NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
As of this writing, negotiations are ongoing, and we have had several meetings with the contractors. We have been trying to put together a package that is agreeable to both the contractors and the union. I’m re
ally not 
suppose to discuss negotiations, but there is one thing I do want to say. The contractors continue to harp on the excessive absenteeism of our members; therefore, I’m asking that you go to work. Also, tell the person you’re working with who doesn’t show up every day to come to work. It makes life a lot easier, not only on the brothers and sisters who are on the job every day, but also it makes negotiating with your employers easier.
NEW BASEBALL STADIUM
After lengthy negotiations and being scrutinized by everyone from the ABC to the small Minority Contractors Association in the District of Columbia, Mayor Anthony Williams has signed the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the new baseball stadium. This is going to be a good PLA for both the city and the labor unions involved because of the amount of work it provides and the partnership we now have with DC. Hopefully, in the future this PLA will be used on several DC jobs. I’d like to thank Brother Jerry Lozupone for all his hard work at the Building Trades making sure that unions got a fair shake out of the deal. Pictured below are the official plans which where unveiled at a press conference in March. For more details, you can go to: (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/was/ballpark/newstadium.jsp).
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CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE
I recently attended the IBEW Construction Conference along with some of your other officers, and it was very 
enlightening as to the future of the IBEW and things that are going on around the country. The IBEW has been traveling throughout the United States making documentaries on different things happening in Local Unions nationwide. You can gain insight into their findings by visiting a new IBEW web site. We think you’ll find it very informative, and it’s a great way to keep up to date with what is going on in our sister locals. The web site address is: ibewhourpower.com
NATIONAL BUILDING TRADES CONFERENCE
I also attended the National Building Trades Legislative Conference. At that conference, there were several speakers who talked about President Bush and the way he is destroying our country with his inability to be an effective leader throughout the world. Congressman Steny Hoyer from Maryland, who is a Minority Whip, said Democrats have to step up to the plate and be counted in these mid-term elections so we can take back the Senate and House and win a majority in the Governors of the states.
They also said George Bush’s approval rating has dropped to a low of 36%, which is almost as low as former President Nixon’s rating when he resigned from the White House in the 70’s. Remember, if you are not registered to vote DO SO. If you need assistance, contact any business agent and they will be happy to help you.
NEW HEADQUARTERS
We are happy to report that the new building is still on schedule and, if nothing dramatic happens, we will only have one more general membership meeting here on Kansas Avenue which will be May 12. A grand opening will be held for all the members and their families, hopefully in July, if the JATC can get all their labs completed by then. But, it will definitely be sometime in the summer. We will be sending you all the information on the new building, such as the new address and phone number in the near future. In the meantime, you can log on to the Local 26 website to see pictures of the progress.
BROTHER MILLER
I wanted to inform you that Brother Thomas Miller, our Roanoke business agent, had a heart attack last month and as of this writing he had a successful quadruple bypass. I wanted to ask everyone to say a prayer for Thomas. He’s been a great representative in that area for Local 26, and he does a super job. We all hope he makes a speedy recovery and returns to work soon.
MEMORIAL DAY
Monday, May 29, is our next union negotiated holiday. I’m hoping as you and your family enjoy the 3-day weekend, you will also remember the reason for the holiday. Please take a few minutes out of your busy lives to say a prayer for all the service men and women who paid with their lives for our freedom. Celebrate safely!
PICNIC NEWS
This year’s Local Union Picnic will be on August 5 (see bottom of page for details). Also, I am pleased to announce there will be a Local Union Picnic in Roanoke again this year on July 22. Mark your calendars, and I’ll give you more details on this as the date approaches.
Pictured above, from left to right--
Mike Shoemaker, Financial Secretary; Paul Lehman, 20 Yrs; Emanuel Chaplin, III, 20 Yrs; David Holt, 20 Yrs; Scott Gordon, 20 Yrs; Liem Nguyen, 20 Yrs; Thomas Winslow, 30 Yrs; George Berryann (back), 35 Yrs; Donald Walker, 25 Yrs; Michael McLaughlin (back), 30 Yrs; Charles Ralls, Jr., 30 Yrs; Butch Ramos, President (back); Chuck Graham, Business Manager
May is National Electrical Safety Month. It is a time to increase awareness of the hazards in the electrical industry. Shocks, electrocutions, arc flashes, burns, explosions, and fires are constant concerns for workers who 
use electrical equipment. The National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, states an average 3,600 disabling and 4,000 non-disabling electrical contact injuries occur in the workplace annually. Each year, over 2,000 workers are sent to burn centers due to electrical burns and at least one person is fatally electrocuted in the workplace each day. Proper training and safety strategies will minimize these injuries and fatalities.
The NFPA and National Electrical Code, NEC, have put out a safety supplement to the Co
de book. NFPA 70E- Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace is a book which every electrician should read. It is a “comprehensive document that covers a full range of safety issues such as electrical work practices, maintenance, and installation. 70E also set equipment performance requirements to protect people from specific electrical hazards”, according to Safety & Health Magazine.
The most recent edition has been reorganized and clarified so it is easier to understand and more effectively highlights and addresses safety concerns. Its chapters include: Safety-Related Work Practices, Safety-Related Maintenance Requirements, Safety Requirements for Special Equipment, and Installation Safety Requirements. The chapters go into detail on the following operational areas: the relationship of regulations, codes, and standards in the electrical safety process; site assessment and checklists to analyze tasks; explanation of hazard boundaries; analyzing hazards; selection of personal protective equipment; and lockout/tagout. Call the JATC, at 202-829-2330, for prices and availability of the NFPA 70E.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank President Franny Olshefski for his leadership role in Local Union 26. His thorough understanding of policy and law of the IBEW was a great asset to Local 26 and me.
These are exciting times within our local including the new building and the great work opportunities for our members. There is only one thing missing- YOUR participation. Local 26 needs your involvement, your ideas, your presence at meetings, your Brotherhood.
Thank you for your support in the past, and I will work hard to earn your support in the future.
by Butch Ramos, President
In today’s changing world, unions are more important than ever before. Almost every person who works for a living works for someone else. What distinguishes labor unions from other voluntary organizations is that they are formed in response to the daily grind of working for others. Eventually, workers understand that they are powerless as individuals. This leads to the recognition that they share this powerlessness with others. When this sense of identity as working people combines with enough frustration at work, they start to look for a better way. This leads to an independent organization standing ready to take action for workers’ rights, and a labor union is born.
Traditionally, Americans were united by a social contract that assured the benefits of economic growth would be widely shared through collective bargaining and programs like Social Security, minimum wage and workplace health and safety. The social contract recognized that workers and employers needed each other. Today, in the unregulated global economy, there is no social contract. Corporations can find workers in other countries that have no workers’ rights or protections. As politicians rely more on campaign financing from Big Business, their policies are becoming disconnected from the voters. Globalization is producing a new class system in which people at the top in each country have more in common with each other than the people that share their nationality.
Unions are the one entity that can provide protection to workers from abusive employers. Their value to a worker in a changing world makes them increasingly important.
by Joe Dabbs, Oraganizer
With the events that have taken place over the past several years, many of our members are being called up for Active Military Duty. Members who are called up for active duty should contact the Finance Office and ask for a Military Service Card. You would be eligible for this if you are called up for full active duty, you are a member in good standing, and you are called up for a period of at least 90 days. This card would protect the member’s continuous membership status and protect the International Pension and Death benefits while you are serving. During the time you are serving full active military service, the member who has this card is not required to pay dues while the card is active. The maximum duration of a military card is 48 months. You will be required to provide the Local with a copy of your orders before the card is issued. A member must, within 60 days after separation from military service, deposit the Military Card with the Local Union and resume paying dues.
It is also recommended that you contact the Health and Welfare Office and let them know of your military service. The phone number for the Health and Welfare office is 301-731-1050.
Please feel free to contact the Finance Office at 202-829-2900 if you have any questions regarding the Military Card.
by Mike Shoemaker, Financial Secretary
“The road is long with many a winding turn, no burden is he to bear we’ll get there. And so we go, his welfare is my concern. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”. Brothers and Sisters, the words from this contemporary song written years ago still ring true today. We are members of an organization that professes “brotherhood”. We often refer to each other as “brother”. However, I am concerned that some of us who profess “brotherhood” might not truly feel the need to “live it”.
As I wrote in earlier articles, I believe if we, as a membership, begin to relate in a genuine way to one another that our productivity level will increase dramatically! When that happens, everybody prospers– the industry, our employers, our union and, of course, our lives. So, supervise if that’s your responsibility, do your job in a “craftsman-like manner” within the allotted time if that’s your responsibility, but also understand that respecting and treating others is also YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
The Minority Coalition of Local Union 26 is committed to helping our union and our industry by encouraging all of our members to get involved and help make this great organization even greater. The Coalition meets every second Friday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at 6220 Kansas Avenue (enter from the large parking lot on the north end of the building).
by Larry Greenhill, Sr., Minority Coalition President
The bowling league will be completing the ‘05-’06 season on May 3rd. It has been a successful season punctuated 
with 2 “Perfectos” (300 games) by Brother Rosella (Greg) Scott and Brother Mike Youmans. We added 2 teams this year and would like to see more brothers and sisters come out and join us next year. Our Organizational meeting will be held on August 30 at 6:00 PM at Clinton Fair Lanes. We are looking forward to attending the IBEW Bowling Tounament in Louisville, KY, on June 9, 10 and 11. Any brothers or sisters are welcome to join us; we always have openings for additional bowlers. Attending the tournament is a wonderful opportunity to meet with IBEW members from all over the USA and Canada, and is always a fun-filled weekend. Have a wonderful summer, and we hope to see you in August.
by Bruce Ronkette
In Memoriam of June Creamer
We are saddened to report the passing of June Creamer on April 2, 2006. Mrs. Creamer started working at IBEW 26 FCU as a volunteer bookkeeper in 1957 along with her late husband Harry W. Creamer, Treasurer-Manager. She later became a full-time employee.
In 1960, she was elected to the Board of Directors, a position she held until her death. In 2005, she received a special recognition award at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Credit Union. Mrs. C was considered the “Mother of the Credit Union” and will be missed by all.
Update on the Move
We are on target for the move in June 2006. The Credit Union office is coming along nicely, and the membership will be surprised to see the new location and new look.
Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday 9-12 & 1-3:30
Telephone: 202-829-5404
Audio Response: 800-724-7573
Fax: 202-723-3190
Email: information@ibew26fcu.com
All residential wiremen who have a current jurisdictional license and three or more years of good standing membership in the IBEW may be eligible for the 2006-2007 Residential Upgrade Program. Please contact Wendy Escolero at (202) 829-2900 ext. 19, for an application. The deadline for returning applications to the Examining Board is June 30, 2006. No applications will be accepted for review after that date.
Applicants who are approved by the Examining Board will be notified of the date, time and location for Upgrade Program placement testing.
