International

Operating Engineer Fall/Winter 2010

Putting pipeline training to work

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general officers Vincent J. Giblin, General President Christopher Hanley, General Secretary-Treasurer William C. Waggoner, First Vice President Brian E. Hickey, Second Vice President John M. Hamilton, Third Vice President Patrick L. Sink, Fourth Vice President Jerry Kalmar, Fifth Vice President Russell E. Burns, Sixth Vice President James T. Callahan, Seventh Vice President Rodger Kaminska, Eighth Vice President Mark Holliday, Ninth Vice President James M. Sweeney, Tenth Vice President Robert T. Heenan, Eleventh Vice President Frank Hanley, General President Emeritus Budd Coutts, General Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus

trustees

Features

Subscription Terms - $5 per year Change of Address - Requests must be submitted in writing to the IUOE Membership Department (address above). Include your new address, registration and local union number. POSTMASTERS – ATTENTION: Change of address on Form 3579 should be sent to: International Operating Engineer - Mailing List Dept. 1125 17th St., NW, 3rd Floor - Washington, DC 20036 Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC and additional offices Publications Mail Agreement No. 40843045 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 503 RPO West Beaver Creek Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6

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Regional conferences focus on priorities

IUOE signs PLA for Keystone XL pipeline

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Twenty-two operating engineers from several IUOE locals perform critical winching (with slopes of 40 - 50 degrees) on the mountainous section of the Williams - Transco gas pipeline project near Renovo, PA. 2

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.S. P resident A ndrew J ohnson o nce r emarked “ Washington, DC is 12 square miles bordered by reality.” Despite being regarded by many historians as one of this country’s worst presidents and the first president ever to be impeached, perhaps h e d id s ucceed i n s ummarizing t he p olitical c limate i n o ur nation’s capitol… and that was over 140 years ago! There r emains a se nse t hat m any o f t hose e lected t o r epresent our best interest leave reality behind when they pack their bags for Washington. However, many of those representatives got a hefty dose of reality on November 2, 2010. Some might describe it as more of a wake-up call.

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NTF training conference a success

IUOE, Bechtel sign certification agreement

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Depar tments 8 Legal Briefs............................ 10 Safety & Health News......... 12 Education & Training.......... 14 Canadian News.................... 18 Central Pension Fund........

t ON THE COVER:

2010 elections: a dose of reality

Fall/Winter 2010 • Volume 153, No. 3 Editor - Christopher Hanley

John M. Holliday III, Chairman John T. Ahern, Trustee Mike Gallagher, Trustee Kuba J. Brown, Trustee The International Operating Engineer (ISSN 0020-8159) (USPS 581900) is published triannually by the: International Union of Operating Engineers 1125 17th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20036 Printed in the USA on union-made paper.

An IUOE perspective

Around the Locals............... 20 Member Service................... 22 GEB Minutes.......................... 24 In Memoriam.........................30

Americans, having had enough with business as usual in Washington and the direction the U.S. is moving, voiced their anger in voting booths across the county. The result of that anger is Washington now having a divided government over the next two years with Democrats retaining control of the Senate, ‘...we want by a smaller margin, and Republicans controlling the House of Representatives. While t he r esults of t his e lection w ere d isappointing to the millions of voters who supported candidates who did represent working families, it is clear that this election was not a mandate for an anti-worker agenda. This election was a representation of America’s anger and fear of continued high unemployment, the sluggish g rowth i n t he e conomy, o ngoing h ome foreclosures and a deep seeded anxiety and mistrust of the federal government.

sue facing the American economy? As far as the IUOE is concerned, we have set clear priorities for the next Congress. First and foremost: highways, b ridges, t ransit s ystems, freight rail, aviation, ports and wastewater treatment plants are clearly deteriorating t hroughout t he c ountry. The 112th Congress must finance and rebuild America’s b roken infrastructure, which is the catalyst to creating a growing and prosperous economy in a global marketplace.

Over the last five years, Operating Engineers have been building up our own internal political infrastructure and are now o ne of t he largest contributors t o f ederal canmore didates o f e ither p arty w ho s upport u s o n o ur k ey issues like job creation and labor protections.

policies that prop up working Americans on Main Street and not the financial titans on Wall Street.’

To say that we saw this coming is an understatement. T his p ast S eptember t he I UOE c onducted a n u nprecedented opinion survey of more than 100,000 members in selected Congressional districts and Senate races around the country. It was very clear from the thousands of responses that creating good paying jobs and a growing economy was by far the single most important issue for Operating Engineer members. In fact, over 80% of Operating Engineer respondents want more job c reating federal i nfrastructure s pending and investments. In summary, both the IUOE member survey and the 2010 elections reiterated the need to get our economy back on track by creating jobs. Now, the real question the 2010 elections pose is where do we go from here? Let’s be honest. While it was necessary to stop the loss of almost 700,000 jobs per month when the Obama Administration took office less than two years ago, there is a sense that Congress missed an opportunity to do more to create good paying jobs for American workers. Simply put, we want more policies that prop up working Americans on Main Street and not the financial titans on Wall Street. Many jobs within the construction industry were created through the stimulus package enacted by the Democratic-controlled House in February 2009; however the fact remains that more must be done. A key question facing Republicans as they take control of the House of Representatives in 2011, is how they will address the serious jobs is-

General President Vincent J. Giblin

However, we cannot and will not stop there. We must a lso b uild o ur c apacity t o h old t hese elected officials accountable as they begin to vote on various p ieces of l egislation. T he key t o a ccomplishing this is an informed and actively engaged IUOE membership.

One i mportant t ool t hat we n eed t o t ake b etter advantage of is the Engineers Action Response Network ( EARN). E ARN, t he internet-based ap plication IUOE members c an s ign up for o n www.iuoe. org, provides members with a means of contacting their representatives in Congress to let them know they are paying attention to how they vote on critical job creating issues and infrastructure legislation. This c ommunication c an b e p erformed o n a b ipartisan b asis w hen members of Congress understand what our key IUOE priorities are. Here in Washington, the IUOE will continue to work with various c oalitions s uch a s t he A mericans f or T ransportation M obility and Transportation Construction Coalition to advocate for necessary infrastructure job creating programs. These coalitions include such groups as the US Chamber of Commerce, American Road and Transportation Builders Association and other groups advocating a whole range of job creating infrastructure. The I UOE is committed to restoring a se nse of reality a mongst our members of C ongress – r eality b eing t hat good-paying jobs for working A mericans a re t he only way to pull our country out of t he economic d oldrums w e c ontinue t o l inger i n a nd t he I UOE st ands ready to work with both parties to accomplish this. At the end of the day, our elected officials must understand that working together to represent and advance working Americans is the reason t hey a re h ere, n ot t o w aste o ur t ime a nd m oney o n p artisan politics and come back to us empty handed. However, as I had noted earlier, we need you to assist us in holding these elected officials accountable by educating yourself not just every election cycle, but yearround and staying involved on the local, state and national levels.

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Regional IUOE conferences focus on training, political action, organizing The 52nd Canadian Conference was held at t he Palliser Hotel i n Calgary, A B August 29 - September 1. The conference, hosted by Local 955, was well attended by members representing locals throughout Canada. “The p remise o f t he c onference is t he learning a nd s haring o f t rends i n C anadian labour relations,” said Local 955 Business Manager Bruce Moffatt. “Local 955 was pleased to have the opportunity to host the conference a nd s howcase w estern h ospitality.” During his opening remarks, IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin reaffirmed his c ommitment t o C anadian m embers e nsuring their voices will continue to be heard. He also became the first General President to attend the Stationary Caucus meeting. Another c onference p recedent i ncluded a joint presentation by Canadian staff on the projects and issues they’ve been addressing on behalf of Canadian locals and members. Additional presentations included: ƒƒ Chief of Staff Jim Van Dyke provided an up date o n t he s trengths a nd c hallenges facing the I UOE – n oting that

Canadian despite t he s luggish e conomy, C anadian membership continues to grow. ƒƒ General Counsel Richard Griffin addressed the work being done on pension plans and other legal issues. ƒƒ Director of Special Projects and Initiatives Jeff Fielder updated attendees on organizing efforts and tools that locals can use to assist their efforts. Guest s peakers i ncluded G ary M ar, A lberta representative in Washington, DC, and Jeff Mowatt, Customer Service Strategist. Both challenged delegates not only to become more engaged in issues, but to improve services important to locals and get members involved in promoting issues that impact them. “The conference is always at its best when we engage interesting speakers, especially those of interest to all delegates,” remarked Local 772 Business Manager Greg Hoath. Throughout the conference, attendees

New York State

IUOE Vice President/Local 15 Business Manager James T. Callahan, left, and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

With 137 attendees, representing 14 locals throughout the Northeast Region, International staff and invited speakers, the 75th New York State C onference w as a r esounding s uccess. Held August 15 – 18, 2010 at the Gideon Putnam Resort i n S aratoga S prings, the c onference provided attendees with a reinvigorated charge going into the midterm elections.

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Western

From left to right are Local 955 Organizer Larry Goulet, Bagpiper Dick Ellsworth, Deputy Speaker-Government of Alberta Wayne Cao, Local 955 Business Agent Gary Vegelis, Bagpiper Duncan McEwen and Local 955 Business Representative/ Recording-Corresponding Secretary Bruce Kosmack.

thanked retiring IUOE Vice President/Lo cal 115 Business Manager Gary Kroeker for his years of dedicated service. Kroeker also stepped down as President of the Executive Board of the Conference. IUOE Trustee/Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher was elected as the new conference president.

The 72 nd Convention of the Western Conference of Operating Engineers was held September 13-15, 2010, in Las Vegas at the Paris Hotel. The convention began with an informative Executive Board Meeting addressed by General President Vincent J. Giblin. General Session was held the following day, consisting of n umerous speakers and workshops with updates provided by several members of the International staff. The c onference a lso h ad t he f ollowing guest speakers: President of AFL-CIO Nevada Danny Thompson, President of AFLCIO C alifornia A rt P ulaski, C lark C ounty

Commissioner Tom Collins, Clark County C ommissioner C hris Giunchigliani, T owpath R enewable V entures P resident J ennifer Von B ismark a nd A FL-CIO A ssistant D irector o f F ield O perations Vinny O’Brien. Several Nevada politicians also addressed the d elegation, i nforming t hem o n c ritical races and issues the state faces. Local 3 facilitated two workshops d uring the conference. The first, held by Pete Figueiredo and Bob Miller, d iscussed i nternal o rganization. T he second, given by Mark Kyle and Matt Taylor,

addressed new tools for political communication. The convention adjourned with the passage of t wo i mportant resolutions w hich a ltered the bylaws. The first resolution updated the j urisdiction o f t he W estern C onference, and the second changed the annual convention to biennial conventions.

“I was truly honoured to have Gary nominate me to be his successor as presi dent of the Canadian Conference,” said Gallagher. “Brother Kroeker virtually defined the position with his sense of style and dedication to the advancement of all members across Canada.” IUOE Vice President/Local 12 Business Manager William C. Waggoner.

Other presentations included: ƒƒ General Counsel Richard Griffin on NLRB activity, new crane regulations and officer/staff training.

“The conference provides representatives of l ocals t hroughout t he N ortheast R egion with an opportunity to stay abreast of all the issues impacting them on a state and national level,” remarked IUOE Vice President/Local 15 Business Manager James T. Callahan, who also serves as NYS Conference President.

ƒƒ Director of Health Care Initiatives David Treanor on provisions of the Health Care Reform Act.

IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin k icked the conference off addressing the challenging u nemployment r ate a nd w hat the International is doing to help alleviate the hardships of members and their families. Giblin also emphasized the importance of the midterm elections and the I UOE’s efforts to conduct a survey capturing member attitudes regarding politics and other key issues.

Other speakers included NYS Senate Democratic Majority Conference Leader John Sampson, NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, NYS AFL-CIO P resident D enis H ughes a nd N YS Commissioner of Labor Colleen Gardner.

ƒƒ Director of Politics and Legislation Tim James on pension relief, A RRA, H IRE Act a nd h ighway, e nergy, a irport a nd water infrastructure funding legislation.

IUOE Vice President/Local 3 Business Manager Russell E. Burns.

North-Central The N orth-Central C onference w as held October 10-13 in Minneapolis, MN. Monday - t he General Session kicked off with a n a ddress by I UOE G eneral P resident Vincent J. Giblin. Presentations were given by International staff. The conference also offered a variety of b reakout se ssions a ddressing H oisting

and Portable, Stationary/Petro-Chemical, Health Care Initiatives, Organizing, Political/Legislative Affairs and Apprenticeship. Guest s peakers a ddressing c onference a ttendees i ncluded M innesota S enators A l F ranken a nd A my Klobuchar.

Minnesota Senator Al Franken, left, and IUOE Vice President/Local 324 Business Manager John M. Hamilton.

Recently named Northeast Regional Director Joseph Giacin also introduced the region’s two new International Representatives John Downey and Dave Cahill.

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IUOE, other unions sign PLA for Keystone XL pipeline The IUOE, along with the UA, Laborers, Teamsters, AFL-CIO and the Pipeline Contractors Association, announced a Project Labor Agreement with the TransCanada Corporation on September 14 for a significant portion of U.S. construction of the proposed $7 billion Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion Pipeline Project (Keystone XL). The agreement will provide TransCanada with a capable, welltrained and ready workforce in the U.S. to construct Keystone XL. During construction, the project is expected to create over seven million hours of labor and over 13,000 new jobs for American workers. “An ambitious project of this scope, spanning over five states and employing thousands of American construction workers, will unequivocally help remedy the struggles of our country’s working families,” said IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin. “History has proven time and time again that infrastructure projects, such as this, lead to the resurgence of our nation’s economy and the ripple effects are far-reaching. An independent study estimates that during the life of the project, the Keystone XL project is expected to stimulate: • Over $20 billion in new spending for the U.S. economy • More than 118,000 person-years of employment

• $6.5 billion increase in the personal income of Americans • Increased gross output (product) of $9.6 billion

• Over $585 million in state/local taxes along the pipeline route The Keystone XL project is a planned 1,959-mile, 36-inch crude oil pipeline stretching from Alberta and moving southeast through Sas-

From the left IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin, TransCanada President and CEO Russ Girling and UA General President William Hite sign the project labor agreement on September 14 in Washington, DC at AFL-CIO headquarters.

katchewan, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. It will link up with a portion of the Keystone Pipeline that will be built through Kansas to Oklahoma and facilitate take away capacity from U.S. hubs located on the pipeline. The pipeline will then continue on through Oklahoma to a delivery point near existing terminals in Texas. “The IUOE is proud to be part of the Keystone XL pipeline and our operating engineers throughout the Midwest are ready to provide TransCanada with the skill, professionalism and pride this project requires,” said Giblin.

Local 150 fights to protect benefits, negotiates agreement This July, road and building construction projects across Chicago and northeastern Illinois were brought to a halt for three weeks as approximately 7500 Local 150 members went on strike. The local sought modest increases to cover rising health care and benefit costs. The contractors proposed a three-year rollover, which would have effectively meant concessions. After working the month of June without a contract, members voted unanimously on June 30 to reject the employers’ proposal of a three-year rollover of the previous contract and authorize a strike.

“Going on strike is always a last option, but our members understood what we were fighting to protect,” said IUOE Vice President and Local 150 President-Business Manager James M. Sweeney. “The benefits we have today were obtained through the hard work of those who came before us, and our members stood strong to protect our benefits for those very same retirees, as well as the generations to come.” The increases were essential to maintain health care/retirement benefits as well as to maintain programs intended to cut costs and create future work. The agreement funded a jointly-run political action committee that will back candidates who support initiatives that put operating engineers to work and protect existing labor legislation.

Local 150 went on strike on July 1, joining approximately 7000 laborers, who had gone on strike the day beAlso funded in the agreement will be fore. This amounted to the largest strike the contributions toward the recently-creatNortheastern Illinois had seen in a genLocal 150 Operators Mario Nicosia and Charlie Wick picketing at the ed Retiree Medical Savings Plan, which will eration. Projects ranging from small Dirksen Federal Building during the strike in Chicago. be set aside tax-free for members to use on excavating projects to the $95 million insurance deductibles and health care costs upon retirement, effectively resurfacing of the Eisenhower Expressway were completely stopped. increasing members’ pensions by freeing up dollars that are currently On July 21, two days after a tentative agreement sent members spent covering these costs. Contributions made to Local 150’s Apback to work, the men and women working under the agreements votprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program will update some of the ed to approve the new three-year contract proposal, which included older equipment, providing members the ability to train on the latest annual 3.25 percent increases. machinery and make themselves as employable as possible. 6

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Over 250 instructors, training administrators and trustees participated in the 2010 IUOE NTF’s Training and Safety & Health Conference.

NTF training conference: collaboration, teamwork in action

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e left the conference with a renewed sense of purpose to train current and future operating engineers,” was the feedback given by a participant at the IUOE National Training Fund’s Training and Safety & Health Conference.

Each year the conference provides an opportunity for instructors and administrators to meet and share information about the latest teaching tools, courses and equipment for operating engineer training. Welcoming the participants, General President Vincent J. Giblin recognized local unions and training programs for the support they provide to the NTF and praised participants for their critical role in educating IUOE members.

“Training is never easy, especially in the current economic climate. But it is the absolute foundation for the future of this organization,” Giblin said. “Your efforts ensure our members are prepared with the skills necessary to earn a good living and provide for their families. It is also these skills that make our signatory employer successful in bidding work and providing union jobs.” The NTF collaborated on workshop presentations with local instructors as well as outside experts during the four-day event. Participants attended workshops on teaching techniques, course design, the online Blackboard Learning System, union education and safety and health updates. Attendees then chose from among 10 workshops, which covered emerging topics and new regulations such as energy conservation and crane safety. The latest equipment, teaching materials and simulation packages available to local training programs were also on display.

A wide variety of workshops addressed hoisting and portable and stationary training topics.

member training, the conference reaffirmed the value of teamwork between local unions and the National Training Fund.

The conference provided participants with numerous opportunities to contribute their own experiences and concluded with instructor and administrator exchanges where participants discussed local best practices and got ideas for their own training efforts. Instructors also discussed and shared local best practices during breakout sessions.

With the IUOE’s continuing commitment to attaining the highest standards for

Hands-on simulator demonstrations were popular with conference attendees. fall / winter

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Central Pension Fund Defined Benefit Plans trim sails, outperform 401(k)’s

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ailors know that to maintain forward progress in a headwind they must trim their sails. Likewise, sailing into the worst economic headwinds since the 1930’s, defined benefit pension plans have trimmed their benefit accrual rates to maintain forward progress. For example, in 2005, after the market downturns of 2000 and 2002, the Central Pension Fund reduced its benefit accrual rate for future service from 3.3% to 3.0%. Then, in 2009, after the worst market collapse since the Great Depression, the fu ture accrual rate was reduced from 3.0% to 1.0%. These responses to market events permit defined benefit plans to adjust to even the most severe economic reversals, while fully protecting the accrued benefits of plan participants. This protection doesn’t exist in the 401(k) world, where retirement account balances disappear when markets collapse. To illustrate this advantage of defined benefit plans over 401(k)’s, consider the following example. Assume that two workers, Joe and Sam, commence their careers on the same day, work for 25 years, then retire. Assume they each work 2000 hours every year, and have contributions of $4 per hour made to their retirement plans for eac h hour worked. Each would accumulate $8,000 in contributions every year, producing total contributions of $200,000 at the end of 25 years. Now assume that Joe’ s contributions went to the CPF, while Sam’s contributions went to a 401(k) plan. At the end of 25 years what benefit can each worker expect to receive? To determine this we make a couple more assumptions: First, we (conservatively) assume that Joe’s CPF benefit accrual rate for all 25 years is at the 1% accrual rate adopted in 2009; Second, we (generously)

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assume that for every one of the 25 years, Sam’s 401(k) account achieved an investment return of 7.75%; which is the historical rate of return achieved by the CPF. With these assumptions, Joe’s retirement benefit is easy to calculate: it is 1% per month of his CPF account balance of $200,000. This pays Joe a retirement benefit of $2,000 a month -- $24,000 a year -- for life.

‘... protection doesn’t exist in the 401(k) world, where retirement account balances disappear when markets collapse.’ Sam’s monthly benefit is a little more difficult to calculate, because Sam must determine how much he can afford to pay himself each month from his 401(k) account. Assuming he achieved a return of 7.75% each year, his $200,000 of contributions would have grown to an account balance of $585,777 at the time of his retirement. Experts agree that, in retirement, 401(k) participants should not withdraw more than 4% annually from their account balance to assure that they will not outlive their money. An account balance of $585,777 paid out at 4% a year will provide Sam with a benefit of $1,953 a month.

Accordingly, using these assumptions, after a 25-year career the monthly benefits of Joe and Sam would be almost the same: $2,000 for Joe from CPF, compared to $1,953 for Sam from a 401(k). But now let’s change just one assumption. Instead of Sam achieving a steady 7.75% return for all 25 years, let’s assume that he did so for the first 15 years, but that the final 10 years of Sam’s career were the last 10 years -- 2000 to 2010 -- and his 401(k) account achieved the actual returns of the U.S. investment markets during those years. Over that 10 year period the S&P 500 Stock Index had a return of negative .82%, while the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index had a positive return of 6.5%. Using these actual investment returns, the benefit outcome for Sam changes remarkably for the worse: ƒƒ If his 401(k) was invested entirely in the S&P 500 Stock Index, Sam’s monthly benefit would be $815. ƒƒ If his 401(k) was invested entirely in the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, Sam’s benefit would be $1,712 a month. ƒƒ If his 401(k) was evenly split between the S&P 500 Index and the Aggregate Bond Index, Sam’s benefit would be $1,248 a month. As shown by this example, 401(k) benefits are dependent upon the vagaries of the investment markets, and especially what happens in those markets as retirement nears. As also shown by this example, whether using the most rosy investment returns or the actual returns experienced over the last 10 years, CPF continues to provide superior retirement security for workers and their families.

IUOE, Bechtel sign crane operator certification agreement

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he IUOE and Bechtel Construction Company signed an agreement on November 17, 2010, in which Bechtel recognizes and accepts certification by the Operating Engineers Certification Program (OECP) as meeting its requirements on projects throughout the United States. The agreement states that “where a collective bargaining agreement requires National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) certified operators, Bechtel agrees that OECP certification shall be deemed equivalent and to meet the contractual requirement.” Formed in 2002, the OECP is an independent, non-profit organization providing IUOE members, through the IUOE’s National Training Fund, a valid and reliable certification that accurately assesses an operator’s competence in craning operations, which, in turn, promotes a safer jobsite environment for the worker, public and the industry.

Bechtel Manager of Labor Relations Regi Phelps, left, and IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin sign the OECP-Bechtel agreement.

OECP is managed by a Board of Directors comprised of IUOE members and individuals representing major employers of crane operators. The program is also officially recognized by Federal OSHA as meeting OSHA and ASME (ANSI) requirements for crane operator competency. “We are pleased to have the OECP recognized by a company of Bechtel’s stature – a company who sees both proven skills and safety as fundamental to any jobsite,” said IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin. “The OECP looks forward to providing Bechtel with the most qualified and skilled operators in the country.” Currently, there are 16 participating IUOE local union training sites across the country affiliated with OECP and approximately 2,800 crane operators have been certified through the program. Certifications are offered on the following five crane types: Boom Truck, Lattice Boom, Overhead, Telescopic Boom and Tower cranes. For more information regarding the OECP please visit www.iuoe.org or contact OECP at 951-351-4001 or oecp@ oecp.org.

Locals 106 and 25 team up on Hudson River clean-up project These photos are of the Hudson River Clean-Up Project located in Ft. Edward, NY. Local 106 (Albany, NY ) and Local 25’s Marine Division worked together on this enormous project this past year. Between the two locals, over 200 Operating Engineers were employed doing everything from the dredging, the loading and off-loading of the materials and running both the water treatment plant and dewatering facilLocal 106 operators Joe Wells, left, ity. This project and Roger Howerton. was performed entirely with union labor and expected to continue for the next five to six years. Approximately 295,000 cubic yards of sediment which contained 35,000 pounds of PCB’s were removed from the river. The depth of the contamination varies from a few inches to several feet along this 40-mile stretch of river and is among the largest super fund Local 106 Steward George Ward, left, and sites in the United States. Apprentice Ryan Kirker.

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Local 3 and Road Machinery sign agreement

Legal Briefs NLRB chief lawyer seeks quick injunctions for fired organizers

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or years, employers have fired or retaliated against workers organizing unions, knowing that they have little to fear from the weak remedies available through the National Labor Relations Board. Now, in a welcome move to put real teeth into the primary federal labor law, Board Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon has committed to speeding up the use of the Board’s long-dormant power to seek injunctions against employers who fire workers in the middle of union organizing campaigns. In an NLRB press release announcing the new initiative to get quicker injunctions under Section 10(j), Solomon was quoted as stating: “Firing an employee in the middle of a union organizing campaign can quickly destroy the campaign by creating a climate of fear in the workplace. Clearly, it can also have a devastating effect on the employee’s life. We need to ensure that the statutory rights of unlawfully fired employees are restored in real time. These cases go to the very essence of our enforcement responsibilities.”

Solomon is sued a d etailed m emorandum d escribing h ow, throughout the administrative process, h e w ants e ach s tep streamlined. He also sent a l etter t o t he B oard’s R egional D irectors e mphasizing t he i mportance of the new program. IUOE L ocals r esponding t o employer u nfair l abor p ractices during o rganizing ca mpaigns can get more details concerning the new 10(j) initiative on the NLRB website at www.nlrb.gov. IUOE’s w ebsite, www.iuoe.org, also has a l ink to the Board site in its “Legal Links” section.

NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon.

Health care reform and recession challenge H&W Funds

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ecently enacted health care re form is a “two-edged sword” for IUOE members participating in IUOE health & welfare funds. While reform provides additional benefits to IUOE members and their dependents, it also imposes additional financial costs to IUOE health and welfare funds in al ready dire economic times. For members losing their health coverage eligibility or COBRA subsidy, health care reform provides no relief.

Health care reform mandates additional benefits for each health fund on the first

plan year after September 23, 2010, which for many IUOE funds will start on January 1, 2011. These benefits include: ƒƒ Coverage of adult dependents, without employers provided insurance, until age 26; ƒƒ Elimination of lifetime limitations of benefits provided; ƒƒ Phased-in elimination of annual limitations of benefits provided; ƒƒ No pre-existing condition exclusions for children. These benefits will, undoubtedly, provide welcome assistance for many IUOE members with adult children under 26 in jobs or school without health insurance benefits. More significantly, the elimination of lifetime limitations provides a financial “life preserver” for those members or dependents with severe health conditions incurring catastrophic treatment costs. Providing additional health benefits also means additional plan

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costs. Most IUOE funds are self-insured which means health benefits are designed and financed by a combination of collectively bargained health contributions, investment income and fund reserves. The economic recession has severely hurt out-of-work members who have lost eligibility for health benefits. Funds are also impacted with members working fewer work hours causing a reduction in employer health contributions. With losses in Plan investments and investment income due to the recession, IUOE health & welfare funds also must provide additional benefits with reduced revenue. To offset these revenue losses, health contribution rates must be increased, and for members, hourly pay rate increases will be reduced. Hopefully, health care reform will ultimately result in the long run in lower health costs with increased benefits for IUOE funds and participants. In the short term, health care reform will cer tainly increase fund costs during difficult economic times.

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fter six months on strike against Road Machinery, the company and Local 3 recently signed a contract that included the union health and welfare, pensioned health and welfare and pension, along with other wage and benefit considerations.

Following a meeting with Local 3’s Director of Special Operations Bob Miller, Steve Branson, COO of Road Machinery, graciously put the local’s precious pension back on the table. The company had previously refused to honor this benefit (which had been the major catalyst for the 24-week-long strike). After a series of negotiations, both parties settled on a return-to-work agreement and contract, reestablishing trust after a tedious battle. According to Miller, “The company and the union are viewing this as an opportunity for success, meaning we’re doing everything we can now to keep the company successful, since their profit translates into wages and benefits for us.” Miller also noted that this agreement did not come about from anything less than hard

work. “For six months we were 100 percent united.” Local 3 Business Rep. Greg Dornback called the strikers’ diligence and unity “the most impressive thing … I was proud to be a part of it.” The strikers gained lasting bonds with one another, each other’s families, the community, the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) and Local 3, for its membership donated more than $5,000 to the strikers during the holidays.

From the left: Local 3 District Rep. Rob Carrion, Road Machinery COO Steve Branson, Local 3 Director of Special Operations Bob Miller and Local 3 Business Rep. Greg Dornback re-establish trust after signing an agreement.

The union’s battle also brought about nationwide support, as the union took the fight to an equipment convention in San Antonio, TX. While there, Local 3 joined forces with other IUOE Texas Locals 178, 450 and 564, along with the San Antonio Central Labor Council, the San Antonio AFL-CIO and the San Antonio Building and Construc-

tion Trades Council. Other unions that participated included the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Sheet Metal Workers Local 67 and Letter Carriers Local 421. A big thank you to these unions, the International, the supportive public and the Local 3 administration for all their support, which resulted in a resounding victory for labor.

FIST classes prove driving force behind ratification

Local 3 ratifies fair contract, furthers its future Members of Local 3 recently ratified the Northern California Master Construction Agreement, representing its biggest contract, covering more than 12,000 members. With employers from the three largest associations in Northern California initially offering wage cuts and the contract set to expire soon, Local 3 was willing to go on strike if necessary. Thankfully, it didn’t reach that point. Work toward a respectable contract began more than six months in advance. In March, Local 3 Business Manager/IUOE Vice President Russ Burns rolled out their strike-preparedness program, Fair Industry Strike Training (FIST), and then adopted the California State Unit 12 version of the same class, Be Educated And Ready (BEAR). Classes continued into May. In June, strike captains in each district were further trained on how to manage a strike Local 3 members Tim King and Matthew Gardner line on a day-to-day basis. staple picket signs.

Members from Local 3’s Fairfield and Oakland districts and volunteers from Laborers Local 185 gather before handbilling outside AGC’s Concord headquarters.

On June 30, members made picket signs at the union headquarters in preparation for a possible strike – a powerful visual for employers as they arrived for negotiations. That same day, more volunteers handbilled outside these employer associations’ headquarters in the Sacramento and San Francisco Bay areas. The employers got the message. The well-attended FIST classes, as well as the membership’s focus on unity, solidarity and strike preparedness, were the major catalysts for the agreement. Local 3’s state workers also recently ratified their agreement. fall / winter

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safety & Health News

IUOE supports OSHA’s new cranes and derricks rule The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration announced in late July its new rule addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction, replacing a previous rule which dated back to 1971. The new rule, which took effect on November 8, 2010, helps mandate construction site safety by addressing critically important provisions for crane operator certification, and crane inspection, set-up and disassembly. For more information regarding the rule, please visit http://www.osha.gov/cranes-derricks/ index.html. “The key to this new ruling is en suring the safety and lives of not just operating engineers, but the lives of all

construction workers and the general public,” said International Union of Operating Engineers General President Vincent J. Giblin. “Anything that ac complishes this merits our support.”

“We will conti nue to support OSHA and the construction industry in the im -

Silicosis, an occupational lung dis ease is caused by inhaling silica dust which causes inflammation of the lung tissue and leads to scar tissue on the lungs, which obstructs the flow of oxygen into the lungs and bloodstream. “It’s very important for all people who operate or work around the mills,” said Local 139 member Rick Valenta, who works for Northeast Asphalt Inc. and participated in the tests. “The more information we have, the more we can prevent silicosis in construction workers.” To assess emissions of silica-bearing dust coming of f milling machines, re searchers for the mining and construction offices of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at tached real-time dust monitoring devices on each milling machine. The machines,

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built by Wirtgen, Catepillar, Volvo, Roadtec and Terex, are equipped with multiple, prototype dust-control systems along with existing baseline dust controls. According to the National Asphalt Pavement Association, an industry trade association and partner in the testing, this marked the first side-by-side lineup of machines from the five manufacturers. The controlled-trial testing was a follow-up to field research conducted in 2008, which led to designing the prototype of the dustcontrol systems. The systems use water sprays in the cutter area of the machines, dust in this area and on the conveyor is suppressed to the point that worker exposures are virtually eliminated. “Originally water was sprayed in this area to cool the cutters and now testing is underway to determine such variables as which water spray configuration is most effective to control the dust to reduce silica exposure to the crews,” added IUOE Director of Safety and Health Emmett Russell. “The studies are likely to con tinue to improve the sprays systems and to enhance dust suppression.” During the short-term milling tests,

an education now is even harder. To meet the growing need, Union Plus has awarded $150,000 in scholarships to 121 students representing 42 unions, including eight representing the IUOE this year.

Daniel Harnish (local 39 - california) Daniel, whose father Glen Harnish is a member of Local 39, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship. His accomplishments include achieving the No.1 ranking in his graduating class and being named all-state in baseball and water polo. A childhood accident left him in need of extensive dental work, and in high school he was treated for a tumor that had the potential to affect his hearing. He credits his father’s union-provided health insurance for keeping his smile and hearing intact. plementation of this rule in order to avoid serious injuries, save lives and prevent tragic accidents on construction sites.”

Field tests enable milling crews to breathe easier The threat of milling crew members developing the lung disease known as silicosis promises to be reduced because of high-profile, dust-control testing staged this summer in Black Forest, WI involving a partnership of labor unions, industry associations, federal agencies, and manufacturers of asphalt-milling machines.

A higher education is more important now than ever. But with working families experiencing a distressed economy, escalating health care costs and tuition rising faster than the rate of inflation, affording

Lisa Davis (local 12 - california) A member of Local 12, Lisa has been awarded a $750 scholarship. Her husband, Jeff Davis, is also a member of Local 12. She has worked on four large state water projects during her 13 years in IUOE and completed more than 65 hours of certifications and training. Currently, she is completing her college education as well, with the goal of teaching within her union. “The union has given me many opportunities,” she says, “I would like to help give those same opportunities to the next generation.”

According to OSHA’s projections, the new rule is expected to prevent 22 fatalities and 175 non-fatal injuries an nually. “Since the new rule’ s inception, the IUOE has played an integra l role in its development by serving on all OSHA workgroups and rule-makin g commit tees, in addition to participating in related hearings,” said Giblin.

Union Plus announces 2010 IUOE scholarship recipients

16 sets of trials were conducted on each of the five milling machines, across a period of six working days. The machines together milled several miles of the 30-foot-wide asphalt of Highway 47 to a depth of three inches. According to a post-testing article published by NIOSH, “A final phase of the project will be a real-world evaluation of the selected (dust) controls by measuring workers’ exposure to breathable dust and crystalline silica during normal, full-work shift milling jobs while using machines equipped with the selected controls.” Crystalline silica is found in varying amounts of paving material aggregate depending on where the aggregate is mined. Rather than trying to reduce the amount of silica in the aggregate, a more practical approach to controlling silica exposure is to equip milling machines so dust emis sions are reduced. Operations Manager Tony Bodway for Payne & Dolan Inc., the primary contractor on the Highway 47 rehabilitation project and a NAPA member, concluded, “It’s all about the health and welfare of the workers.”

Brian Blumberg (local 49 - minnesota) A member of Local 49, Brian has been awarded a $500 scholarship. His father, Donald Blumberg, is also a member of the local. Brian had previously worked for a non-union company and found the benefits almost nonexistent; then his father suggested he join the IUOE and what a difference it’s made. “Being part of the IUOE not only provides me with protection, it also gives me the assurance that the union will improve my working conditions and rights,” he says. Brian is now completing training in welding. Casey Jones (local 132 - west virginia) Casey, whose father Timothy Jones is a member of Local 132, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship. His plans include working to achieve degrees in international studies, French, Spanish and political science, and he also envisions himself working for the Peace Corps or the Foreign Service. The first in his family to go to college, Casey is grateful for the opportunities the union helped to create for him. Marianne Reinert (local 139 - wisconsin)

A member of Local 139 has been awarded a $700 scholarship. Marianne’s father, Bernard Faskell, is also is a member. As one of 12 children, Marianne knows her father’s IUOE membership helped make it possible to support her and her siblings. Now a parent herself, she appreciates the security and stability that come from being in the IUOE including pay, insurance and retirement benefits. She is advancing her career by taking a series of technical courses, with the goal of becoming an instructor at the local’s training center.

Ana Saavedra (local 150 - illinois) Ana, whose father Felix Saavedra is a member of Local 150, has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship. Her achievements show the American Dream is alive and well for those with the drive and determination to achieve it. She followed her parent’s example by working hard in school while giving her time to sports, clubs and volunteer opportunities. Now a nursing student, Ana is proud to be the first in her family to go to college, and grateful for the security her father’s IUOE membership helped provide her family. Amanda “Katey” Kasch (local 351 - texas)

Katey, whose father Robert Kasch is a member of Local 351, has been awarded a $500 scholarship. She didn’t have to look too far for inspiration as a child, growing up on a ranch and helping keep animals healthy. This future veterinarian may have grown up amid the “rugged individualism” of the Texas Panhandle, but as the daughter of an IUOE member she knows the importance of solidarity. “I have learned that the union is a group of people working for the common good of each member,” she says.

Leisl Stonum (local 800 - wyoming) Leisl, whose mother Desiree Stonum is a member of Local 800, has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship. Leisl has an interesting list of “household” chores to perform on her family’s ranch. “As a ranch hand my tasks include taking care of the animals, fixing fences/equipment and irrigating the land,” she says. It’s a lot of responsibility, but Leisl also has found time for such activities as sports, 4-H and volunteer work. She is graduating first in her class and plans to study veterinary medicine. fall / winter

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Education & Training

NTF announces 2011 pipeline training schedule Additional Side Boom Training March 14 – April 1, 2011

Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA

April 4-22, 2011

Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA

May 2 - 20, 2011

Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA

John Henry Rock Drilling Training Pipeline Regional Training January 3-21, 2011 January 3-21, 2011 January 24 – February 11, 2011 January 24 – February 11, 2011 February 14 – March 4, 2011 February 14 – March 4, 2011 March 14 – April 1, 2011 March 14 – April 1, 2011 April 4-22, 2011 April 4-22, 2011 May 2 - 20, 2011 May 2 - 20, 2011

SAT - Iuka, MS Local 12 - Las Vegas, NV SAT - Iuka, MS Local 12 - Las Vegas, NV SAT- Iuka, MS Local 12 - Las Vegas, NV Local 542 - Bernville, PA Local 400 - Helena, MT Local 542 - Bernville, PA Local 400 - Helena, MT Local 542 - Bernville, PA Local 400 - Helena, MT

Bending Engineering Training March 14-19, 2011 March 21-26, 2011 March 28 – April 2, 2011 April 4-9, 2011 April 11-16, 2011 April 18-23, 2011 May 2–7, 2011 May 9–14, 2011 May 16–21, 2011 14

international operating engineer

Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 49 - Hinckley, MN Local 49 - Hinckley, MN Local 49 - Hinckley, MN

January 3-8, 2011 January 10-15, 2011 January 17-22, 2011 January 31 – February 5, 2011 February 7-12, 2011 February 14-19, 2011 February 28 – March 5, 2011 March 7-12, 2011 March 14-19, 2011 March 28 – April 2, 2011 April 4-9, 2011 April 11-16, 2011

Local 17 - Lake View, NY Local 17 - Lake View, NY Local 17 - Lake View, NY Local 513 - Silex, MO Local 513 - Silex, MO Local 513 - Silex, MO Local 800 - Rock Springs, WY Local 800 - Rock Springs, WY Local 800 - Rock Springs, WY Local 370 - Spangle, WA Local 370 - Spangle, WA Local 370 - Spangle, WA

Vacuworxs Pipe Lifter Training January 3-8, 2011 January 10-15, 2011 January 17-22, 2011 January 24-29, 2011 February 7–12, 2011 February 14–19, 2011 February 21–26, 2011 March 7-12, 2011 March 14-19, 2011 March 21-26, 2011

Local 324 - Howell, MI Local 324 - Howell, MI Local 324 - Howell, MI Local 324 - Howell, MI Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 66 - New Alexandria, PA Local 181 - Boston, KY Local 181 - Boston, KY Local 181 - Boston, KY

Please visit www.iuoe.org for more information on the NTF’s 2011 pipeline training schedule.

Local 39 honors apprentice grads at annual ceremony Local 39 (San Francisco, CA) celebrated its 47th Annual Apprentice Graduation at the world famous Palace Hotel. A sense of pride was evident to all who attended as the evening’s host, Business Manager/IUOE Vice President Jerry Kalmar introduced Local 39’s newest journeypersons to industry professionals, property managers and Chief Engineers representing many of the local’s buildings, hotels, production plants and hospitals. Local 39 also presented its Apprentice of the Year Award to Steven Ghiglieri, who received $1000 for outstanding performance throughout his four year apprenticeship. The criteria for the award are the overall achievements of the honoree based on classroom grades, attendance and work evaluations combining to demonstrate a “best of the best”.

Local 148 honors stationary grads

Local 148 (St. Louis, MO) honored its stationary graduates during their 50th Anniversary celebration. From the left are: Bradley Wooten, Joe Honeycutt, Fred Carr, Matt Perciful, Joe Kramer, Roger Ostrander, Robert Ellinger, Christopher Gillera, Ethan Douglas and Instructor James D. Gadell.

Local 487’s Schaunaman earns degree, apprentices graduate

LEFT: Local 487 (Miami, FL) Apprenticeship Director Mark Schaunaman graduates college. ABOVE: Apprentice graduates from left to right are: Daniel Moody, Robert Galimore, Frantz Fanfan and Local 487 Instructor Dan McCullers.

NTF, Local 18 conduct Training Standards Project class Twenty-five H&P instructors representing fourteen IUOE locals attended a two-day Training Standards Project Checklist Administration class this June. The class, hosted by Local 18 at their Miamisburg, OH training site, reviewed the revised TSP Checklist Administration Manual and Tractor/Loader/Backhoe Performance Standard. The attendees also practiced administering the revised hands-on Tractor/Loader/Backhoe Performance Checklist, developed by the IUOE, used for evaluating operating skills of backhoe operators. Pictured in no particular order (with local noted) are: Michal Gonoud (14), Charles Brucculeri (15), Bruce Murphy (15), Bill Dell (18), Robert Seman (18), Joe Mitchel (18), Bill Nietz (18), Dave Christensen (49), Arnez Brown (66), Dennis Manown (66), Berry Gilroy (77), Ken Powell (178), Richard Grider (181), Junnie Pennington (181), Kevin Allsup (234), Robert Herndon (234), Dee Stahlhut (318), Noem Winters (318), Michael High (649), Mike Staley (649), Rodney Piper (825), Cheryl Reynolds (841), David McCollister (SAT), Jamie Presley (SAT), Eddy Smith (SAT), W. John Mason (NTF) and Local 18 Training Administrator Don Black. fall / winter

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Operators put training to work on Williams-Transco pipeline in Central PA

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estled in central Pennsylvania, high in the Allegheny Mountains, operators from IUOE locals across the country are honing their skills on rehabilitating the 180-mile WilliamsTransco gas pipeline project running from Tamarack, PA to Philipsburg, NJ. Henkels & McCoy was awarded the contract to rehabilitate the WilliamsTransco 24-inch natural gas pipeline that was installed in 1958. Currently, two hill crews consisting of 22 operating engineers are performing critical winching in a mountainous sec tion of the project near Renovo, PA. Stretches of the pipeline in need of rehabilitation are identified by a computerized device called a smart pig, which is sent through the pipeline and able to monitor the pipe’s thickness. When the smart pig indicates a bad spot in the pipe, referred to as an anomaly, the survey crew locates the anomaly by flagging the area atop the ground. The pipe is then uncovered and it is determined if the corrosion or damage can be re-coated or a section of pipe needs to be replaced. At the Renovo jobsite, 10 D-8 winch tractors lower a hoe over the mountain side 2,000 feet in length to dig up the pipe

to make repairs to the coating required by the Department of Transportation. “In my 51 years of working all over the U.S. in the pipeline industry, these mountains are as steep as any I’ve worked on,” said Henkels & McCoy Superintendent John Sweeten. “They might not be as tall as the Rocky Mountains, but they are just as steep.” Aside from technological advancements, such as the smart pig, perhaps Henkels & McCoy’s real advantage lies in its highly-trained operators who have been trained by the IUOE National Pipe line Training Program. “Hundreds of our members have been able to participate in the pipeline boom in Pennsylvania because they took advantage of the IUOE National Pipeline Training Program,” said Local 66 Business Manager James T. Kunz Jr. “These classes have allowed our operators to learn the skills necessary to work in this specialized industry and enabled Local 66 to provide our contractors with a competent, highly-skilled workforce.”

“Attending the IUOE National Pipe line Training Program has given me the fundamentals and prepared me to begin a career in the industry. The knowledge and skills shared by the experienced instructors during the class are priceless,” said Local 66 Operator Greg Hensal. “The IUOE National Pipeline Training Program is a win-win for the operator who wants to learn, while also providing qualified manpower for contractors.” The consensus of the former pipeline training students is that the training prepared them by learning the proper procedures and the safety precautions essential during winching operations. “When working on slopes of 40 to 50 degrees with 10 D-8 dozers tied together -- it’s all about skilled operators working together,” concluded Sweeten. “I understand that six of the twelve operators in one string attended the IUOE National Pipeline Training Pro gram, which is a valuable tool for a contractor to have operators go through training before coming to the job.”

Of the 22 IUOE operating engineers on the Williams-Transco, half are past students of the IUOE National Pipeline Training Program.

IUOE operators on the Williams-Transco pipeline project are pictured above at the Renovo jobsite (with their locals denoted in parenthesis). Front row, from the left, are: Cal Dixon (66), Greg Hensel (66), Nick Treat (66), Skip Matt Sr. (545) and Ryan Gates (66). Back row, same order, are: Billy Johnson (624), Jerry Bradshaw (3), Rich Freir (324), Colton Hardy (66), Skip Matt Jr. (545), Joe Villarreal (150) and Rick Emert (66).

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Canadian News

Rempel Bros. actions propel company into going union

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f you asked mixer truck operator Doug Fisher m onths ag o w hat t he c hances were t hat h is employer, Rempel Bros. Concrete Ltd., would go union, he’d have told you “zero.” He’d been involved in several previous organizing drives that failed when it came time for the vote. Fisher, a Rempel operator since 1987, said, “this is a great company to work for with lots of opportunities to advance.” These aren’t the usual preconditions for a successful union organizing drive. So, what happened? Doug Blender, general manager of Rempel Bros., a “fiercely non-union company” by his own account, took u nion organizing into his own hands to try to stave off any more organizing drives. Blender decided the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) was a much better fit for the employees and the company. But his plan backfired. Fisher participated in previous union organizing drives because, he said, “I could see the c orporate c hanges a nd I k new t his w as coming. I wanted to prevent it.” Rempel, with 132 employees working in eight locations in Vancouver, is a subsidiary of the Lehigh Group of Companies. It employs mixer truck drivers, pump operators, maintenance staff, plant operators and mechanics. William Rolleman, a concrete pump operator with the company since 1994, said he was

Rempel Bros. mixer truck operator Doug Fisher.

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also involved in recent organizing drives and thought results would have been better. “I call it the Rempel bubble, the employees have been molded for years to accept that what’s best for the company is also best for its workers.” Earlier this year, Blender met with CLAC. Even other company staff had no idea about arrangements b eing d iscussed u ntil a f ew hours before the meeting with employees. On March 23, Blender called all the workers to a meeting to break the news. A CL AC representative was introduced. Tony vanHengel, regional director of CLAC, said there were a number of representatives at the meeting. Then his cell phone went dead and phone calls weren’t returned. Rolleman said Blender announced that a five-year agreement had been reached with a 5% increase in each of the first two years. “You ca n’t i magine t he s urprise in t hat room,” Fisher said. “I couldn’t believe what was happening.” The e mployees w ere t old i f t hey d idn’t vote in favor of CLAC and the agreement, they wouldn’t get the raises. Blender then informed the workers that a vote to ratify the CLAC agreement would be held in two days. Fisher said, “Somebody had to do something. I f s omeone d oesn’t s tand up , y ou’re stuck with it. That’s the position I found myself i n… A c ouple of u s s tood up a nd c hallenged them and asked for a few more days to consider the offer.”

and Operating Engineers worked together. Organizing drives often take months. These w orkers h ad f our d ays t o g et enough cards signed to file an application with the LRB t o b e represented b y u nions o f t heir choice. GM Doug Blender, surprised at the reaction from his employees, dashed off a memo on March 26 to explain his actions: “Rempel and Challenge have always been fiercely nonunion companies. There have been eight attempts by unions over the last 20 years to unionize Rempel… My concern is that one of these times you and I will not be successful in spite of our best efforts and end up with our employees being represented by a union that I don’t believe may share [sic] our mutual values… Had we opened up this process to the employees within days of announcing our plans, any number of complications could have arisen. To avoid this, I made a decision to negotiate a first collective agreement…” On March 30, the vote on the CLAC agreement went ahead with 61 in favor and 65 against. On April 8, employees voted on whether t hey wanted to become members of the poly party unions. There was little change in the workers’ sentiments—67 in favor of poly party union representation and 61 opposed. There was no victory dance. The results were sobering and sent a c lear message that there was still work to do.

Now the company had given the pro-union e mployees t he catalyst t hey needed t o l aunch t heir o wn u nion drive.

Rolleman s howed up t o work t he following morning and was met by a fellow employee (who did not vote in favor of union representation) who said, “I was expecting picket signs today.” Rolleman explained that unions don’t call s trikes a t w ill a nd f or n o r eason. “ We crossed one hurdle but now we have to train management and the workforce,” he said.

Rolleman said he also f elt some indebtedness t o t he work of t he t raditional unions. “We have good packages because of the unions and even the company has said this.”

Rolleman a dded t hat h e w as impressed that B rian C ochrane, b usiness m anager o f IUOE Local 115, responded to an urgent email at 11:45 on a Sunday night. “What more could you ask?”

As s oon a s t he m eeting e nded, Fisher and Rolleman called IUOE Local 115 and the Teamsters. The Teamsters

The workers and unions are now working with the company to come up with a first collective agreement.

Local 115 elects new executive board Local 115 recently elected its new executive board. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are: Conductor Dave Hannis, District 3 Executive Board Member Gary Kinnear, Trustee Reese Evans, Business Manager Brian Cochrane, President Lionel Railton, Vice President Brad Randall, Treasurer Frank Carr and Recording-Corresponding Secretary Don Swerdan. Back row, same order, are: District 5 Executive Board Member Mike Spiruda, District 6 Executive Board Member Brian Lefebvre, Trustee Curtis Wright, Financial Secretary Wayne Mills, Auditor Craig McIntosh, Auditor Patrick Watson, District 4 Executive Board Member Herb Conat, Trustee Brian Moore, Guard Bob Higgs and District 2 Executive Board Member Tim Cullen.

Local 987 operator Madill running the show

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uy Madill is one of the busiest 50-somethings you’re ever likely to meet. With only a modicum of running or cycling experience in his earlier years, Madill has made both sports a way of life since he was in his 40s “I was 42 when I started running and 48 when I started cycling. It’s never too late to start.” Over the past 12 years, Madill estimates he’s raised between 35 and 40 thousand dollars for various charities through his long-distance running and cycling fundraisers. He’s traversed long distances all over North America, all while maintaining his job as a Local 987 superintendent for the Winnipeg Housing Authority.

marathon. Building up your stamina takes months of preparation.”

Madill’s dedication and ability made him a natural fit for the role of “running g roup leader” at t he Running Room. “ I r un at a ll three Running Rooms as a l eader, and I r eally t ry not to get ahead of people, but it’s tough, so I’ve been using a GPS watch to try and keep a slower pace.” Madill’s latest endeavor is training for the upcoming New York marathon. “I have a good support group so I registered for New York. It’s t he se cond h ardest elite m arathon in the world with 35 to 40 thousand runners. My friends have run quite a few full marathons, and so have I, so I decided to give it a try.”

“As a super, I’ve got lots of time to train,” says the skinny, energetic Madill.

Elaine Smith, special events manager for Habitat for Humanity is a mazed at the magnitude of M adill’s e fforts. “ He’s q uite u nique. He r aises money for every single cause. He has one of the biggest hearts I know.”

He is a regular participant in various races such a s t he H ypothermic H alf, t he M anitoba Marathon, the Police Marathon, and many other events. “Running is a n a ddiction,” a dmits M adill. “It’s i ncredible. O nce it gets i n your blood, you can’t stop it.” As one would imagine, the training for various events takes up a great deal of Madill’s t ime.

Madill s ays g oing f rom n othing t o “ running junkie” in a few short years has raised some eyebrows among his l ongtime friends. “They think I’m n uts,” h e l aughs. “ When I ’m d oing c harity runs, t hey want t o help me out, but r eally t hey don’t get it. People that don’t bike or r un don’t understand the energy that comes from it. I love it.”

Local 987 superintendent and super athlete Guy Madill.

“I don’t think a lot of people know this, but you need to run between t wo a nd t hree hundred m iles before you’re ready to r un a

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Local 15 and 39 scholarship award recipients announced

Local 15 (New York, NY) announced the winners of its First Annual Scholarship Program on October 7 during their joint membership meeting. Local 15 President/Business Manager and IUOE Vice President James T. Callahan presented four scholarships totaling $5,000 each to children of Local 15 members. In addition to submitting an application, applicants were asked to write a 500-word essay on unionism and the New York labor movement. Pictured from left to right are: Paul Massoni Sr., Paul Massoni, Jr., James Binckes, Sr., Robert Russo (accepting on behalf of his daughter Jessica), Managing Director of the General Contractors Association of Greater New York Denise Richardson, James Binckes, Jr. and Callahan. James Giacalone and his daughter, Nicole, were unable to attend the meeting to accept her scholarship.

Local 399, 542, 450 and 132 install new executive boards

Local 399 (Chicago, IL) held its monthly union meeting and installation of officers on September 3 with more 600 members in attendance. From left to right, are: Jack Ferguson, John Hickey, Tim Curran, Ernie Brown, Jerry Barnicle, Donn Malwick, Mario Guerrero, Financial Secretary Thomas Howard, IUOE Vice President and President/ Business Manager Brian E. Hickey, IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin, Vice President Mike Gavin, Recording-Corresponding Secretary Thomas Keaty, Neil Masterson, Treasurer Patrick Kelly, Lloyd Osborne and Dusty Legions.

Local 39 (San Francisco, CA) Business Manager and IUOE Vice President Jerry Kalmar presented the local’s Educational Scholarship Awards during its 47th Annual Apprentice Graduation ceremony. The local reached a new milestone this year when it awarded three children of Local 39 members, fouryear college scholarships of up to $60,000 each, elevating the local’s commitment to this program to one half million dollars since its inception. Pictured from the left, are this year’s proud recipients: Daniel Harnish, son of Local 39 member Glen Harnish, Yohanna Pepa, daughter of Local 39 member Eric Pepa, Business Manager Kalmar and Rachel Willimott, daughter of Local 39 member Gregg Willimott.

Local 926 hosts open house at training site, promotes OECP

Local 542 (Fort Washington, PA) conducted its officer installation ceremony, which was attended and officiated by IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin on September 10. The installation marks IUOE Vice President Robert T. Heenan’s seventh term as Business Manager of the local. Pictured from left to right are: Treasurer James T. Jones, Financial Secretary Ted Janeka, Vice President Michael Mazza, IUOE Vice President/ Business Manager Robert T. Heenan, IUOE General President Vincent J. Giblin, Recording-Corresponding Secretary Thomas P. Danese and Assistant Business Manager Charles Priscopo.

IUOE Magazine Submissions Local 926 (Atlanta, GA) held an open house at the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Site on September 17. While the primary focus was on the local’s new tower crane, there was additional training equipment on display from signatory contracts including Dennis Taylor & Company, Heaton Erecting Inc, Maxim Crane Works, Terry Nix Equipment LLC and Superior Rigging and Erecting Company. Attendees included contractors, members and OSHA compliance officers who were interested in learning more about crane certification. 20

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IUOE Director of Construction Training Steve Brown, fourth from the left, was present at Local 926’s open house to explain and promote the Operating Engineers Certification Program (OECP) followed by a discussion regarding the new crane and derrick rules (see page 12 for more information).

A 5.0 megapixel digital camera or better is recommended for photos to be published. Printing presses require a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch) for color photographs - more commonly called “high-resolution” photos. This means subjects should be photographed using the highest quality setting on your digital camera, also known as the “fine/superfine” or “large” setting. Images should not be manipulated. Download the images from your camera (only JPEG/TIFF formats are acceptable) and submit digital photos on a CD to the attention of the Communications Department or e-mail to [email protected].

Local 450 (Houston, TX) installed its new officers on September 16 during a formal ceremony. Pictured from left to right are: Trustee Gary Adams, Guard Donnie Heffernan, Conductor Ron Massow, Vice President C.L. (Buster) Wiggins, Treasurer Fred Swift, Recording Secretary Jeff Meador, President John Perry Dueitt, Business Manager Mark Maher Sr., Financial Secretary Tom Self and Trustee Bruce White.

Local 132 (Charleston, WV) swore in its newly elected officers on September 29 during its membership meeting. Front row, left to right, are: Former Business Manager Ronald Burdette, Auditor Robert Merritt, Recording-Corresponding Secretary Steve McDiffett, Business Agent John Dean, Business Manager Tommy Plymale, Vice-President/Assistant Business Manager Rodney Marsh, President Bill Lemley, Treasurer Christopher Wiseman, Conductor Mark Ramsey and Executive Board Wesley Good. Back row, same order, are: Executive Board Neil Huffman, Auditor Charles McClung, Trustee Roy Leonard, Trustee George Thaxton, Financial Secretary Charles Webb, Trustee Larry Stotts and Guard Donald Miller. fall / winter

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Miami • FL

Albuquerque • NM

Local 487

Local 953

Local 953 Business Manager Pat Vigil, pictured on the right in both photos, and Western Region Director Dennis Lundy, left in both, honored longtime charter members during the local’s semiannual meeting. Pictured with them in the photo on the left are 67-year member Delmer Donaldson and 55-year member Leo Padilla. Pictured in the photo on the right is 63-year member Joe I. Lovato. All three members were originally part of Local 9 before the majority of members living in New Mexico petitioned the International for a charter of their own. The charter was granted August 14, 1952 as Local 953. Other business at the meeting included a comprehensive report on activity in the region by Western Region Director Lundy.

50 years

Local 487 recognized members for their service and dedication, presenting them with years of service pins. 50year members Dan Tripp, second from the left, and Terry Sparks, third from the left, are pictured with Local 487 President James Allbritton, left, and Business Manager Gary Waters, right (who are also seen flanking honorees in the following photos). 45-year members, from the left, are Bruce Watson, Richard M. Potter, JC Scarborough and Donald Roskind.

45 years

40-year members, from the left, are Jerry Coleman, Robert Shannon, Bud Kipple, Allen McCrannie, Larry Wolfe, Joe Robinson, Charlie Smith, Edward Cukras, Asa Smith, Robert Craft and Robert Brandow. 35-year members, same order, are Al Franco and Jim Fritz.

Jacksonville • FL

Local 673 Local 673 presented service awards to District 1 members during its general membership meeting. 45-year member J.C. Strickland, center, is pictured with Local 673 Business Manager Travis Simmons, left, and President Larry Jordan, right (who are pictured flanking honorees in the following photos).

40 years

35 years

40 years 45 years

40-year members, from the left, are Robert Simmons, Bobby Waites and Paul Halverson.

30 years

25 years

30-year members, from the left, are Robert McMahon, Allen Morris, Thomas Shell, Judy Davis, Mike Geib, Daniel McCullers, Danny Coleman, Rory Carver, Norman Moody Jr., James Dasher, Pete Ferrero and Fred Bennett.

25-year members, same order, are Alvin Morris, Les Workinger and Glen Gray. 20-year member Joe L. Taylor. 15-year member Pat Roberts.

35 years

30 years

35-year members, from the left, are Butch Weldon, Robert Carter, Tony Roberts, Albert Rowley, Drake Price, Harry Suhman and Neil Wilson.

30-year members, from the left, are Ricky Musslewhite, Buddy Combs and Eddie Mills.

Charleston • WV

Local 132

Norfolk • VA

25 years 20 years 20-year member Jimmy Lainer.

Local 132 Vice President Rick Feaster, right, presents his father, Tom Feaster, with a watch and pin honoring his 50 years of service.

international operating engineer

25-year members, from the left, are Travis Simmons, Bo Petty, Mark Forelines, Chuck Farnham and Craig Mills.

10 years 15 years 15-year member Jeff May.

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20 years

20-year member Jimmy Lainer, center. 15-year member Jeff May, center. 10-year members, from the left, are Mike Johnson, Eldridge James and Brian Mullis.

15 years

Local 147 presented members with years of service awards. From the left (with years of service noted) are: Russell Moore (55), Training Director Emanuel Evans, Jean Nuchols (40), Virginia AFL-CIO SecretaryTreasurer C. Ray Davenport, W.O. Grubb (60), Member-atLarge Dana Burton (20), Business Agent Jerry Conner (30), Robert Nuchols (25), Seth Holloman (60), Larry Archer (35), Melvin Foutz (40), Daryl Hudson (35), Fred Testerman (40), Fred Reid (40), Carl Simpson (50), Business Manager Darold Kemp, Luther Daniel (45) and Charles Cooke (30).

Local 147

10 years

10-year members, from the left, are Domingo Roldan, Michael Cousens Jr., Luke Waddell, Ishmael Stevens and Jack A. Grimm.

Pittsburgh • PA

Local 66

Local 66 honored members for their years of service at its District #5 and #6 dinner dances. District #5 honorees, top photo, from the left, are: President Thomas M. Durkin, George Engesser (accepting his father’s 45-year award), Lawrence Shoaf (40), Kenneth Neuburger (40), Daniel Grega (50), Robert Donovan (62), Dale Niemenski (40), John Morgan, Jr. (40), Kenneth Culbertson (40), Business Manager James T. Kunz, Jr. and Business Agent Darrell Niemenski. District #6 honorees, bottom photo, seated, from the left, are: Dwight Dickens, David Thompson and Linn Reaghart. Standing, same order, are Kevin Onuffer, Business Representative Archie Graham, Business Manager James T. Kunz Jr. and President Thomas M. Durkin.

fall / winter

2010

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Death Benefits paid July 2010 Local 1 Northglenn, CO Leonard Linder Local 3 Alameda, CA Oliver Ashworth Owen Azlin Ken E. Baxter Louie Brice James Brown Robert Bufkin William W. Bunting Delmar Cantrell Gerald Capote Oscar F. Carlson Al Castelli Lester Davis Paul E. Delay Charles Donnelly Johnnie Egner Harold Finney Murl Foster Isamu Fujimoto Jimmie T. Fukumoto William H. Genn Dennis Gobby Karl Hallows Dillard Harmon Daniel Hinchman Robert N. Jones Grover C. Kemper Peter Magri George McBride Joseph Nahina Peter L. Rocha Cecil C. Ross Dallas Rowden Willard C. Rowe Robert S. Shigaki Jesse J. Silveira Frank Silveira James Stockman Larry D. Stone Carl R. Swanberg Jr. Gerald Tatum Charles L. Titus George Vanriette Thomas Westoby Jack L. Williams Donald Wilson Local 4 Medway, MA Richard H. Colosi Joseph A. Merusi

Albert J. Nardone John Neskey Paul L. Proulx Edward A. Searles Local 6 Inactive Local Harold M. Gregory Local 9 Denver, CO William E. Dodson Local 12 Pasadena, CA John Acquistapace Max Allen Marvin J. Amick Verl Anderson Robert S. Andresen Jesus Armendariz Vernon Baker Robert D. Beecher Joseph E. Black Charles F. Bode Jess L. Bruce Joe Castillo B. Curtis Gilbert H. Davoult Jerry Declippel Ralph Dunlap Donald Fager Harold Ferfes Thomas Ferris James W. Ford Gary S. Foster Patrick Fowles Louis Garcia Tom Guderian James Hammontree Beryl F. Harris Keith W. Harrison Gilbert Herrera Bill Hoff Charles K. Hollis Dannie Holt William C. Howland Leon C. Humphers Thorpe Janes Verne Jensen Bob Johnson Larry Kennedy Gerald King Paul Kinne Fay Lee Reuben L. Leonard

Burnell K. Lurcook Homer Martin William B. Mathes J. Mays John McElroy John M. Minton Jr. Charles Mitchell Stephen Pfeifer Floyd C. Roberts Jr. Hugo Robst George W. Royce Teodulo Ruiz Anthony Saucedo Frank P. Scott Marvin R. Shepherd Temple Smith Raymond L. Sowards Grant Stringfellow Leroy Taylor Max L. Wiley James Young Darwin Youngwirth Local 15 New York, NY Joseph Feaser Anthony Onufrik Frederick Polito Local 17 Lakeview, NY James M. Beck Robert Dersam John P. Fahey Darwin W. Marble Paul B. Neamon Fred Schuler Local 18 Cleveland, OH Arthur A. Andreano Walter A. Arnold Robert W. Baer Jerry Burkin Dale H. Delong Floyd K. Durst Richard Fugett Linvel C. Karres Jack C. Lyons Bennie Robinson John J. Rose Launfull C. Salyer Jack N. Shade Willard Smith Gerald V. Testa

Death Benefits paid August 2010

In Memoriam Death Benefits paid June 2010 Local 3 Alameda, CA J.B. Anderson R .Benzell Richard S. Bernal William W. Beverly Carl Bong David Bowman William L. Davis Harry L. Drewry Richard P. Gallagher John J. Ghiorzo Joseph Gill William Golithon Rollin Henriques Harry L. Hoover Verl L. Keisel Charles La delle William Locklin Ralph R. Lovato James Mastro Harry McKnight William W. Parrott Joe Paulazzo Elmer Powell Raymond Robinson Edward Scott Richard Sierra Henry Thompson Arthur H. Topken Hosie L. Turner Michael Tyler Rudolph N. Westphal Local 4 Medway, MA Cosimo P. Insalaco Joseph L. Sullivan Jr. Edwin F. Thompson Jr. Stewart H. Weymouth Local 9 Denver, CO Henry C. Ratzburg George N. Rogers Local 12 Pasadena, CA Ambrose P. Anderson Robert Beat Arthur Bender, Jr. Virgil L. Brooks Jr. William H. Casey Richard Christian

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Dale W. Cook Eddie Curry Tom J. Daugherty Forest Davis Phillip L. Dawson Gabriel A. Fierro Irving J. Foreman Lee G. Frowiss Macario Gastelum Roy E. Gray Paul A. Hahn Steve Havlen Thomas E. Hill Jr. Allen W. Hogan Russell E. Hulet Gilbert F. Jensen Bobby G. Kelley Robert G. Kohler William J. Lackey Otto C. Lampman Lloyd J. Liddle Marin Madril Jr. Domingo Martinez Sal Mastrianni Francis S. McKanna Harold W. Moody Jimmie Morando Wm W. Morgan Gilbert Morris Joseph Myl Richard J. Orelli Ramiro Ortiz Mark A. Parada Roland Rau James Rohleder Dale Rombaugh George E. Roudebush Richard L. Rushing Alfred F. Saenz Billy J. Saylors Glen Seale Seldon Seals Merle E. See Richard Sellers James Spencer Robert W. Sporer Fred Stanley Richard A. Swanson Ernest Talamantes William Taylor Lino C. Trujillo R. Van Bogart Edwin Victor Miller Wagner

Kenneth Wainscott Ran Wheat Lavern White Ira L. Williamson Ernest Wyrick L.E. Yoder Local 15 New York, NY Zoltan L. Jamnicky Joseph Lisi Eugene McMillan Harry F. Rieman Local 17 Lakeview, NY James W. Almeter Dan Brown Glenn Miller Roger O’Connor Francis E. Pettis Local 18 Cleveland, OH Gary A. Cook Robert M. Dixon Emil R. Dodero Alfred P. Ferrara Joseph A. Fischer Leland W. Gage James A. Garman Bobby J. Gifford Merle Hollar Louis J. Jansen Robert M. Mitchell Robert E. Morris Chester S. Paul Richard A. Plas Paul E. Powell David W. Shane Glenn H. Vannoy Delma Walker Ollie O. Witt Billy Wykle Ray E. Zinslen Local 37 Baltimore, MD Burnice C. Reed Local 49 Minneapolis, MN Clarence Derks Richard Fuecker

international operating engineer

Robert L. Groves Carl Hanson Walter Latola Joseph Lesnar Arne J. Mahle Lester Mattson Oscar Nerhus Donald F. Pothen Raymond Rychart Loran Wendt Local 57 Providence, RI Laurent A. Hebert Local 66 Pittsburgh, PA Donald Bartrug Gerald Germanowski Hallie McCollum Jr. Richard A. Roofner Henry G. Saxion Jr. Richard M. Very Local 68 West Caldwell, NJ Thomas Dowd Henry Frankel John J. Hamilton John McHale James McIntyre Willie Moore George J. Scerbak Patrick Sharkey Local 77 Suitland, MD Leo Colaw Local 95 Pittsburgh, PA Patrick F. Kelly Local 101 Kansas City, MO Donald L. Ferguson Glen Hayes C.H. Price Local 106 Glenmont, NY Benjamin Santos Robert W. Vennard Joseph Zobre Local 115 Burnaby, BC Stanley G. Barsi

Barrie M. Blake John Booth Arthur G. Cochrane Ivan T. Hartson Hugh R. Laughlin William Mandeville James S. Smith Local 132 Charleston, WV Charles E. Ashworth John Bennett Billy Bernardini Charles R. Harrison Elmer Phillips Samuel D. Pickens

James E. Pishotta Lloyd F. Scholer Gerald R. Smith Glendal R. Vineyard Howard R. Wegner Local 181 Henderson, KY Ora B. Hamilton James E. Hunt Clyde C. Ligon Elmer Reed Local 260 Inactive Local Y.W. Williams Jr.

Local 137 Briarcliff Manor, NY Haskell Whitmire

Local 286 Auburn, WA Donald E. Knutsen

Local 138 Farmingdale, NY Charles Graffagnino Charles Verhaegen

Local 302 Bothell, WA Donald O. Brummond Dennis W. Eagen Paul Eldridge Gordon E. Hammons John Hemming Daniel Janus Henry A. Johnson Jr. Silas Pint John M. Radelich Dave W. Smoot

Local 139 Pewaukee, WI Leroy Frei Floyd T. Huskelhus Richard C. Nelson Local 143 Chicago, IL William J. Eckert Jr. Herbert Vahldick Local 147 Norfolk, VA Charles V. Jenkins Local 148 St. Louis, MO Cellis A. Crum Local 150 Countryside, IL John I. Barnett Roy J. Bessemer Wendell H. Elias Wilbert C. Fritz Marion S. Hetelle James T. McCartney Robert B. McGrew Vincent Meagher Hershel Oliver Tom Overton Billy G. Payton

Local 310 Green Bay, WI Ellsworth Behrendt Fabian Fontaine Local 312 Birmingham, AL Ernest T. Simpson Local 317 Milwaukee, WI Norbert Federspiel Charles G. Hinz Keith D. O’Brien Local 320 Florence, AL William E. Wadkins Local 324 Bloomfield Township, MI Anthony J. Brubaker Tom J. Collins Melvin Dague

Elmer E. Dalpian George W. Dupree George M. Eagen Clyde D. Green Eben M. Isles Keith Lashell Donald C. Laramie Arnold J. Leny Niilo G. Maki Mureland K. Mitteer Wayne H. Snow Ervin J. Stadtfeld Dale A. Watchorn Calvin Wilbanks Local 347 Inactive Local Willard E. Craft Merrill Ybarbo Local 351 Borger, TX Leonard Dunson Local 370 Spokane, WA Eldon Spain Local 378 Inactive Local Gordon G. Seeman Local 399 Chicago, IL Francis G. Anderson Wayne Odell Local 406 New Orleans, LA Ernest Arnouville Ronald R. Root Louis Ryder Local 407 Lake Charles, LA J.H. Griffin Horace C. Smith Local 410 Inactive Local Robert F. Ingraham Local 415 Williamston, NC Cecil Ange Local 428 Phoenix, AZ

Leron F. Crawford Raymond C. Henry Alvin L. Stringfellow Local 513 Bridgeton, MO James E. Keeton Edward Sherfy Walter Wilson Local 515 Inactive Local Ralph Cook Jr. Local 525 Inactive Local Eldon Hobson Local 542 Fort Washington, PA Ralph Bogart Richard Braun Harold Coslett Joseph Digerolamo Jr. Alex A. Krombel Bernard Kunz Daniel J. Malloy Francis A. McGoldrick Guy A. Pollock Donald S. Smith Henderson D. Wilson Local 545 Syracuse, NY Paul W. Failing Charles E. Konvicka John Reeves Local 550 Inactive Local Milton B. Weverts jr Local 571 Omaha, NE Donald A. Sanders Local 609 Seattle, WA Dale I. Daugharty Local 627 Oklahoma City, OK Cesario Garcia Jr. Local 660 Inactive Local Charles E. Busby Earl R. Jarmon

Local 701 Gladstone, OR Sherman Hanson Walter F. Wilcox Local 793 Oakville, ON Clarence Francis Local 819 Inactive Local B.J. McWilliams Local 825 Springfield, NJ John Giordano Emmett E. Kimmel James E. Nacion Jr. Harold H. Shinn Local 832 Rochester, NY Stuart Norton Local 841 Terre Haute, IN George A. Mace Local 882 Burnaby, BC Nick Papuc Local 912 Columbia, TN Lloyd E. Durham Local 917 Chattanooga, TN Charles V. Haston Ed K. Hughes Local 925 Mango, FL William E. Bladree Local 953 Albuquerque, NM Lota M. Horcasitas

Local 3 Alameda, CA Raymond W. Anderson John Burton Gary F. Cummings Sr. Marcus Jones Jr. Rex P. Larkin Gerald Muck Eugene Schaufler Thomas J. Stapleton Joseph Winingham Haruo Yasutake

Marion Jacobs Lawrence Johnson Hobert G. Pond Wayne Riepe David L. Runnells Robert Stegall

Local 4 Medway, MA Joseph Corso Leo V. Griffin Thomas Mc Lean Jr. James O’Brien William W. Poland William Rizzi Walter J. Ryan Jr. Robert C. Sault

Local 15 New York, NY Gus Chafouleas Robert K. Perkins Renaldo Zollo

Local 9 Denver, CO Tommy Rice Frank R. Taylor Walter L. Wilson Local 12 Pasadena, CA Joseph E. Black Jack W. Chapman Lee Frowiss A. Grbavac Louis J. Hamel George Hensley

Local 14 Flushing, NY Thomas Craven John E. Doyle Ralph Santoro

Local 17 Lakeview, NY Howard L. Freier Robert J. Kohl George D. O’Donnell Henry W. Raiser Local 18 Cleveland, OH Bart Adkins Emery Bartels Willard E. Bell Wilbur R. Colburn Ruben Elie William H. Hahn Carl W. Keller Frank N. Lockhart Alfred Schramm Richard C. Wells

James Williams Local 30 Richmond Hill, NY Bill Armstrong Local 36 Inactive Local Dan Forsyth Local 49 Minneapolis, MN Ray Baker James Hall Max Jakel Edwin C. Kinnunen Willard Trudeau Local 66 Pittsburgh, PA Nick Barone Jr. Joseph Collavo Roland Finch John L. Hall John Stenger Local 68 West Caldwell, NJ John Bott Frank Burdzy Lee Rappleyea Local 70 Saint Paul, MN Gerald Lentsch Local 77 Suitland, MD

Death Benefits paid Sept. 2010 Local 3 Alameda, CA Antone Andrade James T. Barnes Raymond Court Howard Garrison Lionel Jensen Jimmie Meyer Eugene Oller Ernest Pestana Arthur Phelps Melvin Robinson Herman Shields Arthur Sloan Herman Sotelo sr George Swicegood Local 4 Medway, MA George Capone Jr. Stewart Henry Harry W. Maxfield Jr.

Local 955 Edmonton, AB Jacob Klassen

Local 9 Denver, CO Donald L. Leeper Eugene R. Scott

Local 965 Springfield, IL William T. Duda James H. Irwin Charles Yates Jr.

Local 12 Pasadena, CA Robert Addis Elton V. Ainge Melvin Bethel

Virgil L. Brooks Jr. Alfred Corral Fred Dias Cecil Easley Joseph E. Ehring James Ewing Michael Gibson Sylvian Gilbert Eldon Hale Donald E. Herrell Arthur R. Lorton Jr. Gordon Mize Joe Procaccino T.J. Ryan Dale Smith Ruey Smith Manuel Starkey Max K. Walters Clyde Ward Robert D. White Local 15 New York, NY Lawrence P. Grogan John J. Rogers Jr. Local 17 Lakeview, NY Earl L. Knuth Arthur N. Lamb Local 18 Cleveland, OH

Loys G. Jones Clarence Smith Local 25 Millstone Township, NJ Santiago Aguirre Local 30 Richmond Hill, NY Walter T. Wnorowski Local 38 Inactive Local Wilbur A. Jacobson Local 49 Minneapolis, MN Carl W. Davis Milo C. Gorder Allan Johnson Robert McKay Local 66 Pittsburgh, PA John Boyd Russell L. Depp Gary Marquis Stephen S. Skuarka Louis Sladick Local 70 St. Paul, MN George W. Zick

Local 25 Millstone Township, NJ Edward Cebula Edward I. Russell Roger A. Stahl Local 30 Richmond Hill, NY Charles G. Tedesco Local 37 Baltimore, MD Leo Winkler Local 49 Minneapolis, MN Basil E. Brennan Kennard Hamre Vendell R. Kling Ronnald L. Lahti Dennis L. Regnier Kenneth Sigsworth Rodney Swing Walter Wampach Local 66 Pittsburgh, PA Donald G. Boyle Edward R. Buzard Paul F. Connelly Elroy C. Dalton Roy Englert Larry D. Evans James L. Fochtman Paul Forte Michael Kongelka Jr. Jacob D. Miller Jr. Raymond W. Ney Ray R. Ream Joseph M. Sherry Local 68 West Caldwell, NJ Albert Helmstetter Joseph Mazzei Bernard Mullen Local 70 St. Paul, MN David G. Runquist

Local 95 Pittsburgh, PA John Vacsulka Local 98 East Longmeadow, MA Copley Scott Local 101 Kansas City, MO Kenneth R. Beavers Wayne Henak Trenneth D. Hull James H. Johansen Carl W. Neidholdt Charles Richards Harry Sauerwin Local 103 Indianapolis, IN Dean Crites Monty McFarren Robert R. Morford Virgil Resler Ned Schultz Local 106 Glenmont, NY James H. Galusha Jr. Linwood D. Wardwell Local 115 Burnaby, BC Albert Benjamin Jack Booth John Bushman Arne Christiansen John A. Coutts Roger D. Macpherson Joe C. Vanvliet Local 119 Wellington, KS Leonard E. Huntoon Local 123 Welch, OK Burce F. Tovey

Gemmino Filancia Local 139 Pewaukee, WI Harry A. Gregerson Lavern Hageness Joseph Kokesh Edward Mikolas Dean Tolvstad Local 147 Norfolk, VA Joe Dushuanack Local 148 St. Louis, MO Wilbur G. Hummell Garvin L. Lowery Harold O. Nelson James D. Nuelle Local 150 Countryside, IL Donald Berry Willard L. Brown Joseph Carr Howard K. Cross Michele Defilippis Gilbert R. Geffe Edwin A. Haberkamp Wilbur R. Halfman Harold L. Heeren Jon J. Lange Fred Lauer Clarence A. Neumeyer Charles R. Novak Charles E. Phillips Ambrose Pozorski Elmer D. Shananaquet Ernest G. Zimmerman Local 181 Henderson, KY Francis M. Birdsong Jerry A. Connolly Earl H. Hamilton

Local 148 St. Louis, MO Robert E. Upchurch

Local 310 Green Bay, WI Robert Herr

Local 87 Inactive Local Earl L. Nelson

Local 132 Charleston, WV C.H. Blankenship

Local 101 Kansas City, MO Wayne Bennett Alton L. Davis Harold R. Reid

Local 139 Pewaukee, WI John G. Brinkman

Local 103 Indianapolis, IN Dan V. Smart Jr. Richard Studebaker Robert Waggoner Local 106 Glenmont, NY James H. Farr Sr. Harrison E. Miner Fred Stever Local 115 Burnaby, BC Allen E. Bellamy Harold C. Crookes Robert Jenkins Joaquim Mourato Frank Neumann Niel Nielsen George Pecarski Claude Pratt Fred Robinson Douglas K. Shannon Frank Taulu Arthur L. Tremblay James A. Woodske

Local 147 Norfolk, VA Charles V. Thompson Local 148 St. Louis, MO William F. Baltzell Jr. Kenneth Hayden John M. Vunetich Local 150 Countryside, IL Robert E. Anderson Frank Diiorio Richard T. Giovannoni Harold L. Heeren John D. Holland Roger Huff Kenneth W. Law John M. McCarrell Robert L. Miller F.G. Muffler Sam M. Romano Ernest L. Tesch Ernest G. Zimmerman Local 181 Henderson, KY Cecil M. Futrell

Local 545 Syracuse, NY Lloyd Switzer

Local 302 Bothell, WA Eugene R. Cunningham Anton F. Hill Bob Marshall

Local 428 Phoenix, AZ Raymond F. Cissne J .E. Fiedler Dale H. McLaughlin

Local 627 Oklahoma City, OK Marshall E. Cooper L .D. Wood

Local 400 Helena, MT Russell Brown Mannie A. Erwin Walter A. Gehrke

Local 542 Fort Washington, PA Robert K. Smith Louis Vallone

Local 347 Inactive Local Kenneth L. Harris G.A. Javor Kenneth W. Roberts

Local 302 Bothell, WA Gerald Graham James Iverson Vane Reid

Local 542 Fort Washington, PA John Baker Harry J. Carfrey Robert K. Smith

Local 624 Jackson, MS Henry McDaniel

Local 181 Henderson, KY Marvin F. Byrer

Local 275 Vinton, IA William E. Waid

Local 381 El Dorado, AR Weldon Wilson

Local 515 Inactive Local Kenneth D. Heckler Local 520 Granite City, IL Sylvan A. Brewer Ronald J. Stauder

Local 407 Lake Charles, LA Benjamin F. Martin

Local 312 Birmingham, AL W.E. Waters

Local 139 Pewaukee, WI John H. Crook Jose C. Garza Dale L. Hansen Dale J. Johnson Ladislaus M. Matchey Edward Mikolas Thomas E. Stirmel

Local 370 Spokane, WA Harold Middleton

Local 513 Bridgeton, MO James O. Belshe Eugene E. Bolin Clinton J. Crocker Walter E. Duncan Edward C. Lechner Paul G. Menos Darrell Moss

Local 280 Richland, WA Charles E. Glasford

Local 150 Countryside, IL Clyde Ballard Jr. Wallace A. Busse Aaron R. Dillingham Raymond Eastling Gary W. Gaddy Robert M. Herman Robert Houk Horace J. Isbell Kenneth Law James Mihalick Charles E. Phillips Joseph F. Sevcik William M. Shupert Theodore Zukowski

Local 234 Des Moines, IA Larry A. Long

Local 351 Borger, TX G .A. Hobbs

Local 500 Inactive Local Donald R. Inman

Local 571 Omaha, NE Terry McBride

William Eten

Local 137 Briarcliff Manor, NY Gemmino Filancia Peter Pelosi

Local 347 Inactive Local Wilbert Williams

Local 649 Peoria, IL John R. Starks Local 660 Inactive Local Emmett H. Jeffreys

Local 399 Chicago, IL Bill G. Higgins

Local 137 Briarcliff Manor, NY Carmine J. Anechiarico

Local 216 Baton Rouge, LA John R. Kirby Roy R. Patten

Local 332 Inactive Local George H. Dismukes

Local 478 Hamden, CT Clinton Dumais Ernest H. Moesel

Local 234 Des Moines, IA Brice Ashman

Local 87 Inactive Local Clifford E. Ashmore

Local 132 Charleston, WV H.E. Harkins Virgle L. Lilley

Local 324 Bloomfield Township, MI Leon J. Acker Lowell Chesnut Theodore H. Hill Edward G. Lezotte Harold A. Mugford Edward A. Radle Aubrey Smith Lloyd Stitchick Edward J. Thayer

Local 647 Knob Noster, MO James L. Campbell

Local 564 Richwood, TX Maurice Bailey G.H. Vernor

Local 77 Suitland, MD John E. Grimes Earman F. Shifflet Donald A. Tyrrell

Local 101 Kansas City, MO Richard M. Brown Local 115 Burnaby, BC Fred R. Barclay Graham R. Dougherty Elmer J. Frasch George D. Gieni Robert King George O. Mraz Don Riley George H. Varley

Local 317 Milwaukee, WI William H. Puetz

Local 463 Ransomville, NY Richard N. Salerno

Local 382 Inactive Local John W. Smith

Local 132 Charleston, WV Coy B. Beckett Billy Bernardini William J. Henry Russell W. Johnson F.L. Mason Jr. Burl J. Moore

Local 98 East Longmeadow, MA Joseph Duguay

Earl M. Miller Arlis G. Wheeler James A. Wright Local 310 Green Bay, WI Shirley W. Baird

Local 317 Milwaukee, WI Patrick Mulqueen George P. Schmit Local 324 Bloomfield Township, MI Merlyn Halberg Fay L. Jackson Albert R. Porcaro Clayton Vial

Local 351 Borger, TX Jim L. Blackman Local 370 Spokane, WA William Rieckman Local 385 Inactive Local Wayne M. Parks Local 399 Chicago, IL Paul Abraham Patrick E. Hickey Michael Mahoney James P. Reidy John F. Scannell Roger E. Watkins Anton J. Kern Kenneth L. Mullins Local 302 Bothell, WA W.L. Blakely Glenn W. Cuddie Gerald L. Dodge Clyde Glessner Benedict E. Majszak Joseph J. Martini Local 310 Green Bay, WI Norman Wacholz Leslie Woulf Local 317 Milwaukee, WI Virgil Olson Local 324 Bloomfield Township, MI Donald D. Barlow Melville Goodreau Arthur Haney Jr. Alexander P. MacNeil William Mayweather Jr. Ralph McGinley Rolland D. Miller Russell H. Miller Jr. Lloyd Roberts Wallace D. Toland Local 351 Borger, TX Robert E. Ringo

Local 406 New Orleans, LA Charles O. Taylor Local 407 Lake Charles, LA Louis L. Monlezun Local 428 Phoenix, AZ David Acuna Thomas E. Payne Local 450 Houston, TX James Beasley Howard E. Crain Local 470 Graniteville, SC Sam Wood Local 478 Hamden, CT Clinton Dumais Francis J. Reichle Local 520 Granite City, IL Billy J. Bergadine Sylvan A. Brewer Ellis W. Carnes Walter Wittenbrink

Local 571 Omaha, NE Irvin Javorsky Local 564 Richwood, TX W.A. Bryant Thomas R. Singletary Local 627 Oklahoma City, OK Sidney Littrell James W. Troglin Curtis Williams Local 649 Peoria, IL Maurice Vaughn Local 660 Inactive Local Ulystean Oates W.D. Wright Local 701 Gladstone, OR E. Beckham D. Mapel Edgar Slater Donald Spinney Local 808 Inactive Local Edward A. Wollack

Local 525 Inactive Local C .E. Armstrong

Local 825 Springfield, NJ George B. Barlow

R.R. Thomas

Thomas Glass

Local 369 Cordova, TN Romie R. Vetter Jr.

Local 520 Granite City, IL James F. Robb John W. Warren

Local 370 Spokane, WA Truman H. Arbaugh Paul W. Yeager Local 399 Chicago, IL Harry F. Schodrof Local 400 Helena, MT Richard W. Carter Local 428 Phoenix, AZ Eugene Hollingsworth Local 478 Hamden, CT Norman R. Bouchard Local 501 Los Angeles, CA John D. Norman Local 510 Inactive Local Percy A. Berg Local 513 Bridgeton, MO

Local 542 Fort Washington, PA John Baker Vincent J. Conti Anthony N. Malerba Burnell J. Myers Donald I. Rehrig

Local 701 Gladstone, OR Bob Crawford Rueben Hultberg Marvin Say Alexander L. Wood Local 793 Oakville, ON Ronald Foster Robert F. Harrison Augusto Marzinotto Lloyd G. Simpson Roger Stringer Local 825 Springfield, NJ Donald C. Dubois William A. Lynch John L. Southard Arnoldus Springvloed Joseph H. Steelman Robert V. Tiver Jr. Local 841 Terre Haute, IN Hobart Armes Paul R. Brown Charles A. Clawson William Clymer Donald Kuykendall Donald S. Shride Local 912 Columbia, TN James W. Connelly L .T. Johnson Local 917 Chattanooga, TN Jim McCurry Glenn W. Miller Local 926 Rex, GA Van W. Barlow Jack Freeman

Patsy Benedetto Donald C. Dubois Dale Gibson Aniello J. Lepre George L. Miller Casey F. Prue Robert L. Sadler Herbert N. Seddon John F. Whaley Local 826 Inactive Local Elvin L. Bearden Local 832 Rochester, NY Francis M. Balicki Thomas P. Cox Lyle W. Dean Jr. George A. Scego Local 841 Terre Haute, IN Julian Hines Paul G. Powell Local 891 Brooklyn, NY Kenneth Dybing William F. O’Connell Local 912 Columbia, TN Joe C. Hardin Leland Webster Local 927 Inactive Local William A. Skakles

Local 825 Springfield, NJ Mario T. Barone sr William J. Buchok Louis Potere James A. Williams Local 832 Rochester, NY Newton Marro Local 891 Brooklyn, NY August T. Graffeo Local 900 Oak Ridge, TN Clyde E. Greenway

Local 545 Syracuse, NY Leon R. Rood Local 547 Detroit, MI Robert Benoist

Local 926 Rex, GA David C. Money

Local 627 Oklahoma City, OK Jerry Knight

Local 955 Edmonton, AB Harold Arthur

Local 649 Peoria, IL Thomas L. Asbury

Local 965 Springfield, IL Kenneth E. Howe Charles Long Robert Ruzic

Local 701 Gladstone, OR Merrill Barnes G. Patterson Ruben Schlager

fall / winter

2010

31

Saving for college is hard...

Union Plus grants make it easier .

Union Plus grant helps IUOE Local 150 member Michael Susmarski and wife Laura save for 12-year-old daughter Courtney’s (top center) future - with daughters Nicole, 14, (left) and Stephanie, 16 (right).

M

ichael and Laura Susmarski work hard and do all they can to save for college for their three children. It isn’t easy, but the Susmarskis have an advantage: Michael is a member of IUOE Local 150. And as a union family, they were eligible to receive a $500 Union Plus College Savings Grant. “An important reason to be in a union,” Michael says, “Is that my family is taken care of. And it means a lot that Union Plus is helping us save for college.” Laura discovered this union benefit while she was flipping through Michael’s copy of the International Operating Engineer magazine, and she knew they should take advantage of this opportunity to save. “College means more opportunities in today’s market,” she says, “so I was excited to learn that Union Plus had this benefit that could help us save.” Union Plus College Savings Grants provide $500 32

international operating engineer

to union members who open a new tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan or pre-paid tuition account. The 529 account must have a balance of at least $1,000 and the beneficiary must be 12 years old or younger at the time the 529 account is opened. The Susmarskis opened a new 529 plan for their 12-year old daughter Courtney and were delighted to receive the $500 from Union Plus in just a few weeks. “It was a great opportunity to get help saving for college,” says Michael. “Union Plus benefits make things easier for working families.” “I encourage other union families to find out what Union Plus benefits they are eligible for,” says Laura. If you have a child or grandchild who is 12 or under and concerned about the cost of college, visit UnionPlus.org/Education to learn more about this union-member-only program. There, you’ll also learn about an array of special Union Plus education

programs that can help you meet the high cost of paying college, and help prepare union members, their children and grandchildren for the future: ƒƒ $150,000 in Union Plus Scholarship awards are granted to students attending a two-year college, four-year college, graduate school or a recognized technical or trade school. ƒƒ Save 15% - 60% on college and graduate school test preparation courses from The Princeton Review, as well as college affordability and admissions online courses. Visit UnionPlus.org or call 1-888-243-7737. ƒƒ Scholarships to help union members and leaders obtain degrees at the National Labor College including scholarships to obtain a Green Workplace Representative Certificate.