Volume 55 No.1 • Jan./Feb. 2006

One for the Birds 16 Storm Warning Merger Madness Leadership 2 in Utility Industry Poses Threat to Service Reliability in Negotiations by Eric Wolfe hortly after making landfall along the Gulf Coast of utility—but no one’s answering the phone in Texas or Tokyo. Member Letters: More 3 Florida last October, Wilma was downgraded to a Cat- Welcome to a world without PUHCA. Segory 2 hurricane with top winds around 100 mph. Never- It’s a world we’ve seen before, according to Lynn Hargis, a support for retirees theless, power outages were unprecedented. Over 3 million lawyer who spent 10 years at the Federal Energy Regulatory Florida Power and Light customers lost power, including 98% Commission and another 17 years helping companies com- Outside Construction: 6 of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Ten thousand utility ply with PUHCA. Interesting times poles that were supposed to withstand winds of 119 mph “The last time there was no PUHCA we had a Great De- crumpled, 240 substations were knocked out, and Florida pression,” Hargis wrote in her 2003 monograph PUHCA for Bargaining Roundup: 7 regulators launched an investigation to find out why. Dummies. “PUHCA was enacted because huge holding com- RT, Lodi, EPA PROVCO, But you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure this one panies were using secure utility revenues to finance and out. Since 1991, Florida Power and Light has cut operating guarantee other, riskier business ventures around the world.” NCPA, Mirant and maintenance costs per customer by over 35%. Between In the seven years following the great stock market crash of 1995 and 2002 the Florida Power & Light workforce was 1929, 53 utility holding companies went bankrupt and 23 Transformation: 10 slashed from 14,500 to 9,800. Between 2002 and 2004 the others defaulted on interest payments. continued on page 4 Members review utility decreased per-customer tree trimming costs by 5%, PG&E’s plans accompanied by a sharp increase in tree-related outages. State regulators say that it would take the utility 60 years, at HAVING IT BOTH WAYS Dog Attack: Protecting 11 its current pace, to inspect all of its poles. You might think that Florida Power & Light, chastened by The Jefferson-Martin Transmission project will yourself in the field Wilma and under investigation, would embark on a crash increase power capacity while protecting delicate program to rehabilitate its infrastructure. The utility has the wildlife. Feature story begins on page 8. Retiree News: North Bay 12 cash—its stock price has performed almost 20% better than Chapter up and running the average electric company over the past five years. But Florida Power & Light has found a better use for its money. Sandoval Scholarship 15 Last month, the utility announced that its holding company, FPL Group, will purchase Constellation Energy Group and Trade School grants —familiar to Californians as one of the out-of-state energy pirates forced to settle with the state’s attorney general for The Coal Mine News briefs gaming California’s electricity market in 2000-2001. where 12 miners died this month has a history of serious safe- The FPL-Constellation marriage was made possible by the ty violations, but the mine’s owners repeal last August of the Public Utility Holding Company Act. have escaped significant fines, the But their merger is little more than the advance winds of a AFL-CIO reported. Since taking of- monster storm of utility consolidation now gathering on the fice in 2001, the Bush administration has cut funding and eliminated 170 The last time there was no PUHCA staff at the Mine Safety and Health Administration. we had a Great Depression Old Enough? The British govern- Lynn Hargis, PUHCA for Dummies ment said on Nov. 30 it will consider raising the retirement age as high as horizon. For the utility customer who expects reliable serv- 69, Labor Notes reported. Mean- ice, for the utility employee who depends on a stable em- while, in Belgium, tens of thousands ployer, for the retiree who relies on a regular dividend from a of workers held a one-day national “safe” utility stock, there may be no safe harbor when the strike in late October to protest their storm arrives. government’s plan to raise the na- tional retirement age from 58 to 60. A World Without PUHCA Well, Partly Human: A Delphi For generations, Americans have received electric service worker angry with his company’s re- from utility companies close to home. The mission of these cent bankruptcy filing offered Delphi companies has been to provide everyone with safe, reliable CEO Steve Miller up for auction on service at the cheapest possible price. State regulators, an- Ebay. “Do you have pensions, retir- swerable to the public’s elected representatives, have provid- ees and workers you need to dump into Third World wages?” the post- ed the oversight needed to make sure that utility companies ing asked. “Well, Steve is your do their job. man!” Bidding reached $1.50 before But imagine a different approach to electric service: Ebay removed the ad, the Detroit Your utility is no longer located in your home state, it’s Free Press reported. headquartered in Texas—or Tokyo. Your utility’s finances are The Right to Organize was the no longer made secure by a guaranteed rate of return on in- battlecry at rallies around the coun- vestment, but are controlled instead by global oil companies try last month that attracted about or venture capitalists. When your rates go up or your service Working the conduit deep in the trench are, from top to bottom, Groundmen Jacque 60,000 people, the AFL-CIO reported. takes a dive, your state legislator calls up the head of the Johnson and Treobia Battles, and Operator Patrick Wynkoop. ney, he is the person who guided these negotiations every step of the way. Journeyman PG&E Physical Tom is not the sort of person who seeks publicity. He is a quiet negotiator unit ratifies who never wavers in his focus on get- wage bump ting the most for our members. He not ocal 1245 has negotiated a 1% agreement only understands the mathematics of wage increase for all bargaining Members of the Physical bargain- negotiations, he has a keen sense of the Lunit members working in jour- ing unit at PG&E overwhelmingly dynamics that take place at the bar- ney-level classifications at Pacific Gas & ratified the new wage agreement for gaining table—the tactical considera- Electric. 2006-2008, the final count of ballots tions that are needed to make a bar- The wage increase, which will apply showed. Balloting had been gaining strategy succeed. He under- to approximately 4,000 members, takes extended to Jan. 3 to give members stands that bargaining, in the end, effect Jan. 1, 2006. Approximately 1,000 in General Construction an oppor- comes down to people. apprentices now in the system will also tunity to vote. GC members were By personal example, Tom always Leadership in benefit from this increase when they accidentally excluded in the original sets a professional tone for bargaining. reach journeyman status. mailing of the ballots. Final results negotiations His expertise and no-nonsense manner The timing of the increase assures for the Physical unit were 3,137 vot- earn the respect of management, and that the pension of all those working in ing yes, 1161 voting no, and 18 bal- his fall’s bargaining with PG&E set an example for our own committee journeyman classifications who retire lots unable to be verified. The Cleri- for wages in 2006-2007 was an members, whether it’s at PG&E or at in 2006 will be based on a wage that cal vote, announced Dec. 1, was Timportant achievement. We negotiations currently under his direc- includes this increase. 952-80 for approval. negotiated wage increases that exceed tion at the City of Santa Clara, the City “We are pleased that PG&E has taken what similar utilities have been offering. of Healdsburg, and Truckee-Donner this additional step to recognize the We insulated ourselves against medical Public Utility District. His method at essential contribution that journeymen A P P O I N T M E N T S takeaways by extending the current the bargaining table comes from long make to this company,” said Business agreement an extra year—through 2008. experience—he negotiated his first Manager Perry Zimmerman. We secured increases in LTD benefits. labor agreement for grape workers in Local 1245 sought comparable And, in related negotiations, we the Coachella Valley in 1974, and has adjustments for Gas Serviceman and PACIFIC GAS obtained an agreement from PG&E to led or assisted countless negotiations lead Clerical positions, but the company AND ELECTRIC pass on its Medicare Part D federal during his 25 years at Local 1245. would not agree to those increases. PG&E Ballot Committee (Wages) rebate directly to retirees in the form of At the end of the day Tom under- “We were disappointed that the Keith Hopp stands that Local 1245 is a union of the lower health care premiums. company did not extend these CITY OF UKIAH We did not get everything we hoped members, and during the PG&E negoti- increases to a wider group of employees ations he knew the exact moment to Bargaining Committee for. Retirees deserve a cost-of-living to encourage retention,” said Zimmer- Jim Lozano increase in their pension and greater stand aside and let the members make man. “But it is not our practice to turn assistance with their medical costs, a the final push. Our committee mem- away opportunities to put more money EPA PROVCO subject I’ve discussed many times bers rose to the challenge. They spoke in the pockets of our members. This 2005 Ballot Committee before. I plan to keep on raising this up with utter conviction and searing agreement is another step in the direc- James Grosvenor issue because it is important to our honesty, and secured the agreements tion of getting our members the com- that were recently ratified overwhelm- COMMITTEES retirees, to our future retirees, and to pensation they deserve.” & CONFERENCES what we stand for as a union. ingly by the membership. Tom Dalzell is the last person who IBEW Local 1245 Safety Committee But it’s also important to acknowl- James Gorman edge what we have accomplished, and would try to take credit for these nego- New location to commend those who made it possi- tiations, but he is the person who HELI-EXPO 2006 deserves it the most. for Fresno Unit Manning “Joe” Ferreira ble. Think about what it takes to move Howard Stiefer this much money from company coffers Unit 1111, Fresno, has a new meet- into employees’ pockets. ing location effective January 2006. The Electrical Workers Minority Caucus Electric, not gas National Convention First, it takes an involved member- new meeting location is: AMF Sierra Ed Vanderhorst was incorrectly iden- Lanes, 6450 N Blackstone, Fresno, CA. Dan Gracia ship—members who create proposals, Lula Washington tified as a Gas Crew Foreman on Page 4 who suggest arguments to be used at The meeting time remains 5:00 PM. Al Fortier the table, who show solidarity by of the December 2005 Utility Reporter. Meetings continue to be on the first Elizabeth McInnis attending unit meetings, wearing but- Brother Vanderhorst is an Electric Crew Tuesday of the month. LaTonya Broughton tons, speaking with their co-workers, Foreman at PG&E. Our apologies! Mike Grill, Business Rep. and making the time and effort to vote for ratification. Second, it takes members who step UtilityReporter forward into leadership roles. The mem- January-February 2006 Volume 55 No. 1 bers on this bargaining committee Circulation: 23,100 brought intelligence, passion and plain old hard work to their mission. When it Business Manager & Published monthly at 30 Single copies $1. was important to do research, they did Executive Editor Orange Tree Circle, Subscription by research. When it was important to Perry Zimmerman Vacaville, CA 95687. Official arrangement. Have you publication of Local Union moved recently? Please speak up at the table, they spoke up. Communications Director 1245, International send complete new address They tracked down every conceivable & Managing Editor Brotherhood of Electrical and your Social Security Eric Wolfe argument that could be used to gain Workers, AFL-CIO, P.O. Box Number (by U.S. Mail) to: President 2547, Vacaville, CA 95696. “Address Change” ground at the table, and that made a IBEW Local 1245 Mike Davis Periodical postage paid at huge difference. P.O. Box 2547 Executive Board Vacaville and at additional Vacaville, CA 95696. Finally, successful bargaining takes Art Freitas mailing offices. USPS No. 654640, ISSN No. Our Web Site can be leadership. While I was proud to be the Chris Habecker 0190-4965. viewed at presiding business manager at these Dave Scott www.IBEW1245.com. negotiations, true credit belongs to the Anna Bayless-Martinez POSTMASTER: Please Kathy F.Tindall send Form 3579, Change of Our phone number is person who did the real work. That per- John Mendoza Address, and all (707) 452-2700. son is Tom Dalzell. Tom is not only the correspondence to Utility Treasurer Reporter, P.O. Box 2547, Senior Assistant Business Manager for Cecelia De La Torre Vacaville, CA 95696. this union, and not only our staff attor- 2 January/February 2006 sider reading in, I don’t believe I am the themselves? Things looked good until I discov- only one pondering the reporting meth- The basic premise of a successful ered that I was going to have to pay a big ods on this issue. negotiation is that a large group speaks premium for our medical. When I D.J. Barcellos with one voice. It comes to me that our retired I really wasn’t paying much Los Banos, CA union retiree clubs could be that voice. monthly. Then the roof fell in as each Editor replies: Here’s what happened: At the moment, union retiree clubs are year the premium grew larger and In an effort to inform members of the few in number but much is being done larger. Thank God I had a Premium Off- ballot results as soon as they were avail- to correct that. set Account negotiated by the union able on Dec. 1, the union posted a story The short of it is, if retirees are to with PG&E, but next year it’s gone and I on its website giving the results. However, effectively negotiate a benefit package will have to either choose a HMO or pay reports that GC members did not receive with PG&E, perhaps we should use our the full premium. ballots, coupled with the relatively low union retiree clubs as an adjunct to the I wasn’t aware of these things, never Balloting fairness number of returned ballots, led the efforts of our inimitable Local Union really informed by the company that my questioned union to re-examine the returns. We dis- 1245. retirement pay would be effected by covered that GC members, indeed, had With this in mind, all of us should increases in medical cost. Also, dental is To the Editor: not received ballots. In fairness to GC consider a membership in their nearest killing me. I knew of the dental plan the As a spouse of a Local 1245 PG&E members, the union quickly decided to Local Union 1245 retiree club. PSEA had, but not aware of the low cov- employee, I have consistently made it a extend the balloting time for GC mem- Who knows, we may be able to nego- erage. habit of reading your monthly newspa- bers, and announced this on our website tiate a COLA more frequently . I will be seeing my cousin this Christ- per, cover to cover. And in so doing, it on Dec. 2. Since we had already posted Gordon Borges mas who happens to be an active Line- has allowed me insight and apprecia- the figures for the ballots counted, it was Los Banos, CA man. I will talk to him about what he tion for the men and women in the util- too late to put the toothpaste back in the can expect as time goes on and he ity profession, as well as the ever- tube, so we described the results in the When you’re gone, should work hard with other employees changing issues the union deals with in Physical balloting as partial, which is the to make sure that what we are going order to give not just the worker, but most accurate way to describe them. you’re forgotten through doesn’t happen to them to this their families peace of mind. There was never any intention to sway Editor’s note: The following e-mail was extent. However, your December 2005 issue votes or influence the outcome. received from retired member Sterling Fred Eglip has given me great pause in regards to Coldren. Lincoln, CA the front page article entitled “Voting Company needs To the Editor extended on PG&E pact.” I worked PG&E for 40 years and Remember those In said article, it relayed that the Title to do something thought that it was a good company to 300 Classifications had not received Editor’s note: The following e-mail was work for, which it was. I also joined the who retired in their ballots, thereby extending the vot- received from retired member Charles union as soon as I could, which was in management ing time limit, yet continued on to Curtis. 1961, the year I was employed. I reveal final voting statistics on other To the Editor: worked with the union and was a shop positions classifications. steward for a good number of those I retired from the PG&E gas supply Editor’s note: The following e-mail was How do you justify keeping this issue business unit in 1993 after 30 years of years. I enjoyed the benefits bargained in a level playing field without swaying received from retired member Terry Pol- service. The company paid all of my in the contracts. lard. the outcome when you report as such? health care until the year 2000. Since However, now I am retired and on a Don’t Title 300 workers have the right to then health care has gone up to $441.37 fix income. My pension and Social Secu- To the Editor: After reading this months Utility be of equal voice before and after the a month as of the year 2005. rity are being eaten up by the very same Reporter and the letters to the Editor in polls are closed? And mind you, I am Since PG&E retirement has no cost- medical benefits that covered me for all regards to retirees concerns over the not saying they can’t think for them- of-living provision we are experiencing those years with no cost to me and my lack of pension increases and the selves. However, this country has been a dramatic cut in our take-home pay, family. As a retiree I don’t vote on con- increases in medical coverage pay- swayed in the past in voting for its while the cost of living keeps going up. tracts and have no say, or limited say. It ments I felt I had to throw my two cents elected officials when the news media We have less to live on every year. I feel is as if when you are gone that you are into the arena. reported on the East Coast results the company needs to do something to forgotten. I retired from P.G.&E. with 37 years before the West Coast polls shut down. help the retirees curb our health costs. My only question when it comes to of service, with the last 17 years being So why then would you remove your- Charles Curtis medical benefits is: why not the same selves from the responsibility of pro- Yuba City, CA for all members active as well as in a management position. After retire- ment I went back to work as a Hiring tecting the outcome in all fairness to all retirees? Wouldn’t that be easier than Hall employee and currently I’m work- employees that you so proudly defend? what is going on now? How retirees can ing with a signatory contractor per- Perhaps I have misunderstood your A cost of living increase in our pen- forming work for P.G.&E. Needless to intentions as to it not being an attempt help themselves sion every so often would help us for- say I have had many years as an IBEW to change the course of history and/or a mer (retired) employees. Editor’s note: The following e-mail was 1245 member in good standing and zealous reporter wanting to rush the Sterling Coldren received from retired member Gordon continue to pay my dues on a regular news without thinking the conse- Borges. Clovis, CA basis and have the same concerns as all quences through. However, as an out- To the Editor: IBEW members. “God helps those that help them- Things looked Although I retired as a management C A L E N D A R selves,” is what my mother told me 60 good until… employee, I have many vested years in years ago. I believe this to be true with IBEW and hope that if this goes to nego- PG&E retirees as they encounter their Editor’s note: The following e-mail was tiations that people like myself are also received from retired member Fred Eglip. February 2: Retirees Club, San current financial crisis. Eroding pension included in any and all agreements. I Jose, CA benefits & escalating medical cost To the Editor: realize there are legal aspects to bar- should tell us that something must be I was able to retire at age 56 (I’ll be 60 gaining unit verses management February 4: Advisory Council, done to ease our economic burden. next year). I chose to retire after 33 years retirees but we must all be given the due Vacaville, CA Historically, our benefit negotiations of service for personal reasons and respect as some of your early letters February 7: Retirees Club, Santa with the company have been through stress of commuting long distances to have alluded to. Rosa, CA Local Union 1245 and, in view of the work. I looked at my financial situation Thanks for taking this on for our February 8: Retirees Club, Vacaville, circumstances, they have done what at the time and discussed my future membership and don’t forget us old CA they can. We must remember, however, investments with a broker to see if my guys that continue to pay union dues on that the PG&E employees on the job are retirement and monthly annuity would a regular basis. February 9: Retirees Club, Dublin, their primary consideration. Having be enough for me and my wife to live at CA Terry Pollard said that, how then can retirees help the same level as when I was working. Cool, California UtilityReporter 3 PUHCA continued from page 1 its unregulated divisions to the books of example, are flush in the wake of last needed to keep service reliable, and to Duke’s utilities. E-mail messages fall’s hurricanes. Exxon Mobil currently respond effectively and immediately Holding companies didn’t collapse showed a protracted campaign by Duke has $34 billion in spare cash. whenever that service is interrupted. because electricity was no longer prof- accountants to shift expenses onto the “Is an Exxon or Shell a potential Do “operational synergies” and itable. They collapsed, Hargis says, utilities, according to the audit. Regula- buyer? I say yes,” says Jim Hunter, Utility “financial flexibility” serve to further because they had looted their utility tors might never have noticed if they Director for the International Brother- that purpose? subsidiaries to finance non-utility hadn’t received an inside tip. hood of Electrical Workers in Washing- The Exelon-PSEG executives pre- investments And their collapse deep- Michael Valocchi, a utility consultant ton DC. It’s understandable, he says, dicted in December 2004 that “syner- ened and prolonged the Great Depres- at IBM Consulting Services, told the that a company in possession of oil and gies” would start out at $400 million and sion. Journal in 2002 that his utility clients gas resources would be interested in grow to $500 million annually by the The Public Utility Holding Company were under orders to cut capital spend- acquiring companies that use those second year. Synergy, if you believe Act of 1935 was championed by Presi- ing by as much as 30% in 2003, in some resources. “I think utilities are going to Webster, means “to work together” such dent Franklin D. Roosevelt to prevent a cases to free up funds for use by the be a target.” that the total effect is greater than the resurrection of these enormous utility holding company parents. With the utilities’ enormous cus- sum of the parts. conglomerates and the havoc they But this disturbing trend received lit- tomer base up for grabs, acquiring utili- The Exelon-PSEG executives, how- wrought on the US economy. Hargis tle media attention and the campaign to ties could turn into a corporate gold ever, seem to think that synergy is just explains how this historic law worked: repeal PUHCA continued, achieving rush. And big oil won’t be the only another word for saving money. About • PUHCA made it possible for states to success on Aug. 8, 2005 when President industry saddling up its pony for the 85% of the savings, according to their regulate utility holding companies by Bush signed the Energy Policy Act. ride. projections, will be “cost related.” These limiting the types of business they “There is something about electric savings include “the elimination of could engage in, and also by limiting A Faster Crowd and natural gas utilities, with their cap- duplicative activities” and “improving their geographic size. After PUHCA officially exits the stage tive, rate-paying consumers, that is irre- operating efficiencies” and “improved • PUHCA, by controlling holding com- in February 2006, what will become of sistible to venture capitalists,” says Har- sourcing.” pany dividends, loans and guaran- America’s utility companies? gis, the former FERC lawyer. “They want Still not clear? The executives go on tees based on the utility subsidiary, One thing we know to use those guaran- to explain that “a portion of any job made it harder for holding compa- for sure: there will be a teed revenues to losses will be offset by anticipated nies to loot their utility subsidiaries . lot fewer of them. Util- With the utilities’ invest in risky, poten- retirements and normal attrition.” Or to • PUHCA regulated self-dealing ity mergers and acqui- enormous customer tially high-profit, non- be still clearer: “Reductions due to the among the holding companies’ vari- sitions were already base up for grabs, utility schemes. They merger are estimated at approximately ous affiliates. gaining traction want to keep the prof- 5% of the consolidated workforce,” • PUHCA imposed controls over utility before President Bush acquiring utilities its, and have the util- which boils down to a loss of 1400 jobs. acquisitions of other utilities or other signed the energy bill could turn into a ity’s customers bear Utility workforces, apparently, are no businesses. last August. corporate gold rush. the risks and assume longer being downsized, they are being And PUHCA worked. For seven In late 2004, the debt.” “synergized.” But changing the word for decades, electric service was assured by Chicago-based Exelon And big oil won’t be Utility stocks, for slashing the workforce will not alter the utilities whose profits were closely regu- merged with Public the only industry decades a safe reposi- reality that utilities nationwide are lated, whose shareholders were pro- Service Enterprise saddling up its pony tory for retirees’ sav- already short of the people they need to tected, and whose obligation to serve Group—the parent of ings, could morph maintain service reliability at the level was written into law. No speculators New Jersey’s largest for the ride. into short-term Americans have historically enjoyed. need apply. utility—in a $13 bil- investment proper- Reliability at Risk Siphoning Money lion deal. In May of 2005, Duke Energy ties. Tyson Slocum, who works on bought Cinergy, combining the parent energy policy at Public Citizen in Wash- The utility workforce overall was Not everyone liked PUHCA. Gas and companies of utilities ranging from the ington DC says private equity funds reduced by 25-30% during the 1990s, electric service generate a lot of money, Carolinas to Kentucky, Indiana and could seize the opportunity to “Grab a when utilities believed that downsizing and PUHCA severely limited the ability Ohio. Also in May, Warren Buffett utility, squeeze money out of it and toss was the way to prepare for retail electric of private investors to get their hands on announced he would buy PacifiCorp, it aside for the next buyer.” competition. Now that shrunken work- it. Federal energy bills in 1978 and 1992 with utility operations in Oregon, Wash- The gold rush will be global. As Stuart force is quickly aging. By 2010, 50% of modified PUHCA, creating opportuni- ington, Wyoming, California, Utah and Caplan noted last October in Infrastruc- today’s experienced utility workers are ties for non-utility investments in the Idaho. ture Journal: “Overseas investors inter- likely to retire, according to numerous electric industry. The stage was set for FPL Group’s planned purchase of ested in acquiring critical mass in the published reports. Enron to champion “competitive mar- Constellation Energy sheds light on the US utility sector will no longer be Some top executives may regard this kets” in the 1990s and for investors like character of such mergers. stymied by PUHCA’s … requirements.” mass attrition as an opportunity to save billionaire Warren Buffet to push for FPL Group, a holding company, gets money for the next merger or takeover. outright repeal of PUHCA in recent most of its revenue from its regulated What Is A Utility For? But some people question how utilities years. subsidiary, Florida Power and Light. But In announcing the merger of their can continue to function if there is con- Utility holding companies haven’t in recent years FPL Group had begun to holding companies in late 2004, Exelon tinued attrition of the workforce. waited for PUHCA’s repeal to start test- dabble in unregulated power generation and PSEG executives sounded almost “It is possible to end up with a sce- ing their ability to siphon money out of and wholesale telecommunications giddy over the possibilities for their new, nario where some utilities are operating their regulated subsidiaries. services, and was clearly yearning to run combined company. like utilities in third-world countries,” State regulators in Kansas found that with a faster crowd. They talked about how they would says Steven Kussmann, executive direc- Westar Energy of Topeka had quietly Constellation Energy is that faster “create efficiencies.” They enthused tor of the Utility Business Education shifted more than $1.95 billion of debt crowd. A major player in the wholesale about “operational synergies” and Coalition in Reston, Va., quoted in a onto the utility side of the business power market, Constellation gets less “improved asset optimization” and story in the November-December 2005 through intercompany loans and other than a quarter of its revenue from its “cash flow growth.” They gushed over newsletter of the American Public means, according to a Wall Street Jour- regulated subsidiary, Baltimore Gas and the opportunity to improve “financial Power Association. “They won’t have a nal report in December 2002. John Electric. FPL Group’s acquisition of flexibility” and positioning the com- sufficient number of qualified people to Wine, then chairman of the Kansas Cor- Constellation will make the combined pany “to meet the changing landscape operate them. The result will be danger- poration Commission, told the Journal company the nation’s largest marketer of the energy industry into the future.” ous working conditions and unreliable that utility holding companies “can go of wholesale electric power. But all of this post-PUHCA sloga- power.” pretty far down the road of commin- neering and “positioning” begs a central Five Florida Power & Light linemen gling utility assets before it gets Gold Rush question: What is a utility for? interviewed by the Miami Herald in detected,” and expressed concern about Utility corporations won’t be the only Most people believe a utility’s pur- November said the utility had thinned the impact on service and rates. ones to notice the new profit opportuni- pose is to keep their homes lit and their ranks so drastically that the crews In 2001, Duke Energy transferred as ties in the utility industry following the heated, to power their businesses, to do now spend most of their time doing much as $124 million in expenses from repeal of PUHCA. Oil companies, for whatever planning and maintenance is “revenue jobs,” like hooking up new 4 January/February 2006 customers rather than performing how reluctant FERC was to intervene in The staff of the CPUC knows where to You can be pretty sure it’s not “serv- maintenance on existing infrastructure, the energy crisis of 2000-2001. find executives of Pacific Gas & Electric, ice reliability.” which may explain why Hurricane “California trusted that the Federal headquartered just a few blocks away in Wilma encountered so many rotten Energy Regulatory Commission would downtown San Francisco. “But what if power poles. step in and regulate if necessary, which the headquarters is in Texas, or worse, Inadequate tree trimming around was a huge mistake — the FERC has Tokyo?” asks Schneider. “Where are the Sources power lines has been implicated in never shown any ability to regulate on a big financial institutions—Tokyo, Lon- Sources used in this story include: costly wildfires, and worse. When an state-by-state basis, much less the polit- don, Hong Kong.” • Interview, David Poklinkoski, Business untrimmed tree branch in Ohio con- ical will to do so,” former California Some state regulators are growing Manager, IBEW Local 2304, Madison, tacted a sagging transmission line in Public Utilities Commission President concerned.The California Public Utili- Wis., December 2005 August of 2003, the resulting explosion Loretta Lynch said in an interview last ties Commission—one of four state • Interview, Jim Hunter, Utility Department knocked out power to 50 million people year with UC Berkeley News. commissions examining the impact of Director, IBEW, Washington DC, Decem- in eight US states and two Canadian The state hemorrhaged $40-70 bil- PUHCA repeal—started a rulemaking in ber 2005 provinces, costing $6 billion. A blue rib- lion before FERC finally stepped in and November to reexamine the relation- • Interview, Tyson Slocum, Energy bon panel convened by Ohio Gov. Rod imposed price caps on wholesale power. ship of the state’s major utilities with Researcher, Public Citizen, Washington DC, December 2005 Blagojevich found that inadequate tree Even if FERC had the will and their holding company parents and • Interview, Tom Schneider, Energy Consul- trimming, obsolete equipment and resources to act as enforcer, mandatory their affiliates. tant, Palo Alto, CA, December 2005 inadequate training contributed to the reliability standards may not be a pow- “With the repeal of PUHCA the com- • IBEW Testimony, Senate Energy & Natural severity of the outage. erful enough tool to get the job done. mission’s responsibility to protect the Resources Committee, July 25, 2001 At a time when utilities' ought to be FERC could levy fines on individual util- ratepayers becomes even more para- • Beleaguered Energy Firms Try to Share plowing resources into trimming trees ities for having too many outages, but mount,” the CPUC said. Pain with Utility Units, Rebecca Smith, away from power lines, replacing aging will the prospect of such fines be One model that state commissions Wall Street Journal, December 26, 2002 gas lines and rotten power poles, and enough to persuade utilities to make the could consider is the Wisconsin Public • PUHCA Repeal: Realignment of the US hiring and training the people needed investments needed to keep the system Utility Holding Company Act, or Electric Utility Industry, Stuart Caplan, to do this work, their parent holding reliable? WUHCA. Enacted in 1985, WUHCA lim- Infrastructure Journal companies are having trouble staying • Workers: Cutbacks Put FPL’s System at Risk, Miami Herald, Nov. 14, 2005 focused on the essential mission. At a time when utilities' ought to be plowing resources They're looking for "synergies" when • Wilma Delivers Blow to Florida, they ought to be looking for linemen. into trimming trees away from power lines, replacing CNN.com, November 2005 If it’s hard to keep utilities focused on • Confronting the Coming Labor Shortage, aging gas lines and rotten power poles, and hiring and William Atkinson, American Public Power reliability issues as PUHCA fades into Association Newsletter, Nov.-Dec. 2005 history, it will be even harder if utilities training the people needed to do this work, their parent • Exxon Mobil Profit Soars 75%, Justin fall under the ownership of oilmen or holding companies are having trouble staying focused Blum, Washington Post, Oct. 28, 2005 financiers, according to Tom Schneider, on the essential mission. They're looking for "synergies" • US Energy Giants Seal $11 Billion Deal, an independent energy consultant and when they ought to be looking for linemen. CNN.com, Dec. 19, 2005 former director at the Electric Power • Power Surge, Rob Wherry, Forbes.com, Research Institute (EPRI). Aug. 15, 2005 “Traditionally you get to be a (utility) Schneider, the former EPRI director, its the amount a Wisconsin holding • States Moving Toward Reregulating Utility CEO by learning the business,” says is skeptical. What’s left out of the relia- company may invest in non-utility ven- Holding Companies, Inside Washington Schneider. But if these homegrown bility standard, he says, is the long-term tures, protecting utility customers from Publishers, Oct. 31, 2005 CEOs are replaced by new management adequacy of the workforce. risky investments that go bad. WUHCA • New Utility Fear: State ‘Mini-PUHCAs’, brought in from outside the industry, “Having a commitment that five or also requires that the state’s Public Ser- Platts, Nov. 18, 3005 there will be a “total loss of any techni- 10 years from now your staffing is going vice Commission approve any sale of • Libyan-American Corporation Buys Stake cal understanding or judgment” at the to be well-trained and of sufficient size more than 10% of the holding company. in Renewable Power Generation Plants, top of the company. is not included” in any standard, he “WUHCA trumps PUHCA,” says PRNewswire, Dec. 27, 2005 “They’re just not going to understand says. Dave Poklinkoski, business manager of • Two Utilities Said to Hold Merger Talks, Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, IBEW Local 2304, which represents the industry. That translates to (not Dec. 14, 2005 understanding) workforce require- Last Line of Defense employees at Madison Gas & Electric • NRG Energy , Inc.’s Proposed Acquisition ments,” Schneider says. As utilities are State regulatory commissions may be and has actively battled against utility of Texas Genco LLC Receives FERC absorbed into ever-larger holding com- the last line of defense for customer deregulation. He’s confident that Wis- Approval, Business Wire, Dec. 28, 2005 panies, there will be a “dilution of man- service. In California, any takeover of a consin’s law will prevent Exxon Mobil or • FPL Deal Navigates Seas of Unregulated agement attention” to service issues. regulated utility would have to be some investor group from taking over Power, Palm Beach Post, December 27, approved by the state Public Utilities that state’s utilities. 2005 Subhead Who’s In Charge? Commission, which also has legal Unions like IBEW Local 1245 can play • PUHCA for Dummies, Lynn Hargis, Public The Energy Policy Act had the virtue standing to address service quality a role in keeping the focus on service Citizen, September 2003 of converting voluntary reliability stan- issues. reliability in the states where our mem- • PUHCA Repeal for Dummies, Lynn Har- dards into mandatory standards, and To what extent that authority will bers work. We can explain to our gis, Public Citizen, June 2005 giving enforcement powers to the Fed- translate into actual power is one of the employers, to regulators, to legislators, • Exponential Enrons Ahead, Kelpie Wilson, eral Energy Regulatory Commission. big unknowns in the post-PUHCA and to the public at large what it takes to www.truthout.org, June 23, 2005 Given its past commitment to “the mar- world. Consumer advocates often com- keep the lights on today, and the invest- • Constellation Energy website ket,” though, it’s hard to be optimistic plain that state regulatory commissions, ments in manpower that is needed to • Cynergy Corp. website that FERC will perform this role effec- in terms of staffing and resources, are make sure the lights are on 10 years • FPL Group and Constellation Energy to tively. outmatched by the utilities they regu- from now. Merge, News Release, Jan. 4, 2006 As Hargis, the former FERC attorney, late. But the storm gathering on the hori- • Blue-Ribbon Blackout Task Force Sounds Alarm, News Release, State of Ohio Lt. noted in 2003, the agency has shown no But today’s utilities are shrimps com- zon is of a size and character we have Governor’s Office, July 14, 2004 stomach for interfering with holding pared to the supersized holding compa- not faced before. The Enron fiasco was nies expected to emerge from the com- bad enough, but Enron was limited by • President Signs Energy Policy Act, News companies that want to use their utility Release, White House, Aug. 8, 2005 subsidiaries as cash cows: “FERC has, ing consolidation of the industry. How PUHCA to owning just a single regu- • Exelon and PSEG Agree to Merge, News will state commissioners stack up lated utility. Now PUHCA is gone. Just as under its deregulation experiment, uni- Release, Exelon, Dec. 20, 2004 against a huge holding company with Enron’s bright young hot shots felt com- formly granted blanket approvals under • Attorney General Lockyer Announces Set- the Federal Power Act for all stock operations in dozens of states and pelled to exploit every conceivable tlement with Williams, News Release, Nov. issuances and loan guarantees based on countries? Schneider believes regula- chink in the regulatory armor, an army 11, 2002 utility assets for all electricity sellers that tors will have less influence over the of corporate takeover artists is now cir- • Background on Wisconsin Utility sell at market-based rates.” highest levels of executive manage- cling the utility industry with one Holding Company Act, Memo, Cus- Residents of California remember ment. thought in mind. tomers First! Coalition, Jan. 23, 2003 UtilityReporter 5 Total crews working on: Outside Agreement: 69 U.G. Agreement: 20 crews Pole and Test Agreement: 20 crews Teledata Agreement: 10 crews Total crews working: 119

Currently we have 312 apprentices: 5 are traveling, 47 are working out of As I reported last month the IBEW Local 1245; 241 are working out of Local outside branch and the labor construc- 47; 5 are working out of Local 396 and tion trades are in very interesting times. 16 are laid off due to various reasons. 51 Outside Construction Everyone is fighting for work and juris- apprentices have passed their test and diction. Some peo- are Journeymen. We have indentured Sacramento, CA • November 12, 2005 ple like to have 132 apprentices this year. things handed to them or try not to Bakersfield, CA • November 19, 2005 over exert them- OTHER NEWS selves too much. First Aid & CPR is the third Saturday They would like to of every month in Sacramento. harm or hurt oth- We held two Outside Line Pin Din- ers and signatory ners: one in Sacramento on Nov. 12 and contractors instead Dave Crawford one in Bakersfield on Nov. 19. Thank Billy Kibbe (right) is of going out and you to everyone that attended. presented with his 40-year hitting the pave- Sierra Pacific is putting out small award by Senior Business ment and organizing—bring new mem- projects. We have addendum to our Rep. Dave Crawford at the bers into the organization. Outside Agreement for a project. The Outside Line Service Awards With your help, Brothers and Sisters, Tracy to Silver Lake 120 KV, Phase 1 in Bakersfield on Nov. 19. we are over coming their tactics. We are Transmission Line Project was awarded the best of the best. to Par. We have had some open calls in Let’s go out there and work smart Reno, NV for Par. It’s good to have plen- and work safely so that we can go home tiful work this time of the year in Reno. to our families. PG&E is putting out small packages. David Crawford, Senior Outside Line Livermore Transmission U.G. Project is Business Representative underway; also the 230 KV Under- THE NUMBERS ground Project in San Francisco. There is also talk of alliance with a contractor. James Buchanan (right) is Since last month’s report, we’ve had SMUD is putting out small projects. presented with his 35- 27 calls for Journeyman Lineman; 7 Starting some windmill work. year award by Senior calls for Equipment Specialist; 33 calls San Francisco NECA: we are negoti- Business Rep. Dave for Groundman; one call for Cable ating on the Light Rail Agreement, Crawford at the Outside Splicers; 8 calls for U.G . Techs; and 7 which is coming along very well. Line Service Awards in calls for Apprentices, for a total of 82 Teledata: We are negotiating with Bakersfield on Nov. 19. calls. NECA & Henkels & McCoy on the Tele- The books, as of December 14: data Agreement. However, with NECA Journey Lineman, Book 1: 10 Teledata we are still open at this time. Journey Lineman, Book 2: 2 We have a new agreement called Fiber Lineman, Book 3: 0 to Home with Henkels & McCoy FTTP Lineman, Book 4: 30 and we are getting closer to a table set- Equipment Specialist, Book 1: 0 tlement with Henkels & McCoy on the Alan Cardoza (left), 25 years, Equipment Specialist, Book 2: 5 Teledata Agreement. and Frank Lazard (right) 40 Equipment Specialist, Book 3: 0 Safety: The next Joint Safety meeting years, are presented with their Groundman, Book 1: 10 is Feb. 8, 2006. awards by Senior Business Rep. Groundman, Book 2: 5 LineCo has announced, effective the Dave Crawford at the Outside Groundman, Book 3: 24 first of January 2006, LineCo insurance Line Service Awards in Groundman, Book 4: 87 will go up to $4.75, not $5.00. We will get Sacramento on Nov. 12. Cable Splicer, Book 1: 0 back $.25 hr and that will apply to NEAP, Cable Splicer, Book 2: 0 raising your contribution up $.25 hr. Cable Splicer, Book 3: 0

Walter Plett James Thornhill 45 Years Paul Poaipuni Kenneth Goen John Ruggles 30 Years Donald Brown Robert Sandow William Carr 40 Years Richard Sayman Steven Sandell Jerry Taylor Danny Benoit Ronald Smith Christopher Cordaro Joseph Vermilyea Joseph Trappen Wayne Jones Morris Wimberly Billy Kibbe 25 Years Leonard Knecht 35 Years Alan Cardoza Frank Lazard John Benedict Bobby R. Dutton Jr. Ronnie Miller Adolph Botello Paul Martinez Daniel Mitchell James Buchanan John G. Wells Thomas Olsen Russell Johnson Richard Wright

6 January/February 2006 Election Notice: Delegates to IBEW International Convention he election process will begin in ing of the Units in March 2006. (L.U. March of this year for Local 1245 Bylaws Article III, Section 8c). TDelegates to the International In order to be a candidate for Dele- Convention of the IBEW. The convention gate to the International Convention, a will be held Sept. 11-15, 2006 in Cleve- member must be present at the Unit land, OH. Balloting for Local 1245 Dele- meeting where he or she is nominated, gates to the convention will be in June. or notify the Local Union Recording Sec- Complete information on nomina- retary, Chris Habecker, in writing on or tions, elections, and qualifications are before March 1, 2006, that he or she will found in the Local Union Bylaws and run for Delegate if nominated. (IBEW the International Union Constitution. If Constitution Article XVI, Section 10). you do not have copies of these docu- Further information ments, they may be obtained by writing to IBEW Local 1245, PO Box 2547, In addition to the Local 1245 Bylaws Holiday Lights Vacaville, CA 95696. and the IBEW Constitution, the conduct Each year, Lassen Municipal Utility District and Frontier assist the City of Susanville in To qualify as a candidate for Delegate of labor union elections is also covered decorating the streets for the holiday season.Working in the aerial lifts last Nov.30 are, from by Title IV of the Labor-Management left, Wayne Perry, 26-year member at Frontier who retired in November, and Jeff “Craig” to the International Convention, a Lima, 28-year member at Lassen Municipal Utility District. member must have at least two years’ Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 continuous good standing in the Local (LMRDA). The US Department of Labor Union immediately prior to March 1, publishes two relevant booklets: “Rights 2006, and must have tendered his or her and Responsibilities Under the LMRDA EPA-PROVCO pact boosts wages and CSRA” and “Electing Union Offi- dues for January 2006. ine Clearance Tree Trimmers at ness Rep. Ray cers.” These booklets are available by Nominations EPA-PROVCO on Dec. 28 ratified Thomas. This will writing the US Department of Labor, a new agreement with wage and result in a savings Office of Elections, 200 Constitution L Nomination of Delegates to the pension improvements. for the company as International Convention shall be made Avenue NW, Room No. North 5619, All classifications will receive 3.4% well as a reduction under “New Business” at the first meet- Washington, DC 20210. wage increases on Jan. 1, 2006 and Jan. in the employee 1, 2007, except VC Specialists, who will family premium receive 4.4% each year. contribution from In addition to the current 3% of gross $60 to $50 a month. New classifications created Ray Thomas pay that the company automatically Article 6 was at Sacramento Regional Transit contributes to the Money Purchase Pen- amended to allow sion Plan, employees can participate in for medical cover- ew classifications with lar to an Electrician, but also must have the Quanta 401(k) with a 100% com- age after 30 days for enhanced wages have been cre- knowledge of traction power substa- pany match for the first 3% of employee those employees Nated in negotiations with Sacra- tions, operations signal systems, traffic contribution and 50% match for the retained when the mento Regional Transit. warning devices, and diagnostic analy- next 3% for a total of 4.5% possible com- company assumes A Memorandum sis of these systems, Norris said. pany match, and a total possible 7.5% a new area. Weekly of Understanding The old hourly rate for Lineworker was company contribution to the defined- pay will replace bi- effective Nov. 16, $26.36. The new hourly wage rates are: contribution plans. monthly paydays. Junior Ornelas 2005, created the Lineworker I, first six months: $23.42 “The company will have the right to Negotiating for classifications of Lineworker I, after six months: $24.65 introduce Guardian PPO coverage with the union, in addition to Thomas, were Lineworker I, Line- Lineworker II: $29.00 the same level of benefits as already Angel Mondragon and Business Rep. worker II and Line- Lineworker III: $33.35 defined in Exhibit A,” said Senior Busi- Junior Ornelas. worker III, accord- Negotiating the agreement, along ing to Business with Norris, were Connie Bibbs and Rep. Darryl Norris. Darryl Norris Brian McCord. Equity improvements at Mirant “SRT had con- cluded that they could not retain or egotiations with Mirant pro- and clarification of displacement lan- recruit people in the Lineworker classi- Ex-staffer busted duced significant wage equity guage. fication,” said Norris. “A salary survey N improve- Medical premium co-payments will showed that an increase of between 10% former Local 1245 employee was ments that were rise to 15% in the first year, 17% in the and 15% was needed to stay competitive booked on Dec. 9 into Solano ratified by mem- second year, and 20% in the third year. with other employers.” ACounty Jail on charges that she bers on Dec. 30. Negotiating for the union were Rick The agreement established the three embezzled more than $50,000 from the Control Opera- Flores and Ric Huelster from Contra Lineworker positions at different skill union. tors and Journey- Costa Plant; Jason Todd from Potrero levels and wage rates, with Lineworker I Joy Wagoner, also known as Joy Mohr, man maintenance Plant; and Larry Jasmine, Kirk Davis and being a beginning level job. was fired by Local 1245 on Nov. 8, employees, who Kevin Bellflower from Pittsburg Plant, shortly after the union found irregular comprise about along with Business Rep. Hunter Stern. The Lineworker classification is simi- Hunter Stern financial practices in the preparation of three-quarters of expense checks for committee mem- the bargaining unit, will receive average bers. A fraud auditor subsequently hired wage adjustments of $2.65 an hour, by the union has identified just over about 9%, retroactive to Dec. 15. MID vote $50,000 in missing funds. The three-year agreement provides An agency shop election for the Utili- Local 1245 expects to recover all of 3% wage increases in 2007 and 2008. A ties Services and Maintenance bargain- the missing funds through a variety of new Lead classification will receive ing unit at Modesto Irrigation District measures, including standard insurance $1.50 more than the rate of the employ- passed easily in a Dec. 13 vote, with 72% protection against dishonest employees. ees being led. The company cancelled voting in favor. The District and Local No member of the union or its staff, an incentive bonus program. 1245 were scheduled to meet in January other than Wagoner, was charged with The agreement also provides to discuss and negotiate appropriate any wrong-doing. improvements in vacation, holiday pay, agency shop language. UtilityReporter 7 Story and crew photos by Eric Wolfe San Franciscans like their computers and the other amenities made possible by a modern electrical system. They also like the wildlife that flourishes in the San Francisco watershed that spreads south through the heart of the peninsula. Members of Local 1245 were working hard during the fall to make sure they can have both. Peak demand for electricity on the northern peninsula is near the system’s capacity and growing. Because the area is surrounding by water on three sides, and local generating capaci- ty is limited, new transmission capacity is key to assuring continued electric reliability. Pacific Gas & Electric’s new Jefferson-Martin 230-kv Transmission Line will increase the potential flow of power to the region by 400 megawatts, enough to power about 300,000 homes.

Working the project, approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in August 2004, have been a host of IBEW linemen, splicers and groundmen em- ployed by union contractors, including ARV, Under- ground Construction, Tri-State, In- ternational Line Builders, Infrasource and Pirelli Cables (recently renamed Prysmian Cables). Heading up the project for PG&E is Black & Veatch, which will oversee construction of the 24 miles of underground and 3.5 miles of overhead transmission line that will connect Martin Substation in San Fran- cisco with Jefferson Substation near Woodside. That’s a lot of line to construct through an area highly valued for its vistas, Todd Francis operates the backhoe. Jefferson Substation is in the background. wildlife, and hiking trails, not to mention paleontological and archeological resources. Just beneath the surface you may still find evidence of bison, horse, ground sloth and other species extinct for over 10,000 years, as well as Groundman George artifacts from Native American cultures Marshall remains that previously inhabited the area. With above, ready to lower the arrival of winter, migratory birds nest down whatever is in the area, including bald eagles. needed in the trench. And watch your step: that might be a California Red-Legged Frog or a Bay Checkerspot Butterfly you’re about to Operator Patrick Wyn- squash underfoot. koop calls up to Squash prevention has been a huge George Marshall as Jacque Johnson takes part of the project, as you might expect in a measurement. environmentally-sensitive California. The project is utilizing 30 biologists and envi- Jim Strickland serves as a ronmental specialists to monitor activi- PG&E Inspector on the Jeff- ties. Over 30 thousand feet of environ- Martin project.

Working traffic control is Groundman Amos Commander. 8 January/February 2006 More than power flows through This monitor enables you to Working in the wildlife-rich San Francisco this underground system. Cable watch as the two strands of fiber watershed are, from left: William Kessel, Splicer Jan Flipse holds up an in- are brought together in prepara- Lineman; Andrew Duncan, Groundman; credibly thin strand of fiber, used tion for splicing. Minor adjust- Wade Sanchez, Groundman; and Jan Flipse, for communications. ments are made automatically Cable Splicer. to make the fit a perfect one.

Lineman William Kessel: “If protection mental exclusion fenc- were to fail, it could explode like a bomb.” ing has been utilized. If you pay a visit to the The conduit that Local 1245 mem- area, the monitors will bers are burying beneath the ground probably perform a crit- on the San Francisco Peninsula carries ter check around your information as well as power. wheels to make sure you The 230kv line occupies three con- don’t leave any roadkill duits, with a fourth as a spare. Two behind. four-inch conduits are used for com- Photo by Marguerite Gregory Minimizing impact munications, one of which functions © California Academy of Sciences on human residents has as a spare. also been a big priority. Crews have worked hard to The conduit is laid in sections. It keep roads open, keep the dust down, and keep out of must be level to minimize stress on the the way of rush-hour traffic. cable when it is pulled through. Anoth- “The only complaint we get from residents is they er potential danger to the cable is were going to be so upset when we left because their snagging while it is being pulled. To streets had never been so clean,” says Black & Veatch minimize this risk, the conduit is first Construction Manager Ralph Martinezmoles. cleared with a mandral and made In the spring the contractor will resurface the roads smooth with a wire brush. and do the restoration work needed to make things Down in the hole, a crew can per- like they were before for the deer, coyote, snakes, form the necessary splicing in about frogs, birds and people who make their homes here. eight 10-hour days. Two work below, But with this difference: your power’s going to be while two remain above—one to flag more reliable even as the demand for electricity con- traffic and one to assist those working tinues to grow. below. “Those guys up there are very im- Cable Splicer Jan Flipse tapes a joint. portant for us,” says Jan Flipse, a Cable Splicer from Holland with specialized knowledge of the materials being used. “When we need something, they pre- pare it for us.” The focus in the hole is on protect- ing the wire. Being underground, there is risk of water infiltration, so several layers of protection are utilized. “If protection were to fail, it could explode like a bomb,” explains Line- man William Kessel. “That’s why ev- erything is so critical down to the milli- meter.” Not the sort of job you want to leave to amateurs. Better to trust the exper- tise that comes with IBEW members working for union contractors.

UtilityReporter 9 Making a Dec. 15 progress report to a caucus of union participants concerning the Work and Resource Management-Core Team is Foreman’s Clerk Brenda Fisher.

IBEW participants Initiative: Customer Experience LaTonya Broughton, Customer Service Rep., Oakland Alicia Gordon, Customer Service Rep. , Bakersfield Exhaustion occasionally gave way to hilarity as union members discussed a variety of issues at a union Shelly Scott, Customer Service Rep. , Sacramento CC Mark Kollman, Customer Service Rep. , Stockton, caucus that ran into the evening hours on Dec. 15. Putting in long hours away from home during the Donna Ambeau, Sr. Customer Service Rep., East Oakland holiday season was a measure of how seriously these union members took their assignment. Ron Jobe, Sr. Customer Service Rep., Roseville Pate McKissack, Sr. Customer Service Rep., Sacramento CC Greg Spoonhour, Service Rep, Stockton Glenda Dwyer, Gas Service Rep., Fresno Transformation reviewed Vince Zinkl, Troubleman, San Rafael Sam Samaniego, Gas Service Rep., Bakersfield ver 40 IBEW Local 1245 mem- efficiency. Another consultant, Restruc- Initiative: Work & Resource Management - bers engaged in an intensive turing Associates Inc., joined the effort Early Release seven-week review of PG&E’s more recently and has facilitated par- Berta Aceves, Operating Clerk, Concord O Miguel Lopez, Service Operator, Oakland Transformation project in November ticipation by IBEW and ESC in review- Roman Gonzalez, Service Operator, Fresno and December. ing the Transformation proposals. Michele Painter, Maintenance Assistant, Tracy Grace DeFlores, Maintenance Assistant, Rio Vista The IBEW members joined with Local 1245 has embraced the con- members of Engineers and Scientists of cept of using the expertise of its mem- Initiative: Work & Resource Management - Core California in evaluating proposals bers to help the company make Fran Andrakin-Baker, Sr. Operating Clerk I, Auburn drafted over the past year by PG&E and improvements, but has not yet Mike Scafani, Gas Crew Foreman, Petaluma Proposals for “Materials Distribution offered constructive feedback to man- endorsed any specific Transformation Ed Vanderhorst, Electric Crew Foreman, Bakersfield Brenda Fisher, Foreman’s Clerk, Concord Optimization” are reviewed by Materials agement on a wide range of issues. proposals. In mid-January the union Leadman Jim Nagel and Remote Materials Ron Vessels, Subforeman A - Electric, GC - T300 Don Wamsley, Subforeman A Electric, Morgan Hill Leadperson Steve Mayfield at a Nov. 28 PG&E engaged a consultant, Accen- will continue assessing PG&E’s Trans- meeting. Participating off-camera was Lead ture, over a year ago to help it redesign formation project and formulate alter- Initiative: Electric Operations Optimization Materials Handler Jan Cannon. work processes in pursuit of greater natives to the Accenture models. Dan Parmenter, Troubleman, Woodland Jerry Martinez, Station Electrician, Hayward Dave Steves, System Operator, Oakland Frank Felix, System Operator, Fulton Jason Kirakofe, System Operator, Round Mountain Initiative: Strategic Sourcing Larry Gibson, Garage Subforeman, Santa Rosa Lem Stubblefield, Telecom Crew Lead, Santa Rosa Tracy Munoz, Materials Leadperson, Hayward Initiative: Demand & Supply Planning Darla Weaver, Materials Handler, Fremont Kelly Overen, Materials Leadperson, Concord Initiative: Materials Distribution Optimization Jan Cannon, Materials Leadperson, Fresno Marco Diaz, Materials Leadperson, Fremont Steve Mayfield, Materials Leadperson, Ukiah Steve Pitts, Materials Leadperson, Marysville Initiative: Corporate Real Estate Terry Kingsley, Building Crew Leader, Sacramento Vince Almacen, Building Crew Leader, G.O. Gary Maschio, Building Technician, G.O. Materials Leadperson Steve Pitts reports to Don Wamsley, Subforeman A - GC Line, Gas Crew Foreman Mike Scafani, left, and Initiative: Fleet a Dec. 15 caucus of union participants raises an issue during a Nov. 28 meeting of Electric Crew Foreman Ed Vanderhorst, Mark Wilson, Field Garage Mechanic A, Santa Rosa concerning Materials Distribution and the Work & Resource Management-Core serving on the Work and Resource Dennis DelGrande, Elec Crew Foreman, Petaluma Optimization. Team. Management-Core Team, participate in a Keith Hopp, Gas Crew Lead, Sacramento John Kent, Troubleman, Napa union caucus on Dec. 15.

Proposals for “Demand and Supply Planning” are reviewed on Nov. 28 by Materials Handler Darla Weaver (left) and Materials Leadperson Kelly Overen.

Discussing PG&E Fleet issues at a Nov. 28 Transformation meeting are Local 1245 members Larry Gibson (left), Mark Wilson (third from left), Dennis Delgrande (fourth from left)and

John Kent (fifth from left). Photos by Eric Wolfe 10 January/February 2006 The threat is real and may be growing to be on the lookout for signs of a dog before you enter a cus- tomer’s property—even if you’ve been there before. Do you see any food bowls? How about pet toys, dog houses, or chains? Dog Attack Stay alert to other possible threats besides dogs. Local 1245 members have been attacked on the job by other ani- mals, including an ostrich. recent pit bull attack on a PG&E meter reader in Oak- If you suspect that a dangerous animal may be present, land is a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by ask the customer to put the pets in the house while you work. A utility workers who go door-to-door in the course of Obviously some dog owners are sensitive to any implied crit- their duties. icism of their pet, so it might be best to frame your request as The attack occurred Oct. 2 when the meter reader entered a concern: “I’m worried your dog might get out when I go a fenced area after knocking and seeing no sign of animals. into your yard—would you mind putting it in the house Using candles However, after reading the meter the employee saw a pit bull while I’m here?” approaching. That dog was quickly joined by a second pit safely bull, which attacked the meter reader. The first dog then Something Else to Bite joined in the attack. Even the best precautions cannot guarantee that a meter David Vipond Passersby attempted to distract the dogs with food, but reader will never encounter a dog face to face. And not every The warm glow one of the dogs continued the attack. The meter reader dog is going to submit when you put on your dominance of candlelight has finally was able to use a stick found in the yard to beat the routine. a special appeal in attacking dog, and then escaped through a gate. Some employers provide meter readers with protection wintertime. But The statistics are clear: if you go door-to-door to make a devices to ward off animal attacks. It’s important to know candles are also responsible for fatal living, you’re going to encounter a lot of dogs. According to how to use these devices, and to keep them at the ready in fires in the home. Here are some tips for dogbitelaw.com, dogs bite about 4.7 million suspicious situations. safe use of candles: Americans each year. Of these, 800,000 need But if you have no such device, or cannot • Have working fire alarms and fire medical attention—about 1,000 per day seek get to it in time, the best strategy is to give escape routes for your home. treatment in hospital emergency rooms. Most the dog something else to bite besides • Never leave a room or go to bed with of the victims who receive medical attention your body. Try anything: a jacket, a clip- a candle still burning. Most candle- are children, half of whom are bitten in the board, your gloves—something that does- generated fires begin in a bedroom. face. n’t bleed. While the dog is dominating the • Keep burning candles at least 12 Whether you’re an adult or a child, dog bite object, get your ass moving toward an exit, inches away from all objects. injuries can be severe. After being attacked by a or at least a more defensible position. • Don’t use candles in any window or mastiff, one PG&E Bay Area meter reader suffered doorway where the flame could be in a severed femoral artery. Even the police officers Take Care contact with combustible fumes. who arrived on the scene shortly after the As numerous Local 1245 members have • Keep flammable liquids away from attack started were unable to pull the dog off discovered, sometimes you won’t be able to burning candles. the meter reader and had to shoot it. evade the dog. Don’t be shy about calling for • Keep your hair and clothing away Attacks this serious can inflict life- help. If someone else in a protected position from the flame when lighting a can- altering trauma on the victim. Psycho- can distract the dog, seize the opportunity to dle. logical and emotional scars some- escape. • Don’t leave children unattended times prevent the victim from If you use your head, chances are good you will with burning candles; candle use returning to work, piling eco- survive. (Only 15-20 people die each year from dog bites, should be closely monitored even nomic hardship on top of the according to dogbitelaw.com.) The next step is to take care with teenage children. other injuries. of yourself, and others. • Don’t let your children play with can- Take care of yourself by washing your wounds thoroughly dle wax unless you plan to keep More Aggressive Dogs with soap and warm water, then seek professional medical them under direct supervision at all While the number of dogs rose by 2% during a 7-year treatment. If your injuries seem serious, get to an emergency times. period in the 1990s, the number of bites increased by 33%, room. When you have recovered physically, be alert to signs Enjoy the physical and spiritual according to dogbitelaw.com. This appears to reflect a grow- of post-traumatic stress, such as sleeplessness, fear of being warmth that candles can provide. But ing preference among dog owners for aggressive breeds of outside, or other troubling feelings or unusual behavior. never forget that candles can have a dogs. Meter readers and other utility employees in the field Take care of others by reporting the attack to your deadly side when not properly tended. must increase their vigilance accordingly. employer. Help build your company’s “bad dog” database. David Vipond is a member of the The best place to start is to acknowledge that fear is a nat- Also report the incident to Animal Control. If the dog is a Local 1245 Safety Committee. ural response in a confrontation with a threatening animal. stray, Animal Control personnel will want to know what the But showing that fear to the dog is exactly the wrong dog looks like, where the attack took place and what direc- response. tion it went after it ruined your day. Dogs are hierarchical animals. If you cannot dominate the People love their dogs. They’re not going to give them up. Does your boss dog, the dog will be emboldened to try dominating you. With Most dog owners will exercise responsible control over their its teeth. Maintaining eye to eye contact with the dog is cru- animals, but some will not. If you make your living going make you sick? cial. door-to-door, the person ultimately responsible for assuring A recent study found that workers If you are entering a dog’s territory, you want the dog to be your safety is you. whose employers treat them unfairly are submissive. But you don’t want to appear so aggressive that So stay informed. Stay alert. Be prepared. Be safe. 30% more likely to suffer from heart dis- the dog becomes afraid. A “cornered dog” is a dangerous dog, ease than other workers, according to a and liable to attack. Bear in mind that the equipment worn study conducted by the Finnish Insti- by some utility workers could appear threatening to a dog. tute of Occupational Health. The study Local 1245 Safety Committee tracked 6,400 male British workers over Advance Information a period of 10 years and controlled for How do you avoid having to decide what is dominant Current members of the Local 1245 Safety Commit- other risk factors, such as age, socioeco- enough and what is too dominant? The best game plan is to tee are Keith Hopp, Pacific Gas & Electric; Al White, nomic status, cholesterol levels, alcohol know in advance if a dog is on the property. Your company Pacific Gas & Electric; David Vipond, Citizens Commu- consumption, and physical activity. One should keep records on which locations have dogs, and every nications; Kurt Celli, Modesto Irrigation District; Art New York labor lawyer commented that employee should be responsible for updating those records Torres, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Bob results in the United States could be when new information becomes available. Burkle, City of Santa Clara; James Gorman, Davey Tree; But records can be wrong. There may be a new dog in the even more dramatic because of the and Assistant Business Manager Howard Stiefer. longer American workday. neighborhood since your last visit. That’s why it’s important UtilityReporter 11 Seniors are not happy campers

ocal 1245 retirees aren’t the only president’s handling of the economy. ones who are grumbling more Calls are growing louder to extend Lloudly about their economic the initial enrollment period for the plight. Nationwide, there is growing Medicare drug benefit. Lawmakers are disillusionment with President Bush’s considering legislation that would botched effort to privatize Social Secu- extend the enrollment deadline from rity and his utterly confusing Medicare May 15 to December 31, 2006, protect drug benefit. beneficiaries who make an initial mis- A new Wall Street Journal/NBC sur- take by allowing a one-time change in New Retirees Club Chapter vey asked seniors which political party enrollment plans in 2006, and protect they would like to see control Capitol retiree benefits for those who enroll in a Hill: 47% say Democrats compared to private Part D drug plan. Rising up in Santa Rosa 37% for Republicans. But the Bush administration is The recent rash of corporations adamantly opposed to any legislative etired members of Local 1245 Until further notice, the meetings will breaking its pension promises is also changes to the Medicare law, fearing it launched the fourth chapter of continue to be held at IBEW Local 551, having a strong impact on senior vot- would open the door to other common Rthe union’s Retirees Club when 2525 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa. At ers: 75% find the cutbacks wrong and a sense amendments such as allowing they gathered for the first time in Santa their January meeting, North Bay violation of the employees’ trust, Medicare to negotiate discounts Rosa. retirees discussed ways to publicize according to the poll. The poll also directly with drug makers, which the The group tentatively decided upon meetings, including greater use of the found 58% of seniors disapprove of the Bush Medicare Part D law prohibits. the name North Bay Chapter of the Utility Reporter. Strategies for increas- Local 1245 Retirees Club, and immedi- ing pensions and the medical were also ately began discussing the issues that discussed. have galvanized union retirees into As can be seen from the Letters to Seniors rip new drug plan unprecedented activism: the sharply the Editor page in this issue of the Util- rising cost of health care premiums, ity Reporter, retirees are speaking out in at Petaluma town meeting and the steady erosion in the value of growing numbers about their plight. All orth Bay seniors attending a Deering said that Medicare is putting their pension. retired members of Local 1245 are wel- town meeting in Petaluma this pressure on health plans to hire more The North Bay retirees agreed to come to join this conversation in the month ripped the federal pre- people and to be more responsive to change their meeting time to 10 a.m. pages of the Utility Reporter or, better N scription drug benefit program that was callers. for future meetings. Meetings will be yet, in person at the next meeting of the launched Jan. 1 and pretty much If Medicare had been allowed to held on the first Tuesday of the month. Retirees Club closest to you. crashed on takeoff. administer the program, there would At a hearing sponsored by Rep. Lynn have been no opportunity for dozens of Woolsey and attended by some 400 sen- competing insurance bureaucracies to iors, some complained that their pre- muck it up. And Medicare officials scription costs had gone up, not down. wouldn’t have to be pleading with pri- Others asked why an insurer could drop vate insurers to hire enough people to the drugs they use, but they were still get the job done. required to stay with the health plan for Deering said anyone who is unable to a year. Still others said they were unable obtain a life- or health-preserving drug to get their prescriptions. Some health- should call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227. care workers confirmed that they could- Because of the startup problems, n’t get prescriptions for their patients. Medi-Cal—the state insurance plan for Woolsey, who opposed Bush’s low-income families—will cover the Retirees gather in Santa Rosa to launch the North Bay Chapter of the Local 1245 Retirees Medicare prescription bill, gave seniors costs of its recipients’ drugs for at least Club. plenty of space to describe their frustra- another month, Deering said. tion to Steve Deering, Medicare’s deputy Instead of the current Medicare pre- regional administrator in San Francisco. scription program, Woolsey supports a Deering predicted the problems national, single-payer health care sys- Congratulations newly-retired members would be ironed out in a couple of weeks. tem that would cover all U.S. citizens. “This is not something I supported,” The Local 1245 Retirees Club congratulates these recently-retired members of the But the complexity of the plan almost Woolsey said of the new prescription union. We invite you to participate in a Retiree Club chapter in the East Bay, San guaranteed that it would misfire on Jose, Sacramento/Vacaville, or Santa Rosa. If you don’t have a chapter nearby, call launch. For the program to successfully program. “And this is not the way it the union at 707-452-2718 and find out how you can help start one! service a single claim, there has to be ought to be.” effective communications between the James Addiego Faizal Khan James O’Toole Melva Thompson 28 years 25 years 33 years 21 years health insurer, Medicare, the Medicare Current meeting locations Pleasanton, CA Pleasant Hill, CA Bakersfield, CA Atwater, CA claims processor and the pharmacy. East Bay Chapter: 2nd Thursday But insurance companies reportedly Concepcion Dayoan Donaciano Llamas Samuel Osby Larry Wickland each month, 10 a.m., IBEW Local 31 years 27 years 28 years 33 years didn’t have enough people to handle 595, 6250 Village Parkway, Dublin, Vallejo, CA Chico, CA Sacramento, CA San Jose, CA the phones, Medicare computer pro- CA. grammers couldn’t input data fast Ralph Forrette Ruben Lopez Eva Prince Chester Young Jr San Jose Chapter: 1st Thursday each enough, a problem made worse by fre- 24 years 30 years 5 years 34 years month, 10 a.m., at IBEW Local 332, quent computer crashes. Pharmacists Denair, CA Fresno, CA Sequin, TX Sacramento, CA 2125 Canoas Garden, San Jose, CA. couldn’t verify health insurance George Genetti Thomas Lucas Robert Puckett Vacaville/Sacramento Chapter: 33 years 19 years 36 years through the computer link and then 2nd Wednesday each month, 10 Sebastopol, CA Hollister, CA Santa Rosa, CA couldn’t get through the overwhelmed a.m., at IBEW Local 1245, 30 phone lines at Medicare and the health Edward Johnson Erlinda Mahdi Thomas Riddle Orange Tree Circle, Vacaville, CA. 30 years 35 years 30 years plans, according to the Santa Rosa Fremont, CA Concord, CA Lincoln, CA Press-Democrat. Santa Rosa Chapter: 1st Tuesday “It is appalling what we have done to each month, 10 a.m., at IBEW Local Franklin Jones John Mallory Ronnie C Self 551, 2525 Cleveland Ave., Suite B, the elderly,” Dona Koors, a geriatric nurse 20 years 15 years 33 years Santa Rosa. North San Juan, CA Lincoln, CA Vacaville, CA for more than 20 years, told Woolsey. 12 January/February 2006 Executive Board urges passage SB 840 turns health savings into universal coverage

Eric Wolfe first year alone, according to the bill’s author, state Senator Sheila Kuhl. SB 840 provides the security For members of IBEW Local 1245, the “We can contain health insurance costs if you’re willing to let your of knowing that no stakes are real, they are large, and they co-workers diagnose you with information they find on the internet.” Californian will ever lose are growing. Health care coverage—and who pays for it—is the single largest erage at the time that illness or injury their access to health care bone of contention in virtually every set struck. As pressure grows for employees NCPA wage because they have lost their of negotiations the union has under- to accept weaker benefits, those bank- job, have a pre-existing taken in recent years. Gains in wages ruptcy statistics are bound to get worse. increases and other benefits are increasingly condition or simply cannot Inefficiency and Waste ispatchers at NCPA unani- undercut by pressure to accept a greater mously ratified a new agree- afford it. And it removes the share of health care costs. Unlike some previous “solutions” to ment that raises wages. SB 840, which won state Senate D hammer than now hangs the health care crisis, SB 840 does not The three-year agreement, effective over workers’ heads every approval last May and is now under attempt to just put a band-aid on some Jan. 1, 2006 provides 3.25% wage consideration by the state Assembly, at-risk group. Instead, the bill seeks to time they go into increases each year. provides the security of knowing that correct the underlying problems of inef- The agreement negotiations with their no Californian will ever lose their access ficiency and waste. puts a cap of 15% employer. to health care because they have lost Ending waste? Now that’s a familiar per year on any their job, have a pre-existing condition battle-cry. But is it a realistic goal in the Amidst all the dire reports about the increase in the or simply cannot afford it. And it health care system? pending collapse of America’s health employer contribu- removes the hammer that now hangs The answer appears to be “Yes.” The care system, there is some good news to tion toward the over workers’ heads every time they go California Health Insurance System is report: universal health care is possible, premium on the into negotiations with their employer. designed as a not-for-profit system, so PERS-Choice med- it has passed the California Senate, and “profits” remain within the health sys- ical plan. Local is awaiting action in the California Local 1245 Endorsement tem to improve services, research and Dennis Seyfer Assembly. 1245 members cur- Although the union has been monitor- provider reimbursement. A recent study And here’s the amazing part: a system rently pay nothing ing health care legislation for years, the found that a system like the one pro- of universal health care in California toward the pre- growing seriousness of the threat posed in SB 840 could fully insure all the would be cheaper than what Californi- mium, but would prompted the Local 1245 Executive Board state’s residents for $8 billion less than ans pay right now for a patchwork sys- have to make a in November to officially endorse SB 840. what is spent on health care today in the tem that leaves millions of people unin- contribution if “The health care problem has state. sured, leaves millions more under- medical premium become too big for any union, or any One of the great deceptions in the insured, and sticks California workers costs rise by more employer, to solve by themselves,” said current health care debate is that gov- with a rising tab in the form of medical than 15% a year Local 1245 Business Manager Perry ernment programs are “wasteful “cost-sharing.” during the term of Zimmerman. “The system is broken and bureaucracies” while the private sector Rich Cowart The California Health Insurance Reli- the agreement. government is going to have to be part is a model of efficiency. According to ability Act of 2005, SB 840, is designed to Negotiating for the union were Jana of the solution.” Senator Kuhl, 20-30% of the health care bypass the enormous, complex, and Linkiewicz, Assistant Business Manager Six million Californians have no dollar is currently spent on administra- wasteful insurance bureaucracies that Dennis Seyfer and Business Rep. Rich health insurance at all, but the health tion—and that’s not even counting the currently stand between Californians Cowart. insurance crisis is imposing a heavy profits that are extracted from the sys- and their doctors. By slashing the burden even on those who do have tem (and your bank account). administrative costs of health insurance insurance. Millions of California work- and utilizing California’s purchasing Patient Choice New Lodi pact ers are under-insured. Half of all bank- power to buy prescription drugs and ruptcies in the US are related to medical Another one of the great deceptions medical equipment in bulk, SB 840 wins ratification costs, and three-fourths of those bank- in the current health care debate is that would save an estimated $25 billion in embers of Local 1245 at the rupt families had health insurance cov- government-sponsored programs statewide healthcare spending in the deprive patients of the right to choose financially-troubled City of their own doctor. The exact opposite is MLodi ratified a new agreement true: today’s system of private health that preserves existing benefits. insurance has tended to narrow the The two-year pact will provide a gen- patient’s choice of doctor. SB 840, on the eral wage increase other hand, specifically permits Califor- in the second year nians to choose any licensed primary tied to the Con- care provider and dentist. sumer Price Index, SB 840 will also give union members with a minimum more choice in another way: when increase of 3% and health care is off the table during nego- a maximum of 5%. tiations, labor unions can choose which The City will be other priorities they want to turn their required to start an attention to, like wage increases and apprentice pro- Sam Glero pension improvements. gram for the line The health care crisis is not going department by July 2007. The agree- away just because we continue to ignore ment also contains new successor and it. It will go away when we collectively evergreen language. take action. Expressing support for SB Negotiating for the union were Ed 840 to our state legislators and to the Fitzpatrick, Dave Comer, Rob Aadland, “Sorry, Gus, but under our company’s group insurance plan, governor is an important first step in James Fendley, Kevin Riedinger, and every employee has to be injured before anyone can collect.” finally creating a real solution. Business Rep. Sam Glero. UtilityReporter 13 Kools calls it quits t takes a lot of work behind the scenes to keep a large union on Itrack: processing new members, tracking dues payments, proofreading documents, sorting mail, printing con- tracts, printing line-of-progression books, handling in-coming phone calls and greeting walk-in visitors at union headquarters. Ann Kools has done them all. In her 25 years at IBEW Local 1245, Web tool exposes Kools has also job exporters Bob Martin prepares to take it easy after 17 years as Network Administrator and Business served as secretary Representative for the union. to several assistant Thousands of companies export business managers, jobs, endanger workers’ health or are provided adminis- involved in cases of violations of work- Ann Kools Local 1245’s tech guru retires trative support to ers’ rights under the National Labor organizing drives, Relations Act. By Eric Wolfe the disconnection, removal, transporta- and deftly mollified hot-under-the-col- Now you can find out more about lmost every Local 1245 Business tion, and reconnection of the union’s lar company officials looking for some- these bad actors with an on-line Representative has had this entire data and telephone system. one to blow off steam at. research tool made available by Working Aexperience: When the office staff showed up at the Remaining cool under fire is a quality America, the community affiliate of the You go in to see Bob Martin, the gleaming new headquarters in Vacaville that served Kools well on one especially AFL-CIO. union’s technology guru, and ask: the following Monday morning, the taxing day off. While climbing alone in “Job Tracker” exposes more than “When will my new computer be entire system was up and running. Like the 1990s, Kools broke her leg and had 60,000 companies with records of ready?” Or, “When can you upgrade magic. to spend the night on Mt. Diablo. At undermining workers’ rights around my software?” Or, “When can you help But as with most things magical, dawn she began her descent—sliding the country. Find out how widespread me get this stupid DSL connection there was someone sweating behind the on her derriere with her leg out in front the problem is in your community. You working?” scenes to make it all seem effortless. At of her. Despite the pain, “It was exhila- can do a search on Job Tracker by: Martin will fix you with a skeptical Local 1245, since 1988, that someone rating coming down the mountain by • ZIP code stare, then demand to know if your has been Bob Martin. myself,” she recalled. “I alternated • State name is Mr. Zimmerman. No? Now, at the dawn of 2006, Martin between swearing and saying, ‘Hey, it’s • Company name “Then guess what?” he’ll gleefully has trained a successor, someone new pretty cool out here.’” announce, “Get in line!” to handle all those calls for help. Mar- As she comes down from 25 years on • Industry In reality, if your problem is truly tin, who began his union career as a the Local 1245 mountain we wish her To begin your search, go to: pressing Martin will usually make time Power Plant Operator at PG&E’s Contra well. www.workingamerica.org/jobtracker/ to help you out. But it is also true that Costa plant in 1972, has taken his last being the lone tech guy for a large phone call and fixed his last computer organization with a staff spread out over for Local 1245. As of January, he’s half the state, Martin has been just a bit retired. busy since he was hired in 1988 after Oh, you can still call him with your serving on the union’s general bargain- computer problems if you want. But ing committee at PG&E. guess what? Among his first duties: selecting and purchasing the union’s first computer. The companies the union dealt with were rapidly moving into the informa- Asher joins staff tion age. “To keep documents flowing, we had to do the same thing,” says eslie Asher has been hired as Net- Martin. work Administrator for IBEW Lassen Municipal Before long, in addition to serving as LLocal 1245. He replaces Bob Mar- a relief Business Representative, Martin tin, who retired at the beginning of Jan- found himself responsible for purchas- uary. (See story, this page). Utility District ing computers for the union’s field staff, Asher served for loading the computers with the neces- two decades as April 20, 2005 sary software, and training the reps how head of ASYST, a to use them. systems company It was part of a larger project that he founded in Wal- Martin calls “networking the union from nut Creek that start to finish.” That meant wiring the implemented com- union hall, installing the servers, setting puter networks, up the users, establishing e-mail and repaired comput- Leslie Asher making it available remotely. It also ers, programmed meant establishing access to a remote data bases and dispatch office operated back then by developed web pages. He is a Microsoft Local 1245 in Riverside. Certified Systems Engineer. And when the union moved its entire Asher has belonged to teachers’ central office in 2003, it meant a very unions during the many years that he busy weekend for Bob Martin. taught computer classes at colleges Beginning on a June Friday at 4 p.m. around the Bay Area. From left, Senior Business Rep. Ray Thomas presents 30-year awards to John Deal, Joann in Walnut Creek, Martin orchestrated Welcome aboard, Leslie! Villalovos, Donald Calac and (not pictured) Cindy Elliot. 14 January/February 2006 AL SANDOVAL MEMORIAL COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST The purpose of this contest is to pro- 6. All applications shall be accompa- vide a grant in aid for scholarships to nied with a written essay, not to colleges and junior colleges, thereby exceed five hundred (500) words, on making financial assistance toward the the subject designated by the Exec- attainment of a higher education. utive Board. 1. The grant will be as follows: Five 7. Essays should be submitted on 8 hundred dollars ($500.00) per year, 1/2" x 11" paper, on one side, up to four (4) years, as long as a C preferably typed and doubled (2.0) average is maintained and the spaced with applicant's written sig- parent maintains their membership nature at the conclusion of the in good standing in Local Union essay. 1245. 8. Applications and essays must be 2. In order to be a candidate in this mailed to I.B.E.W., Local Union contest, you must be a son or 1245, P.O. Box 2547, Vacaville, Cali- daughter, natural, legally adopted fornia 95696, by registered certified or a legal ward of a member of Local mail only, and be postmarked no Union 1245. You must also be a high later than the first Monday in March school student who has graduated of each year. (March 6, 2006) or is graduating in (the year of the 9. Each year the scholarship shall be contest). A copy of your diploma or presented at the Advisory Council a letter from your high school stat- meeting in May; the Judge and a ing that you will graduate in 2005 guest and the recipient and parents must be attached to your scholar- shall be invited, at Local Union ship application. expense, to present and receive the 3. The Scholarship Grant will be made Scholarship Award. only to that candidate who intends 10. A suitable trophy or plaque shall be to enroll full-time in any college purchased by the Local Union to be certified by their State Department presented to the scholarship recipi- of Education and accredited by the ent. Local Accrediting Association. NOTE: The topic for the 2006 Al San- 4. Applications may be secured by doval Memorial Competitive Scholar- addressing the Recording Secretary ship essay is: With the passage of the of Local Union 1245 or by calling new national energy bill and the repeal the Union Office or by using the form printed in the Utility Reporter. of the PUHCA (Public Utility Holding Company Act): What effect will it have 5. Checks will be paid directly to the on the Utilites and Union? college upon presentation of tuition bills to the Local Union.

LOCAL 1245 TRADE AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL GRANT The purpose of these grants is to pro- school, other than correspondence vide aid to the children of members to schools, which are accredited by the attain a trade or technical education. Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology 1. The grants will be as follows: Five (ACCSCT). hundred dollars ($500.00) per year, for up to two years for two candi- 5. Applications must be mailed to dates, as long as a passing grade is IBEW, Local Union 1245, P. O. Box maintained, and a parent maintains 2547, Vacaville, California 95696, by membership in good standing in registered mail or certified mail Local Union 1245. only, and be postmarked no later than first Monday of April of each 2. In order to be a candidate in this year. (April 3, 2006) contest, you must be a daughter or son, natural, legally adopted or a 6. Two names will be drawn by the legal ward of a member of Local Judge of the Competitive Scholar- Union 1245. You must be a high ship Contest from those submitting school student who has graduated applications. These two will be or is graduating in the year of the recipients of the grants. contest. A copy of your diploma or a 7. Checks will be paid directly to the letter from your high school stating school upon presentation of tuition that you will graduate in the year of bills to the Local Union. the contest must be attached to your 8. Presentation of awards will be made application. to recipients at the unit meeting Additionally, a letter of recommen- nearest his residence following the dation from your vocational teacher, drawing. department head, or school princi- pal must accompany the applica- tion. 3. Applications may be secured by addressing the Recording Secretary of Local Union 1245, by calling the Union Office, or by using the form printed in the Utility Reporter. 4. The grant will be made only to a candidate who intends to enroll in any industrial, technical or trade

UtilityReporter 15 SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT

or millions of years birds and squirrels could pretty much rely on a Ftall wooden structure being a tree. A good place to perch. So you can understand why it would take a while for these animals to catch on that utility poles aren’t trees. Unfortunately, by the time the bird or squirrel discovers what Lineman Frank Cotter observes as happens when your body connects a live conductor to something grounded, it’s a Apprentice Corey Smith prepares to close lesson learned too late. Some animal is out of luck, and chances are good that the cutout with a shotgun. some human is out of power. It is just such a luckless animal that brings a Sacramento Municipal Utility District line crew to the 5800 block of Pecan Ave. in Orangevale, Ca., near Sacramento. The outage—and the carcass—had long since been taken care of. The SMUD crew’s job is to prevent a repetition of the carnage. First they isolate this part of the circuit so they can work under cold (de-energized) conditions. They change the cut-outs and the lightning arrestors, and perform a bit of “bird- proofing” by covering the wire with a protective layer of insulation. The pole still doesn’t look like a tree. But the retrofit somewhat improves the chances for the next bird or squirrel that mistakes it for one.

Robert Silva, serving as temporary foreman on the job, monitors the crew Working the job on Pecan Ave. are, from left, Eric Dixon, Corey Smith, members on the pole. Robert Silva, Tom Jasper and Frank Cotter.

Preapprentices Tom Jasper, left, and Eric Dixon prepare the Corey Smith shows off equipment needed for the job. some overalls for the little lineman at home.

16 January/February 2006