IBEW Local 490 - News

Election Results

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:12:10 -0400

                                             Local Union 490, I.B.E.W.
                                                     Election Results

Office of President

Golf Tournament

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:43:27 -0400

IBEW Local #490 and
Boston Chapter of NECA
14th Annual Golf Tournament

IBEW Local #490 and the Boston Chapter of NECA/New Hampshire Division are hosting their 14th Annual Golf Tournament at “The Links at Outlook” Golf Course in South Berwick, Maine on Saturday September 6th, 2008 at 7:00 am.

We are seeking hole sponsors for this event. The cost to sponsor a hole is $250.00. If your company is interested, please make a check payable to Local Union #490 IBEW/NECA Golf Tournament, and send to:

Ken Gowen Benefit Golf Tournament

Tue, 27 May 2008 08:53:03 -0400

IBEW Local 104 and IBEW Local 490 are hosting the Ken Gowen Benefit Golf Tournament at The Rochester Country Club in Rochester, NH on Friday July 18th 2008 at 8:00 am.

Ken Gowen is a retired member of IBEW Local 490 and an honorary lifetime member of IBEW Local 104. He worked for 30 years with Local 490 and was an active member of the E-Board. He along with many other members of Local 104 responded to Hurricane Katrina to help restore power in this devastated area. Six months ago Ken slipped and fell at his house and suffered a severe spinal cord injury. He spent nearly 3 ½ months in the hospital recovering from his injury and endured many set backs along the way. He is now home and continuing with both physical and occupational therapy for however long it takes to reach the best possible recovery.

Nominations

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:28:00 -0400

A Message from the President
Re: May 1, 2008 Notified Union Meeting:-Disbursement ($0.50 increase for 6-1-08)-Nominations for LU Officers

Hello members. It’s that time of year again! Spring is near, and so is our next wage/benefit disbursement.

Training Facility

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:25:02 -0400

We are nearing the completion of our brand new training facility and with it we will begin a new chapter in the history of L.U. 490. Our National Joint Apprenticeship Training Council in Tennessee is the leader in acquiring the latest training curriculum for all the Local Unions of the IBEW. This curriculum includes our already superior apprenticeship program, supervisor training, PLC, instrumentation and the most up to date Alternative Energy Training. Our apprentices will now have opportunities to take the theory that they learn in the classroom and apply it to on site practical training, the link that has been missing since the inception of our training program. Our journeymen will now have opportunities never before available. These skills acquired will give our mechanics an advantage over our competition as we lead the way in advanced electrical education. Our office staff will also have a valuable tool now to work with. Imagine a non-union contractor who struggles with unqualified help day in and day out, touring our facility, knowing that by signing with us will give him access to the best trained electrical work force the State of N.H. has to offer. We have also recently obtained a training grant from the state Workforce Opportunity Council that will financially assist us in installing a train the trainer photovoltaic (solar) power system. This system, along with the training, will be available to our people. This will also bring interest and open doors to our future potential clients. This is definitely an exciting time for all of us and we have all sacrificed greatly to make this a reality. Without the overwhelming support of our membership progress can not happen. Plans are being made for a ribbon cutting ceremony. I hope you all will attend and support our future.Fraternally Yours

L.U. 490 J.A.T.C. Expansion

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:49:57 -0500

REWIRED: Check out the article in the Concord Monitor about your training center.

Code Update 2008

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:16:02 -0500

Local 490 IBEW
2008 Update!!!
National Electrical Code
15 Hour Presentation

Dates & Times:

02/09/08 Saturday       7:00am to 3:30pm
02/16/08 Saturday       7:00am to 3:30pm

03/08/08 Saturday       7:00am to 3:30pm
03/15/08 Saturday       7:00am to 3:30pm

04/12/08 Saturday       7:00am to 3:30pm
04/19/08 Saturday       7:00am to 3:30pm

Place: 48 Airport Rd. Concord, N.H.

Meeting Dates

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:46:29 -0400

10/11/2007

To All Brothers & Sisters:

Please be advised of the following important meeting dates for the month of
November all to be held at our Union Hall at
48 Airport Rd. Concord NH 03301.

JFK RFK Awards Reception

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:38:08 -0400

First Annual
John & Robert F. Kennedy Awards Reception
Presented by: Merrimack County Democrats
It is with great pride that the N.H. Young Democrats and the Merrimack County Democrats announce the First Annual NHYD John and Robert F. Kennedy Awards Reception to be held at 5:00pm on Friday, October26, 2007 at the IBEW Hall, 48 Airport Road in Concord, NH.

ALSC

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:54:31 -0400

The ALSC (American Labor Studies Center) has a booklet published by the N.Y. State AFL-CIO. This booklet is entitled Labor’s Untold Story by Paul F. Cole. It is filled with interesting facts and observation. Here is an excerpt I would like to share with you.
“From December 1993 to January 2001, Americans’ feelings toward labor unions went from a 35% positive to a 41% positive rating while negative feelings declined from 34% to 24 % according to a poll by Hart Research. While the net positives increased for all categories, there were significant differences among groups. Overall approval of labor unions went up from 55% to 60% from August 1981 to January 2001 while disapproval declined from 35% to 25 %.According to the same research, Americans said that their chief sources of knowledge about labor unions were personal experience (37%), people in unions (26%) and the media (25%). Significantly, learning about unions in school was not even mentioned. Of all adults, 46% said they knew a fair amount or a great deal about unions while 54% said they knew just a little or did not know much about unions. Among adults neutral to unions, only 24% were in the former category while 76% were in the latter. Thus, three out of four Americans who don’t have strong opinions about unions know little or virtually nothing about them.” Denis Beaudoin

Nonunion Electricians

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:51:45 -0400

The more work we have the simpler it is to organize. There are many nonunion electricians who would love to join the union. A 2006 poll finds that, given a choice between a union and no representation at all, 80 percent of nonunion workers would vote for a trade union. And 90 percent of unionized workers would vote to keep their union, contrary to what we might read, written by our competition. Some of these men are good electricians and deserve what we have to offer. Our membership needs to continue to grow in order to survive us. It's very important we keep in mind - if we do not believe in organizing we do not believe in the IBEW. Lets keep up the good work in spreading the word of GOOD Wages and Benefits. Joe Howard

Medicare Eligible Retirees

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:49:01 -0400

Attention Medicare Eligible Retirees: If you did not receive a notice from New England Electrical Workers yet, please be advised that effective 6/1/07, the rates will change. If you are on Medicare, your rate will be $50.00 per month per person.
Annuity Changes: Effective July 1, 2007, the Annuity Fund will change from a Money Purchase Pension Plan to a Profit Sharing Plan. One of the changes will be a hardship distribution. However, the reason for the withdrawal of funds must satisfy the conditions set by the IRS, and the amount that can be withdrawn only applies to the money contributed after the Plan changed to a Profit Sharing Plan (July, 2007). We will be planning an information meeting later this summer or early fall.
Kathy Smith

Training

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:43:37 -0400

There are currently four members signed up for OSHA-10 and in order to be more cost effective I would like to have at least three more. Please let me know if I can add your name to the list.Looking to the future with regards to specialized training I would like to ask anyone who is a welder or has experience welding to please call me so I can record this information in your file.A reminder to all graduate apprentices that have not passed their state exam and have been out more than one year.You must attend 30 hrs of classroom instruction on changes in the 2005 code in order to renew your apprentice permit.

Workers Rights!!

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:33:34 -0400

Senator Sununu’s article in the NH Union Leader U.S. workers right to a secret ballot must be protected 6/21/07 further proves the points that a. Senator Sununu has never worked in an environment were he has had to answer to an employer and he thinks when real wages are down in his State he must be doing a good job. The senator emphasizes in his article that big labor is trying to pass legislation that makes it easier for employees to form unions in their work place by stripping the secret ballot process that is currently in place. That by doing this labor is acting un-American and trying to strip Americans of their democracy. Senator Sununu also mentions the declining membership of unions in his article insinuating that employees are losing interest or refuse to join unions.

Notified Meeting

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:22:12 -0400

Work continues to be slow. Many of our members are working out of state. Be sure to check with us here at the hall for the latest information if you are considering traveling to another local.
I would like to give you an update on the progress of our training center. The apprenticeship committee along with the building committee have been meeting and working with both an architect and a building contractor in hopes of finalizing a construction plan that we can bring in front of the city for approval. Both groups have done much research on what the needs will be for the best possible electrical training for our apprentices in future years. I believe you will soon see the beginning of the next phase of local 490. Remember for every 1$ spent on education you get $4 in market share. An investment we cannot afford not to make!
Our current contract expires 6/1/07. I along with the executive board have been discussing possible options for our upcoming contract. It is very important that you show up at the next couple of union meetings and voice your opinion.
The April meeting will be a notified meeting.