Competing against local unions nationwide, the Utility Reporter captured a half dozen first place awards in the 2009 Labor Media Contest sponsored by the International Labor Communications Association. The awards were presented in September at the ILCA biennial convention in Pittsburgh, PA.
“Water War: Members at TMWA Defeat Takeover” by Communications Director Eric Wolfe told the story of the mobilization by Local 1245 members at Truckee Meadow Water Authority to defeat a proposed sale of the agency’s assets. The story won first place for best news story and was also awarded the Saul Miller Award for best Political Action Story. The story appeared in the September-October issue.
“Mighty Movers”, a photo essay on a SMUD transmission job, won first place for Best Photo Essay. Members at SMUD contributed photos of the job; Eric Wolfe contributed photos of the crew. The photos appeared in the March-April 2008 issue.
“Electricity Generation, in Kilowatt-Hours (kWh), per 10-cent Investment” by contract graphic artist Kathy Kifer won first place for Best Informational Graphic. It appeared in the January-February 2008 issue.
“Nuclear Revisited,” the third installment in the Utility Reporter series on Global Warming, Electric Power and IBEW Local 1245, won first place for Best Analysis. “Nuclear Revisited”, together with“Catching the Wind,” the fourth installment in the series, was awarded first place for Best Series of Articles. Both were written by Eric Wolfe.
“Working on the Riser,” a photograph by Eric Wolfe, won Third Place for best photograph.