PICNIC TIME!
Summer is here, and we are busy organizing two picnics for our Local members. The picnic for our members in the Roanoke area is scheduled for Saturday, July 22, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Camp VA Jaycee in Montvale. No tickets are required, just come on down! Our local area picnic will be held on Saturday, August 5, in Clarksburg, MD again this year, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The order form for tickets and other information is included in this newsletter. Please send in your request for tickets as soon as possible since the cut-off date for mailing is July 21. No tickets are sold at the gate. I hope to see a good turn out at these picnics for a day of fun and brotherhood for our members and their families!
SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Local 26 is hosting the IBEW’s National Softball Tournament on July 29th and 30th at Watkins Park off of Central Avenue in Largo, MD. We should have at least 40 teams from around the country participating, so come on out and cheer on your Local 26 team!
LOCAL 26 OPEN HOUSE
The Grand Opening celebration for our new building is scheduled for Saturday, July 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You should have received an invitation in the mail by this time. There will be food, refreshments, and tours of our new headquarters in Lanham, and we’re hoping to see a great turnout of our members and their families! It is a huge milestone for Local 26 and one of which all of our brothers and sisters should be very proud. We’ve invited many special guests to be with us for this special occasion, so mark you calendars and plan to attend!
APPRENTICE GRADUATION
I attended our Apprenticeship graduation on June 3 at Martins Crosswinds in Greenbelt. I’d like to thank the JATC for the great job they did on a very successful and enjoyable graduation ceremony. Hopefully, our new graduates will continue to take advantage of the many skill improvement courses the JATC has to offer. Congratulations to all the new journeymen! Scroll down for some pictures of the event.
NEW BUSINESS AGENT
Brother George Hogan has come on board as a business agent. He will be working in the new DC office, 7059 Blair Road, NW. It is located fairly close to our old Kansas Avenue location and right next to the Takoma Park Metro. Construction started there in June, and that satellite office should be up and running by the second or third week of July. We don’t have a phone number for that office as yet, but will let you know as soon as we get one.
WEB SITE
We are attempting to put the job calls on our web site so that our members can go on-line and see what jobs are available for the next day. If you can’t get through on the phone, then you will have that option. Go to the ibewlocal26.org web site and click on the link for “A” Journeyman or “R” Wireman Referrals. That will bring the jobs up.
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients, Stephen Ellis (pictured left below) and Ian Schwalenberg (pictured right below). Stephen is the son of Brother Danny Ellis and lives in Fredericksburg, VA. He will be attending Virginia Tech and plans to double major in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering. Ian is the son of Brother James Schwalenberg and a resident of Huntingtown, MD. His plans are to pursue a degree in Finance/Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. I wish both of these applicants the best, and would like to thank the many outstanding young men and women who applied for our scholarship.
Pictured above, from left to right-- Mike Shoemaker, Financial Secretary; John Ewusie, 20 Yrs; Stephen Townsend, 20 Yrs; Michael Person (back), 20 Yrs; David Hurley, 25 Yrs; Dana Wood, 20 Yrs; Walter Carroll (back), Business Agent, 30 Yrs; Leander Smith, 30 Yrs; Michael Bell, 35 Yrs; Roy Burgess (back), 30 Yrs; Brian Abercrombie, 20 Yrs; Russell Curry, Sr. (back), 30 Yrs; ; Chuck Graham, Business Manager; Frank Panetta, 30 Yrs; Butch Ramos, President
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Everyone knows that the Electrical Welfare Trust Fund (EWTF) provides benefits for most of the services that attend to conditions affecting your physical health. But did you know that EWTF also provides a benefit that addresses your mental health?
An EAP, or Employee Assistance Program, is a benefit that provides a convenient and effective way to receive assistance in resolving problems of any nature. Everyone experiences personal problems occasionally. These problems can start to affect your health, your job performance and your relations with others. The EAP offers short-term counseling services, resources and other problem-solving solutions. EAP service records are kept completely confidential and are not revealed to either your Employer or the Union without your written consent.
Who Is BHS?
The EWTF Trustees have selected Business Health Services (BHS) as your EAP provider. BHS was founded in 1973, and while it has grown to become nationally recognized and acclaimed, it still operates according to the same service philosophy applied as a small regional provider—combining personalization, dedication and a trusted name with high-touch service capabilities. BHS incorporates an experienced and dedicated EAP clinical staff, 20 years of EAP industry expertise and a track record of delivering a high level of customer satisfaction among all EAP constituencies.
What Types of Issues Does BHS Help With?
BHS offers assistance to all kinds of people and deals with all types of issues. Typically, BHS can offer assistance in situations involving:
• Family and marital issues
• Stress and emotional problems
• Job conflicts
• Substance abuse issue, whether for yourself or a family member
• Parenting, child management issues, and eldercare
• Anxiety and depression
What About Resources for Supervisors/ Managers of Members?
BHS provides supervisors and managers direct support in promoting a productive and positive work environment by offering such services as: unlimited telephonic management consultations; a system for referring employees to the EAP; wellness training; organizational development consultation; Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISDs); and resources through tip sheets, newsletters and access to their website. Typically, the EAP can assist supervisors by providing free and confidential resources to employees with issues such as:
• Missed deadlines
• Decreased work production
• “On the Job” absenteeism and increased mistakes
• Excessive lateness
• Conflict with co-workers
How Do I Obtain BHS Services?
There are a few steps you need to take to obtain BHS services:
• Contact BHS at 1-800-765-3277 for pre-approval before beginning any course of mental health or substance abuse treatment. If you must change providers, even if it’s for the same problem, you must again get pre-approval from BHS.
• Set up an appointment to meet with an EAP counselor for an assessment and, if necessary, a referral.
• If you are referred to a provider for treatment, be sure to show your EWTF ID card to receive the Plan discounts.
• Give the group number AM0011. The provider should make sure this number is on each claim that is submitted on your behalf.
What Does the EAP Benefit Actually Cover?
EAP benefits vary, depending on the nature of the problem and where treatment is received:
• You and your eligible family members can receive up to eight (8) free sessions per incident with a qualified counselor from BHS.
• Outpatient treatment is payable at 80% of the allowance, after you’ve satisfied your annual deductible, up to a maximum of 52 visits per year.
• Inpatient treatment is payable at 90% of the allowance up to the first $7,000, up to a maximum of 30 days per calendar year. After the first $7,000, you’ll be reimbursed for expenses at 80% of the allowance for each spell of illness.
• The EWTF maximum lifetime benefit of $1 million per person includes treatment for mental health and substance abuse.
Additional information about the services provided by BHS is contained in the EWTF Guide to Your Family Health Benefits (Summary Plan Description). If you need a copy of this book, or if you have any questions about your coverage, contact the Fund Office at 1-800-929-EWTF or 301-731-1050. Information about BHS can also be found on the Internet at www.bhsonline.com.
Use Your Benefit!
Your EAP benefit, like all other EWTF benefits available to you and your family, is intended to maximize your health and well-being. All EAP services are completely confidential. When reports are made available to the Trustees, no names or other identifying information is used. If you or a family member has a problem that you believe can be helped or resolved by an EAP provider, don’t hesitate to contact BHS. BHS, like the Fund Office, is there to help!
by Peter Klein, Fund Manager
Attention IBEW 26 Federal Credit Union Members:
You are invited to visit our new office
At an OPEN HOUSE, being held with
IBEW Local Union 26
at our new location:
4371 Parliament Place, Suite C
Lanham, MD 20706-1807
on Saturday July 15, 2006
from 9:00 am- 3:00 pm
Watch us grow!
We now have an ATM machine on premises
for your convenience.
Use your Credit Union.
Save and borrow at IBEW 26 FCU.
We have added a toll free line 888-306-0610
Our new telephone number is 301-306-0610
Fax: 301-306-0746
Audio response: 800-724-7573
Email: information@ibew26fcu.com
Office hours: Monday thru Friday 9-12 & 1-3:30
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John W. Braithwaite (center), 30 Years, pictured with Terry Campbell (left), & Dick Bissell (right), Retired Members Club President |
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April 2006 |
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William Bryant #1459 James A. Chick #1460 Wilbert J. Coleman #1461 Jack R. Donahue #1462 Daniel R. Healy #1463 Charles W. Henley, Jr. #1464 |
Phillip D. Hoar #1465 Elmo Lewis #1466 Patrick R. Mills #1467 Louis Moyer, Jr. #1468 Raymond A. Wycoff #1469 David Graham #1470 |
May 2006 |
June 2006 |
Denny E. Mitts #1471 James M. Nicholson #1472 Michael A. Murphy #1473 Otis W. Megginson #1474 |
Lee B. Easley #1475 William D. Godfrey #1476 Dewey Nall #1477 Richard J. Warner #1478 |
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