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Are you interested in a new career with excellent benefits, training and the ability to travel nationwide? Read more about the Electrical JATC at PSEJATC.

NOTICE

Apprentices traveling out of the jurisdiction:

The Parties have agreed that apprentices working under the Three Local Portability Agreement shall not be required to accept training assignments beyond a 35-mile radius from the JATC office in Renton.

Apprentices may turn down training assignments that take them out of the jurisdiction and beyond 35 miles from the JATC office.

Apprentices may not turn down training assignments within the jurisdiction of the Local, no matter what the mileage.

by Laura Robinson

As part of the 2008 IBEW Women’s Conference in Washington, D.C., Nancy Mason and I, along with Tracy Prezeau of Local 76, Sanya Hardin Young from Local 191, Cheryl Sanders and Terry Peterson from Local 112 and Samantha Bentley from Local 73, were given the opportunity to participate in a Congressional Lobby Day by meeting with our Washington State US Senators and Representatives on Capital Hill. The issues we discussed were the Trade, Reform Accountability and Employment Act, the Independent Contractor Misclassification of Workers Bill and the Green Jobs Act Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2009. In addition to those topics, Nancy Mason presented the Apprenticeship Utilization on Navy and Coast Guard Ships program on behalf of Local 46.

It was a great experience to see how our political process works and I want to give a special thanks to Sister Tracy Prezeau from Local 76, who is our Washington State Association of Electrical Workers Statewide Political Coordinator, for setting up our meetings with Representative Norm Dicks and his staff, Representative Adam Smith’s staff, Senator Patty Murray’s staff and Senator Maria Cantwell and her staff. (To see us in action go to www.ibew.org and click on the video clip of the 2008 Women's Conference.)

The IBEW position on the Trade, Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act H.R. 6180 and S.3083 is that it supports and co-sponsors the TRADE Act. This legislation requires a review of existing trade agreements, establishes standards for new agreements, protects workers, and requires Congressional oversight of all trade pacts. Passage of this legislation will lead to an overhaul of our failed trade policies.

The IBEW position on the Independent Contractor/Misclassification of workers is that, although many people classified as independent contractors are just that, countless others are workers who have a traditional employer/employee relationship with their employer, but have been improperly and deliberately misclassified. It is time to stop this abusive practice. The IBEW urges Members of Congress to support and co-sponsor S. 2044 and H.R. 5804, legislation to end the fraudulent misclassification of workers.

The IBEW position on the Green Jobs is that the IBEW supports full funding $125 million – for the Green Jobs Act, the appropriation for which is contained in the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2009. The IBEW also supports the current language in the Green Jobs Act which calls for equal participation of industry, employers, and labor organizations; including joint labor/management training programs.

*Note – The IBEW opposes efforts to reduce Labor’s training role for green-collar jobs. So the IBEW urges Congress to oppose the so-called Green Collar Improvement Act(H.R. 6220).

The speakers and the workshops at the Conference were fabulous and informative. The main topics were the 2008 Elections and Healthcare, but other topics included Going Green to Power the Future, Membership Development, New Technology and Unanticipated Job hazards, and much more.

The AFL-CIO Health Care Campaign – states that 82% of Union members think government should do more about health care. That it is the number one domestic issue for the government to address, after Iraq. Top concerns are: Cost of insurance premiums, rising health care costs, availability and quality of care, drug costs, reduced benefit coverage yet increased deductibles. The AFL-CIO message in 2008 is the Government has to act, they need to control costs; make sure everyone gets high-quality healthcare, cover preventive care, and let people choose their own doctors and providers for quality and fairness for all Americans.

A special thanks to International President Ed Hill for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak at Conference, but major kudos to President Hill for taking the time to have an open mic question and answer session with all the attendees at the conference. It took some guts to stand in a room full of women and answer any question asked of him. Big thanks to IBEW International Human Services Department Director Carolyn Williams and all the other women of the IBEW for organizing the 2008 Women’s Conference. It was such a great conference, let’s hope we don’t have to wait another four years to have another one!

As part of the 2008 IBEW Women’s Conference in Washington, D.C., Nancy Mason and I, along with Tracy Prezeau of Local 76, Sanya Hardin Young from Local 191, Cheryl Sanders and Terry Peterson from Local 112 and Samantha Bentley from Local 73, were given the opportunity to participate in a Congressional Lobby Day by meeting with our Washington State US Senators and Representatives on Capital Hill. The issues we discussed were the Trade, Reform Accountability and Employment Act, the Independent Contractor Misclassification of Workers Bill and the Green Jobs Act Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2009. In addition to those topics, Nancy Mason presented the Apprenticeship Utilization on Navy and Coast Guard Ships program on behalf of Local 46.
It was a great experience to see how our political process works and I want to give a special thanks to Sister Tracy Prezeau from Local 76, who is our Washington State Association of Electrical Workers Statewide Political Coordinator, for setting up our meetings with Representative Norm Dicks and his staff, Representative Adam Smith’s staff, Senator Patty Murray’s staff and Senator Maria Cantwell and her staff. (To see us in action go to www.ibew.org and click on the video clip of the 2008 Women's Conference.)
	The IBEW position on the Trade, Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act H.R. 6180 and S.3083 is that it supports and co-sponsors the TRADE Act. This legislation requires a review of existing trade agreements, establishes standards for new agreements, protects workers, and requires Congressional oversight of all trade pacts. Passage of this legislation will lead to an overhaul of our failed trade policies.
The IBEW position on the Independent Contractor/Misclassification of workers is that, although many people classified as independent contractors are just that, countless others are workers who have a traditional employer/employee relationship with their employer, but have been improperly and deliberately misclassified. It is time to stop this abusive practice. The IBEW urges Members of Congress to support and co-sponsor S. 2044 and H.R. 5804, legislation to end the fraudulent misclassification of workers.
	The IBEW position on the Green Jobs is that the IBEW supports full funding $125 million – for the Green Jobs Act, the appropriation for which is contained in the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2009. The IBEW also supports the current language in the Green Jobs Act which calls for equal participation of industry, employers, and labor organizations; including joint labor/management training programs.
*Note – The IBEW opposes efforts to reduce Labor’s training role for green-collar jobs. So the IBEW urges Congress to oppose the so-called Green Collar Improvement Act(H.R. 6220). The speakers and the workshops at the Conference were fabulous and informative. The main topics were the 2008 Elections and Healthcare, but other topics included Going Green to Power the Future, Membership Development, New Technology and Unanticipated Job hazards, and much more.
	The AFL-CIO Health Care Campaign – states that 82% of Union members think government should do more about health care. That it is the number one domestic issue for the government to address, after Iraq. Top concerns are: Cost of insurance premiums, rising health care costs, availability and quality of care, drug costs, reduced benefit coverage yet increased deductibles. The AFL-CIO message in 2008 is the Government has to act, they need to control costs; make sure everyone gets high-quality healthcare, cover preventive care, and let people choose their own doctors and providers for quality and fairness for all Americans.
A special thanks to International President Ed Hill for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak at Conference, but major kudos to President Hill for taking the time to have an open mic question and answer session with all the attendees at the conference. It took some guts to stand in a room full of women and answer any question asked of him. Big thanks to IBEW International Human Services Department Director Carolyn Williams and all the other women of the IBEW for organizing the 2008 Women’s Conference. It was such a great conference, let’s hope we don’t have to wait another four years to have another one!