Solidarity is not just a word we use. It is an action we take every single day!
Vacaville – On a gorgeous Saturday morning, ninety IBEW 1245 organizing stewards gathered at the IBEW 1245 Union Hall to meet forty sisters and brothers from twenty-two Locals from across the IBEW’s 9th District to demonstrate the IBEW 1245 Organizing program at work!
“Thank you for coming to the 9th district,” declared IBEW 1245 Business Manager Bob Dean. “What you see here, is one hundred people who donated their time to help their brothers and sisters,” referring to the stewards who volunteered their time to join their counterparts from across the 9th District for the training.
Business Manager Bob Dean addressing Organizing Stewards & organizers from the 9th District
Sharing his story, Dean said, “I was born and raised by the law of the Union. My father was 1245. My mother was a communication worker. I’ve been here for 35 years, on staff for 20.
We are the biggest local in the IBEW. We are the second biggest construction union of any union in the nation. But none of that means anything without the men and women who stand up. When we go to Sacramento, they listen to me because we have 28,000 members behind us. When we go to the negotiating table, they know we are strong.”
He emphasized, “Our tent is big, but it only works if we are strong and united.”
Dean gave a special shout out to International Vice President Dave Reaves. Reaves, a 31-year organizer, journeyman lineman and proud third-generation member of IBEW 1547 came up in Alaska in construction and utilities. Reaves currently heads up the IBEW 9th District, supporting IBEW Locals across California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, N. Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii. It was his idea to hold the annual 9th District Organizing Training at IBEW 1245 to learn about 1245’s Organizing Program that has gained national recognition.
Brother Reaves thanked Bob Dean and 1245. “Thank you for allowing the 9th District to come into your training and for rolling out the red carpet,” he said, adding, “Thank you for everything you do. Bob and Rene [Cruz Martinez] have been pretty modest. Any time I pick up the phone and ask, 1245 is there, financially, workforce, and beyond.”
Reaves referenced the hard-fought Siemens campaign in which workers suffered a defeat, noting, “Siemens was round one. During the campaign, Siemens broke the International Framework Agreement we had.” But they did not break our spirit.
He ticked off campaigns around the country to which 1245 has dispatched teams of Organizing Stewards, including Baltimore Gas & Electric, Electrolux, and Alaska.
He noted that when IBEW 1245 needed help to defeat Q3 – legislation that threatened 1245’s Nevada members – Locals across the country reciprocated, sending in troops to successfully defeat the anti-union bill and protect members and the community.
1245 Business Manager Dean next welcomed Leroy Chincio. Brother Chincio is the Business Manager/Financial Secretary for IBEW Local 1260 in Hawaii, and a member of the IBEW International Executive Council. He shepherded his local through the devastating fires that ravaged Lahaina, Hawaii in August of 2023.
“It’s great to be here!” declared Chincio. “Make no mistake, I’m here to steal ideas. In Hawaii, we had Lahaina burn down. Bob [Dean] reached out to us and shared, ‘this is what you do in a fire.’ We were worried about our guys and putting out the fire. Bob gave us the roadmap. That’s the kind of help we got from 1245. … My proudest moment was when we got unsolicited donations from the IBEW without even asking. We had 12 members who lost homes… restoration is ongoing. It’s going to be a long road.”
The one hundred thirty organizers in the room engaged each other, shared campaign victories and challenges, and the methodology of building an organizing program, one conversation, one story, one campaign, win or lose, at a time.
Solidarity was a recurring theme.
Special guest speaker Volma Volcy, the Chief of Staff at the Sacramento Central Labor Council hailed IBEW 1245 for the years of campaign work and leadership development.
“Solidarity is not just a word we use. It’s an action we take every single day,” stressed Volcy.
He added, “This program allows you to be strong in your union and in your community, because your community is going to need you more than ever. … I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to the news … We now live in a new world. And in this new world, the only thing that matters is how strong you are as a Union. They are coming for you. They are coming for the Union. They’re coming for your ability to organize. They’re coming for your ability to feed your family. They are coming for your ability to take care of yourself.”
Organizer Charlotte Stevens led the room in a call to action – list five names, co-workers, you will reach out to and invite to get involved.
Assistant Business Manager Rene Cruz Martinez reinforced the message, saying it’s never been more important to participate and to build relationships grounded in the brotherhood and in solidarity. “As Bob Dean said this morning, if you remember one thing, remember we must come together and vote, participate and fight.”
Stewards broke into regional groups to map out activities to engage their co-workers and build participation, made more important than ever given that the Local has twenty sets of upcoming negotiations this year, including at IBEW 1245’s two largest signatory employers.
Senior Assistant Business Manager Al Fortier closed the session thanking the Stewards and our brothers and sisters from the 9th District.
Congratulations to all who participated.
-Eileen Purcell, Sr. Advisor; Photos by Chris Hardy
IBEW 1245 Organizing Team: Sr. Asst. Business Manager Al Fortier, Organizers Rick Thompson, Melissa Echeverria, Charlotte Stevens & Asst. Business Manager Rene Cruz Martinez
Organizing Steward Lucy Gonzalez
Table work.
Organizing stewards Tim Neal and Mona Garcia chart their table’s thoughts.
Organizing Steward Rita Weisshaar participates in a table discussion with other organizing stewards from Nevada.
IBEW organizers from throughout the 9th District report back on their table work.
Organizing Stewards who worked full time on the Siemens Campaign: Marina Iskorostenskyi, Luis Vega, ‘Q’ Thompson, Brenda Balcazar, Iyasha Davis, Kayela Jones, Rocio Gianelli, Lucy Gonzalez, Kim Kendrick, and Jesse Manipol.
Organizing Stewards Kayela Jones and Megan Harrold.
Guest Speaker Volma Volcy, Chief of Staff, Sacramento Central Labor Council
Organizing Steward & PG&E Negotiating Committee Member Kevin Krummes
Organizing Steward Veronica Rivera
Organizing Stewards Serena Moss and Ruth Bailey
IBEW LU 1260 Business Manager Leroy Chincio from Hawaii
IBEW LU 1260 Business Manager Leroy Chincio from Hawaii
IBEW 9th District International Vice President Dave Reaves