The IBEW Wants You Back!
Join the Local 353 (IBEW) Line Sector Unit
We’re An Independent Line Unit affiliated with Local 353 IBEW and Part of the
Largest Electrical Workers Union in North America and the World (“the IBEW”)
CUSW members keep telling us they are tired of unemployment, part-time
work, shrinking CUSW membership base, no pension plan, inferior wages and
benefits, loss of jurisdiction, and the inability to work with other line and utility
contractors throughout Ontario, Canada and the USA. If you have these
concerns, then you’re not alone.
If you want –
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Higher Wages
Better Benefits
A Pension Plan Instead of RSP
Increased Work Opportunities
More expense money for Room & Board
And more Mileage money
Then the time for CHANGE is Now!
Inside this leaflet you will find important information explaining what the IBEW
is offering.
If you want more information and want to sign with the IBEW, please contact
our organizer and representative, Brother Bill Finnerty @ (416) 522-0028
Joe Fashion
Bill Finnerty
Business Manager/Financial Secretary
Business Representative / Organizer
THE IBEW WANTS YOU BACK
The IBEW Wants You Back
Becoming one unit of LU 353 gives us more bargaining
power so we can close up the gap in the trade and demand
what we want.
We recognize that under the old system in place after the
1788 split, the guys were dispersed to other locals
throughout Ontario. Most sat at home, got frustrated and
went to CUSW. However, things have changed.
What’s Different Compared to 2005
In one word plenty. Phil Flemming the IBEW 1st District
International Vice President has given Local 353
authorization to create a separate and distinct unit for all
line sector members. This jurisdiction will enable Local 353
to reach throughout the Province of Ontario.
What Are The Issues This Time Around
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Concern with the room and board.
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Concern that apprentices not receiving well
rounded training opportunities. They don’t get
distribution experience, only transmission.
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Too much unemployment, no work opportunities
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Wage and benefits
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No Pension Plan
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Erosion of work jurisdiction to other unions
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Local 353 wants to take back our jurisdiction
with Hydro One (Lines & Stations). We want it all
bargained through IBEW LU 353.
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If CUSW members vote for the IBEW, you will
automatically become members of the Local 353
Line sector unit.
What Does The IBEW Offer
The IBEW can offer work to CUSW
members who are not working with
Hydro One. Simply, you can work
with our IBEW line contractors who
are doing substation work and
switching yards.
Wherever our IBEW contractors are
working, CUSW members can work.
Once we have bargaining rights for
CUSW members, we will then serve
notice and negotiate a separate
Hydro One agreement.
JOIN THE LOCAL 353 (IBEW) LINE SECTOR UNIT
Local 353 Line Sector Unit
Problems at CUSW
With the creation of a separate
Local 353 Line Sector Unit, we will
conduct our own bargaining with
Hydro One and IBEW Contractors.
It is common knowledge that the guys are not getting
adequate representation by CUSW. Your leaders at
CUSW have given away too much work to the
Labourer’s, Ironworkers and Operating Engineers.
When you don’t have much of a pie to begin with, any
loss of work only compounds the problem.
Line Sector members will also have
the right to run for and vote for
Executive Officers of the Line
Sector Unit, as well as the officers
of Local 353.
While the Local 353 Line Sector
Unit is an autonomous unit, you
will have your own Executive
Board and representatives.
While CUSW members are sitting at home with no
work, CUSW gave your work away to other unions.
Remember, CUSW is affiliated with the LIUNA and
Harold Bartlett, so is Mulhall going to bite the hand
that feeds him?
The choice you have to make is simple. Do you want to
remain a unit of the Labourers, or become a unit of the
IBEW, which is the largest electrical union in North
America?
Autonomy & Strength to Bargain with Hydro
If you join the IBEW, you will have an autonomous Line sector unit with the right to run for
office in your Line sector unit.
More importantly, when CUSW members are working for IBEW contractors you will receive the
same wages and benefits as our ICI members working under the yellow pages of our Principal
Agreement.
We believe things have changed dramatically with the creation of our LU 353 Line Sector Unit
which is strictly for the outside workers. Anyone that does substations, tower lines, pole lines,
switching yards, capacitor stations, which includes electricians, has a brighter future because
there are work opportunities.
Don’t worry about Hydro One, because the IBEW has the ability and experience to negotiate an
agreement with Hydro. But we think Hydro One likes the situation the way it is. Without
market share, work opportunities and a constantly shrinking pie, CUSW has little bargaining
power and Hydro One knows that and doesn’t want things to change. Why would they.
However, CUSW members have the choice to change the landscape by voting to join the IBEW.
THE IBEW WANTS YOU BACK
Here’s the IBEW Pledge
Opportunity for Work
Local 353 is going to negotiate improved out-of-town
expenses and pensions the next round of bargaining.
Look around, it’s no secret that there is
high unemployment and too many
CUSW members are on the books.
Now look at what’s happened over the
past few years. That’s right, more
work is being contracted out to IBEW
contractors.
Local 353 will address issues such as seniority, job security,
and negotiate language to minimize abuses where the
older guys sit at home while younger guys get the work.
Local 353 will maintain an independent
hiring hall.
Presently CUSW has an agreement with the
Power Workers Union where any work over
50 kva goes to CUSW. Anything under 50
kva goes to PWU. Veteran IBEW members
will remember that 1788 never brokered
away work. We used to do all the rural
assistance work. Since Joe Mulhall made
these agreements, CUSW members don’t
get any rural assistance work. All this work
goes through the Power Workers Hiring
Hall, and they bring back a lot of their
retiree guys.
That means guys who want to build tower
lines and become power line man, can
never obtain the distribution experience to
become a well rounded power line man.
Hydro One has succeeded in fragmenting
the labour force between the PWU and
CUSW, and the losers are the men.
If you look at what’s going on in the
industry, Hydro One gets what they want. Look around.
PWU has no stroke. CUSW has no stroke. While Hydro One
sits in the corner hanging a carrot telling CUSW/PWU "Go
ahead, go on strike. We will hire IBEW contractors." If we
become one unit, with the contractors and the construction
guys at Hydro One, the IBEW will have the bargaining
power. Who will Hydro One give the
work to now? That’s right, the IBEW,
because they can’t play one union off
against the other any more.
The IBEW has the
contracts at Clareville,
Portlands and Goreway,
with more Co-Gens
coming our way. We’re
also doing the 500 lines
coming out of the
Bruce to Milton and
this work is going to
IBEW contractors.
The real benefit to
CUSW members is when
we have storms, IBEW
members
can
be
dispatched and sent to
other parts of Canada
and disaster areas in
the USA.
CUSW members that
come over to the IBEW
have the best of both
worlds.
You’ll have
work at Hydro One and
all the other employment that’s
available through our LU 353
contractors. You will also have access
to an open market in Ontario, Canada
and the USA.
JOIN THE LOCAL 353 (IBEW) LINE SECTOR UNIT
Better Work Experience for Apprentices
This is good news for apprentices because in
addition to EUSA training, you will have
access to our IBEW and Contractor training.
Visit our website at www.ibew353.org.
Local 353 has two Training Centres and line
sector training is scheduled for both our eastend and west-end facility on Orlando Drive.
The real advantage to apprentices and the
young guys coming up is they’ll receive the
necessary distribution experience.
Working for K-Line or Black & McDonald
you’re going to get the rubber glove work,
transformers, bare hand work, particularly the
young guys that have never done transmission
work. Being a member of Local 353, you can
go to our contractors and learn towers and
transmission, because IBEW members do both.
If you come with the IBEW, the older members
can go to work in the USA during the winter
where it’s warmer, or go oversea’s. If you join
Local 353, you will not be restricted or bound
to one employer (Hydro One), and can go to
work wherever YOU want. You will have the
freedom to travel, with better room, board
and travel allowances.
The biggest problem for CUSW members is
you are limited in the scope and type of work
you are allowed to do. To be a well-rounded
and marketable power line man, you need
exposure to all types of work.
Remember, IBEW LU 353 was started by
Linemen, and now LU 353 is returning to its
roots. When we lost Local 1788, Mulhall
promised you the sun and the moon. The
guys were told one thing, but ten years later,
it’s not working.
CUSW has 450-500 members in Ontario, and
160-170 on the out of work list. We have
many CUSW members who want to join the
IBEW. And the reason is obvious:
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High Unemployment
Inferior health and welfare benefits
Inferior room and board allowances
Apprentices Receive Limited Exposure
to Distribution
No Pension Plan (9% RSP)
Reasons for Joining Local 353 are Simple
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IBEW wants you to have an hourly pension plan
IBEW has an excellent health and welfare and pension plan
IBEW has a collective agreement for Line and Utility
Local 353 members are getting $3.40 hr raise on May 1st, 2008.
See the wage schedule in this leaflet and what IBEW contractors are paying. Ask yourself why
aren’t you receiving these wage increases? Once the IBEW agreement takes effect on May 1st,
2008, IBEW members will make approximately $3 more per hour compared to CUSW members,
with a great pension, benefits, room and board and travel expenses.
THE IBEW WANTS YOU BACK
Room, Board and Travel Expenses
For instance, the Local 353 contract pays
$91.65 per/day for out-of-town work. The
CUSW rate is $70.82 per/day.
The IBEW mileage rage is .44 cts per/km, the
CUSW mileage rate is .33 cts per/km
The Local 353 collective agreement is based
where your office is located, not where you
live. We also don’t have stand-off where
they give you just Board money.
The IBEW wants to negotiate a Lines and
Station agreement with Hydro One on your
behalf. If we all become one unit, we will
have the manpower and contractors. Who is
going to do the work if the IBEW has the
manpower and contractors? The answer is
very simple.
CUSW Message Offers No Hope or Prosperity
You join a union because there is work, good wages,
pension and benefits. Yet the entire CUSW message
is a history lesson citing those early days when you
were being told that everything was possible with
your new organization. Yes, those were heady days
for your leadership, embarking on un-chartered
waters with the golden sunset so plainly in view.
But somehow, the horizon was never reached.
CUSW has been drifting without the growth that
was promised. How many years has it been, and
how many members have you lost? How many are
unemployed? We know the numbers and it’s not
impressive. The reasons WHY are very clear:
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No significant contractor was signed nor is
there likely to be one in the future. Who
would want to limit themselves to one
sector?
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OPGI appears to enjoy seeing CUSW/IBEW
fight one another and give us every
opportunity to do so.
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OPGI and Bruce Power subcontract their
electrical work to IBEW contractors, even at
their nuclear facilities.
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Recruiting quality trades people is difficult
under the LIUNA flag.
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CUSW has three customers: OPGI, Bruce
Power and Hydro One (HO)
JOIN THE LOCAL 353 (IBEW) LINE SECTOR UNIT
LINE SECTOR - WAGES & FRINGE BENEFITS - L.U. 353 TORONTO MAY 1, 2008
THE IBEW WANTS YOU BACK
Road To The Future Is With IBEW
Most people when they drive their car spend most of their time looking through the windshield
to see the road ahead. So does business. OPGI and HO are businesses with an eye to the future.
They’re indicating a preference for minimizing their exposure to the risks by contracting out
“turnkey” operations to IBEW contractors. If the CUSW message is an indicator, it would appear
that CUSW is careening down the road with their eyes firmly fixed on the rear view mirror. That’s
no way to travel anywhere.
The IBEW Solution - Owner Clients will have the following advantages:
Unlimited Access to Manpower
The IBEW currently has 14,500 members comprised of electricians, linemen and registered
apprentices in Ontario. In addition we have approx 65,000 in Canada.
Labour Harmony
Conflict between competing unions will disappear, with all workers belonging to one
organization. This would lead to increased productivity and reduced legal costs.
Contract Negotiations
Contract problems involving restrictive work security language based on competing
organizations would be eliminated with one exclusive bargaining agent.
JOIN THE LOCAL 353 (IBEW) LINE SECTOR UNIT
IBEW Has Full Employment & Growing:
No matter what union you belong to, it always boils down to employment and the
availability of work. We took notice of the number of voters. You now have 450 or so
eligible voters. In 2005 we noticed that 732 members were eligible to vote in that year.
That’s a considerably lower number of members than the 1100 you had when you left the
IBEW in 1998. In fact, CUSWs membership base has shrunk by 50%. Does that sound like
a success story to you?
Don’t you think 35% unemployment is too high? How about part-time work? Especially
when the Lines and Stations (L&S) sector of your membership is experiencing the same
trend. The IBEW certainly thinks so.
Did you know that the IBEW has FULL EMPLOYMENT for line members and we’re looking
for travellers on an ongoing basis to work all over North America? American utilities are
constantly looking for manpower, and the IBEW is the union that gets the work. In
Ontario, we’re having difficulty meeting the demand for L & S qualified workers right now
and can put men to work. Now compare that to CUSWs current work picture.
Most importantly, the IBEW has a Reciprocal Agreement between Linemen and ICI . That
opens the door to employment opportunities that CUSW cannot provide. And when
Hydro slows down, you have the right to work in the ICI and other IBEW locals and the
USA. When you add it up, the IBEW has the work opportunities you were always promised
and want.
In our opinion the CUSW experiment has run it course. While Brother Mulhall’s original
goal was lofty, he has been unable to deliver and instead has brokered and given away too
much work to the Labourers. Since CUSW is affiliated with LIUNA, who do you think pulls
his strings?
Remember, the IBEW is the largest electrical union in North America. It’s not the
Labourers. Isn’t it better to belong to the IBEW who has multiple employers and
jurisdictions across North America?
The IBEW is on the move and we want you to become
a member of Local 353. This is a historical moment,
and even Joe Mulhall has long been a fan of Local 353.
The Choice Is Yours!
THE IBEW WANTS YOU BACK