California
Last quarter, there were quite a few crews that were barely working, and some crews were working a week on and week off due to the lack of work. This quarter, we saw a significant increase in work for our members, with many new projects helping to keep numbers moving on the books. In the Sierra Division, Dars Cox began civil work on a 26 mile underground project with C&C Utility doing the line side. Intren West began work on the Mega-bundle and tag work in the Highway 50 corridor, and H&M began Mega-bundle and tag work in the Interstate 80 corridor.
The North Valley Division saw MGE continuing work on the Oregon Trail Underground project, and tag work in the Redding area is being done by PAR.
The Humboldt Division now has Wilson as its new prime contractor, with plans for utilizing seven distribution crews. H&M is completing work on a 10k project around the north side of Clear Lake. PAR is continuing fire hardening in Potter Valley.
In late Sept, 1245 was informed that PG&E will be releasing 1,000 more poles to the contractors. There has also been word that PG&E will be releasing more New Business work to the contractors as well. We believe that even more work will be coming shortly. This news will be great news for those members currently waiting on the out-of-work books. There is also a potential of seeing more calls coming for the undergrounding work currently being performed by a variety of contractors.
The current up-tick in work has come with its own set of issues, most notably, members who taking calls but are failing to meet the stated show-up dates. The contractor’s and the Hall’s response to this has been to consider this attendance failure as a “quit” — thus requiring the member to re-sign the books in person.
The Fresno bi-monthly informational meetings continue to take place on the second Tuesday of every other month from 6pm to 8pm at Round Table Pizza at 5702 N. First St. A mass text reminder will be sent out the Monday before each meeting. Please make time to attend the meeting if you’re in the area.
Traffic Control: As with all lines of work to this point, our Traffic Control group has seen exponential growth in labor needs and hours. Contractors have started collaborating and working closer with each other, to ensure that our members can meet any needs that may arise. From Line Clearance Tree Trimming (LCTT) support to Construction, our members are showing up and keeping those crews safe.
Nevada
Greenlink West project has been awarded to T&D Power which is owned by MasTec. The plan is to start in the South at the Northwest Substation and work towards the North ending at Walker River Substation. The Walker River Substation sits on a 360-acre site. To date T & D Power with their sub-contractor R2 have placed 1,000,000 cubic yard of gravel on the lay down yard. There are 326 miles of 500 KV wire that needs to be installed and 4 Substations. The Harry Allen Substation will need to be modified along with 33 miles of 500 KV line going to the Northwest substation. The Walker River Substation sits on 360 acres that will have 500 KV, 345 KV and 230 KV lines. This project includes three IBEW jurisdictions (Locals 1245, 47 and 396), 1245 has taken the lead on dispatching all the manpower for the Greenlink West project. It has taken many hours of working with programmers at Working Systems and 1245 staff to achieve this goal. I want to say thank you to Assistant Business Manager Marsha Burnett for her vision and leadership on this multi-jurisdictional dispatch project. At the peak of the project, it is estimated to have 400 members working.
Outsource is finishing a 4KV conversion on NVE property that they started in early May of 24. Mountain Engineering is working on NVE property at Incline Village doing fire hardening work, and 100+ pole replacement on the rebuild of distribution system. Sturgeon was awarded and is currently working on fuse tamer replacement project on NVE property. The project started in Carson City area and then move to Reno and then east to Winnemucca and Elko.
Wasatch was awarded seversal bids: The Roundhill 1502 circuit and the Heybourne 1288 circuit (Distribution), 122 rebuild and the new build 1104 Line from Bordertown to Verdi. Both projects will last into 2025 (Transmission). OMAG #2 repairs (3 year contract). Wasatch continues to support NVE with supplemental dock crews and dock hands on NVE property. Wasatch completed OMAG #1 repairs, Mt. Rose 210 circuit distribution, and 113 transmission circuit during the second quarter.
Accidents / Focus Items
The third quarter of 2024 has been a highlight for showing what the members of the IBEW can accomplish. After a sluggish start to the year, our members have done a staggering amount of work for our utility customers across California and Nevada. At each step, IBEW members have been there, ready to safely produce a quality product.
With temperatures starting to cool off and the days becoming shorter, it is a good time to remind everyone of the upcoming changes in conditions. Fewer daylight hours mean more work occurring in low light conditions, specifically driving. Ensuring our walk-arounds and emergency equipment is on hand is critical in preparation. Daylight savings is on November 3, 2024, impacting not only on our selves but also those around us.
Driving conditions will also be changing. With rain being in short supply for most of our areas, the first rain always brings challenges. Roads, covered in oil from months of vehicle travel, become very slick when water is added in. This condition has led to multiple incidents, off hours, for members driving.
By our next report, snow will be in full force in some of our higher elevation areas. Staying prepared, with extra gear for cold weather conditions, could save someone around you, or your own life. Please be aware of these changes and prepare as best as you can.
Although we are very successful in performing the work, we struggle with getting to work. Driving continues to be the largest issue facing our membership every day. We perform this task more than any other, leading to complacency in performance. We must, collectively, remind each other of the risks associated with driving. Holding each other accountable for doing the right thing, every time, will help us all go home safely each night. Not only does the public depend on it, but your families also do.
Albeit difficult at times, we must also keep our brothers and sisters engaged. Asking the questions, and challenging the process when unsure, could help prevent a tragic accident. Assuming your crew knows all the hazards is very dangerous. We can all provide insight and views into potential issues on our job sites. Regardless of what your classification may be, your input is needed to make the job site as safe as possible.
Safety First
The Red Book Sub Committee has met twice in the last couple of months to finalize the proposed changes to the Red Book. Once the Sub Committee is finished, the proposed changes will have to be approved by the full committee.
The most recent Red Book Meeting took place on Sept. 17 at the Riverside JATC campus. Topics discussed varied, but primarily focused on a few common items.
Driving continues to be an ever-persistent issue. Cell phone use while driving has contributed to multiple incidents and injuries, in addition to following distances being much too close. Please take a moment to think about the impacts of your driving habits, whether it is speed, following distance, or cell phone usage. Put yourself in the public perspective: how would you feel if that truck driver was texting and rear-ended your family; or if that truck driver was tailgating you while you were taking your kid to tee-ball practice.
Another topic discussed was the inspection of digger derrick winch lines. This equipment is relied upon almost daily and is so often exposed to many different hazards daily. Moisture, UV rays, and minor nicks are very common occurrences. Take this as a reminder to thoroughly inspect these winch lines, on a regular basis. Not just a visual, but a true inspection, feeling the rope for any knots or bulges that are alarming.
Dispatch
IBEW 1245 dispatch office hours are 7am to 4pm and the last application will go out at 3:30pm. The dispatchers have returned to the dispatch office now that the remodel project is near completion. The improved dispatch lobby will aid in faster signing and processing of paperwork. When arriving at the union hall to sign or re-sign the books, members will be prompted to fill out a half-sheet of paper that includes name, email address and phone number. Please write clearly, as that is the only way to get your application to you. Information that is incorrect or illegible will delay the process. When uploading documents, please make sure you are sending us the most current and valid information. Please do not re-enter Dispatch until you receive an email to do so. If you have any questions, please call our main office number 707-452-2700.
Current Quarter Dispatch Numbers:
- 315 Apprentice Lineman calls
- 1333 Groundman calls
- 575 Traffic Helpers calls
- 467 Traffic Trainee # 1 calls
- 29 Traffic Trainee # 2 calls
- 154 Traffic Tech calls
- 554 Line EQ Man calls
- 96 Fab Tech calls
- 14 Cable Splicer calls
- 158 Sub Tech calls
- 1510 Journeyman Lineman calls
Total year-to-date calls for 2024 = 4397
We currently have 185 on the Lineman book 1 and 2, and 1203 on the Groundman books.
LaborPower Mobile App
IBEW Local 1245’s LaborPower app allows members to check their position on the books, update contact info, pay dues, and more. You can find it in the app store of your mobile device.
Examining Committee
The 1245 Examining Committee has changed their meeting date to the first Tuesday of every month starting at 5pm at the 1245 Hall in Vacaville. The committee continues to be extremely busy dealing with issues related to safety or other wrongdoings by workers in the local’s jurisdiction. This is not a good trend, and we as a membership must do better. IBEW 1245’s dispatch policies state that if a member is discharged due to any safety violation, they will be placed on a dispatch hold until they meet with the Examining Committee to determine follow-up actions if needed. Everyone needs to stay focused on safety and quality; there is no room in this industry to work unsafely or perform substandard work that can potentially lead to a safety issue.
Know the Rules
It’s important for all 1245 members as well as travelers to this Local to educate themselves on the rules and requirements of the IBEW Constitution, as well as Local agreements and safety rules for the areas you may be working in. Failure to understand these requirements could lead to charges filed for violations of these rules under Article XXV, Misconduct, Offenses and Penalties of the IBEW Constitution. Apprentice privileges continue to be suspended to journeymen who are involved in unsafe work practices while having an apprentice on their crew. These suspensions are shared across the country to every JATC, as well as every Outside Line local, and won’t be lifted until the Journeymen involved in the incident meet with the trustees of the JATC where the incident occurred. This affects the journeymen’s ability to work, as there are few jobs that don’t have apprentices. As a Journeyman Lineman, it is your responsibility to train and mentor apprentices for the future of this trade and make sure they are being taught correctly, with safety at the forefront. Keep this in mind whenever you have an apprentice working with you.
Cal-Nev JATC
Apprentice report as of Sept 25, 2024:
- 569 outside line apprentices & 9 substation Apprentices registered in the Cal/Nev JATC program
- 0 traveling Apprentices in Cal/Nev’s jurisdiction
For Outside Line:
- 222 apprentices working out of Local 1245
- 242 working out of Local 47
- 25 working out of Local 396
- 4 working out of Local 1260
- 2 working out of 769
- 20 unemployed
- 17 suspended, 13 on medical hold and 11 on a leave
For Substation:
- 7 Apprentices working out of 47
- 1 working out of 1245
- 44 apprentices graduated to Journeyman Lineman in 2024
- 0 new apprentices indentured in Outside Line in 2024
The Cal/Nev JATC typically opens up the lineman apprenticeship application process each spring, but with work being slow and 20 Apprentices not working, application will be delayed. If you’re considering applying, please review the Cal-Nev JATC requirements for applying at www.calnevjatc.org.
CPR & First Aid
CPR and First Aid classes are scheduled for the second Friday of every month at the Woodland and Riverside facilities. If you are interested and want to sign up for this class, visit www.calnevjatc.org. Click on the Web Services tab, then Class Schedule. If you do not already have a web account with the JATC, you will need to create one. Class availability is based on first-come, first-served basis.
Injured Workers Fund
The balance of the injured workers fund as of Aug 31, 2024 was $858,530.93. In the three months prior, the fund paid out $116,600.00 in disability payments. The Summary Plan Description (SPD) and Application can be found on the union’s website at https://ibew1245.com/ outside-line-injured-workers-fund/
New Organizing
The following contractors have organized with 1245 this quarter:
California Outside Line Construction Agreement:
- Directional Drilling WRKZ, Inc.
- One Call Energy Solutions
- PTS, Inc.
- Red Oak Welding
- Station Electric LLC
- Yancon Energy Services, Inc.
- L.K. Comstock National Transit
Street Light & Traffic Signal Agreement
- Earthbound Electric, Inc.
Gas Inspector Agreement
- Western Cherokee Wireless
- Corrosion Integrity
Line Clearance Tree Trimming Agreement
- Coleman Utility Forestry LLC