FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER

International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers
LOCAL UNION 1249
NEWS
YEARS
Volume No. 27 No.2
www.IBEW1249.org
6518 Fremont Rd. • East Syracuse, NY 13057
SUMMER 2016
FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER
Over the years line work has fluctuated back
and forth from spotty work to an abundant
amount of work. For the last 15 years we have
had an enormous amount of work - so much that
the Local has had to run multiple apprentice
boot camps to keep up with the demand. Now
that the work has slowed down many of you are
questioning why is it that the Local has so many
apprentices.
That’s a good question and I’m glad you came
to me with it. My answer is this; I ask you when the work picks back up, and work in the
other parts of the country is going strong, who
will man our jurisdiction? Will our Journeymen
come back home to man a 4-10 distribution job
when they are working 6-10’s with per-diem?
Will the customer understand that we are not
prepared, even though we tell them constantly
that we have a skilled work force ready to go?
Will our Signatory Contractors understand
when they are awarded jobs and they call for
skilled man power and we tell them, I’m sorry
but we can’t fill that job at this time? I know the
work has been very good and there has been
many opportunities for our members to be relatively close to their homes, but we all made a
commitment to man our jurisdiction.
The beauty of being part of the IBEW is that we
as members have the ability to work in any part
of the country when work is slow, or you as an
individual wants to seek out high lines, or whatever suits your needs. We must never forget this
is the career we chose, a career that can’t be
outsourced, a career that gives us a sense of
worth and pride. Many times in our lives we
come to a crossroad, do we take the straight and
less bumpy or do we take the road less likely
taken?
We, as IBEW members, have taken the path less
likely taken with uncertainties, sacrifices, and
risks. We do this because of all of the benefits
that come along with being part of the IBEW.
Time and time again we hear another plant is
shutting down and moving headquarters out of
the country, and many Americans are losing
their jobs. Point being, yes work has slowed
down but it wasn’t outsourced to Mexico, and
when the Utility’s start putting work out we
have a skilled work force ready to answer the
call. As always, my door is open for questions
or concerns. Please be safe this summer, and
with any luck work will start to pick up soon.
Please, say a prayer to keep all our members,
their families, our service men and women, and
their families safe.
Fraternally,
Mark S. Lawrence
IBEW Journeyman Lineman D938633
Business Manager/ Financial Secretary
BA CHAPTER NEWS
I.B.E.W. Local Union 1249 News
6518 Fremont Road
East Syracuse, New York 13057
(315) 656-7253 Ext. 4
Mark S. Lawrence
Editor
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN
of EXECUTIVE BOARD
David J. Beatty
VICE PRESIDENT
Henry Westbrook, III
RECORDING SECRETARY
Ryan A. Youngman
TREASURER
David T. Burnett
BUSINESS MANAGER &
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Mark S. Lawrence
We are starting off the spring with a very busy schedule for all of our
contractors. There is a lot of work, and more is being awarded in June.
NYSEG let out an extra 500 miles of distribution, and National Grid is
letting out Emerald Ash Bore projects. I recently was in Massachusetts
and could not believe how much damage the Ash Bore has done. It’s
going to be a very busy year!
Please remember that it is the members’ responsibility to keep their DUES
current- check your DUES receipt. Any change in classification or personal information; call the Hall or your Rep. This will keep your file
accurate, which is very important. If you are laid off, call the Hall or your
Rep to make sure you are on the referral list. Please continue in educating
the younger work force in Safety and Training.
If you need a JT test or a visit from your Rep, drop him a call. Some crews
are hard to find because they are always on the move.
Work Safe !
New Journeymen:
Jaflo
Andrew Swanson
William Maloy
Nelson Tree
Dan Durgan
Lewis Tree
Jeremy Ferguson
EXECUTIVE BOARD (6)
John M. Delmar
Timothy J. Dillon
David G. Jorgensen
Ray Van Husen
Gregory E. Palmer
Daniel R. Pollock
Ed Moreira Jr. - 315-427-2291 -- Central, East, Northeast
Henry Rose - 716-863-0205 -- West, Southwest
Todd Woodward - 607-434-1949 -- East, Southeast
Removing a Hanger
With Non-conductive Tools
All qualified line-clearance arborists must be
competent in the techniques used to
perform line clearance.
From Your Brothers and Sisters
of Local Union 1249 I.B.E.W.
Page 2
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016
Safety
Director’s Report
by Dan Pollock
Apprentices
Graduates
There are currently 105 Apprentices.
Graduates since last newsletter:
Apprenticeship & Training
We have to remember that apprentices cannot always read
your mind. Especially lower step apprentices. It is imperative
that you take the time to show them on the job, and show
them not only how to do it, but why they are doing it that way.
Teaching them a concept goes a long way in developing their
skills. We can’t just assume they know what needs to be done
next. If they are not sure what to do, then perhaps we need to
look at how we conduct our tailboards. That goes for anyone
including operators, groundmen and linemen. Guys, we
need to step up our games. The utilities are paying close
attention to everything we do. A key component is the skilled
portion of our labor. If we don’t train properly then we are
going to have less than adequate Linemen, and that will be
the end of our union. Do you want that? Think about that
next time you ignore the progress of your apprentices.
Think about that next time your apprentice doesn’t pick
things up right away, and instead of helping him you belittle
him. That is not what we are about. We cannot afford to
slack in the safety aspect of our job. It’s a major component
to selling Union Labor. We cannot be running around wild.
We have to take the time to do things properly. Adding that
extra piece of line hose, or moving that phase out of the way,
or whatever it may be. Show the apprentices how to do things
the safe way. Pay attention to their methods and help them.
Also keep in mind that when that apprentice goes to his next
job, they are going to represent your work too. If you don’t
train them it will show, and guys will ask; “who did you work
for?”
I remember when I was an apprentice, I had heard about how
Local 1249 Linemen were the best, and could go anyplace in
the country, and would be respected because our cards read
1249. Let’s keep up the work ethic and safety measures that
made us great. The future of Local 1249 depends on it.
Work Safe
Pat Cook
Justin Frink
Matt Huchro
Jeremy Kearns
Sam Lalonde
Jason Lee
Kurt Miller
Mike Pendorf
CDL Physicals
A reminder to everyone...
CDL physicals expire after two years.
Please check your card or contact this office
for more information or an appointment
315-656-8386 ext. 3
Call the EAP for the help you need.
1-800-252-4555 or 1-800-225-2527
www.theEAP.com
WDI
Workforce
Development
Instltute
Your Employee Assistance Program provides
you and your family with confidential professional
assistance to help resolve issues that are affecting your life or your work If you are facing family.
financial, stress, substance abuse or any other
personal problem, call the EAP. There is no cost
to you and all calls are confidential.
Employee Assistance
Program
MEMBER CARD
Confidential help for personal problems.
1-800-252-4555 or 1-800-225-2527
www.theEAP.com
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016
Page 3
Organizing
Staff
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The organizing staff is very proud to announce the
signing of Stilsing Electric from Rensselaer, NY.
Stilsing Electric was founded in 1957. They grew
over the years to a 27 employee shop in the outside
branch alone performing traffic signal and street
lighting in the Capital Region of NYS. Until signing with the IBEW, they were a major competitor to
our signatory contractors and our members… but
not anymore! They now are our brothers and sisters
which should be an honor to us all. Congratulations
Stilsing Electric!
Now with a little luck, and your help we can keep
the momentum going. There are two types of approaches when it comes to organizing. First is the
Top Down Approach. This is when we reach out to
the owner/owners of a company and talk about organizing. Second is the Bottom Up Approach. This is
when we talk to a company’s workforce about organizing. Generally we set a time frame for the first, if
that fails we move on to the second, but most of the
time it’s a little bit of both. Many of you have heard
of Power & Construction Group. This company resides in the Rochester, NY area. This contractor
performs all types of work (distribution, substations,
traffic signal, lighting, and teledata) that we consider to be ours. We have reached out to the owners
on several different occasions, but haven’t been
able to convince them that the IBEW is the right
choice. Therefore, we have started an organizing
campaign to approach their employees only. This is
when we ask all of you for your help. In order to
make this happen, it’ll take a joint effort by all. In
the near future we’ll be looking for volunteers to
help with our efforts.
Now let’s talk about POLITICS and where WE stand
in the political arena as an organization! We would
like to share one of the issues discussed at the 3rd
District Progress Meeting that was held in Philadelphia, PA. It has to do with the sovereignty of our
organization. We have touched on this topic before
and will continue to do so. There are states that have
become right to work very recently and the politicians that made this happen have their sights on us
and every other state that have unions with Collective Bargaining Agreements. This isn’t BS, it is fact.
If New York becomes a right to work state it will be
just a short time before you will see unions going
bankrupt; stripping them of pensions, medical insurance, prevailing wage, and “YOUR” right to collectively bargain. Is this what we want to see happen? Many people before us fought and died for
what so many of us take for granted today, and in our
opinion it would be a major disservice to them if we
allow this to happen. So please support those in
office, whether they’re on the left or right, who support labor.
The Organizing Staff.
Page 4
“ARC” News
Active Retirees Club
Hello all fellow Local 1249 Brothers and Sisters! The first item to report
is to remember once again Brother John Troyan Jr. for his Herculean
efforts to establish this retiree group within the guide lines of Local
1249. He had the support and guidance in his efforts from Business
Managers Mihok and Bishko. Thank you JT. 2016 has been very active
for “ARC” with more to come. Three events are history, with 3 more to
come. As mentioned in the 1249 spring newsletter, Florida was our 1st
stop and Chateauguay was our second with Ed Ryan and Tom Campbell
respectively handling these gatherings. Thank you again guys for your
efforts, and as always thanks to all in attendance. Our 3rd gathering was
the wonderful 75th anniversary gathering that Business Manager Mark
Lawrence and his staff put together in a splendid manner.
Referring now to the 75th, I’ll reference the handsome program booklet
and refer to page 19 where the active and retired members of Local 1249
are listed from page 19 to page 45. The 4th, 5th and 6th Brothers listed
are “ARC’ Members: Clayton Palmer Jr., initiated 09/01/1947, Thomas
Campbell, initiated 05/10/1948 and 94 years young James VanSplunder
initiated 06/19/1948, and they were in attendance. I was privileged to
share space with all 3 and shared a dinner table with Tom. Tom got
somewhat agitated when he was told the “Turning Stone Resort’” didn’t
sell scotch, his drink of choice for 70 years. Luckily that info was wrong!
That short incident reminded of the first forty years of Local 1249’s
existence when most of the members were working for two giant industries; the electrical transmission industry and whiskey and beer industries. Wow, they would do both day in and day out and it is both special
and interesting to reflect back to that working era - 1941-1981.
The year has another 6 months to go and your “ARC” club has 3 more
gathering possibilities left. The local 1249 annual clambake on August
6th is one, and I hope to see you there. On September 10th, a Saturday,
beginning at noon, at the Highland Park Golf Club in Auburn, NY.
Auburn is another early fact/fiction lore of Local 1249 because during
the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s it seem like 75% of the union’s work force were
from the Auburn vicinity. We should have a great crowd.
Local 1249 golfers take notice: efforts are being made to play some golf
prior to the September 10 gathering somewhere - if pieces fall into place
more info will follow. A gathering in Boonville is in the planning stages
for the fall with again more information to follow.
The “ARC” Club had a full page ad placed in the 75th Anniversary
brochure and it has the initials of “DT” in its drawing or Dick Thompson.
I worked with super pole buddies in my journey, and Dick was one of
them. Dick was one of those 1249 lineman who had other talents, as he
was an excellent water color painter, and I’m fortunate to have one.
Another incident was seeing Lynn Curtis at the 75th — Lynn was
initiated in 1971 but looks exactly the same as he did 45 years ago —
what the hell kind of water is he drinking?
Two more: thank you Lynda Troyan for your continued connection with
the club. You continue to be a vital link with your efforts and historical
information. Joseph Hamel, or better known as “Red”, thanks for coming
south of the border (Canada) as your 22 years and continued contribution of providing Birthday cards to all ARC members and other type
cards when known information is provided is unprecedented. I think the
“Red” may have at last faded over the years so I believe a new nickname
should be considered. How about — “HALLMARK II” —?
In Brotherhood & Friendship,
Bob Ward D179190 & D477000
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016
I.B.E.W.
Local 1249’s
Anniversary
Party
A big thank you to everyone that was able to attend Local 1249’s 75 th Anniversary
Party on June 4 th. We hope you had a good time. It was nice to see some of our
retirees and members. You can see more pictures on our website (ibew1249.org)
and on our facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/IBEW1249/ -- Thanks again!
more photos on page 6
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016
Page 5
I.B.E.W.
Local 1249’s
Anniversary
Party
Insurance Fund
With the arrival of summertime, quite a few members of IBEW Local 1249 will be out on the road on their motorcycles
to take advantage of the good weather. This note is a reminder to these riders that the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund
is NOT their carrier for medical insurance on their motorcycle insurance policy. The medical insurance coverage can be
purchased when the motorcycle insurance policy is taken out.
Under the rules of the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund Article XIII, Expenses Not Covered By the Plan #45 on page
108 of the Summary Plan Description states that NOTHING will be paid on “charges for injuries sustained as a result
of an accident or incident for which a payment is available under an insurance policy such as a No-Fault insurance
policy, even if you have failed to claim or apply for such coverage...”
This means that the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund will not pick up charges for medical bills as a result of a
motorcycle accident when that medical coverage could have or should have been purchased with the motorcycle
insurance policy.
Have Fun. Drive careful and buy the right motorcycle insurance.
Page 6
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016
IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund
IMPORTANT NOTICE
As people begin spending more time outdoors, the State Health Department is reminding everyone to take precautions to
prevent diseases that are transmitted by ticks. Ticks that can transmit Lyme disease can be found across the state.
Most cases of Lyme disease are contracted from the middle of May through July. That’s when deer tick populations are present.
The ticks are extremely small; usually about the size of a poppy seed. Their small size makes it easy for them to go undetected
for long periods of time.
But it is important to remove a tick as soon as you find it. Removing the tick’s body helps you avoid diseases the tick may pass
on, such as Lyme disease. Removing the tick’s head helps prevent an infection in the skin where it bit you.
An IBEW Local 1249 member would have a good chance of encountering ticks because of the nature of the work. THESE WORK
RELATED INCIDENTS WOULD BE COVERED BY THE WORKERS COMPENSATION LAW.
INSURANCE FUND
Coordination of Benefits
Up to the present time, the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund does not differentiate between family and single coverage. Other
employers do and they charge a larger premium for family coverage. Other employers of covered spouses are raising the
family rate in an effort to get people to drop their coverage. Many employers even give bonuses to participants to drop their
coverage. While members may think that the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund will pick up the spouses and dependents in
primary coverage if they drop the other coverage, the rules of the Local 1249 Insurance Fund DO NOT allow it. Members may
be costing themselves more when they drop the other coverage.
Please contact the Fund Office and go over this BEFORE you consider dropping other coverage. This is dealt with
in your Summary Plan Description in Coordination of Benefits.
Coordination of Benefits is dealt with in Article III Section 16 of the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund
Summary Plan Description. This is a series of rules agreed upon by the Insurance Commissioners of all 50
states and incorporated into the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund. This governs the way different insurance
plans deal with covered spouses and dependents having coverage in another plan. These rules determine the
portion of expenses that will be paid by each plan.
Under the Coordination of Benefits rules “in the case where a spouse makes a voluntary election out of their Employers Group
Plan, this Plan (Local 1249 Insurance Fund) will treat the spouse and eligible dependents as if they were covered by their
employers Plan”.
This means that the IBEW Local 1249 Insurance Fund will pay the benefits on the eligible spouse and dependents ONLY as
the SECONDARY COVERAGE, NEVER the primary.
NEW RETIREES I.B.E.W. LOCAL 1249 PENSION FUND
The following list of participants of the I.B.E.W. Local 1249 Pension Fund have been approved at the
Board of Trustees Meeting which was held on Thursday, April 5, 2016.
NAME OF PARTICIPANT
TYPE OF RETIREMENT
DATE OF RETIREMENT
Raymond A. Stevens
Disability
12/1/2014
William L. Moore
Disability
10/1/2014
Randy C. Strate
Disability
2/1/2016
Wesley D. Guthrie
Disability
12/1/2015
MCB
3/1/2016
Donna L. Hall
(widow of Philip E. Hall- deceased 2/24/2016)
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016
Page 7
Local 1249 Mixed Clambake Retiree Notice
The Local 1249 retirees are Local 1249’s guests at our Annual Mixed Clambake and we
welcome and encourage all of them to attend as we appreciate their association with Local
1249. Each retiree’s clambake ticket will be held for them at the front gate. Additional
tickets for guests of Retirees will be available for purchase at the gate. Looking forward to
seeing you there.
Local 1249 Union Meetings at the
Union Hall at 8:00 p.m.
In Memorium
Chapter
John Brigham
A
Frederick Connors
A
Howard Finch
A
Winston Hamilton
A
Roger Martin
A
James Oliver
A
George Pratt II
A
Daniel Trabucco
A
John Dickinson
BA
Philip Hall
BA
Initiated
9/30/53
5/11/64
12/05/46
7/24/58
7/7/57
7/31/53
6/15/03
9/27/58
8/03/79
11/01/77
Retired
1/1/95
2/1/95
7/1/88
1/1/96
7/1/92
6/1/89
*
6/1/13
7/1/06
8/1/98
* - Seperated member at time of death.
** AM - Active member at time of death.
Remembering Our Brothers Who Have Passed On
July 8, 2016 • August 5, 2016
September 9, 2016 • October 7, 2016
IBEW LOCAL 1249
Continuous Bake
1 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Music-Fun-Games
MIXED
Location:
From
Your
Brothers
and Sisters
Hinerwadel’s
Inc.
CLAMBAKE
of Local
Saturday, Aug. 6,
2016
Union
I.B.E.W.
5300 W.1249
Taft Rd,
N Syracuse
International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers
Local Union 1249
6518 Fremont Road
East Syracuse, N.Y. 13057-0277
Buy Union Made Goods & Services...
Page 8
IBEW LOCAL 1249 NEWS - Summer 2016