IBEW 569 Brothers and Sisters – here is a new video message with some additional important updates for our members and union.
Last week, we had our second union meeting since COVID started – and we honored our veterans and those members that have served our country! After we finished our union business, we distributed special Pins and T-shirts to our veterans and thanked them for their service.
While many of you were unable to join us, I would like to give my report in this video, and give you a few additional updates.
First, l want to strongly urge everyone to continue to practice social distancing and wearing your mask. Both San Diego and Imperial Counties are in the Purple Tier – meaning COVID cases are widespread and spreading rapidly in a surge.
If we want to continue to work, as essential workers, we must all be on guard to protect ourselves and one another. If you are sick – quarantine and seek medical attention and testing immediately.
Everything could be shut down with a stroke of a pen if things get worse.
Work Safe, Be Safe and Stay Safe!
Now, let’s talk about politics.
The Election is now past and the nation is still talking about politics at the national level – both the presidency and the senate. But our primary focus has been politics at our local level.
First off – I want to thank the hundreds of IBEW 569 members that volunteered their weekends to join us at the Building Trades Lit Drops that helped make a huge difference.
We had 12 walks – all over the region and we helped educate and empower tens of thousands of voters to vote for candidates that support unions.
And thank you for voting union strong. Always, our #1 priority in determining who received the endorsement of IBEW 569 is whether the candidate or the initiative would result in more work for our members with higher wages, and a better quality of life.
And we won some big races – including Mayor of San Diego Todd Gloria; electing a new majority to San Diego City Council that supports more work for 569; flipping the County Board of Supervisors to being labor friendly, and electing many others across the region that will be strong advocates of mass transit, climate action, and more good local jobs for 569 members – including National City, Carlsbad, Vista, and Chula Vista.
This will bring huge change at SANDAG to help build out mass transit and put our members to work for decades – a strategy that we have been working toward for the past five years.
Again, we connect politics to jobs and we’re doing that right now.
Now, let’s talk about the pipeline of 569 work.
Over the last few months, I have been in meetings and negotiations with Hines on the Riverwalk Development, and they have agreed to hire only 569 union signatory contractors for all electrical work on this development – creating a stronger community with 4,300 new homes, nearly 100 acres of open space and parks, 1 million square feet of office space, and 150,000 square feet of retail opportunities.
The Riverwalk package of attainable housing located near transit will create equitable opportunities and a vibrant community for many San Diegans to prosper – all while employing hundreds of local IBEW 569 electricians and providing long-term family sustaining construction jobs that include excellent wages and benefits, plus new apprenticeship opportunities.
We spoke in favor of this development at the Planning Commission and it passed unanimously and tomorrow we’ll speak before City Council to again support Riverwalk San Diego.
Also, we successfully signed an agreement for the Costa Verde development with Regency to build 360,000 square feet of research and development facilities, 40,000 square feet of offices, and allow for a 200-room hotel. All electrical work will be done by an IBEW 569 signatory contractor and our members.
We also spoke in favor of the Padres Development Team’s vision for a new East Village quarter – that will include 612 new units of housing, plus innovative tech office space, and open green space. If this moves forward, it will be built under a PLA and put many IBEW 569 members to work – this passed the first hurdle at City Council.
We have also recently had an initial meeting with a major developer of affordable housing – and will report back on this in the future.
Finally, we have an ACTION you can take right now – please go to this website (https://actnow.io/a0ROxTV) and take 2 minutes to send a letter of support for a PLA project in Coronado—the “Inn at the Cays:”
The Inn at the Cays will be the first hotel in Coronado that includes a percentage of rooms priced for lower-income visitors, and will be built under PLA, then operated as a union hotel.
There are a couple hurdles we need to overcome at the Port Commission to get to the finish line, and the developer is requesting support from our IBEW 569 members.
Please take action now and help support more work for 569 members – letters need to be in by Tuesday, November 17 – act now!
And now to report on a couple IBEW events.
First – last week was the 5th Annual National Apprenticeship Week, and we participated in a live streamed panel on apprenticeship and the key to success. You can check out the video on ETI’s Facebook page. Please join us in sharing apprenticeship and the opportunity to earn while you learn – with the next generation of apprentices and electricians.
Speaking of giving back, this last Saturday, in conjunction with the EWMC National Day of Service, IBEW 569, NECA and EWMC hosted a distribution of holiday meals to members and families – at our Electrical Training Institute and at our Imperial Valley Hall.
If you know of any brothers or sisters that are in need, please have them contact us and we will set up an appointment to receive food.
And next month – we’re going to have our union meeting on the second Wednesday of the month as usual – December 9th.
But we’re moving and re-configuring our annual holiday party to become a Drive Through Winter Wonderland Experience with Santa on Friday, December 11th in San Diego, and Saturday December 12th in Imperial County.
More details to come, but we’re looking forward to celebrating the holidays with you and your family as best and safe as possible.
Until then, we at IBEW 569 are wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for – and at our core is our membership and the great work you do on the jobsite and everywhere elsewhere to keep us union strong.
Again, please continue to stay safe and thank you for everything you do.
And please continue to stay safe!
In solidarity,
Jeremy Abrams
Your IBEW 569 Business Manager
