've got a specific address, there's no way I can respond to that."
Many of the substitutes had risen through the ranks into the company's management, meaning they have undergone the same level of training as field workers, he said.
Gaps in their qualifications to serve gas customers were filled with additional training, which started in October, he said.
"They are required to go through the same operator qualifications," he said. "We wanted to make sure this was a seamless issue for customers. It's business as usual."
However, Fox doubts Vectren's claims.
"That's not enough time to train someone to investigate a hazardous situation at a house," he said. "And I'm sure customer safety is at risk. They're placing families in the hands of inexperienced workers."
Six people work at the Frankfort Vectren facility. Roeder believed they all were on strike although was not sure.
Differences over a new contract for the workers led to the strike. The former four-year contract expired Dec. 1.
Between then and when the strike began Dec. 22, the unions rejected two offers.
Fox said they felt Vectren was shorting employees on health insurance and pension benefits. The company brought on the conflict by simultaneously raising the health insurance premium and decreasing benefits, Fox said.
"They're not upset that they have to pay more on their monthly rate, which is up 300 percent," he said. "Workers everywhere are faced with that. But (Vectren is) wanting more for less coverage."
Under the contract offers, employees would have to pay more for medical co-payments, deductibles and prescription drugs, he said.
Also, pensions did not increase enough to cover retired employees' additional health insurance costs, Fox charged.
Roeder, however, characterized the benefits package as similar to what workers at other gas companies receive. It contained a 3 percent wage increase as well as options that would have the company paying 84 percent to 88 percent of health insurance premiums, according to a Vectren release.
Fox said the unions wished to continue negotiations but saw no signs of cooperation. The strike began when the company refused to renew the former contract until such time a new agreement was reached, he said.
"That doesn't protect our membership," Fox said. "So that's when we had to make the decision. But we just didn't make it off the cuff."
There are no plans to reopen negotiations, he said.
Should Vectren prove reluctant to compromise, the unions will call upon a federal mediator, who Fox hopes can cajole the two sides back to the table.
According to a Vectren press release, the 359 strikers come mostly from central Indiana.
Vectren, based in Evansville, provides gas and/or electricity to nearly a million customers in two-thirds of Indiana and west central Ohio, according to a company release.
Vectren employees are members of both the IBEW and Steelworkers locals 12213 and 7441.
By DAN SHAW
Has a gas workers strike jeopardized gas users safety?
The answer depends on which side, the union or the gas company, Vectren is talking.
Bob Fox, business agent for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1393, said he's received reports criticizing the substitutes for the 359 Indiana gas workers on strike.
Some customers have complained that the response time to gas leaks has lagged to 30 to 45 minutes since Vectren employees went on strike Dec. 22, he said. And one customer claimed that a replacement worker could not recognize the difference between a gas-lit and an electrical water heater, he said.
But Mike Roeder, director of Vectren's corporate communications, dismisses the accusations.
"If he's got a specific example, I'd be glad to look into it," he said. "But I sit in every day on a strike update meeting. We're performing the same, if not better than usual. Now, has there been an incident where a call took 30 minutes to respond to in Indiana? Maybe. But unless I've got a specific address, there's no way I can respond to that."
Many of the substitutes had risen through the ranks into the company's management, meaning they have undergone the same level of training as field workers, he said.
Gaps in their qualifications to serve gas customers were filled with additional training, which started in October, he said.
"They are required to go through the same operator qualifications," he said. "We wanted to make sure this was a seamless issue for customers. It's business as usual."
However, Fox doubts Vectren's claims.
"That's not enough time to train someone to investigate a hazardous situation at a house," he said. "And I'm sure customer safety is at risk. They're placing families in the hands of inexperienced workers."
Six people work at the Frankfort Vectren facility. Roeder believed they all were on strike although was not sure.
Differences over a new contract for the workers led to the strike. The former four-year contract expired Dec. 1.
Between then and when the strike began Dec. 22, the unions rejected two offers.
Fox said they felt Vectren was shorting employees on health insurance and pension benefits. The company brought on the conflict by simultaneously raising the health insurance premium and decreasing benefits, Fox said.
"They're not upset that they have to pay more on their monthly rate, which is up 300 percent," he said. "Workers everywhere are faced with that. But (Vectren is) wanting more for less coverage."
Under the contract offers, employees would have to pay more for medical co-payments, deductibles and prescription drugs, he said.
Also, pensions did not increase enough to cover retired employees' additional health insurance costs, Fox charged.
Roeder, however, characterized the benefits package as similar to what workers at other gas companies receive. It contained a 3 percent wage increase as well as options that would have the company paying 84 percent to 88 percent of health insurance premiums, according to a Vectren release.
Fox said the unions wished to continue negotiations but saw no signs of cooperation. The strike began when the company refused to renew the former contract until such time a new agreement was reached, he said.
"That doesn't protect our membership," Fox said. "So that's when we had to make the decision. But we just didn't make it off the cuff."
There are no plans to reopen negotiations, he said.
Should Vectren prove reluctant to compromise, the unions will call upon a federal mediator, who Fox hopes can cajole the two sides back to the table.
According to a Vectren press release, the 359 strikers come mostly from central Indiana.
Vectren, based in Evansville, provides gas and/or electricity to nearly a million customers in two-thirds of Indiana and west central Ohio, according to a company release.
Vectren employees are members of both the IBEW and Steelworkers locals 12213 and 7441.
IBEW LU 1553 Members at Sweetheart Cup Company threatened by corporate takeover
http://www.news-leader.com/today/1224-SoloCupset-251404.html
Solo Cup set to buy owner of Sweetheart
Sale's impact on workers at Springfield plant is unknown, union official says.
By Karen E. Culp
News-Leader Staff
It was unclear Tuesday whether Springfield's Sweetheart Cup is half full or half empty.
In either case, the plant will soon have a new owner.
Chicago-based Solo Cup has an agreement to buy SF Holdings Group, the owner of Springfield's Sweetheart Cup plant, Hoffmaster Tissue and The Fonda Brands.
Uncertain Tuesday was what the ownership change will mean for the Springfield facility, long a fixture on North Glenstone with its oversized reproduction of a paper cup serving as a centerpiece to the plant's entrance.
"We don't anticipate that it will affect them (the Springfield employees)," said Mike Brumley, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1553, which represents employees at the plant. "But right now I have no idea what will happen."
Drew Ferguson, a spokesman for Solo Cup, said a team to integrate the two companies will form during the first months of 2004.
"There is going to be consolidation, but we're not sure who is going to be consolidated," Ferguson said.
In 2001, the Springfield plant announced it would reduce its work force from 600 to 400 by the spring of 2002. Brumley said the IBEW union represents about 350 employees at the plant. As recently as 1992, Sweetheart employed 1,300.
Officials in Springfield referred calls to SF Holdings' corporate officers, who did not return calls.
Both companies make disposable food containers plates or cups, for example from paper, plastic, and foam. The plates or cups are sold at retail stores or to restaurants and schools.
Solo Cup has 12 manufacturing plants and seven distribution centers. The Maryland-based group that owns Sweetheart operates 36 manufacturing and distribution centers, according to the company's 2003 annual report.
"This is an exciting opportunity for us," said Solo Cup Chief Operating Officer Ronald L. Whaley, in a statement. "It's an important event in the history of our two companies, as well as in the ever-changing disposable food service products industry."
"Our customers will be better served and our vendors and employees will enjoy growth opportunities," said Dennis Mehiel, chairman and CEO, SF Holdings Group Inc., in a statement.
The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2004.
Springfield's Sweetheart Cup plant opened in 1952 as Lily Tulip. At that time, and for many successive years, it was one of the city's largest employers.
.
Solo Cup set to buy owner of Sweetheart
Sale's impact on workers at Springfield plant is unknown, union official says.
By Karen E. Culp
News-Leader Staff
It was unclear Tuesday whether Springfield's Sweetheart Cup is half full or half empty.
In either case, the plant will soon have a new owner.
Chicago-based Solo Cup has an agreement to buy SF Holdings Group, the owner of Springfield's Sweetheart Cup plant, Hoffmaster Tissue and The Fonda Brands.
Uncertain Tuesday was what the ownership change will mean for the Springfield facility, long a fixture on North Glenstone with its oversized reproduction of a paper cup serving as a centerpiece to the plant's entrance.
"We don't anticipate that it will affect them (the Springfield employees)," said Mike Brumley, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1553, which represents employees at the plant. "But right now I have no idea what will happen."
Drew Ferguson, a spokesman for Solo Cup, said a team to integrate the two companies will form during the first months of 2004.
"There is going to be consolidation, but we're not sure who is going to be consolidated," Ferguson said.
In 2001, the Springfield plant announced it would reduce its work force from 600 to 400 by the spring of 2002. Brumley said the IBEW union represents about 350 employees at the plant. As recently as 1992, Sweetheart employed 1,300.
Officials in Springfield referred calls to SF Holdings' corporate officers, who did not return calls.
Both companies make disposable food containers plates or cups, for example from paper, plastic, and foam. The plates or cups are sold at retail stores or to restaurants and schools.
Solo Cup has 12 manufacturing plants and seven distribution centers. The Maryland-based group that owns Sweetheart operates 36 manufacturing and distribution centers, according to the company's 2003 annual report.
"This is an exciting opportunity for us," said Solo Cup Chief Operating Officer Ronald L. Whaley, in a statement. "It's an important event in the history of our two companies, as well as in the ever-changing disposable food service products industry."
"Our customers will be better served and our vendors and employees will enjoy growth opportunities," said Dennis Mehiel, chairman and CEO, SF Holdings Group Inc., in a statement.
The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2004.
Springfield's Sweetheart Cup plant opened in 1952 as Lily Tulip. At that time, and for many successive years, it was one of the city's largest employers.
.
LU 150 Member Wins Community Service Award
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo-story/localnews/current/lf/05-06-04-nwsbrf.html
Melville shares labor award
An electrician from Lake Bluff has been named a co-winner of the annual Rodney Graham Community Service Award by the Northeastern Illinois Federation of Labor.
The awards were presented April 24 at a federation dinner at Midlane Country Club in Waukegan honoring Margaret Blackshere, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO.
Co-winner Bill Melville of Lake Bluff is a member of IBEW (Electricians) Local 150 based in Libertyville. He has been a volunteer for the Lake County Food Pantry operated by Christian Outreach of Lutherans for 15 years.
Melville once donated $1,000 he won in a raffle to the COOL food pantry to help the agency buy a new van to pick up and distribute food. He also was a volunteer coach for his son's softball team.
Co-winner Dave Carlson of Waukegan, a member of National Association of Letter Carriers Lodge 409, is a guitar player and leader of the band Crossroads.
The band has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for charitable causes.
Since 1999, Carlson's band has played at fund-raising events that have helped raise more than $50,000 for muscular dystrophy research.
Melville shares labor award
An electrician from Lake Bluff has been named a co-winner of the annual Rodney Graham Community Service Award by the Northeastern Illinois Federation of Labor.
The awards were presented April 24 at a federation dinner at Midlane Country Club in Waukegan honoring Margaret Blackshere, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO.
Co-winner Bill Melville of Lake Bluff is a member of IBEW (Electricians) Local 150 based in Libertyville. He has been a volunteer for the Lake County Food Pantry operated by Christian Outreach of Lutherans for 15 years.
Melville once donated $1,000 he won in a raffle to the COOL food pantry to help the agency buy a new van to pick up and distribute food. He also was a volunteer coach for his son's softball team.
Co-winner Dave Carlson of Waukegan, a member of National Association of Letter Carriers Lodge 409, is a guitar player and leader of the band Crossroads.
The band has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for charitable causes.
Since 1999, Carlson's band has played at fund-raising events that have helped raise more than $50,000 for muscular dystrophy research.
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