A Message from Your Business Manager
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Dale Blank
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Dave Loechler
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Roger Erickson
A Message from Assistant Business Manager, Mike Priem
Annual Meeting

A Message from Your Business Manager

Hello Brothers and Sisters! Well, it looks like Mother Nature was good to us again this winter – not much snow! If you like to ski or snowmobile you have been out of luck for many years now!

On Friday, March 18 th the Local Union will have their Strategic/Planning Meeting. All officers and staff of the Local attend this meeting. At this meeting we go over what the Union has accomplished during the past year. We look for ways to improve and we also set the goals for the upcoming year. On Saturday, April 2, 2005 , the Local will have its annual meeting at the Labor Temple , beginning at 9:00 a.m. This meeting is always adjourned by 12:00 noon . I truly hope that members make an attempt to attend this meeting. This is your Local Union, be part of it and be active!

The year 2004 was a challenging year for all of us and we fully expect that 2005 will also be a challenge. We must always remember to sick together as I have said on a number of occasions, solidarity is the most important word in the Union ’s dictionary. But it’s only a “word” unless you practice it.

A number of times it has been brought up at meetings on how we can improve meeting attendance and how we can improve the way the membership feels about the Union . Let me start out by saying this is a Universal Problem – the AFL-CIO is working with the same issue. I have heard this at different seminars, it’s not only Local 953, or just the IBEW, it’s all over. What I can say is that we must try to do whatever we can to change this attitude, because if we all see it then it is also seen by management and then brothers and sisters, we are all in trouble! Management likes nothing more than to see us fighting with one another. Just the opposite of what I said earlier in my article about solidarity. Let us all set a goal for the year. Let’s practice the Local Union 953 Mission Statement:

We the membership, feel strongly that our purpose is to foster quality working conditions and benefits to provide for a better standard of living for our members through organizing, education and motivation. Our goal is to promote the importance of the Union in our workplace, by better servicing our membership, advocating involvement and promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment for all.

Local Union 953 – Be Proud! Be Active! Get Involved!

John Marincel
Business Manager/Financial Secretary

From Assistant Business Manager, Dale Blank

Spring is in the air! It’s time to dust off the golf clubs, get the boat out of storage and prepare to do all those things that we enjoy during the warmer months of the year, whatever that may be. It is also a time that all of us should enjoy the fact that we are fortunate to be members of a Union , especially this Union , the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, one that has a long proud heritage of fighting for things that are right.

There are millions of people in this country who are not fortunate enough to belong to a Union , but wish they could. In the beginning of this year, some of you saw the full page ad that Wal-Mart ran in newspapers across this country. The CEO of Wal-Mart was trying to improve the image of his Company, saying how great their benefits and wage packages are and that Wal-Mart is a Company that cares about its employees. I guess that explains why; when the employees of a Canadian Wal-Mart store voted to be represented by a union recently, the Company that cares for its employees decided to just close the entire store, put them all out of work. It’s not the first time Wal-Mart has done this; remember they used to have a meat cutting department until they voted to go Union ! Now the meat is all prepackaged and shipped in, from who knows where? All I ask is that you remember these things before you shop at a Wal-Mart store.

As members of a Union , there are times when we are going to run into people who are trying to become members of a Union . Maybe it’s happening right in our back door; maybe it may affect us possibly financially through taxes or something. Does that mean we should not support them? Absolutely not. We as Union members should support them 100%. Encourage them, give them advice, attend town meetings to show your support, if necessary. One of the great privileges that we have in this country is the right to be represented by a Union , if that is our choice. We must not let that slip away! Remember, strength is in numbers and solidarity is strength!

Until next time, have a safe and enjoyable spring!

Dale Blank
Asstistant Business Manager

From Assistant Business Manager, Roger Erickson

Hello Brothers and Sisters! Hopefully all of you are wintering well. Before you know it, spring should be here!

On December 17, 2004 , Outside Line Construction members ratified a (1) year contract extension that is effective beginning June 1, 2005 . The extension will cover the .25 cent Lineco increase effective January 1, 2005 , as well as the .25 cent Lineco increase to be effective January 1, 2006 . The wage increase of 3.5% is to be effective June 1, 2005 . Work on the Arrowhead-Weston Project is nearing completion in Minnesota . In Wisconsin , MJ Electric is setting up show ups in the Abbotsford and Owen areas anticipating May 2005 as a start date, pending appeals concerning the Wisconsin DNR. The job is stated to commence near Abbotsford and work will start heading east towards Wausau . Douglas County has been in the news lately. The County Board has voted not to let the Line cross county property. Sources have indicated to me that an alternate route may be investigated that would involve right of way on private property where “immanent domain” can be exercised. The saga continues……

On occasion, I have received requests for training specifically in crane operation from Outside Construction Equipment Operators. Local Union 2150 is in the process of securing a grant to purchase 2 crane simulators, as well as some trainers. Local 953 will be attempting to arrange this training for any interested members in the very near future utilizing Local 2150’s program. If you are interested, please contact me. Additional training opportunities exist for Flagger Training, CPR, OSHA 10 and OSHA 30.

Local 953 and Xcel Energy ( Wisconsin ) have been in negotiations regarding a variety of mid-term issues. To date, four (4) meetings have been held with no resolutions. Topics on the Company’s agenda include; Renewal of the “Bench Agreement” for URD construction, a possible (Joint Crew/Trench) Agreement and some form of a seasonal Locator Agreement. Members on the Union Committee include; Pat Grass (La Crosse Gas Department), Dean Steinmetz (Menomonie OVH Department), Jeff Goss (Eau Claire OVH Department), John Kiesling (French Island Plant), and Tim Hemenway (Eau Claire Relay Department).

Any member wishing to add your e-mail address to the Local’s address book may forward it to me at rogere@ibew953.org.

In closing, may all of you have a safe summer and remember to support our troops!

Roger Erickson
Asstistant Business Manager

From Assistant Business Manager, Dave Loechler

Local 953’s 4 th Annual Fishing Derby is now in the record books. Winners of the Fishing Contest are as follows:

GAME FISH
1st Place : Mike Eggebrecht of DPC (31½” Northern)
2nd Place : Jeff Wieting of Xcel (28½” Northern)

PAN FISH  
1st Place : Terry King of Xcel (8-7/8” Crappie )
2nd Place : Eugene Raciborski of Xcel (8 ½” Crappie)

COPE WINNER  
Ricky Reichert of Barron REC won a Sting Ray Gas Ice Auger

Other 953 members won door prizes after the contest. I would like to thank first of all, everyone who helped in setting up the Derby and then everyone that participated. It was a great day! I am looking forward to seeing everyone next year!

Other information going on with the Local; City of Barron is going to Arbitration on impasse in contract negotiations, City of Medford is scheduled for contract mediation, City of Bloomer is presently in contract negotiations with the main issue being changes in health insurance, Winona Lighting, Inc., will be voting Friday February 25, 2005 on a 3 year contract ratification.

One other item, I would like to conduct a survey to find out if there are any members that would like to participate against other 953 members of different locations or employers, in Archery Shoot’s.

Any members, who would like to get a team together for Archery Competition, please call me at (715) 834-4911, ext. #15. At that time I would answer any questions on how I would like to set this up.

Dave Loechler
Asstistant Business Manager

From Assistant Business Manager, Mike Priem

I attended the fishing contest on February 12 th at Chetek. It was well attended and the weather was terrific! 50 degrees in February! I would like to thank Dave Loechler and all the members that took their time to help and attend to make this event a success.

Local 953 petitioned for an election with the WERC in December 2004, on behalf of the employees of the Town of Webster . The vote was counted in early January and the IBEW was certified by the state. We put together proposals and met with the town board and the supervisor on February 1 st. Out next meeting was scheduled for February 17 th at 3:00 p.m. This meeting was pre-scheduled and the board members made phone calls to ensure that day was open. On February 14 th, Webster held its Town Meeting. It was attended by about 40 people. Also in attendance were the employees that petitioned for a Union . What took place at the meeting was essentially an all out attack against the employees. They were questioned by the audience why they joined the Union . One resident, Tim Parker asked why there was a Union in town? Stating that they were already being cheated by the employee’s citing a lack of roadside mowing. Other residents piped up with the culverts are plugged and the ditches need to be cleaned. Others questioned why they should have a health care plan and others complained about brush cutting and whether or not they put in full days. Some of the dissident residents were also Union Members who enjoy the benefits of job security and health care under a union contract, which is exactly what the employees of Webster want. On February 17 th the two board members refused to show up at the pre-scheduled meeting and were quoted in the local newspaper that they were in no hurry with the Union negotiations that their terms of office are up in April and neither of them is seeking re-election.

The importance of this story is simply this; as Union members we should never take our contracts for granted. All of us have fought hard for what we enjoy under our agreements. We should always stand together to protect our rights as you can see, from the Webster story, the attacks against us as Union members can come from not only our employers, but also friends and neighbors and sometimes other Union members with a personal agenda.

We have been house calling the Dairyland Communications employees. There are not represented by Local 953, so if you know of anyone in this group don’t be timid, talk to them about joining up with the IBEW and protect their job security and benefits.

Work Safe!

Mike Priem
Organizer/Asstistant Business Manager

Annual Meeting

Satuday, April 2, 2005
9 AM
Eau Claire Labor Temple
2233 Birch Street
Eau Claire, Wisconsin

This meeting is for ALL members. Have a voice in your union! The agenda will include the Electrical Workers Club meeting and the Local Union By-laws Meeting. Rolls and beverages served prior to the meeting. MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!!

Please send us an email by March 26, 2004 to enter into the prize drawing. Include your name and employer.