VOL. XXVI NO. 1 WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA JANUARY, 1978 Official Publication of I.B.E.W. Local Union 1245, AFL-C10, P.O. Box 4790, Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596 Pillard's Views on National THOUGHTS FOR A NEW YEAR Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich Energy Legislation who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with In reply to a letter from Business bill through with inadequate hear- tion. We have opposed federal fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what Manager Dean Cofer, IBEW Inter- ings. In addition, certain portions takeover of regulation of utility rates you could. Some blunders and absur- national President Charles H. Pillard were added to the legislation that since we felt that there had not been dities, no doubt, crept in. Forget them made the following statement on were not requested by President adequate thought given to the effect as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new December 6, 1977, concerning the Carter. When the bill was considered of such drastic changes. We have day; begin it well and serenely, with too opinion of the International on the high a spirit to be cumbered with your by the Senate, the various Senate also opposed giving authority to the old nonsense. This new day is too dear, National Energy Legislation cur- subcommittees did hold adequate federal government to conduct anti- with its hopes and invitations, to waste rently before the Congress: hearings on what effect the bill trust reviews of any proposed new a moment on the yesterdays. "Basically, the IBEW has sup- would have on the consumer and in- coal or oil generating facilities. We —Ralph Waldo Emerson ported the Administration's energy dustry in general. (Continued on page six) bill, but with some very important ex- Basically, the IBEW has supported ceptions. As you may know, the the Senate version of this legislation House of Representatives rushed a especially in the public utility por- YOUR Business Maliager 1245 Leadership Conference Local 1245's Unit Chairpersons and portance of being an effective public COLUMN Unit Recorders were invited to attend speaker and how to get over some of a two-day leadership conference in the hurtles, i.e., grammar, nerves, Oakland on November 19 and 20, etc. in order to get the point across to 1977. The main thrust of the con- listeners. He emphasized parliamen- Moving Ahead ference was to provide an in-depth tary procedure and its importance in overview of the mechanics of Local the handling of meetings. Specific Union 1245. This program was questions were answered concern- DEAN COFER designed especially for Local 1245 ing "Robert's Rules of Order", which by Norman Amundson, Chairman of is the parliamentary guide for Local Six months have passed since I hospitalized with a ruptured appen- the Center for Labor Research and 1245. took office as your Business Man- dix and resultant post-operative con- Education, Institute of Industrial Other speakers included Business ager — Financial Secretary. They valescence, Brother Harrington has Relations at the University of Califor- Manager Dean Cofer, Center for have been eventful, sometimes temporarily been assigned to fill in nia, Berkeley with the assistance of Labor Research and Education frustrating, always interesting, and behind Brother Fortier as one of the Business Manager Dean Cofer, Chairman Norman Amundson, Ex- certainly challenging months. Dur- two General Construction represen- President Howard Darington and Ad- ecutive Board Member Marvin Ru- ing these first six months I have tatives. When Brother Fortier is able ministrative Assistant Rose Guelid. bendall, Department of Industrial received the cooperation, help, pa- to resume work we will begin to carry Dr. Fred S. Stripp, Director of Safety Representatives Art Carter tience and understanding of a large out our organizing plans — on pro- Forensics and Lecturer in Rhetoric, and George Hurley, Vice President segment of our 17,000 plus member- perties already represented by our at the U.C., Berkeley was the keynote Ron Fitzsimmons, Attorney Peter ship — and as a result, I am pleased Local Union and on properties not speaker. His talk highlighted the im- (Continued on page six) to report that your Union is on the currently organized. move. Shop Steward training meetings, One item of interest to the mem- systemwide, will be scheduled on a bership is that effective January 16, regular basis beginning next month. 1978, I have assigned Assistant Busi- In addition, a universal Shop ness Manager Merton A. Walters, (in Steward training plan has been addition to his other duties), to be developed for use throughout our Local Union 1245's legislative advo- Local Union. The universal program cate in Sacramento. This is a posi- has been patterned on an existing tion that Brother Walters previously training course created, and in use held for the Local Union, but was dis- for a number of years, by Brother continued in 1974. Legislative ac- Corb Wheeler, Business Represen- tivity is of crucial importance to our tative in North Bay Division, and members and their families — for Brother Frank Quadros, Business those things that are won at the Representative in San Francisco Shown above from left to right are: Recording Secretary Kathy Tindall, President Howard Darington, Attorney Peter Nussbaum. bargaining table can easily be lost if Division. Business Manager Dean Cofer and Executive Board Member Bob Thomson. not protected through the legislative Staff training is also going for- process. ward. Two five-day training courses In addition, as of January 16th, I have already been conducted by hired an additional Business Repre- U.C. Berkeley at our Local Union of- sentative whose prime purpose is to fice (they were "Labor Law" and serve as an organizer. The new Busi- "Communications for Union ness Representative, Mickey Har- Leaders"). Two additional five-day rington, is not a stranger to Local courses are being scheduled at this Union 1245, having served pre- time — "Collective Bargaining Tech- viously in a number of positions of niques", and "Psychology for Union trust and responsibility such as Shop Leaders". A two-day in-house train- Steward, General Construction Grie- ing course entitled "Cost of Living vance Committee Chairman, Execu- Adjustments" is also scheduled. tive Board Member At-Large, Local The Local Union is heavily in- Union Recording Secretary and Bus- volved in negotiations with a number iness Representative. Due to Busi- of public and private employer ness Representative Ed Fortier being (Continued on Page two) In 1977, Local Union 1245 donated YOUR Burinesr Manager's COLUMN $500 to assist the strike and boycott against the Adolph Coors Brewery. Moving Ahead However, the boycott is still in great 800140t! need of funding to continue. DEAN COFER David Sickler, an AFL-CIO field coos representative who was subjected to (Continued from page one) lie detector tests and other indig- groups at this time (see Bargaining and Brotherhood. I believe that we nities himself while working at the Roundup on Page eleven). PG&E in- are well on our way to achieving Coors brewery in Golden, Colorado, terim bargaining is perhaps the most these goals: Members are regaining pointed out to more than 200 labor time-consuming project facing us at confidence in the Union; employers editors at the International Labor the present time. We currently have are becoming convinced that they AFL-CIO Brewery Workers Press Association Convention. that fourteen interim negotiating commit- are once again dealing with Union Local 366 ON STRIKE more than 92% of the Coors workers tees formed and working, or about to leaders who are more concerned at Adolph Coors Co., had voted in favor of the union and begin working. Please attend your with the attitudes of the membership Golden, Cob. charged that Joe Coors' personal Unit meetings for information on than they are with maintaining a Urion labolirdNiviceledsoDePropleit AR-CID philosophy "makes Attila the Hun what subjects in the PG&E contract mythical "relationship with Com- look liberal." Sickler stated that a are open for interim negotiations. pany"; and, in my travels to various The united labor boycott of anti- company representative said, "we One of my first priorities upon tak- meetings around the system (and union Coors beer has forced the buy our help like we buy our barley." ing office was to attempt to rebuild based upon reports that I receive Denver-based brewery to endure "If we get the 100 percent coopera- the Union's image, restore confi- from others), I am convinced that the some severe drops in their sales in tion of Union members in support of dence, and to bring back the old- "spirit of Brotherhood" is on the rise California. State beer sales figures the boycott, we will win," Sickler time evangelistic spirit of Unionism among our membership. obtained from a recent monthly re- said. He said also that sales have port produced by the United States already been cut 30 percent, mostly Brewers Association by the Joint because of the efforts of the labor Council statistical department movement. But he warned that Coors AFL-CIO Boycott Guide showed: is stepping up its advertising and the AMERICAN BUILDINGS, INC. — METAL BUILDINGS Sales dropped 14.7% from the company made a $76 million net Metal structures including storage buildings, warehouses, etc. — UNITED STEEL- month of September 1976 to the profit last year. Stressing the need to WORKERS OF AMERICA. month of September, 1977; redouble the Coors boycott efforts, BARTLETT-COLLINS COMPANY — GLASSWARE Actual Coors sales dropped by Sickler warned that: "Coors repre- Glass products including drinking glasses, mugs, etc.