Workers’ wives testify about “emergency response”

Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors meeting

IBEW Local 1245 members at Turlock Irrigation District showed up in numbers at the June 12 TID Board of Directors meeting in the face of contentious negotiations and regressive bargaining practices by the District’s negotiating committee.

The whole unit showed solidarity in submitting requests to use personal time to attend the meeting. Close to 90% of the requests were denied by the District.

The District’s Board was presented with many concerns over the current negotiations between Local 1245 and the District. The Board was addressed separately by Local 1245 Assistant Business Manager Ray Thomas and the wives of TID’s Journeymen Linemen, Troubleshooters, and Line Supervisors.

Thomas explained that after numerous meetings with the members of the Unit he was very certain that an agreement could not be ratified if the District’s negotiating committee continued to pursue its proposals concerning emergency response premiums and changes to the days and hours of work.

The wives joined together side by side and informed the Board of the many sacrifices their families have made over the years. They described the countless times their husbands responded to emergency callouts and the dangers they were exposed to every time they responded.

They sent a clear message that if the District was no longer willing to compensate with an emergency response premium then they would no longer be able to support their husbands in responding to emergency callouts.

Testimony: “Put yourself in their boots”

Testimony: “Members’ time and sacrifices are not valued”

Testimony: “These men are specialists”