INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS
LOCAL UNION NO. 756
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Vol. 13 No. 2 |
March 2006 |
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THE SIDE-CUTTER |
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THE OBJECTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL
WORKERS
TO ORGANIZE ALL WORKERS
IN THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, INCLUDING ALL
THOSE IN PUBLIC UTILITIES AND ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING INTO LOCAL UNIONS, TO
PROMOTE REASONABLE METHODS OF WORK, TO CULTIVATE FEELINGS OF FRIENDSHIP AMONG
THOSE OF OUR INDUSTRY, TO SETTLE ALL DISPUTES BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES
BY ARBITRATION (IF POSSIBLE), TO ASSIST EACH OTHER IN SICKNESS OR DISTRESS, TO
SECURE EMPLOYMENT, TO REDUCE THE HOURS OF DAILY LABOR, TO SECURE ADEQUATE PAY
FOR OUR WORK, TO SEEK A HIGHER AND HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING, TO SEEK SECURITY
FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, AND BY LEGAL AND PROPER MEANS TO ELEVATE THE MORAL,
INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF OUR MEMBERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND
DEPENDENTS, IN THE INTEREST OF A HIGHER STANDARD OF CITIZENSHIP. The Side
Cutter is a publication of I.B.E.W. Local Union #756 -
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AREA GROWTH CONTINUES
Time really
flies by as the saying goes… We have
produced this newsletter for over 13 years and sincerely hope that we have
produced some thought provoking editorials for your consideration. It is challenging to come up with fresh and
positive issues without being repetitive.
It is even more challenging to maintain continued optimism within our
industry. However, we have recently
entered into a construction boom that allows ALL those involved in the building
trades to be optimistic and allows for the content of this article to be
upbeat. One needs only to drive beach
side to notice the tower cranes that are prevalent along the coastal skyline to
validate the extent of growth in our area.
Sixty percent of area employers, including construction, plan on
increasing their work force within the next quarter of this year. In addition to the commercial and residential
expansion we have been informed by NASA Center Director Jim Kennedy that the
“next generation of flight “ will require billions of dollars worth of
renovation to the launch complexes at K.S.C.
The future for competent electricians has not been this good in many
years. All of the above facts along with
the progressive IBEW/ NECA newly formed initiatives implemented statewide
provides for opportunities un-paralleled for both the electrician (all skill levels)
and the contractor alike. If you are
involved in the electrical industry, the future is bright and once again we
invite you to contact either the IBEW or our employer counterpart NECA to find
out where you fit into this progressive and exciting partnership of labor and
management. It is our shared goal to
provide the best quality skill level to ensure the best quality standard of
living for all those participating in the electrical construction
industry. With your support and
assistance these goals can be realized for mutual benefit of both labor and
management, resulting in prosperity for 2006 and beyond.
Steve Williams
Business
Manager
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Remember
the quote from Astronaut John Glenn, relating to his experience in the Apollo Program?
He was asked what it felt like sitting atop the rocket ready to launch. His
answer became a well- known quote to those familiar with the space program
during the Apollo years. He said: “I felt about as good as anybody would,
sitting in a capsule on top of a rocket that were both built by the lowest
bidder.”
Everybody
should know by now that the lowest bid is not always the best bid. The lowest
bid without proper parameters (quality, experience and skill levels to name a
few) usually results in much higher costs for the owners and end users. We are
the owners and end users, whether it is as home or business owners or on a
larger scale as taxpayers. As tax-payers we are exposed to abuse on the local,
state and federal levels.
We
have seen the results of the low bid mentality first hand in the construction
of some of our new schools, whether from unqualified contractors or unskilled
workers. The condo market in our area is booming and the low bid trend is
taking its toll there also. The cost of condos on the beach or river is out of
the reach of most working people and the prices keep going up. Somebody is
making a killing and it’s certainly not the workers. This is tied to another
major problem and that is the use of unskilled, undocumented workers, which not only
drives down the wages for the local workforce and is exploiting the illegal
workers but also results in a high cost, low quality product. Many of these
projects whether schools, homes or commercial buildings become “patch” jobs
before the first occupant takes up residency.
Any
of this is pale in comparison to what is happening on the federal level. On
this level we not only have a low bid process, but also a “NO BID” process,
which seems to work very well for Halliburton in particular. Another example of
high cost, low quality might be the job of purifying the drinking water for our
troops in
After
seeing the quote from John Glenn, I was already thinking about the flawed low
bid as opposed to best bid process and all the problems associated with it.
Then I heard about the debt limit bill before Congress and it all ran together.
The local problems get passed on to the State and then the State problems get
passed on to the Feds and then it all comes right back down on the backs of
working families. Combine tax cuts for the very wealthy and corporate welfare
for major industries like oil and pharmaceuticals and it leads to today’s
headline: “Bill Near Senate Vote to Raise Debt Limit”.
The
government could borrow an additional $781 billion, which will raise the
federal debt to almost $9 trillion to take care of its deficit spending on the
backs of working families. This bill will be the fourth such measure required
since Bush seized office over 5 years ago. This will mean that the debt has
grown from about $6 trillion to $9 trillion or about $30,000.00 for every man,
woman and child in the
Just a little food for thought as we approach the 2006 elections.
Bill Sweeney
Organizer
US AND THEM
A Pink Floyd song? Or is
it the continuing state of the skilled tradesmen in
A common statement that I’ve heard over the years is, “Oh, the union is
not needed anymore, it has served its purpose.”
That’s a good one, unfortunately it’s just a
means of distraction used by individuals who don’t want to see the unions
succeed in representing workers. Unions
came about in
It’s quite simple. A union’s strength is in its numbers. The IBEW grew strong in the early 20th Century to protect workers from unscrupulous employers. Now, in the early stages of the 21st Century, the crazy economic situation we live in makes union representation equally important. Cost of living, low wages, health care costs and job security are a few of the many issues facing workers today. Since it’s impossible to outsource a local construction job to another country, they simply have brought in workers from other countries under the “guest worker” concept to replace American workers. The employers would have to hire legal employees if they were signed with a local union collective bargaining agreement.
The
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is undertaking a massive
organizing drive in the state of
We as electricians need to be working together under the same umbrella. In order to secure a better standard of living, we must shake the “us and them” attitude and realize that we have common interests and goals. Contact IBEW Local Union 756 for further information at 386-756-2756 or 800-752-0756.
Dan Hunt
Member L. U. 756
Jerry and Jessica Bollinger
are the proud
parents of a son
Justin Tanner Bollinger –
Mark and Kristin Watson, Jr.
are the proud
parents of a son
Michael Mark Watson, III –
MEMBERS’ CORNER
Dates to Remember:
April
12th Union
Meeting,
April
13th
Retiree's Meeting,
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At the general membership meeting of March 8th, those in attendance elected to have a children’s Christmas Party in place of our annual picnic traditionally held in May. Further information will follow at a later date.
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We have regrettably lost two brothers since the last issue of the Sidecutter:
Jesse Lee Hale
We extend our deepest sympathies to their families.
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Please make sure that your beneficiary cards are up to date. Due to marriages, divorces and unfortunately deaths, the beneficiary cards need to be updated from time to time. We will be glad to assist you. Please also make sure we have your current address and phone number so that we can keep our records up to date.
Apprenticeship Report
Welcome
Back Spring Breakers! I hope you had a relaxing week off, well deserved I’m
sure.
As
most of you know, our former Business manager, Don Morgan, passed away in July
of 2005. Because of his many years of outstanding service and dedication to the
IBEW, the JATC and the electrical industry, the Committee has unanimously
decided and the Morgan family has graciously agreed to dedicate the JATC in his
memory and rename it as “The
The
JATC is recruiting for the new classification of Construction
Wireman/Construction Electrician. We are also actively recruiting for next
year’s Inside Apprenticeship classes. A
Committee has been formed and is actively making plans to implement a new
Residential Wireman program. Further information is forthcoming and I will keep
you updated.
Allen
Budd has accepted the position of substitute Instructor. Allen graduated in
August of 2005. He works for Buchanan Electric, Inc. Welcome Allen and thank
you for giving back the benefit of your knowledge and experience to our future
apprentices.
Stephen
Duplack will be accompanying me to the Apprenticeship
Day at the Capital on March 16th.
Stephen has been top apprentice for 3 years in the Tele-Com program and
made top apprentice in the 4th year Inside
program. He will be representing all of our apprentices. Congratulations
Stephen.
NEC
2005 Codebooks are now available at the JATC for $75.00 ea.
We
have had an outstanding response to the welding class. Twelve people have already signed up. It is
being discussed with DBCC as far as tuition and class dates and times. The
course must meet a total of 125 clock hours plus labs. The course will be
offered at DBCC’S Daytona Beach Campus Welding Lab, May thru August on Monday
and Wednesday evenings giving apprentices who are interested the opportunity to
take the class. Please call the JATC at 386-322-6236 to sign up.
Just a reminder for our Journeymen Wiremen! It has come
to the attention of the Committee that work evaluations are not always being
filled out accurately. Please make sure
you fill out your apprentice evaluations honestly so we may get a true
evaluation.
Training Director
A WORD FROM OUR RETIREES
Our
last retirees’ meeting was a “fish fry”, held on Thursday, March 9th. We had 44 people in attendance! Thanks go out to Eleanor Jones for her hard
work cooking the fish.
Happy
Birthday goes out to Shorty Jackson (83 –
Keep
in mind that if anyone has information of sick or disabled
members, please contact us so that we can remember them in prayer.
Our
next meeting will be “pot luck” on Thursday, April 13th at
Henry Lammers,
Recording Secretary
Local 756 Retiree’s Club
· Tips, topics, suggestions, and criticisms are welcome.
Send your responses to:
The Side Cutter c/o IBEW L.U.
Continuing Education Courses available:
Gail Jackson, Training Director 756-2776.
ORGANIZING:
Call Bill Sweeney 756-2756
IBEW #756 Home Page | What We Believe
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INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS
LOCAL UNION NO.
5901 W. Williamson Blvd.
(386) 756-2756
FAX (386) 756-2785
info@ibew756.com
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