SIERRA PACIFIC POWER CO/NV ENERGY
Since emails have been sent out to
members reminding them of unit
meetings, attendance has been good.
Attendance should stay strong as proposals must be presented in
writing, seconded, and voted on
by the membership at the unit
meetings during the months of April and May.
Invitations have been sent out to approximately 37 shop stewards to
attend a meeting on January 28,2009
to discuss bargaining strategies
for the upcoming negotiations.
Sierra has implemented HR
125–Employee Safety–which will administer mandatory
discipline of two days off without pay for any safety violation. IBEW has notified Sierra that
it does not agree with this policy.
Sierra has also implemented
a Fleet Maintenance Harassment Policy which states that
anyone harassing a manager, co-worker or cu
stomer will be terminated. Again IBEW has
notified Sierra that is does not agree with this policy.
Still having trouble getting grievances to the
review committee as Sierra continues to drag
its feet.
TRUCKEE MEADOWS WATER AUTHORITY
Attendance has been good due to accepting
proposals for up coming negotiations. The
Servicemen vehicle arbitration set for
December was rescheduled for April.
CITY OF FERNLEY
The old City Manager is out and the City
Council appointed an interim City Manager.
Contract negotiations
starting early 2009.
IBEW 1245 won an appeal in Federal Court to compel the City to arbitrate with an employee
who was terminated in 2006.
Another terminated employee has an arbitration date set for May 2009.
MT WHEELER POWER
Employees voted unanimously on a 3-year contract with a 4% general wage increase per year, double-time for all call-outs Friday through Monday, and an additional vacation day per year for all employees.
WELLS REC
Employees voted 10-4 on a 3-year
contract with a 4% general wage increase per year. All
call-outs will be double-time, plus increased standby pay, and in
creased vacation for
employees with over 20 years, up to 30 day per year.
GENERAL NEWS
The White Pine Energy Station near Ely, Nevada, which will be a coal-burning power plantproducing 1590 megawatts of power, has gotten the endorsement of Representative Dean Heller.
Representative Heller is urging Governor Jim Gibbons to quickly approve those needed air quality permits so construction can start.
Opponents to the coal-burning power plants include U. S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Bristlecone Alliance, Sierra Club, Center
for Biological Diversity, Nevada Wildlife
Federation, Utah Physicians for a Health
Environment, Western
Resource Advocates,
Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Earth Justice, and others.
NV Energy plans to build a 1500 megawatt coal-burning project near Ely, Nevada.
The Northern Nevada Central Labor Council reported that they have about 30%
unemployment on their books as
of December 2008. Nevada’s
unemployment rate was over
8% as of December 2008.