
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
- JACK BLOCK
I am reprinting a joint news release regarding recent
economic developments in the St. Louis area. All I can say is
sometimes we don't realize what we have until it's gone. Things
continue to be difficult in our area as well as the whole country.
However, we are hanging in there!
IBEW-NECA Aims to Jumpstart Economic Engine
"Partnership Contract" Cuts Total Wage & Benefit
Cost & Expands Flexibility
New IBEW-NECA Agreement Lauded as Real Solution to Lagging
Economy;
Labor & Management Address Customers' Needs Together
ST. LOUIS ---- The International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Louis Chapter, National
Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), have ratified
a new three-year contract that breaks with long-held traditions
to offer construction buyers pricing that is aggressively competitive.
The 8.23 percent across-the-board cut in IBEW electricians'
compensation and other significant contract changes dramatically
reduce the cost of union electrical construction with the IBEW's
highly trained, highly skilled work force. That cut escalates
to 8.77 percent on January 1, 2011. Additional contract changes
make the total cost savings to construction buyers, general
contractors and home builders even greater for many projects.
"The contract changes adopted by IBEW Local One and NECA
are unparalleled in terms of listening to what customers say
they need and responding with more than anyone expected,"
said Jim LaMantia, executive director of PRIDE, the St. Louis
area's construction industry labor-management-owner industry
cooperative group, founded in 1972. "This sets the bar
higher than it's ever been lifted to offer real solutions to
bolster our lagging economy."
The new IBEW-NECA contract, effective June 1:Enacts significant
wage and fringe benefit reductions.
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Reduces total crew cost through flexible
use of apprentices with different skill levels to enable
IBEW/NECA union electrical contractors to compete more aggressively
and simultaneously increase work opportunities.
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Trims shift work pay, overtime pay and
fringe benefit costs.
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Initiates the IBEW Code of Excellence,
which solidifies joint employer-employee efforts to meet
customers' needs and deliver the best value for every dollar
invested in construction.
The Code of Excellence requires employers and electricians
to work together to consistently
satisfy customers by delivering the highest levels of performance,
professionalism and productivity. The code institutes a
process for continual improvement to deliver maximum jobsite
efficiency and professional performance. Highlights of the
code include the following:
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All IBEW workers adhere to contractual
obligations for a productive work day with minimal idle
time.
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IBEW workers and NECA contractors consistently
work together to assure delivery of the highest level of
value to customers.
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IBEW workers commit to abide by owner and
contractor rules and conduct work professionally at all
times.
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Electricians and contractors pledge to
achieve maximum levels of jobsite safety.
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IBEW workers and NECA contractors pledge
to work together to maximize productivity and jobsite efficiency.
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Employers provide appropriate tools, planning, supervision
and materials to assure highest levels of performance.
IBEW Local One adopted a compensation rollback only once
before in its 119-year history, a 19.6 percent reduction
in 1930 as the country entered the Great Depression. NECA
contractors, who collaborate with IBEW Local One through
the labor-management group, the Electrical Connection,
pledged to compete with aggressive marketing and pricing.
The new contract allows contractors to use electricians
at different stages of training to lower costs while ensuring
high quality, safe installations. The terms maximize the
industry's ability to attract new electricians as jobs
develop and start new apprentices throughout the year.
IBEW & NECA Aim to Get Stalled Projects Out of
Starting Blocks
"We looked at our community and our industry in recession
and together considered how we could generate jobs, and
position our contractors and workforce to be the highest
value choice of our mutual customers," said Douglas
R. Martin, executive vice president of the St. Louis Chapter,
NECA. "This is an example of labor-management cooperation
at work. Our NECA contractors and Local One understand
our customers' needs and the importance of lowering construction
costs to help attract and retain business for St. Louis
and our eastern Missouri markets. We hope our actions
inspire our customers to move stalled projects out of
the starting blocks and take advantage of the lower costs
we can deliver, along with exceptional skills, education
and training of our workforce."
Stephen P. Schoemehl, business manager of IBEW Local One,
added, "When construction investment increases, employment
rises and everyone benefits, from neighborhood businesses
and restaurants to homebuilders and car dealers. And because
taxes are paid based on spending, income and business
revenue, construction spending helps generate more tax
dollars to better meet public needs. Since our last contract,
we have been delivering small and massive projects of
ever-increasing technical complexity. As St. Louis competes
with cities across the country for the high-tech industries
of the future, including renewable energy, our collective
skills are among St. Louis' greatest assets. We want to
be buyers' first choice, and IBEW members were willing
to make personal sacrifices to move our region forward
and invest in its future."
The new three-year contract covers about 3,100 IBEW Local
One members working 147 electrical contractors in Missouri
plus a number of contractors in Illinois, represented
by NECA. It applies to work in the City of St. Louis and
25 Missouri counties, stretching for the northern border
of Lincoln County south to Arkansas border. The contract
was approved 12 days prior to its June 1 expiration.
New Contract Boosts Value, Lowers Costs
"The changes we've adopted are an enormous tribute
to the commitment of IBEW members to St. Louis and to
our mutual customers," Martin said. "As a construction
team - Labor and management - we must constantly improve
our value and performance. Our new IBEW-NECA contract
is a dramatic signal of our ability and willingness to
do just that amid great economic, political and financial
uncertainties."
St. Louis has the capacity to provide a world-class workforce
to build high tech industries. IBEW apprentices complete
at least four-and-a-half years and a minimum of 8,000
hours of training to become journeyman wiremen in a program
that meets the standards of the U.S. Department of Labor.
IBEW electricians regularly continue their education at
the St. Louis Electrical Industry Training Center to be
ready to deliver the most efficient installations for
emergency technologies and innovations.
GOOD NEWS
-MIKE DEGER
We have landed a couple of substantial projects this
month. First, is the Hinsdale Hospital Bed Tower Addition with
Bulley and Andrews. This will be Block Electric's seventh major
hospital bed tower addition in the last five years, the most of
any contractor in the Chicagoland area. This job includes substantial
site work and infrastructure improvements and a new state of the
art bed tower.
Second, is the downtown Chicago Post Office at the John C. Kluczynski
Federal Building. This project with Charpie Construction involves
relighting the existing lobby level. The new fixtures will improve
energy efficiency by 50 percent. Also a state of the art lighting
control system that will control lighting in the entire building.
We also have a separate project with Berglund Construction to relight
the outdoor plaza areas.
TEAM WORK
In his autobiography, "Iacocca," Chrysler
Past-President Lee Iacocca relates the following story.
While at a private dinner with legendary football coach Vince Lombardi,
Iacocca asked Lombardi about his formula for success. The coach
replied, "You have to start by teaching the fundamentals. A
player's got to know the basics of the game and how to play his
position. Next, you've got to keep him in line. That's discipline.
The men have to play as a team, not as a bunch of individuals. There's
no room for prima donnas."
He continues, ". . . Then you come to the third ingredient:
if you're going to play together as a team, you've got to care for
one another. You've got to love each other. Each player has to be
thinking of the other guy and saying to himself: If I don't block
that man, Paul is going to get his legs broken. I have to do my
job well in order that he can do his."
What does this have to do with you and job safety? Plenty.
First, you must know how to perform your job. Be sure you understand
the equipment and your instructions. If you aren't sure, ask questions.
Remember, there's no such thing as dumb questions, only dumb mistakes.
Next, do the job as you are instructed. That's discipline. If you
don't do the job as instructed, do not get mad when your supervisor
corrects you. That's his job. Among other things he is trying to
keep you from getting hurt and keep you in line. Listen to him.
Don't make his job tougher than it already is.
Lastly, remember you are part of a team. There is no room for prima
donnas. The rules apply to you. Not only should the rules be followed
so that you don't get hurt, but your oversight may also hurt someone
else. Look out for the other guy. If he is doing something wrong,
point it out. He may not realize his error. Not only that, his error
may be a threat to you. Many of you who hear or read this work in
hazardous environments. An extra set of eyes and ears is a definite
advantage when you consider the number of ways you can get into
trouble.
Both of these men were very successful. Let's take advantage of
the insight they have offered.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2010-2011Block
Electric Scholarship Awards. A record number of applications were
received this year. Block Electric is pleased to be able to support
these fine students.
Nadine Arvesen, daughter of Mike and Sue Arvesen. Nadine will attend
Western Michigan University.
Nicholas Benninger, son of Mike and Katherine Benninger. Nicholas
will attend the University of Illinois at Chicago.
George Brauneis IV, son of George and Jill Brauneis. George will
attend Illinois State University.
Bridget Hughes, daughter of Jerry and Sharon Hughes. Bridget will
attend Western Michigan University.
Andrew Hughes, son of Jerry and Sharon Hughes. Andrew will attend
Indiana University.
Andre Morsy, son of Kathy Mota. Andre will attend DePaul University.
Alicia McCormick, daughter of Larry and Gina McCormick. Alicia will
attend Eureka College.
Stephanie McCormick, daughter of Jim and Rhonda McCormick. Stephanie
will attend Illinois State University.
Brittany Phee, daughter of Pat and Shelley Phee. Brittany will attend
Eastern Illinois University.
Kathryn Vignocchi, daughter of Joe Vignocchi. Kathryn will attend
the University of Illinois at Urbana.
BIRTHDAYS

Matt Crutchfield 07/05
Keith Larmon 07/09
Ramon Gonzalez 07/09
Joe Vignocchi 07/10
Lucas Simpson 07/24
Gary Besenhofer 07/25
Jim Turk 07/25
Chris McCormick 07/25
Ron Stefaniak 07/28
Phil Casto 07/29
Tim Vanderhyden 07/29
Melissa Lorek 07/29
Adam Ciancanelli 07/30
Dave Scott 07/31
PATRIOTIC PLACES
30- Number of places nationwide with "liberty"
in their name. The most populous one is Liberty,
Missouri (26,232). Iowa has more of these places than any other
state: four (Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty).
Eleven places have "independence" in their name. The most
populous of these is Independence, Missouri, with 113,288 residents.
Five places adopted the name "freedom." Freedom, California,
with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these.
There is one place named "patriot" - Patriot, Indiana,
with a population of 202. And what could be more fitting than spending
the day in a place called "America"? There are five such
places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork,
Utah, with 21,941 residents.
"Eat your barbecue, it's
good for you!
In what may be the best diet-related health news
of all time (at least until scientists discover that beer makes
you live forever), a study at the University of Ontario has found
antioxidants which can boost the body's immune system are present
in the herbs and spices used for . . . barbecue sauce.
The research team analyzed seven different popular sauces and marinades
available at supermarkets.
The sauces contained herbs and spices as primary ingredients, and
included such varieties and flavors as jerk sauce, garlic and herb,
roasted red pepper, sesame ginger teriyaki, and others. Cooking
reduces the antioxidant effect by about 50 percent, but even after
barbecuing, the sauces still contain "significant" levels
of antioxidants.
Fire up the grill and get healthy.
HAPPY FOURTH
Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially
during the Fourth of July and year end celebrations. Remember, fireworks
can be dangerous, causing serious burn and eye injuries. You can
prevent fireworks-related injuries and deaths. How? By working with
a national, state or local organization where you live to promote
fireworks safety in your community.
Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!
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