Brothers and Sisters, I am blessed to be able to address the members of IBEW Local 69 and the world with IBEW Local 69 business in this August Craftsman Article. I hope all are well! The coming months are important times for workers. The elections are approaching, hold it don’t stop reading. I want to encourage all IBEW members to vote in the upcoming elections and vote for the candidate that best represents you in the workplace. California as well as many other states pass progressive labor laws because the people of those states vote for their job first. The catch is after figuring out to vote for your job it’s getting people motivated to go vote! Life is busy, but we are talking about our working conditions.
In the month of August, WFAA-TV /Tegna and IBEW Local 69 were successful at reaching agreement on a salary increase of 1.5% for all bargaining unit employees with a merit component. Thank you Paulette and all the bargaining unit members at Channel 8 for all you do.
IBEW Local 69 contacted a Federal Mediator to see if FOX-TV is interested in becoming engaged in contract mediations to explore possibilities how we may reach a contract agreement. We await a response. Up to now FOX has been unreasonable wanting the Union to forfeit job protections by conceding Job Jurisdictions so Management can perform the work or put more work on non-bargaining unit employees.
IBEW Local 69 and Oncor Electric Delivery were in court on August 22, 2018, at the NLRB in Ft. Worth, Texas, regarding the Company not supplying the Union with information needed to process grievances affectively. We wait on the legal system for a decision. Local 69 and Oncor are scheduled for a quarterly meeting on August 28th to discuss the number of employees or the lack of employees and safety. We will discuss “open enrollment”; don’t forget to enroll. Oncor Electric Delivery has offered IBEW Local 69 members contract options this year. The Company will extend the provisions of the current Labor Agreement for one, two, or three years with a 3% pay increase each year. If the Company’s offer of a one, two, or three year contract extension with a three percent wage increase for each year is unacceptable the Union and Company will begin contract negotiations. IBEW Local 69 leadership will be coming to a place near you in the very near future to discuss and vote on the Company’s offer.
Until next time may God bless you and your family our local union and the United States of America.
Fraternally yours,
Bobby W. Reed