1. society
2. work
3. unions

Vol. 40 No. 2
February 2015
President’s Report for February
S
isters & Brothers,
I want to begin by informing
the membership of Local 1600
of some staff changes. Mark
Schwartz has been appointed as
Business Representative of the
Susquehanna Nuclear plant and
Business Rep. Dan Zerbe will be
reassigned all areas outside T&D and M&E that were
being handled by Rusty Clausius. Dan will also be
the representative for Comcast and Peaking Power. In
addition to her current responsibilities, Business Rep.
Jane Biever will be handling Ephrata members.
By Steve Knoebel
not apply to this spin-off transaction and the grievance
was denied. His full written opinion is due to the
Union no later than February 15th. Without that, I
cannot say what he based his opinion on. Each Chief
Steward has a copy of this agreement.
There are 19 positions identified as excess due to
the elimination or reduction of work because of the
spin-off. We will be handling the affected employees
through the displacement procedure. The parties
continue to meet to address outstanding issues, with
the latest prediction of Talen becoming a company
somewhere around May 1st of this year.
A lot has happened in the last month in regards to the
employees in Energy Supply that will become Talen
employees once the spin-off is finalized. Local 1600
staff understands the concerns of this change and we
are working in the best interests of the membership.
There is an agreement signed by myself and VPHuman Resources, Steve Russo. This agreement
identifies how employees in some work groups who
are having their work split between PPL Services, PPL
Electric Utilities, and Energy Supply will be assigned.
While I know it’s only been one month and still early
in the process since I stated in last month’s newsletter
the discussion the union and top management had
in regards to a better working relationship, I am not
convinced the word is being driven down. We are still
hearing too many negative examples of management
actions. As I’m sure after reading this, the company
will point out some examples of our member’s
actions. All I can say is have patience. This 180°
change that the staff and top management committed
to will take time.
There is also a section in this agreement dedicated to
the grievance that was filed for access to Article X
of the CBA for PPL employees that will become Talen
employees. In summary, arbitration was held on
January 7th, and testimony was given by both sides.
Unfortunately, the arbitrator ruled that Article X does
What I cannot do is make something happen without
your support. When I ran for this position, I was aware
of the attitude of some employees. You have all heard
it, I hate my job, and I dread coming to work, what has
the Union done for me and so on.
(Continued on page 3)
February Membership
Visit Us At
www.ibew1600.org
PPL
Comcast
Ephrata
Total
3109
76
26
3211
January’s
IBEW PAC
winner was
Michael J. Miller
Unit 4
2
I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice 2015
Report from Business Rep. Dan Zerbe
I
hope everyone enjoyed their
holidays with family and
friends, as 2014 came to a close
and we begin the New Year. Let’s
hope 2015 starts off on a positive
note and we can all have a safe and
fruitful year!
As this New Year begins, a lot of changes are on
the horizon, most of us have many unknown concerns
about the PPL generation spin off and what the new
Talen Company will mean for all of our careers moving
forward. With all the moving parts and people leaving
the company, either through retirement or severance,
the existing landscape and the people we know will no
longer be part of our everyday work environment. The
only thing we can hope is that the folks making the
strategic decisions on the future have all of us on the
best path. That path is continued success of both our
Generation Business as well as the Transmission and
Distribution Business.
The one sure thing about the electric generation
and distribution business is that the landscape can
change quickly, either with new regulations or an act
of Mother Nature such as a harsh winter or a very hot
summer!
As things change around us, either with the PPL
Electric Utilities Company or the new Talen Company,
we will all continue to move forward with our careers
in the electric business. Now is as good a time as any
to get involved in our union and be active and proud
to be a member of IBEW Local 1600. This could be as
a Local 1600 Steward or as a Local 1600 Unit Chair or
Unit Recording Secretary. Any involvement makes us
all stronger as a Local Union. We all have a stake in this
pending “Spin Off” of our generation business which
will have an impact on all of our members. We all need
to have a voice and make sure the corporate greed
does not undermine our committed proud Sisters and
LOCAL 1600 NEWSLETTER
Published by Local 1600 I.B.E.W.
P.O. Box 470, Trexlertown, PA 18087-0470
President & Financial Secretary……....…… Steve Knoebel
Vice President…………….….…………….. Frank Graboski
Recording Secretary……………......…….. Donna Kancsal Treasurer……………….…........………… Lucinda Erdman
Newsletter Editor…………...……………….. Rafael Cuevas
Brothers who have been a very large part of building
this company which has become PPL Corporation!
On another topic:
I want to talk about something which has appeared
in many past newsletters in articles written by Local
1600 Business Rep. Jane Biever. The subject is FMLA
and Sedgwick. PPL has contracted the FMLA tracking
and Employee Short Term Disability Administration to
a vendor called Sedgwick. Many of our members are
either out sick or are scheduled for an operation and
they continue to get harassed by a representative from
Sedgwick. This vendor will send a packet of material
requiring all kinds of personal medical information and
in some cases even threatening folks that they may not
get their sick benefits!
These are some of the harassment complaints we
have been receiving and this conduct needs to stop!
Under the FMLA regulation, the company is
required to make you aware of your rights to FMLA.
After you are off work sick for a certain number of days,
if you do not request FMLA for your particular absence,
you are not required to fill out all that paper work
which is asking for all kinds of personal and confidential
medical information. If you are reporting off properly
to your supervisor and have sick time in your sick bank,
you are meeting the terms of our collective bargaining
agreement. If any of our folks wish to request FMLA,
Sedgwick is the administrator for PPL. Several members
have requested that I put something in our union
newsletter, so that is why I am commenting on this
topic.
I also understand the company has received some
complaints about the stack of paperwork requesting
personal medical information well beyond what is
required for an FMLA absence, I hope in the future
the request may be more in line with what is required.
The confusing part is Sedgwick is the administrator for
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
LOCAL 1600 HOTLINE NUMBER
1-800-344-2200
Local Union Hall
610-395-8167
or 1-800-342-5515
Our Union Voice is published monthly by IBEW Local Union 1600, Printing & Design by Lehigh Valley Print Center, CWA Local 14827
2015 I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice
Presidents Report
3
Continued from Page 1
This comes from employees ranging from recently
hired to those with 30 plus years. I am hoping
that what we are trying to achieve will change this
mentality, because while we don’t need a hugs and
kisses work environment, the negative attitudes are
poison. A poison that is powerful enough to stop any
good that we are trying to accomplish. Don’t drink the
poison!
Dan Zerbe and I attended our first joint negotiation
meeting for Comcast employees on January 15th. A
review of the proposals and the status of each was the
focus of the meeting. I was impressed with committee
members Mark Bumgardner, Don Mastrini, Michelle
Proctor and Jay Gross. We will be meeting again on
February 19th & 20th. My hope is to have something
for the members in a shorter time frame than before.
I had a sit down with CNO Tim Rausch and
the safety trend at the Susquehanna plant was the
focus of our discussion. I started by expressing my
disappointment in not being informed of the safety
stand down that was held after the latest OSHA
recordable incident. While I may not agree with some
of the actions taken, we should have been informed so
we could’ve of prepared ourselves when our phones
started ringing. Not a good start to partnering. After
that, we both shared our concerns of the continuing
safety incidents.
I am asking that you keep Brother Julio Carrasquillo
in your thoughts and prayers. Julio is an IRD 1 at
Comcast and suffered serious injuries after being
mugged while performing his duties. For all our
members that work in the community, if you are not
comfortable working alone in certain areas, make your
supervisor aware of this.
I attended the January unit meeting at Ephrata and it
was very informative on the status of the Union within
the Borough. Local 1600 staff and Ephrata Union
members will be discussing how to mend the divide
and strengthen the Union. A meeting with Borough
Manager Bob Thompson, Labor Relations Sandy
Kramer, Business Rep. Jane Biever and myself will
be held on February 5th to review the Borough and the
Union relationship.
We have all heard and seen the pyramid of safety,
the base is getting full. Something has to change
before we climb that pyramid to the peak. The lack of
OSHA recordable accidents at other nuclear facilities
was mentioned. Currently I am conducting research
of other nuclear facilities with IBEW employees and
Until next month, stay positive, stay focused, stay
what safety programs are in place. We will do a bench safe and stay united.
mark at the facilities that show a good working safety
Fraternally: Steve Knoebel
culture and what drives it.
Continued from Zerbe page 2
FMLA and Employee Short Term Disability benefits, these absences have completely different medical information
requirements. Let’s hope PPL can get this vendor to do the right thing and stop misleading and harassing our loyal
Local 1600 members!
Susquehanna SES meeting:
December 2014, President Steve Knoebel and I along with Chief Steward John Becker met with Susquehanna SES
CNO - Tim Rausch, Nuclear VP - Jon Franke, and Site Manager - Bob Franssen. The meeting was a discussion on the
station being in the special focus area and what we may be able to partner on moving forward to assist in recovering
from this undesirable regulatory space. Some of the things discussed were jointly reviewing station communications
prior to issue, more involvement from the Bargaining Unit work force on improvement areas etc. We have another
meeting scheduled about 30 days from this meeting to see where we can go from here. President Knoebel also
discussed many other areas for improvement such as the use of contractors, the back log of grievances and the
overzealous use of the steps of the RBP process for honest mistakes, instead of positive coaching for improvement
the norm seems to be much to punitive. These are just some of the things which must be resolved between the
parties to positively move the station forward.
Be SAFE and take care,
Zerb
4
I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice 2015
Statement
onon
the
Statementby
byAFL-CIO
AFL-CIOPresident
PresidentRichard
RichardTrumka
Trumka
the
Bureau
Bureau of
of Labor
Labor Statistics
StatisticsAnnual
AnnualUnion
UnionMembership
MembershipReport
Report
Today’s
release
of the
annual
union
membership
numbers
by the
Bureau
of Labor
Today’s
release
of the
annual
union
membership
numbers
by the
Bureau
of Labor
Statistics
shows thatshows
in thisthat
economic
recovery, recovery,
people arepeople
eitherare
seeking
good out
union
jobsunion
or taking
Statistics
in this economic
eitherout
seeking
good
jobs
matters
into
their
own
hands
by
forming
unions
to
raise
wages
and
ensure
that
new
jobs
are
or taking matters into their own hands by forming unions to raise wages and ensure that new
goodare
jobs.
jobs
good jobs.
In 2014,
workers
made
great
strides
confronted
great
challenges,
including
major
In 2014,
workers
made
great
strides
andand
confronted
great
challenges,
including
major
organizing wins at American
American Airlines,
Airlines, multiple
multiple state
state legislative
legislative victories
victories on
on the
the minimum
minimum
wage
and
innovative
campaigns
conducted
by
carwash
workers,
among
others.
We
recognize,
wage and innovative campaigns conducted by carwash workers, among others. We recognize, however,
that
however,
right-wingextremist
billionaires’
extremist
politics,Wall
a rapacious
Wall
Street andadvocacy
insufficient
advocacy
right-wingthat
billionaires’
politics,
a rapacious
Street and
insufficient
from
politicalfrom
political
leaders thwarted
further progress.
leaders thwarted
further progress.
In the
State
of the
Union
week,
President
Obama
celebrated
economy
benefitted
In the
State
of the
Union
thisthis
week,
President
Obama
celebrated
the the
factfact
thatthat
our our
economy
has has
benefitted
from
from
58
consecutive
months
of
job
growth
and
reiterated
the
need
for
laws
that
strengthen
unions
and
give
58 consecutive months of job growth and reiterated the need for laws that strengthen unions and give workers a
workers
a voice.
Butimportant
the most important
is not
simply
we’rebut
creating,
are wejobs
voice. But
the most
question isquestion
not simply
how
manyhow
jobsmany
we’rejobs
creating,
are webut
creating
creating
thatfor
raise
for all?
A strong
recovery
be built on family-sustaining,
not poverty-level
that raisejobs
wages
all?wages
A strong
recovery
must
be builtmust
on family-sustaining,
not poverty-level
jobs. Today’s
jobs.
most of
us already
knew:
workersgood
are finding
gooddespite
union jobs
despite
politicalnewsToday’s
confirmsnews
whatconfirms
most of what
us already
knew:
workers
are finding
union jobs
political
ideologues
ideologues
-and
jobs
are
coming
back
as
the
economy
slowly
rebounds,
but
neither
are
nearly
enough.
- and jobs are coming back as the economy slowly rebounds, but neither are nearly enough.
Keytrends
trends include:
include:
Key
•• Union
• Largest
growth, 1.8% among Asian American
Uniondensity
densityedged
edgedupupfor
forworkers
workers1616toto2424
• Largest growth, 1.8% among Asian
from
women
from4.2
4.2toto4.5%
4.5%
American women
•
Public
sector
union
density
growth
largely
•
Union
membership
increased
for Black
• Union
membership
increased
for Black
• Public sector union density growth largely due
to women
women
and men
todue
women
women
and men
• Union density growth in Leisure and
• Black men and women remain the groups
• Black men and women remain the groups with
• Union density growth in Leisure and
Hospitality
with the highest union density
Hospitality
the highest union density
• Union membership increased among Latino
• Union
men membership increased among Latino men
Noteworthy 2014 Worker Wins
Noteworthy 2014 Worker Wins
More than 92,000 workers chose to join
• More
than 92,000
workers
join care
aFSCMe,
including
20,000chose
hometohealth
AFSCME,
including
20,000 the
home
health
care v
workers who
were recently
target
of Harris
workers
who were
recently
the target of
Harris v
Quinn. This
was double
AFSCME’s
organizing
Quinn.
This
was
double
AFSCME’s
organizing
goal for the year.
goal for the year.
14,500customer
customerservice
serviceagents
agentswho
whowork
workfor
for
•• 14,500
American
Airlines
voted
for
union
American Airlines voted for union representation
representation
CWa with
after US
the Airways.
merger with
with
CWA after with
the merger
This
US
Airways.
This
victory
was
especially
victory was especially significant for 9,000 former
significant
for 9,000
former
American
Airlines
agents
whoAmerican
have beenAirlines
part of a
agents who have been part of a 19-year long
19-year long organizing effort.
organizing effort.
• Workers at an Alabama Copper parts plant
voted to organize
as members
of the
United
• Workers
at an alabama
Copper
parts
plant
Steelworkers
despite
extensive
voted
to organize
as members
of political
the united
Steelworkers despite extensive political
•
intimidation and efforts by Governor Robert
intimidation
and efforts
by Governor
Robert
Bentley to dissuade
workers
from unionizing.
Bentley to dissuade workers from unionizing.
Mechanics,technicians,
technicians,and
andmaintenance
maintenance
• •Mechanics,
personnelatatthe
theRed
RedRiver
RiverArmy
ArmyDepot
Depotnear
near
personnel
Texarkana,
TX
successfully
organized
into
the
Texarkana, TX successfully organized into the
IaM.This
Thisvictory
victoryfollows
followssuccessful
successfulcampaigns
campaigns
IAM.
by
workers
earlier
in
the
year
where
925
by workers earlier in the year where 925
employeesjoined
joinedthe
theunion
unionatatthe
theCorpus
CorpusChristi
Christi
employees
Army
Depot
in
Corpus
Christi,
Texas.
Army Depot in Corpus Christi, Texas.
• •Nurses
Nursesand
andhospital
hospitalworkers
workersvoted
votedtotoform
form
unions
at
two
hospitals
in
Connecticut.
The
unions at two hospitals in Connecticut. The
workers,
workers,who
whowill
willbeberepresented
representedbybyAFT
aFT
Connecticut,
Connecticut,had
hadtotoovercome
overcomeattempts
attemptsbyby
hospital
hospitaladministrators
administratorstotointimidate
intimidatethe
theworkers.
workers.
2015 I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice
time to Close Wall street’s ‘retirement Advice Loophole’
Time to Close Wall Street’s ‘Retirement Advice Loophole’
5
Mike Hall
Mike is
Hall
There
a loophole in the rules that govern Wall Street
brokers and financial firms that provide retirement
investmenthere
advice
can drain
away
or
is athat
loophole
in the
rulesthousands,
that govern
even tens of
thousands,
of
dollars
of
hard-earned
Wall Street brokers and financial firms that
savings from
a single
retirement
account.advice
Today,
a
provide
retirement
investment
that
coalition ofcan
senior,
union
and
consumer
groups
drain away thousands, or even tens of
launched
a new
website
—SaveOurretirement.org—
thousands,
of dollars
of hard-earned
savings from a
tosingle
mobilize
support
to
close
the
“Retirement
Advice
retirement account. Today, a coalition of
senior,
Loophole”
through a groups
new rule
the U.S.a new
Department
union and consumer
launched
website of
Labor
is trying to adopt.
—SaveOurRetirement.org—
to mobilize support to
close the “Retirement Advice Loophole” through a new
ruleway
the U.S.
Department
Labor is trying
to adopt.
The
workers
save forofretirement
has changed
dramatically
thesave
pastfor
decades.
With
decline in traditional
more and
more
workers
The pensions,
Labor Department
rule
has been
underdepend on
The way over
workers
retirement
hasthe
changed
401(k)
plans
and
individual
retirement
accounts
(IRAs),
and
they
frequently
seek
investment
advice
from yet.
development
for
some
time
but
has
not
been
released
dramatically over the past decades. With the decline in
However,
it is
require
that investment
advisers
traditionalprofessionals.
pensions, moreBut
andthe
more
workers
depend
on that advice
financial
rule
governing
when
must
beexpected
solely intothe
worker’s
interest, free
have nomany
conflict
of interestexist.
that might, for example,
401(k)
plans and
retirement
accounts
(IRAs),
from
conflicts
ofindividual
interest, has
not been
changed
since 1975—and
loopholes
T
cause them to steer their clients toward investments that
and they frequently seek investment advice from financial
earn the adviser high fees but might not be in the client’s
professionals.
But
the
rule
governing
when
that
advice
The “Retirement Advice Loophole“ allows Wall Street brokers
and financial firms with major conflicts of
best interest. The rule should require anyone who gives
must be solely in the worker’s interest, free from conflicts
interest to provide investment advice that serves their own retirement
interests instead
of what’s
theirin clients.
investment
advice best
to actfor
solely
their client’s
of interest, has not been changed since 1975—and many
best interest—a common sense standard known as the
loopholes exist.
For example, they can sell financial products that pay largefiduciary
commissions
duty. but hurt their clients with unnecessary
The “Retirement Advice Loophole“ allows Wall Street
fees,
poor returns or excessive risks. Millions of Americans areOfaffected
by this
loophole
yearindustry
without
course, Wall
Street
and theevery
financial
are
brokers and financial firms with major conflicts of interest
even
knowing
it, and advice
it is draining
away
their
adamantly opposed to reforming the rules. Two years ago
to provide
investment
that serves
their
ownretirement
interests savings.
instead of what’s best for their clients.
they lobbied hard for a House bill aimed at derailing any new
RightFor
now,
some advisers are required to put their customers’
interests
first investment
while others
are not—and
it is often
Labor
Department
advice
rule, and surely
they
example, they can sell financial products that pay
will
be
spending
big
money
to
do
the
same
thing
in
2015.
extremely
difficult
for
workers
and
retirees
to
know
which
type
of
adviser
they
are
dealing
with.
large commissions but hurt their clients with unnecessary
fees, poor returns or excessive risks. Millions of Americans
Be sure to visit SaveOurRetirement.org to learn
The
Labor Department
ruleevery
has been
under development
for
some
has not
released
yet.“Retirement
However,
more
andtime
find but
out how
youbeen
can help
close the
are affected
by this loophole
year without
even
Advice of
Loophole.”
itknowing
is expected
toitrequire
thataway
investment
adviserssavings.
have no conflict
interest that might, for example, cause them
it, and
is draining
their retirement
to steer
their
clients
toward
investments
that
earn
the
adviser
high
fees
butinmight
not be are
in the
client’s best
The groups
the coalition
the AFL-CIO,
Right now, some advisers are required to put their
interest.
Theinterests
rule should
require
anyone
who gives
investment
advice
to actfor
solely
in their
client’s
AFSCME,
AARP,
Americans
Financial
Reform,
Better
customers’
first while
others
are not—and
it is retirement
Markets,
Consumer Federation of America and the Pension
best
common
standard
known
as the fiduciary
duty.
ofteninterest—a
extremely difficult
forsense
workers
and retirees
to know
which type of adviser they are dealing with.
Rights Center.
Of course, Wall Street and the financial industry are adamantly opposed to reforming the rules. Two years ago
they
lobbied
hard for a House bill
aimed at derailing
any newWage
Labor Department
investment advice rule, and
2015
Statewide
Average
Weekly
Announced
surely they will be spending big money to do the same thing in 2015.
Based upon the Statewide Average Weekly Wage as determined by the Department of Labor & Industry for the fiscal
year
ending
JuneSaveOurretirement.org
30, 2014, the maximum compensation
payable
the how
Workers’
Article 1,
Be
sure
to visit
to learn more
and under
find out
you Compensation
can help closeAct,
theunder
“Retirement
Subsections 105.1 and 105.2, shall be $951.00 per week for injuries occurring on and after Jan. 1, 2015. For purposes of
Advice Loophole.”
calculating the update to payments for medical treatment rendered on and after Jan. 1, 2015, the percentage increase in the
Statewide Average Weekly Wage is 2 percent.
The groups in the coalition are the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AARP, Americans for Financial Reform, Better
Under the act, workers suffering a work-related injury are entitled to indemnity (wage-loss) benefits equal to two-thirds of
Markets,
Consumer Federation of America and the Pension Rights Center.
their average weekly wage. However, there are minimum and maximum adjustments provided in the act, and the benefit
rate is set using the annual maximum in place at the time of injury. The maximum is based on the Department of Labor &
Industry’s calculation of the statewide average weekly wage.
Pa Department of Labor & Industries
For a schedule of current and past weekly rates, and for instructions on how to calculate the weekly rate, visit www.dli.state.pa.us.
Click on “Workers’ Compensation,” then “Claims Information,” then “Statewide Average Weekly Wage.”
6
I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice 2015
January in Labor History
January 14
Clinton-era OSHA issues confined spaces standard to prevent more than 50
deaths and 5,000 serious injuries annually for workers who enter confined
spaces - 1993
Pennsylvania Superior Court rules bosses can fire workers for being gay - 1995
Some 14,000 General Electric employees strike for two days to protest the
company’s mid-contract decision to shift an average of $400 in additional health
care co-payments onto each worker – 2003
A 15-month lockout by the Minnesota Orchestra against members of the Twin Cities Musicians’ Union, Local
30-73 ends when the musicians agree to a 15 percent pay cut (management wanted up to 40 percent)
and increased health care cost sharing. They did win a revenue-sharing deal based on performance of the
Orchestra’s endowments. It was the nation’s longest-running contract dispute for a concert orchestra - 2014
January 15
Wobbly Ralph Chaplin, in Chicago for a demonstration against hunger, completes the writing of the labor anthem
“Solidarity Forever” on this date in 1915. He’d begun writing it in 1914 during a miners’ strike in Huntington, W.
Va. The first verse:
When the union’s inspiration through the workers’ blood shall run,
There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun;
Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one,
But the union makes us strong – 1915
Seventeen workers in the area die when a large molasses storage
tank in Boston’s North End neighborhood bursts, sending a 40-foot
wave of molasses surging through the streets at an estimated 35
miles per hour. In all, 21 people died and 150 were injured. The
incident is variously known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, the
Great Molasses Flood and the Great Boston Molasses Tragedy. Some
residents claim that on hot summer days, the area still smells of molasses - 1919
Martin Luther King Jr. born - 1929
The CIO miners’ union in the Grass Valley area of California strikes for higher wages, union
recognition, and the 8-hour day. The strike was defeated when vigilantes and law enforcement
officials expelled 400 miners and their families from the area - 1938
(From Blackjacks to Briefcases: This book documents the systematic and extensive use by
American corporations of professional union busters, an ugly profession that surfaced after the
Civil War and has grown bolder and more sophisticated with the passage of time.)
The Pentagon, to this day the largest office building in the world, is dedicated just 16 months
after groundbreaking. At times of peak employment 13,000 workers labored
on the project – 1943
Margaret Mary Vojtko dies at age 83 in Homestead, Pennsylvania. She was an adjunct professor
of French and medieval literature at Duquensne Unversity for 25 years; a pay-by-the-coursestaught part-timer with no benefits — before being told her contract wouldn’t be renewed, but was
offered a tutoring job at two-thirds her old salary. She was making so little that she slept in her
office, being unable to afford to heat her home because of medical bills. She had been active in
trying to form an adjunct’s union. She died five months after being fired - 2013
January 16
The United States Civil Service Commission was established as the Pendleton Act went into effect - 1883
2015 I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice
7
Thousands of Palmer Raids detainees win right to meet with lawyers and
attorney representation at deportation hearings. “Palmer” was Alexander
Mitchell Palmer, U.S. attorney general under Woodrow Wilson. Palmer
believed Communism was “eating its way into the homes of the American
workman,” and Socialists were causing most of the country’s social
problems - 1920
Former UAW President Leonard Woodcock dies in Ann Arbor, Mich., at
age 89. He had succeeded Walter Reuther and led the union from 1970
to 1977 - 2001
January 21
Some 750,000 steel workers walk out in 30 states, largest strike in U.S. history
to that time - 1946
Postal workers begin four-day strike at the Jersey City, N.J., bulk and foreign
mail center, protesting an involuntary shift change. The wildcat was led by a
group of young workers who identified themselves as “The Outlaws”- 1974
Six hundred police attack picketing longshoremen in Charleston, S.C. - 2000
January 22
Indian field hands at San Juan Capistrano mission refused to work, engaging in what was
probably the first farm worker strike in California - 1826 (Farmworker’s Friend: The story of
Cesar Chavez is a thoughtful and moving book about the inspiring life of American hero Cesar
Chavez, founder and long-time leader of the United Farm Workers of America. This sympathetic
portrayal of Chavez and his life’s work begins with his childhood, starting from the time his
family’s store in Arizona failed during the Great Depression and his entire family was forced into
the fields to harvest vegetables for a few cents an hour. It traces his growth as a man and as
a leader, talking of his pacifism, his courage in the face of great threats and greater odds, his
leadership and his view that the union was more than just a union, it was a community—una causa.)
Birth of Terence V. Powderly, leader of the Knights of Labor - 1849
The United Mine Workers of America is founded in Columbus, Ohio, with the merger of the Knights of Labor Trade
Assembly No. 135 and the National Progressive Miners Union - 1890
Five hundred New York City tenants battle police to prevent evictions - 1932
January 23
Some 10,000 clothing workers strike in Rochester, N.Y., for the 8-hour day,
a 10-percent wage increase, union recognition, and extra pay for overtime
and holidays. Daily parades were held throughout the clothing district and
there was at least one instance of mounted police charging the crowd of
strikers and arresting 25 picketers. Six people were wounded over the
course of the strike and one worker, 18-year-old Ida Breiman, was shot
to death by a sweatshop contractor. The strike was called off in April after
manufacturers agreed not to discriminate against workers for joining a
union – 1913
In Allegany County, MD, workers with the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal era public works program
employing unmarried men aged 18-25, are snowbound at Fifteen Mile Creek Camp S-53 when they receive a
distress call about a woman in labor who needs to get to a hospital. 20 courageous CCC volunteers dig through
miles of snow drifts until the woman is successfully able to be transported - 1936
— Compiled and edited by David Prosten.
Get the Facts
First Hand-
I.B.E.W. Local 1600
PO Box 470
Trexlertown, PA 18087-0470
Attend
Your
Union
Meeting
www.ibew1600.org
Local
1600
IBEW
LEHIGH VALLEY
P R I N T
C E N T E R
[email protected]
—Franklin D. Roosevelt
it is to the real advantage of every producer, every manufacturer and every
merchant to cooperate in the improvement of working conditions, because the
best customer of American industry is the well-paid worker.
8
I.B.E.W. Local 1600 Our Union Voice 2015
I.b.e.W.I.b.e.W.
LOCaLLOCaL
uNION uNION
1600 1600
February
February
MONTHLy
MONTHLy
uNIT MeeTING
uNIT MeeTING
SCHeDuLe
SCHeDuLe
uNIT
uNIT
DaTe DaTe LOCaTION
LOCaTION
General Office
Feb. 12, 2015
1259
Grange Road
General Office
Feb. 12, 2015
1259 Grange
Road
Unit 1600-1 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. AllentownAllentown
Unit 1600-1
Harrisburg Feb. 12, 2015
Feb. 12, 2015
BestPremier
Western Premier
Harrisburg
Best Western
Unit 1600-2 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. East Park East
Park
Drive, Harrisburg
Unit 1600-2
Drive,
Harrisburg
Feb. 11, 2015
Hilton Garden
LancasterLancaster Feb. 11, 2015
Hilton Garden
Unit 1600-3 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 101 Granite
101
Granite
Run Dr. Lanc.
Unit 1600-3
Run
Dr. Lanc.
Feb. 12, 2015
1259
Grange Road
Lehigh Lehigh
Feb. 12, 2015
1259 Grange
Road
Unit 1600-4 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. AllentownAllentown
Unit 1600-4
Feb. 12, 2015
Comfort Inn
Central Central
Feb. 12, 2015
Comfort Inn
Unit 1600-5 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 58 State Rd.
58 Rt.
State
Rt. 93, Hazleton
Unit 1600-5
93,Rd.
Hazleton
Feb. 11, 2015
4 Points Hotel
NorthernNorthern Feb. 11, 2015
Sheraton 4Sheraton
Points Hotel
Unit 1600-6 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 300 Meadows
300 Meadows
Ave. Scranton
Unit 1600-6
Ave. Scranton
SusquehannaFeb. 10, 2015
Feb. 10, 2015
Quality
Inn & Suites
Susquehanna
Quality Inn
& Suites
Unit 1600-7 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 15 Valley 15
Valley
West Rd, Danville
Unit 1600-7
West
Rd, Danville
Feb. 10, 2015
Ephrata VFW
ephrata ephrata
Feb. 10, 2015
Ephrata VFW
Unit 1600-8 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 141 S. State
141StS. State St
Unit 1600-8
LOCaL uNION
Feb. 2, 2015
1259
Grange Road
LOCaL uNION
Feb. 2, 2015
1259 Grange
Road
eXeCuTIVe
eXeCuTIVe
9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. AllentownAllentown
bOarD bOarD
I.b.e.W.I.b.e.W.
LOCaLLOCaL
uNION uNION
1600 1600
MarCHMarCH
MONTHLy
MONTHLy
uNIT MeeTING
uNIT MeeTING
SCHeDuLe
SCHeDuLe
uNIT
uNIT
DaTe DaTe LOCaTION
LOCaTION
General Office
Mar. 12, 2015
1259 Grange
Road
General Office
Mar. 12, 2015
1259
Grange Road
Unit 1600-1
Unit 1600-1 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. AllentownAllentown
Harrisburg
Best Western
Harrisburg Mar. 12, 2015
Mar. 12, 2015
BestPremier
Western Premier
Unit 1600-2
Drive,
Harrisburg
Unit 1600-2 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. East Park East
Park
Drive, Harrisburg
LancasterLancaster Mar. 11, 2015
Homewood
Suites
Mar. 11, 2015
Homewood
Suites
Unit 1600-3
Run
Dr. Lanc.
Unit 1600-3 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 200 Granite
200
Granite
Run Dr. Lanc.
Lehigh Lehigh
Mar. 12, 2015
1259 Grange
Road
Mar. 12, 2015
1259
Grange Road
Unit 1600-4
Unit 1600-4 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. AllentownAllentown
Central Central
Mar. 12, 2015
Comfort Inn
Mar. 12, 2015
Comfort Inn
Unit 1600-5
93,Rd.
Hazleton
Unit 1600-5 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 58 State Rd.
58 Rt.
State
Rt. 93, Hazleton
NorthernNorthern Mar. 11, 2015
Sheraton 4Sheraton
Points Hotel
Mar. 11, 2015
4 Points Hotel
Unit 1600-6
Ave. Scranton
Unit 1600-6 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 300 Meadows
300 Meadows
Ave. Scranton
Susquehanna
Quality Inn
& Suites
SusquehannaMar. 10, 2015
Mar. 10, 2015
Quality
Inn & Suites
Unit 1600-7
West
Rd, Danville
Unit 1600-7 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 15 Valley 15
Valley
West Rd, Danville
ephrata ephrata
Mar. 10, 2015
Ephrata VFW
Mar. 10, 2015
Ephrata VFW
Unit 1600-8
Unit 1600-8 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 141 S. State
141StS. State St
LOCaL uNION
Mar. 2, 2015
1259 Grange
Road
LOCaL uNION
Mar. 2, 2015
1259
Grange Road
eXeCuTIVe
9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. AllentownAllentown
eXeCuTIVe
bOarD bOarD
What can Labor do for itself? The answer is not difficult. Labor can organize,
it can unify; it can consolidate its forces. This done, it can demand and command.
What can
What
Labor
cando
Labor
for itself?
do forThe
itself?
answer
The answer
is not difficult.
is not difficult.
Labor can
Labor
organize,
can organize,
it can unify;
it canitunify;
can consolidate
it can consolidate
its forces.
its forces.
This done,
Thisitdone,
can demand
it can demand
and command.
and command.
– Eugene V. Debs