Last night, we had our first Union Meeting since COVID started. We had a strong turnout and were thankful that everyone wore their masks and continue to protect one another here and on the jobsite!
Here is the report I gave last night. Let me start my report off with NEGOTIATIONS.
As I reported during summertime, we have a new IBEW 569 Inside Contract! It is a one-year contract with a 5.9% wage increase – which is an additional $2.65 an hour bringing us to $47.65 an hour.
I’d like to thank the Negotiation Committee members: Joe Heisler, Jose Martinez, David Saunders, Cory Hurley, Joe Page, and William Stedham.
It took us going to CIR to get this contract and agreement. Upon return, we immediately started negotiating a new Streetlight Agreement, and our Negotiation Committee met many times with NECA contractors.
Unlike our Inside Agreement, we were able to come to an agreement, and earlier this month our Streetlight Techs met and approved a new contract that raises wages for Tech 1’s by $5.50 over the next three years. Additional details of the contract will soon be posted once we receive final signatures.
Our Streetlight Techs also made it be known that they want more classes and educational opportunities at our Electrical Training Institute, and we’re advocating for this too.
Let’s now switch to our WORK OUTLOOK!
Clean transportation has been a major focus this year.
Just like energy, we are seeing transportation shift to clean technologies and we want to make sure we are on the leading edge of this work. I have three exciting updates to share.
In June, we helped pass the nation’s first Clean Trucks standard with our broad, diverse coalition.
This new rule requires manufacturers to produce zero-emission trucks for California starting in 2024.
It will lead to hundreds of thousands of clean trucks, from pick-ups to tractor trailers, that will need electric charging infrastructure.
SDG&E just launched a program to build charging infrastructure for medium and heavy-duty vehicles like trucks. It requires IBEW signatory, C-10 contractors and EVITP electricians.
The new Clean Trucks rule will help get our members on the job building charging infrastructure and is also a major climate and clean air victory.
Our second big win was at MTS and relates to zero-emission buses.
Our transit agency MTS operates roughly 700-800 buses. They will now need to convert these buses and build new charging infrastructure.
We recently worked to secure workforce requirements and make sure MTS prioritizes disadvantaged communities for the new clean buses.
The workforce language requires C10 contractors, prevailing wages and EVITP for construction, installation and maintenance of bus charging infrastructure at MTS.
Our third big clean transportation win – we scored a huge legislative victory in Sacramento with our coalition when the Governor signed AB 841!
Starting Jan 1st, 2022, projects funded or authorized by the California Energy Commission, California Air Resources Board or California Public Utilities Commission will require EVITP certification.
The bill also helps fast-track utility EV charging programs, including an SDG&E program that has been waiting for approval. This will be even more EV charging work for our members.
AB 841 also re-directs some existing dollars to school upgrades for energy efficiency, HVAC and plumbing using a skilled & trained workforce. Lots of green IBEW work coming down the pipeline because of this bill.
Also, we secured a PLA on a 140 MW energy storage project in Valley Center. I spotted it on social media page, we tracked it down and and then got a PLA signed. Let us know if you see any projects of interest in your community!
Speaking of PLAs – we’ve won and signed a PLA on the new $3 Billion Pure Water Project – this has been awarded to Shimmick, and should begin putting our members to work early next year.
Here’s some additional work outlook updates:
CSI Electric won work on nearly 60 schools in Imperial Beach and Chula Vista – and this work will take place next year.
HMT won the new courthouse downtown and they have people down there doing temporary power right now and will man up into 2021.
Baker Electric won the new SDSU Aztec Stadium and has people onsite doing temporary power and will soon put more members to work in early 2021.
Morrow Meadows has secured a new ground-up Kaiser hospital in North County that will also put our members to work in early 2021. The new hospital will be nearly the same size as the one we built right around the corner from our Union Hall – so lots of good long-term jobs.
Also- we met earlier this week with a developer on a new major local construction project getting ready to start next year – I’ll have another update on this next month.
Also – we win work when we win at the polls. Like all our PLA’s we’ve won by electing school boards that support local hire and more jobs for IBEW members.
Your ballot should have arrived already along with your IBEW 569 Voter Guide and endorsements.
Always, our #1 priority in determining who receives the endorsement of IBEW 569 is whether the candidate or the initiative will result in more work for our members with higher wages, and a better quality of life.
Priority campaigns include:
- Yes on 14 ($5.5 billion in bonds for medical research and construction of facilities);
- Yes on 15 (closes corporate tax loopholes to raise money for schools that we build; protects homeowners and small businesses)
- NO on Prop 22 (a deceptive measure that cheats workers of wages and benefits and rips off taxpayers)
- Todd Gloria for Mayor of San Diego
- Republican Joel Anderson and Democrat Terra Lawson-Remer for San Diego County Supervisor, and
- Ryan Childers and Erik Ortega for Imperial Irrigation District
We also need your help to get local candidates elected to office and win more work for our members – please join me for a Lit Drop – no knocking, just dropping off campaign literature to educate and empower voters.
- Saturday, October 17th | 8:00am | South Bay / National City
- Saturday, October 24th | 8:00am | San Diego
- Saturday, October 31st | 8:00am | San Diego
- Sunday, November 1st | 8:00am | San Diego
Right now is the time to visit our website or IBEWvotes.com and:
Check Your Voter Registration Status.
Register to Vote: If you recently moved, you must re-register to vote.
And make a plan to VOTE.
We can disagree on some issues, but IBEW 569 will continue to endorse candidates and policies that support putting our members to work with union wages and benefits – that’s always the priority and determining factor.
Together, we can strengthen our democracy and our communities by voting in this November 2020 general election. Thank you for voting union strong!
I hope to see you at our next Union Meeting – to occur outdoors – on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th – we had to move date of this General Membership Union Meeting as the usual date is the second Wednesday of November 2020 and this falls on Veteran’s Day, an observed IBEW 569 Holiday.
Please continue to stay safe and thank you for everything you do to keep our union strong, and please see our e-newsletter for additional updates and IBEW 569 news.
In Solidarity,
Jeremy Abrams
Business Manager, IBEW 569 | Card # A129528
IBEW 569 Portfolio: Vallecitos Water District
Check out IBEW 569 members working on the Vallecitos Water District Twin Oaks Reservoir project – which consists of two ground mount solar arrays built on top of two buried water tanks for a total of 1440 kW AC.
The project is located in a rural area San Marcos and took approximately 3 months to complete.
The installation consists of 5184 Adani Solar 365W modules and 18 Delta 80kW inverters which feed four 800A AC panelboards.
The 4 panelboards feed into a 2500A PV switchboard which will tap into a new 2500A main service, all installed by CSI Electric, Inc.
Project participants from Local 569 include:
- Ryan Springer
- Victor Santana
- Paul Roberts
- Travis Kohmencher
- Tammy Spinks
- Edward Wallace
ETI is Hiring Instructors – Teach the Next Generation of IBEW Members
Our Electrical Training Institute (ETI) is hiring instructors for classes next semester. This is a great way for IBEW 569 Journeymen to share their knowledge, expertise, and experiences in the field with the next generation of electrical workers in the classroom.
These are the classes that ETI is hiring instructors for:
APIW-110 for CALCTP
APIW-110 for OSHA-30
APIW-106 for Specialty Systems
APIW-108 for Electrical Cert. Prep.
APIW-107 for ESAMTAC and Bluebeam
If interested please contact ETI Lead Instructor Ken Collier at 858-569-6633 ext. 430.
Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference
Tune in on Saturday, October 17, for the first ever VIRTUAL Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference!
Tradeswomen Build Nations will be hosting a number of speakers on Saturday, October 17, 2020 from 8 am to 11:30 am. Be sure to check the website frequently, as more information is announced. https://nabtu.org/twbn/
REGISTER HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/…/reg…/WN_D-rJUjRcSV2aGou7kY8AjQ
New 569 Motorcycle Chapter
Members of IBEW Local 569 will be starting a Motorcycle Chapter!
The local chapter will be selling patches and American-made leather vests with a patch similar to these brothers from Local 1250 and Local 3.
If you’re interested in purchasing either or learning more about the 569 Motorcycle Chapter, please contact Jason Cloyd at JCloyd569@Gmail.com.
LAST CHANCE – TAKE THE CENSUS
Union members count! Join the AFL-CIO in ensuring every working person is counted in the 2020 census! Today is the last day to take the census: https://my2020census.gov/
