INTERNATIONAL Operating Engineer www.iuoe.org • spring 2013 38th GENERAL CONVENTION 2 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER INTERNATIONAL Operating Engineer spring 2013 • Volume 156, no. 2 Brian e. Hickey, editor Jay Lederer, Managing editor 08 Our Work: World Trade Center Operators cap off country’s newest landmark 10 Member Spotlight Tweeting from atop Canada’s tallest crane 12 Battle to Build Keystone Heats Up International, multi-front campaign underway 16 38th General Convention “Honor the Past, Shape the Future” 05 From the General President 06 Education & Training 12 Politics & Legislation Canadian News Departments 20 22 HAZMAT 23 Health & Safety 24 GEB Minutes 28 In Memorium [left] A spire is hoisted to the top of One World Trade Center bringing the tower to its full height of 1,776 feet. [photo] Mark Lennihan/AP SPRING 2013 3 International Operating Engineer (issn 0020-8159) is published by the: International Union of Operating Engineers international union of AFL-CIO operating engineers, AFL-Cio 1125 17th street, nw GENERAL OFFICERS washington, DC 20036 James T. Callahan, general president Subscription Terms - $5 per year Brian e. Hickey, general secretary-Treasurer Change of Address - requests must william C. waggoner, First Vice president be submitted in writing to the iuoe patrick L. sink, second Vice president Membership Department (address above). include your new address, Jerry Kalmar, Third Vice president registration and local union number. russell e. Burns, Fourth Vice president rodger Kaminska, Fifth Vice president POSTMASTERS – ATTENTION: Change of address on Form 3579 James M. sweeney, sixth Vice president should be sent to: robert T. Heenan, seventh Vice president international operating engineer Daniel J. Mcgraw, eighth Vice president Mailing List Dept. 1125 17th st., nw, 3rd Floor Daren Konopaski, ninth Vice president washington, DC 20036 Michael gallagher, Tenth Vice president greg Lalevee, eleventh Vice president Publications Mail Agreement No. Terrance e. Mcgowan, Twelfth Vice president 40843045 return undeliverable Canadian Louis g. rasetta, Thirteenth Vice president addresses to: Mark Maierle, Fourteenth Vice president 2835 Kew Drive windsor, on n8T3B7 TRUSTEES printed in the u.s.A. John T. Ahern, Chairman Kuba J. Brown, Trustee Bruce Moffatt, Trustee James T. Kunz, Jr., Trustee Joseph F. shanahan, Trustee ENGINEERS ACTION RESPONSE NETWORK Because elections matter Make your voice heard • Register for EARN today www.iuoe.org 4 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER From the General President [James T. Callahan] Shaping the Future Together Strength in unity propels us forward AS GENERAL PRESIDENT, my Let’s be clear. So called “right-to- guiding principle each and every work” is a lie. Under these laws workers day has been “the members are the lose rights and no work gets created— union.” Along with General Secretary- it’s a political trick to cripple unions Treasurer Hickey and the Executive and dismantle collective bargaining. Board, we work with purpose to grow These laws drive down wages for every and secure opportunities for all our worker, union and non-union, and members and to build inroads for damage the overall economy. the next generation of Operating What started in Wisconsin quickly Engineers. home thousands of military veterans, spread to Indiana and Michigan last we must seize the opportunity to re- I was honored to receive the year, where we fought alongside our introduce the Operating Engineers to a unanimous support by the delegates to allies to defend collective bargaining new generation. One way to do this is the 38th General Convention to serve rights. Today, this “right-to-work” virus by showcasing our training programs. as General President for a full term. continues to spread through other The delegates in attendance—over states and some Canadian provinces as Training is what sets us apart and 600 strong—took to heart our theme well. enables our members to stand out as “Honor the Past, Shape the Future” the most productive and safest workers I pledged then and I pledge in both H&P and Stationary. Our and conducted the important work of again now—we will spend whatever our union diligently. training programs have set the gold resources are necessary to confront and standard within the crafts we work There is an old saying, “May you live combat these attacks wherever they and, moving forward, we will continue in interesting times.” Some say it’s a occur. We didn’t ask for this fight, but to prioritize training throughout every curse, but like it or not, we do live in very you can be sure we will bring the fight level of our union. interesting times. In the five years since to them! We will educate and we will the last convention, our union, our two mobilize. We will never surrender to Each time we gather together, nations and the entire world, witnessed collectively bargain for our members. whether at a local membership meeting or a general convention, we significant changes—a global financial Our best defense against the crisis not seen since the Great are reminded that our strength as a increased anti-labor activity we are union lies in our unity. We have found Depression; soaring unemployment in seeing is to have a better offense— the construction industry; the winding that no matter where we come from or and organizing is a major part of that what work we dedicate our lives to, we down of two very long and costly wars; strategy. We must re-double our efforts and two presidential elections marked have a common bond. And that bond to educate, motivate and organize new will propel us forward in the years by extreme political polarization – to members at every turn. name just a few. ahead. We have instituted a more aggressive Our union has been tested under Make no mistake, like many unions, organizing model to increase and we took our hits and many members extremely difficult circumstances. enhance our market share within both However, by working together, we have faced difficult times. But despite H&P and Stationary. We are leveraging these challenges, the state of our union have shown that our union can turn technology and strategic research to challenges into opportunities and remains strong and is growing stronger undertake comprehensive campaigns. every day. More jobs are being created, advance the interests of our members We are building density and beginning and their families. membership is climbing and our to organize our core jurisdictions in less pension funds are realizing concrete labor friendly markets. These efforts Moving forward, we will shape a gains with an improving stock market. are finding success—from stationary better future for Operating Engineers The improving economy is engineers on the Las Vegas Strip, to and we will do it together. Of that, I welcome news, but serious threats petro-chemical workers in Texas, to have no doubt. remain to our union and the broader crane operators in Florida. labor movement. These attacks come Right now, as our economy begins disguised in the cleverly deceptive turn to grow again and as we welcome of phrase: “Right-to-Work.” SPRING 2013 5 Education & Training Celebrating 50 Years of Training, Local 39 Graduates 51 Apprentices LocaL 39 CELEBRATED a historic milestone this year scholarships to the children and/or grandchildren of Local when the San Francisco based Stationary Engineer local held 39 members. their 50th Annual Apprentice Graduation. The affair was This year’s proud recipients are Olivia Carreon, daughter well attended by the graduates, their family members and of Local 39 member Kerri Moore, Rachel Epling, daughter co-workers. The Grand Ballroom of the world famous San of Local 39 member Michael Epling and Natasha Jones, Francisco Hilton was the setting for this Golden Anniversary daughter of Local 39 member Mark Jones. event. A sense of pride was evident to all who attended as the evening’s host, Business Manager and IUOE Vice President Jerry Kalmar introduced Local 39’s newest journeypersons. Local 926 Puts New Deere They enter the next stage of their careers covering a broad spectrum of industries represented by Stationary Engineers, Equipment to the Test Local 39. Each year, the local honors one individual with the TwELEVE PIECES OF of new John Deere equpiment are coveted Apprentice of the Year Award, aptly named the making their way around the country as part of NTF’s Lease “Richard Ganley Award” honoring long time member and Program with the manufacturer. Recently, Local 926 utilized contributor to the Joint Apprenticeship Program, Richard a top of the line Deere backhoe at their training site in Rex, “Dick” Ganley. The criteria for receiving the award are the Georgia. Contact NTF for program details. overall achievements based on classroom grades, attendance and work evaluations culminating in a “best of the best” among a class of hard working and deserving candidates. This year’s recipient of the Richard Ganley Apprentice of the Year Award is Andrew DeCavia. Along with his new found honor, Brother DeCavia received $1000 for his outstanding performance throughout his four year apprenticeship. The evening’s celebration was heightened when Business Manager Kalmar proudly announced this year’s recipients of the “Local 39 Educational Scholarship.” Three deserving children of Local 39 members received four year college scholarships of up to sixty thousand dollars each. With this year’s awards, the local has raised over $1 million dollars through its Scholarship Golf Tournament to provide college 6 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER Local 926 backhoe class from L to R: Director of Training & Safety Rich Shakespeare, Instructor Johnny Spann, George Propes, Dakota Kabina, Wayne Rampley, Mark Parson, Anthony Nash, Nick Lee, and Jonathon Hackett. NTF Conducts First Basic Instructor Class of the Year THE NaTIONAL TRAINING FUND presented the first in adult learning and meets the requirement set forth of two Basic Instructor Classes for 2013 at the Conference by the Department of Labor’s Education and Training Center at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum, Maryland Administration for Registered Apprenticeship.