Wishing You All A Prosperous 2020

Sisters and brothers,

With your help, 2019 proved to be a beneficial year. Negotiations for an Inside Wireman’s, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Residential and 9th District Sound and Communications Agreement provided substantial increases for those classifications. The work picture is still robust, and 2020 looks to be another banner year. We still have unfilled calls daily which is good and bad. Good because this means a great opportunity for work and economic prosperity for our members. Bad, because the contractors start losing confidence on the Local Union’s ability to provide skilled and trained workers. They stop bidding jobs which will greatly affect our future. For this reason, travel letters still will not be issued. I know some of you are upset as you may want to or have been working out of town for some time. However, my charge is to protect and further the jurisdiction of IBEW Local 11, Los Angeles County. We need to fill all requests for manpower and continue to provide the best workers.

Construction Electricians and Construction Wireman will see contract negotiations start next year. We hope to gain comparable increases to continue your career. I trust most of you have been contacted by Jaime Sanchez, your representative, to get you all on track to progress through this classification. Remember, this is a viable path to Journeyman Wireman status which requires you receive the training and on the job experience to earn that title.

On that note, please continue taking classes to update your skills. This will increase your worth and help keep you gainfully employed. We also continue to have contract language which requires certificates for all bidders to guarantee proficient installations. You should have already received a list of classes and stipends to entice members to acquire these skills and certifications. Of special consideration is the Industrial Skills Orientation Course. This is to prepare you for the work we’ve gained in the refineries. With shutdowns, turnarounds and continued maintenance, the shortage of skilled electricians makes this a lucrative endeavor. NFPA 70E is another class critical to the electrician to take and certify.

Convention Center calls are another area in which we have not been able to fulfill manpower requests. The last auto show saw the contractor hire 40 workers off the street just to complete the tear down and move out. Starting with the new year, you will see a separate out of work book for Trade Shows to try and alleviate this problem. We are also meeting with the contractors to develop an MOU which was agreed by the parties to negotiate in the recent Inside Wireman’s Agreement.

In closing, I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday season with family and friends and a prosperous new year.

In Solidarity,

Joel Barton
IBEW 11 Business Manager

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