UR 1995 12 XLIV 12 150dpi - IBEW1245

1245International BrotherhoodOf Electrical WorkersLocal 1245, AFL-CIODecember 1995Vol. XLIV No. 12Buildingcooperationat PG&Ehe effort to buildcooperation between labor andmanagement atPG&E picked upfresh momentumlast month when rank andfile union members from Gasand Electric T&D conducteda series of meetings with theirco-workers at yards throughout the PG&E system.The message was essentially this: the company andthe union need each other.PG&E hopes labor-management cooperation willbring business success in anewly-competitive environment. Workers hope cooperation will increase employment security.Those are the hopes. Theheavy lifting will be done bythe 20 or more labor-management committees createdsince April 5, when PG&EChairman Stan Skinner andLocal 1245 Business Manager Jack McNally agreed toTSurvey willsolicit ideasIn January 1996, a survey will be given to allbargaining unit employees to assist the work ofthe "94-53" labor-management committee dealing with Title 19, 206 and306 concerns.The survey will be usedto assist the committeein developing options forproposals for GeneralBargaining in 1997.The goal of the committee is to have a proposalto update and improvethe current system of demotion/displacements.INSIDEPerry Sworn InPage 2COOPERATION IN ACTIONElectric Crew Foreman Rene Moniz (left) makes a point during discussion of labor-managementcooperation last month at PG&E's Colma yard. Leading the discussion were Larry Darby(standing left), GC working foreman "A", and Jeff Howard (standing right), a division linemanin the East Bay, Meetings were scheduled throughout PG&E in November and December.the cooperative approach.None of those committeesfaces a bigger challenge thanthe one for Gas and ElectricT&D. A top priority of thatcommittee is to clarify therole of the division, GeneralConstruction, hiring hall, andcontract workforces.The work of the committeewas a major topic of discussion during the special unionpresentations at PG&E yardslast month. Those making thepresentations were able toreport several positive developments regarding job security since the cooperativeapproach began last April. PG&E now says there isenough work for all existingunion crew employees inboth Title 200 (division) andTitle 300 (General Construc-tion) "for the foreseeable future." If the work picturechanges, the companypledges to discuss the implications of those changes inpartnership with the union. The establishment of thehiring hall for temporary additional workers will help insulate regular Title 200 andTitle 300 employees from layoffs when the currentworkload falls off. The unionand company have agreedthat temporary workers orcontractors are not intendedas a replacement for regularworkers performing baseload work. Aletter agreementprohibits layoffs in either Title200 or Title 300when tempo-rary workers are being used. This foundation of jobsecurity is intended to reducePG&E Gas & Electric T&D presentationsUnion members giving presentations in November andDecember on labor-management cooperation are:Terry AndreucciJoe AudeloMike BrochhiniAl CallerosLonie CrawfordLarry DarbyRobert HartyJeff HowardDanny JacksonTab LagowJohn MendozaSteve MooreAnthony NormanJohn PetrovitzMichael SanerMike ScafaniRuss RyleeScott Stalderpast tensions between Division and GC employees andto encourage them to worktogether as equals.Along with improved jobsecurity for bargaining unitmembers, cooperation is providing PG&E new flexibilityin the deployment of itsworkforce. Where practical,and where critical vacanciesoccur, regular GC crews canbe loaned to divisions, andhiring hall employees can behired into GC to fill in behindthem.The company and unionbelieve that an increasedsense of job security will encourage employees to sharetheir ideas for improvingwork performance. Employees are also encouraged toshare ideas they may havefor improving safety or making further improvements injob security."We want to let you knowthere's a committee out hereto listen to your opinions,"said Larry Darby, a workingforeman "A" in GC, whospoke about these labor-management activities at theColma yard last month.Presentations by unionmembers concerning the Gasand Electric T&D labor-management committee wereslated to continue throughthe month of December.Foster-Wheeler PactPage 3Tree TrimmersExpress AppreciationPage 3Family Leave LawPages 4-5Local 1245 StaffChristmas GreetingsPages 6-7Advisory CouncilChristmas GreetingsPage 8Retirees CornerPage 9Unit Meeting SchedulePages 10-11California Boycott ListPage 12CALENDARDecember 1Shasta Pin DinnerRedding, Ca.December 2Sierra Pacific PowerStewards ConferenceReno, Nev.aaHappyAHotidaysl A

1245LABOR AT LARGEWorkers here and abroadBIRTH Rolling the union on.212111141111December 1995Volume XLIVNumber 12Circulation: 25,000(510) 933-6060Business Manager& Executive EditorJack McNallyPresidentHoward StieferExecutive BoardJim McCauleyE. L. "Ed" MalloryDebbie MazzantiChris HabeckerKathy F. TindallAndrew G. DudleyTreasurerMichael J. DavisCommunications DirectorEric WolfePublished monthly at 3063 Citrus Circle, Walnut Creek, California 94598. Official publication of Local Union 1245, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO, P.O.Box 4790, Walnut Creek, CA94596.I Escalated Action: Thenew leaders at the AFL-CIOannounced plans to step upsupport for striking Detroitnewspaper workers and forlocked-out employees atStaley Manufacturing Co. inDecatur, Ill. The AFL-CIOplans to increase pressure onsome companies to stop advertising in the Detroit newspapers, and will urge firmslike PepsiCo to stop buyingcorn sweeteners from Staley.11W' Sweet Success: Amonth-long strike by SugarWorkers Union Local 1, anaffiliate of the Seafarers International Union, ended recently when union membersvoted to end the walkout andratified an extension of theprevious three-year contract.The union action followedmanagement's withdrawal of takeaway" demands, according to the union. About 100Form 3579, Change of Address, and all correspondenceto Utility Reporter, P.O. Box4790, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.Single copies 10 cents, subscription 1.20 annually.IJW Organizing Immigrants: Union officials in LosAngeles and New York planmajor organizing drivesamong immigrant workers.The nine-union Los AngelesManufacturing ActionProject (IA MAP) will targetall employers in a specificindustry at one time. In NewYork, the Central LaborCouncil will focus on the retail food industry.aW Reining in Abuses;Santa Clara County, the heartof California's "Silicon Valley", has passed a law to reinin corporate abuse of property tax abatements. The newlaw requires companies seeking tax abatements to disclose how many jobs theywill create and their wage andPepsi is aiding theattack on locked-outworkers by purchasingproductsfromStaley Mfg.Second Class postage paid atWalnut Creek and at additionalmailing offices. USPS No.654640, ISSN No. 0190-4965.POSTMASTER: Please sendmembers of the Longshoremen's union honoredpicket lines in the walkout.TELLPEPSI.DUMP STALEYCALL: 1-800-433-2652uW' RaisingArizonaWages: The Arizona AFLCIO has launched an employee rights ballot initiative.If adopted, the proposalwould change the state constitution to: increase the minimum wage to 5.80; improveunemployment benefits andworkers compensation; andprohibit employers from firing workers except for "justcause."The 10th AnnualWestern WorkersLabor Heritage FestivalWU% PERRY SWORN INRich Perry (left) was sworn in by President Howard Stiefer atthe November Advisory Council meeting to represent Local1245 members at the US Bureau of Reclamation.Utility Reporterbenefit levels. The law alsorequires the employer to payat least 10 an hour for allnewly-created jobs, to provide health insurance to permanent employees, and to repay tax abatements if theyfail to meet their job creation,wage or benefit promises.LTAHave you moved lately? If so,please send your complete newaddress and your social security number to the Utility Reporter, P.O. Box 4790, WalnutCreek, CA 94596.2SAY 'NO' TO SWEATSHOPS!Joining in a rally outside an 8th Avenue sweatshop inNew York City's garment district on Oct. 26 are (fromleft) newly-elected AFL-CIO President John Sweeney,Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompsonand Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka.December 1995will be held Jan. 12-14 atthe Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., in downtown SantaCruz. Join the fun. Helpcelebrate labor's heritageand honor the memory ofDr. Martin Luther King,Jr.! Call David Winters at408-426-4940 for info.oW Idaho Petitions: TheIdaho AFL-CIO is backing apetition drive to place a measure on the 1996 ballot thatwould raise the state's minimum wage from 4.25 hourto 6.25 and repeal exemptions for farm workers, domestic workers, and outsidesales people, Labor Notesreported. The proposal wouldalso repeal the current lawwhich allows a 25% tip credittoward the minimum wage.Free Speech Victory:A federal judge issued a restraining order Oct. 4 prohibiting the city of Lafayette,Ca. from attempting to enforce an emergency ordinance outlawing virtually anypicket line, march rally orother demonstration, theCalifornia AFL-CIO Newsreported. The city passed theordinance at the behest ofthe Lafayette Park Hotel,which is seeking to thwartworkers' efforts to win a unioncontract at the hotel.Ended: Members of Teamsters Local 743at Lakewood Engineeringended the nationwide AFLCIO boycott of their companywhen they won a first contract with the Chicago makerof electric heaters and fansand metal Christmas-treestands. The contract providespay raises, improved benefits,seniority rights, job descriptions, and a job safety committee.

LOCAL AT LARGEPOINT OF VIEWMembers ratify pact with Foster-Wheelerembers of Local 1245ratified a new fouryear agreement withFoster Wheeler, a cogeneration facility based inMartinez, Ca.The agreement providesgeneral wage increases of3.25% per year. Equity raisesranging from 2% to 5% werealso negotiated.The addition of an employer-maintained 401K planwill supplement current pension benefits.Another new provision inthe agreement will give employees out on disability theopportunity to continue receiving their full wage by utilizing sick leave to supplement the payments fromState Disability Insurance.Other provisions of theagreement included: The employer will pay upto 125 for prescription safetyglasses and increase the bootallowance. Employees will receivean additional 5 an hour (overand above time-and-a-hall)for call-outs. Current employees whoare qualified will have preference for any newly-createdjob classifications.Foster-Wheeler is a gasturbine congeneration facility that supplies steam andelectricity to the Tosco refinery in Martinez, Ca.Negotiating the agreementfor the union were ClarkSheppard, power plant technician; Brian Walker, electrical technician; Business Rep.Hunter Stern; and AssistantBusiness Manager PerryZimmerman.MUtility restructuring& employee rightsJack McNally, IBEW 1245 Business ManagerNegotiating the Foster-Wheeler pact were (from left) ClarkSheppard, power plant technician; Brian Walker, electricaltechnician; Business Rep. Hunter Stern; and AssistantBusiness Manager Perry Zimmerman (not pictured).Utility Reporter honoredfor deregulation coverageusiness ManagerJackMcNally and Communications DirectorEric Wolfe accepted twofirst-place awards in the1995 Journalism AwardsContest sponsored by theInternational Labor Communications Association(ILCA) .A four-part series byMcNally and Wolfe examining utility deregulationreceived first place for BestSeries. The series includedarticles on the history ofregulation in California, theaffect on workers of deregulation in other industries,the consequences of natural gas deregulation, and ananalysis of current effortsto deregulate

Workers Union Local 1, an affiliate of the Seafarers In-ternational Union, ended re-cently when union members voted to end the walkout and ratified an extension of the previous three-year contract. The union action followed management's withdrawal of takeaway" demands, accord-ing to the union. About 100 members of the Long-shoremen's union honored