FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER

Happy New Year Local 44 members!  Here’s wishing you and yours a safe, healthy and prosperous 2021.  I am optimistic that with an approved and hopefully effective vaccine on the horizon, our society will persevere through this pandemic and we all can start living our lives in the new normal.  In the meantime, please continue to be considerate of people and wear a mask while maintaining appropriate social distancing practices.  Choosing to practice unselfishness and respect for others well-being is always a good choice pandemic or not.  Be your Brother’s and Sister’s keeper on the job and away from it too.

Here are a few recent happenings going on around your Union Hall.  We completed successful negotiation sessions with Asplundh Tree Expert and ELM Locating.  And, as of this writing, the Hall is actively negotiating with Beartooth Electric Cooperative.  We expect a fair resolution soon and believe it is going in the right direction.  Triangle Telephone Communications are ongoing as well with a hopeful agreement real soon as we continue to finalize those discussions.  I would like to ask all members of these companies to join me in thanking those individuals who spent countless hours negotiating on their behalf.  Your coworkers have everyone’s best interests at heart and simply do the very best they possibly can in order to improve contract conditions.  We always welcome constructive criticism and earned pats on the back too.  However, keep in mind, the goal and intent are to achieve a fair prosperous contract.  The process is very time consuming and arduous, in most instances, but definitely rewarding in the end.  I have witnessed the commitment and dedication your negotiators put forth, and I personally want to extend my sincere gratitude to each of you.  Thank you!

Other happenings worthy of mention, in January, are the upcoming negotiations with NorthWestern Energy on the Pipes and Wires side.  Negotiating team members have been established and with that please learn who that individual is and reach out with your topics of interest.  The Union will be sending out a questionnaire to each member so be on the lookout for that future mailing.  Please answer the questions and provide any pertinent feedback you feel is important, then return it to the Hall.  Our team is currently in the pre-planning and prioritizing stage.  One other important reminder is to please call the Union Hall at 406-723-3203 and update your contact information.  I am not trying to beat a dead horse with this directive (ok maybe I am) but it is imperative for us to be able to effectively communicate with all members.  I had the privilege to meet and talk to a couple different NWE groups in December and it was crystal clear that good communication is everybody’s desire.  In order for this to improve, it takes accurate contact info and a mutual commitment from all parties.  I can ensure you my intent is to raise that bar to a new level of excellence.  Please help us all get to that reality by doing your part.

In closing, Local 44 is in the process of establishing a Safety Committee.  If this is something you might be interested in taking part on, let myself or the Hall know.

I hope all Local 44 members have a great New Year and I look forward to seeing you soon.  Stay safe and be well.

In Brotherhood,

Scott Klungland

406-565-6839 Cell

406-723-3203 Office

sklungland@ibew44.org

MEMBERSHIP & EMPLOYER DEVELOPMENT

The Montana AFL-CIO has set up a rapid response program.  Some of the highlights when talking to your elected representatives.  Make the message personal.  How does this affect you, your family, your livelihood?  Contacting elected representatives; send emails, call, send letters to the editors.  There will be more information as the session moves along in the New Year.  On the left-hand side of the local web page (ibew44.org) is Montana Voter information that you can access.

Brotherhood is NOT a title… It’s a COMMITMENT!

Safety tip:  Fiskars Brands Recalls 16 Foot Pole Saw/Pruner Due to Laceration Hazard

Recall involves Fiskars 16-foot extendable pole saw/pruners with model numbers 9463, 9440 and 9441.  These pole saw/pruners are lawn and garden tools that extend from 7 feet to 16 feet and are used to cut high tree branches with either their pruner (for smaller branches) or their 15-inch hooked wood saw blade (for larger branches).
 

Fraternally, Dwight Rose                                              

406-459-3548   dwight@ibew44.org

JOURNEYMAN UPGRADES

Local 44 would like to congratulate the following members for achieving Journeyman status:

Luke Abernathey – Journeyman Lineman

Ross Collins – Journeyman Lineman

Taylor Goff – Journeyman Lineman

Nicholas Hindt – Journeyman Lineman

Zachary Hollingsworth - Journeyman Lineman

Tyler Hoopes - Journeyman Lineman

Chad Jackson - Journeyman Lineman

Tony McFarland - Journeyman Lineman

Canaan Stenek - Journeyman Lineman

Derek Valenzuela - Journeyman Lineman

Sawyer Wahl - Journeyman Lineman

Great job and best wishes for a great career!

RETIRED MEMBERS

Local 44 would like to congratulate the following members who have retired from the trade:

Brent Evans

Mathew Mahan

Alex McGillivray

Edward Ryan

Martin Simons

Best wishes for a long and happy retirement!

ROB BUHL’S OUTDOOR LIVIN

Happy New Year Brothers and Sisters!  The big game tally sheets are in!  The tally in Billings went something like this, lots of deer and elk, with a few good bulls (not mine).  I got a tasty antelope and we got two decent bucks, and I filled my freezer with tasty elk!  Some of us will still be shooting ducks and geese because that is what we do.  I heard about some excellent venison pastrami made by my uncle.  Next year maybe I’ll start off with a recipe page!  Now just enjoy elk and deer steaks, roast, salami or jerky you made the last couple of months.  Hope you all had a great hunting season and already are making plans for 2021!  Now I think it’s time to pull some hogs through the ice!  This winter is already good fishing.  Dry Fork is consistently handing out 8-10 pound northerns, Flathead Lake 3-4lb Lake Whitefish, these are worth the time if you are looking for smokers or canning.  The ice should now be pretty safe wherever you go, so let’s go!  Be safe have fun and go get-em!

Yours Truly, Rob Buhl your outdoor editor.

  (Editor’s note: Tasty is sportsmen’s lingo for hornless)

INTERNATIONAL LINEMAN’S MUSEUM

If any of our members or associates would like to donate line tools, wood hot-sticks, insulators, or pictures associated with our trade please notify or text me, Mike Glueckert at (406) 431-0376 or drop items off at the Local 44 Office.  These items will be held at the International Lineman’s Museum located in Shelby, North Carolina.  A truck from the museum will come to Montana in April to pick up my entire collection as I wish to donate for all Lineman and future generations to enjoy.  It will take some time to log and record items as they have personal and historical significance.  I am asking you the membership to help me with this drive simply because it’s the right thing to do, and I certainly can’t take these artifacts with me or you either!

The museum is a long ways from our state, but the board is looking for other premises and larger locations.  As for me personally the Lineman, all Lineman who paved our way, taught and struggled to give us all a better and safer life, needs a place in history.  The great Lineman who sacrificed their lives, who gave their all and built the awesome electrical infrastructure which we all enjoy today needs to be remembered and honored!

Thank you,

Mike Glueckert

IBEW Retired Member

IN MEMORIAM

Local 44 mourns the loss of the following members:

John Lind – Retired Journeyman Lineman – passed away 11/25/20

David McDonough – Journeyman Lineman – passed away 11/29/20

Stephen Hamblock – Retired Journeyman Lineman – passed away 12/8/20

Mark Pappert – Retired Journeyman Operator – passed away 12/8/20

Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of these Brothers.

JANUARY UNIT MEETINGS

We will be holding combined Unit Meetings, on video, for the month of January via the Zoom App.  You can easily access Zoom by downloading the app onto your home computer, laptop, iPad, tablet or cell phone.  Please see the schedule below and use the attached login info to access zoom and attend the meeting, per your Unit area.  The call-in number is (669) 900-9128 for all meetings.

Great Falls & Havre               Jan. 05, 2021               7:00 PM          ID – 99481599196

                                                                                                            Passcode – 361523

Billings & Lewistown            Jan. 07, 2021               7:00 PM          ID – 94648026417

                                                                                                            Passcode – 448524

Bozeman & Helena                Jan. 12, 2021               7:00 PM          ID – 93246384120

                                                                                                            Passcode – 031682

Butte & Missoula                   Jan. 14, 2021               7:00 PM          ID – 91937692208