IBEW
LU 136 Birmingham, Al.
Latest up date, 5/28/2010:
The contract is signed and approved and is a "done" deal.
Great News: Due to the hard work and diligence of the IBEW members at Arab Electric Co-op along with IBEW Rep. Raymond Bodine and BM Jerry Keenum, a long term work stoppage was averted and a contract settled this past week. Thanks are also extended to the Arab community residents and customers for their support in our efforts. Brother "Big Bo" Bodine worked tirelessly to bring a resolution to this contract dispute.
USCO MANUFACTURING
Last time we reported on USCO/HUBBLE they were moving a new re-closer department into the Leeds. The department is here now and training is in progress. We are picking up new members there weekly.
COOSA VALLEY CO-OP
We have an agreement that was to come up November 1st, 2010 here. With the help of very good employees and a Management and Board of Directors that work hard to keep moral of the company up, we signed a new agreement March 5th, 2010, 7 months early. My hats off to the employees and management !!
U S PIPE
Sad to say this company is closing one of their facilities in Birmingham. So far some of the employees are being transferred to the Bessemer plant which we have an agreement with. Hope we can get a few more members here also.
Coosa Valley Co-op
I’d like to take a few minutes to tell a little story to brighten everyone’s
day. We were at Coosa Valley Co-op March 5,2010 to sign a new agreement with the company and were invited to an employee appreciation dinner. There was this cool little man 4 years old running around there and was actually the guest of the dinner.
His name is Briggs Britt. He was born with a condition called Myelomeningocele (Spine Bifida). The parents, Keith and Leigh Britt were telling the story as what to do for Briggs. His condition was found to be almost untreatable until they heard of a Dr. John W. McDonald in Baltimore. Briggs was carried there where the surgery was a success. When the employees found this out they along with the co-op made up over $30,000.00 to help pay the way for the surgery.
John Gaither , grandfather of Briggs, retired from Coosa Valley a few years ago and most of the employees there didn’t even work with James but they pitched in and help make this prayer be answered.
Moral of the story:
With the help of all the employees and Management of Coosa Valley, and the help of God, anything is possible !!
THIS IS BRIGGS BRITT
Below are a couple of group photos of employees @ Coosa Valley Electric Co-op
Business Manager Jerry Keenum presented an IBEW wristwatch to Coosa Valley Co-op General Manager Leland Fuller in appreciation for his hard work and efforts in providing a safe and worker friendly atmosphere.
ARAB ELECTRIC CO-OP NEWS
As of November 30, 2009 we are working under the old agreement due to the fact we still have not reached an agreement. We are very close at this time and hopefully will have one soon. The major hold up on a new agreement is health insurance. Of course the company is claiming the economy is holding the raise and the insurance. As we all know, we are in tough times, so with a lot of work and a little luck, maybe soon we can have an agreement with AEC. At AEC we have around 16 members and trying to get more. At AEC they sell electricity to the public. They have around 15,000 customers and serve 3 counties.
USCO MANUFACTURING NEWS
USCO has been sold to Hubble/Anderson. So far it appears the change is working and it continues to grow. At this plant, they build high voltage switches. We have around 40 members there and are getting more monthly. Hubble in moving a new Recloser department from Missouri to Trussville instead of Mexico. With this coming here we will have more jobs and more members in the future.
Also work has been awarded to a union contractor to wire the new recloser building. After the contractor worked a few days, Hubble recognized their good work and awarded them additional work.
Raymond Bodine reporting.
