IBEW
Local 2150
IBEW 2150
Governmental Affairs Update
Prepared for the
IBEW & the Utility Workers Coalition
By: Forrest Ceel, President / Business
Representative
(262) 252 - 2552 ext.223
Email: fceel@ibewlocal2150.com
“ If you’re not at the table,
you’re probably on the menu. ” “ If you’re
not at the table, you’re probably on the menu.”
Visit ibewlocal2150.org for additional information on these and other union issues
CURRENT ISSUES:
Midwest Governor’s Association:
Local 2150 is participating in the MGA’s committee on
Renewables and Clean Coal technology. The first meeting was
held on May 19-20th in Indianapolis. In
attendance was representatives from Midwest states and Manitoba.
Wisconsin participants included PSC Commissioner Mark Meyer,
Clean Wisconsin, American Transmission Company, and IBEW Local
2150. Issues discussed will clearly impact transmission
construction and power plant construction. Local 2150 will
continue to act as a participant on this committee since we see
work opportunities for the utility, outside, inside, and
manufacturing branches. Next meeting is July 30th
in Michigan.
Oak Creek Units 5-8: The
PSC in early July approved emissions upgrades for the remaining
section of the Oak Creek Power Plant. These improvements
will add 15-20 years of life to the plant and will generate new
construction jobs while retaining the current O&M workforce.
The result will be cleaner air and continued reliable baseload
power generation. Labor impact: IBEW Utility &
Inside branches
Cassville Power Plant: Alliant
Energy has submitted its proposal to build 300 megawatts of
additional base-load power at their Cassville site. The
proposal includes burning coal and biofuels as the sources of
fuels. Opposition by some environmental groups is
coalescing in opposition to any new coal at all. A
successful effort by the Sierra Club in Kansas to stop a coal
plant has fueled the opposition in Wisconsin. Local 2150,
as a member of the Global Warming Task Force, continues to
advocate that coal needs to remain an option going into the first
decades of this century until both renewable power (likely wind),
carbon capture & sequestration, and a revival of nuclear
power takes hold. Local 2150 is working along with Local
965, 953 and the building trades to support Alliant’s
efforts to construct this plant. IBEW Impacts: Utility,
Inside, & Outside branches.
Wisconsin Wind Farm Projects:
All Wisconsin utilities are either building or buying power from
wind farms in Wisconsin and other Midwest states. Unions
must engage with their utility managements to ensure that
projects are constructed, operated, and maintained with union
labor. Failure to do so when the Global Warming Task Force
is likely to recommend expansion of renewables will likely result
in a loss of work for Wisconsin unionized workers. IBEW
Branch Impact: Inside, Outside, Utility &
Manufacturing.
Transmission Projects: Local
2150 members, along with members of Local 953 construct most of
the transmissions system in Wisconsin. On going efforts,
including the Access Initiative docket at the PSCW will likely
lead to construction of other needed transmission projects for
Wisconsin. For example, Local 2150 participated in grass routes
level analysis of the growing transmission needs to serve Dane
County. As a result of that process most stakeholders
(including the Citizens Utility Board) recognize the increased
need for access to power. Local opposition is still
prevalent when specific routes are announced (i.e. Dane County).
Local 2150 and other UWC members have joined a stakeholder group
to support needed Dane County improvements. ATC has
submitted an application to the PSC and the process for
consideration will take up to a year to be completed. IBEW
Branch Impact: Utility, Outside, & Manufacturing.
Governor Doyle’s Task Force on
Global Warming: Industry,
Environmental, and Labor organizations are represented on this
task force to determine if Wisconsin can become a leader on
mitigating global warming. Local 2150 is represented on
this task force that has meeting since May of 2007. The
electric generation area is a large contributor to carbon dioxide
levels in the atmosphere. Local 2150 serves on
the Electric Generation Workgroup and chaired the workgroup
considering the impact of global warming on low income citizens.
Key issues are the expansion of the Renewable Portfolio Standard
to 25% in 2025, a cap & trade system, and opening the door to
new nuclear. Their final draft report was approved on June
26th, 2008. Details are on the DNR website.
IBEW Branch Impact: Inside, Outside, Utility &
Manufacturing.
ONGOING:
Railroads Adverse Impact on Electric
Rates & Jobs: A lack of federal oversight
of our nations railroads has led to near dictatorial rate and
supply situations by many of the nations railroads. This
has led to higher shipping rates regarding coal shipments to
power plants. In Wisconsin this has concerned utilities,
business, consumer, and labor groups to form BadgerCURE
(Consumers United for Rail Equity). The coalition seeks to
break the stranglehold by railroads on coal shipments from the
western states that lead to higher electric rates. Higher
electric rates impact on Wisconsin’s economic development
that eventually impacts jobs, wages, and benefits of Wisconsin
workers. BadgerCURE is now lobbying the states
congressional delegation to seek legislative relief from
Washington that could lead to additional supply sources of coal.
Local 2150 has joined BadgerCURE in an effort to mitigate higher
energy prices in Wisconsin that could negatively impact jobs and
wages. Labor Impact: Wisconsin workers’
energy costs are negatively impacted by higher coal shipping
costs.
Healthy Wisconsin: While the
Healthy Wisconsin plan did not survive the Wisconsin budget
process, the proposal will live on as separate legislation during
this legislative session. With the expectation that the
Republican controlled Assembly will bow to anti-reform lobbying
interests, the plan will become a major campaign issue in the
2008 elections cycle. A recent proposal by a coalition of
national businesses recommends a plan that is similar to Healthy
Wisconsin regarding financing through a payroll method that would
be universal. The report was also critical of so called
health savings accounts as not being able to address the issues
on cost containment and universal coverage. Impact:
All residents and workers in the State of Wisconsin
Special Committee on Nuclear Power
& Resulting Legislation: Wisconsin State
Legislature has created an 18 members committee to discuss the
future of nuclear power in Wisconsin. Special focus was on
the moratorium on nuclear plant construction. Local 2150
was selected to serve on the committee along with legislators of
both parties, industry stakeholders, environmental groups,
consumer groups, and citizens at large. The Committee
toured the Point Beach Plant and the Yucca Mountain storage
facility. The Special Committee completed its work in January and
recommended that the moratorium should be repealed under AB 346.
Associated bills are AB 347 that requires the PSC to plan for
energy needs once current licensing expires and directs the PSC
to lobby for opening of a permanent storage facility as under AB
348. The Assembly passed AB 346 with the help of 7 Democrats that
realize the value of nuclear power to reduce emissions from
base-load sources. Labor Impact: IBEW Utility and
Inside branches and the Building Trades.
Utility Service & Maintenance
Rules (PSC 113): The Utility branch is
working through the Utility Workers Coalition to ensure
enforcement of rules that govern the operation and maintenance of
power plants, transmission, distribution, and call centers at
electric facilities in Wisconsin. A letter has been sent to the
Public Service Commission requesting action on these rules. Local
2150 has long advocated to We-Energies and to the PSC the need to
replace and/or maintain its fleet of substations throughout its
system. Gratefully, the PSC has allocated funding in the
recent We-Energies rate case directing substantial funding
towards substation replacement and maintenance. IBEW
Branch Impact: Inside, Outside, Utility.
Kentucky River Decision:
In the fall of 2006 the Bush appointed majority to the National
Labor Relations Board issued a decision stating that nurses who
hold titles that give them the authority to direct work may be
reclassified as supervisors and stripped of their rights to
belong to a union. The ramifications to the rest of the
union movement is unclear at this point, but it appears that over
70 years of labor law defining the difference of leads and
supervisors is threatened by this anti-union board. Concern
in utility industry is that titles like lead lineman, foreman,
and others that direct work on a day to day basis may loose their
rights to union representation. There are likely to be
years of rulings and court cases as American workers have their
rights to organize placed in jeopardy. Labor impact:
All American workers currently unionized in “lead”
positions and workers who may want to be represented.
PSC Dockets to Revise Natural Gas
Rules: The Utility branch, through the Utility
Workers Coalition, is working on both PSC 134 and 135 regarding
the state’s oversight of the natural gas industry. The
PSC has not yet put this issue on its agenda. The UWC plans
will continue to urge action on revising these rules. On
January 25th representatives from USW 2006 & IBEW
2150 met with the CUB and determined that a letter would be
drafted on behalf of the UWC to urge the PSC to open these
dockets. A meeting was held on April 25th with
Chairperson Dan Ebert and Commissioner Mark Meyer to review
status of potential docket with UWC delegates. IBEW Branch
Impact: Inside, Outside and Utility.
PUHCA/WUHCA: The Public
Utility Holding Company Act was passed during the 1930’s
“New Deal” era of Franklin Roosevelt when government
action to protect the public’s interest from huge corporate
interest was viewed as good citizenship. The legislation
put some parameters and restrictions on the urges to merge
electric utilities into large multi-state conglomerates with
little accountability. The Congress passed a Bush supported
Energy Bill in which PUCHA was repealed. Fortunately, IBEW
lobbying efforts helped place provisions in the bill that address
mergers, reliability, and utility industry skill shortages.
IBEW Utility Locals remain vigilant to any efforts to undermine
the Wisconsin version (WUHCA). A new concern is that the
WPS merger with Peoples Gas may raise issues regarding
WUHCA’s application regarding this interstate merger. IBEW
Branch Impact: Utility, Outside, Inside, and Manufacturing.
Apollo Alliance: This
coalition of labor, environmental, and community groups continues
to lay the groundwork for energy efficiency, renewable, and
conservation projects in Wisconsin. Manufacturing of high
efficiency equipment (for example: transformers at Waukesha
Electric by members of Local 2150) is being promoted as part of
the states energy and economic development policy. Good
jobs and a clean environment are mutual goals to attain. The
Apollo Alliance helped lobby the passage SB 459: the Energy Task
Force Bill. Local 2150 serves on the Wisconsin Apollo Steering
Committee. IBEW Branch Impact: Inside & Manufacturing.
ARCHIVED:
SEA: Strategic Energy Assessment:
Workforce Planning Issues. Refer to the SEA report from the
PSC that includes references to the UWC report on Workforce
Planning Issues. PSC seven year outlook for
assessing state’s energy needs. Would offer better
planning method for needed projects. The Utility Workers
Coalition has supported this effort to restore some semblance of
planning for Wisconsin’s energy needs. A priority for
our industry is succession planning for utilities to
ensure that there is a qualified workforce trained to staff the
utility industry. IBEW Utility & Construction locals
are working within the Utility Workers Coalition to spotlight
this issue in front of state government officials a
report compiled by the Utility Workers Coalition was presented to
representatives of the PSC in the spring of 2007. As a
result, three Workforce Roundtable meetings sponsored by the PSC
and the Department of Workforce Development have been held since
April with the goal of recruiting, hiring, and training new
energy workers for Wisconsin. Unfortunately, with little
support of the investor owned utilities (with the exception of
ATC), there is a reluctance to take action on what will be an
acute worker shortage within a few short years. Local 2304
included testimony on this issue in the MG&E rate case. Local
2150, through its membership in the Customers First! Coalition
met with the president of the state’s technical colleges to
update and ask for their leadership on training the next
generation of energy workers. IBEW Branch Impact: Utility,
Outside, Inside
Electrician’s Licensing is now
law in Wisconsin: Would increase safety of the general
public by having trained, tested, and licensed inside
electricians. This is an excellent opportunity for IBEW to be
seen as the source of safety and quality work. IBEW 2150
has been working with the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives
and the IBEW inside branch in the drafting of this bill. All
branches of the IBEW and Utility Workers Coalition reviewed the
bill. Local 2150 testified in favor of the bill at the
Senate Utilities Committee Hearing on September 28th
and at the Assembly Labor & Industry Committee Hearing on
October 17th. Local 2150 lobbied the
legislature and assisted the Inside Branch in passing this
important legislation. The Department of Commerce will be
responsible for final rule writing. Local 2150 intends to
participate in regards to exemptions in the law for utility,
manufacturing, and outside construction. For more
information contact David Boetcher at IBEW 159, Lobbyist for the
Inside Construction Electricians. IBEW Branch Impact:
Utility, Inside, manufacturing, & Outside
Power the Future: On June 28th
the Supreme Court by a 4-2 decision overturned a lower court
decision that had thwarted the PSCW’s authority to approve
CPCNs. While the case directly focused on Wisconsin
Energy’s PTF plan, had the lower court been upheld, there
would have been negative ramifications regarding future projects
by other utilities. Wisconsin Energy began breaking ground
on June 30th. IBEW 2150 and IUOE 317, on behalf
of this UWC supported project, engaged in lobbying the
legislature and participating as a full party to the Public
Service Commission’s proceedings since PTF was proposed over
4 years ago. The leadership of Local 2150 thanks its
membership for their help in having Port Washington and Oak Creek
continue as generators of power for decades to come. Construction
continues despite continued litigation regarding water intake and
discharge issues. IBEW Branch Impact: Outside, Inside,
Utility, & Manufacturing
Arrowhead-Weston Transmission Line: After
almost six years of federal, state, county, municipal legislative
action in addition to Public Service Commission, DNR, EPA, and
National Park Service approvals the 250 mile long transmission
line from Duluth to Wausau finally started construction in August
of 2005. The 345KV line is a much needed support link for
Wisconsin’s transmission system. The job put hundreds
of IBEW outside construction members from Locals 953 & 2150
to work. It was successfully energized in February 2008. Impact:
Outside and Utility branches.
Kewaunee Nuclear Plant Sale:
On July 5, 2005 Wisconsin Public Service Corporation announced
that the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant had been officially
transferred over to Dominion Corporation. While the Utility
Workers Coalition did not have consensus on the this transaction
(IUOE 310 supported the sale), IBEW 2150 opposed the sale of the
Kewaunee plant primarily based on the loss of state regulatory
oversight of the plant. While the transfer of ownership has
concluded, IBEW 2150 had joined with other interested parties in
a court case challenging whether the PSCW has the power to
enforce conditions agreed to as part of their approval of the
sale on April 21st, 2005. A court ruling
on December 6th has rejected the case and stated that
IBEW 2150 and MEUW (Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin) do
not have “standing” in the case. Both MEUW &
IBEW 2150 have withdrawn any further involvement in the case.
IBEW Branch Impact: Inside and Utility.
Municipal Employment Issues:
NOTE: Both issues are archived as a result of the
November 2006 elections. The re-election of Governor Doyle
and labor friendly Democrats taking control of the State Senate
renders the below issues as “dead”. Elections do
matter.
So Called “Tax-Payer Protection
Act” Attacks Municipal Employees: In the
2005-06 session the Republican controlled Assembly Ways &
Means Committee voted 7-6 to push a constitutional amendment to
force restrictions on how local government governs your
communities. The so-called Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA)
adds the additional control over wages and benefits paid to
county, city, village, town, and school district employees.
Wage caps would be established similar to those imposed on school
teachers by the Thompson administration back in the 1990’s.
If passed by the legislature it could not be vetoed by the
Governor. It would go on the November ballot as a
referendum. This onerous proposal would affect thousands of
employees who work at municipal electric and water utilities
across Wisconsin. In the end, Democrats along with a few
Republicans, held fast against these proposals. TABOR, TPA,
whatever….these anti-worker attacks need to be defeated.
Municipal Employment Law: Local
2150 represents over 20 municipal employee contracts in
Wisconsin. Dozens of other municipal electric, gas, water
& sewer contracts are represented by several other labor
organizations across Wisconsin. There are several bills being
proposed by the State Legislature that would undermine
labor’s ability to collectively bargain contracts for
municipal employees throughout Wisconsin. Here are the
bills:
AB 268: would make it easier to contract the work of
public employees.
AB 361: would delay the retirement age of
public employees.
AB 515: would give greater management latitude
over health care carriers.
AB 518: would require arbitrator to alter
long-standing factors in awarding cases.
AB 857: would establish a version of the
“QEO” for municipal employees
Municipal Employment Law: Local
2150 represents over 20 municipal employee contracts in
Wisconsin. There are several bills are being proposed by the
State Legislature that would undermine labor’s ability to
collectively bargain contracts for municipal employees throughout
Wisconsin. The bills, all sponsored by Republicans, attack
Mediation/Arbitration law (AB 518), delayed retirement age (AB
361), health care coverage (SB 242), and contracting out of work
(SB 268). In Wisconsin, the IBEW represent most of
the municipal electric power utilities in the state. Local
2150 is working with other unions to oppose the attack on utility
workers in Wisconsin. IBEW Branch Impact: Utility,
Outside, Inside.
The “Wal-Mart” Health
Care Bill - AB 860 (2006 Session) bill would assess
“large employers” (10,000 or more employees) who
provide little or no health care benefits an amount determined
by the State of Wisconsin for the cost of health care to citizens
who work for these employers. Wal-Mart currently refers
more employees to be covered by Badger Care than any other
employer in the state. This results in Wisconsin taxpayers
having to pay for care not provided by Wal-Mart. Local 2150
appeared at the hearing in support of the bill. Business
groups lined up in opposition. Wal-Mart has only been
licensed to lobby for less than a year. Their “pocket
change” of approximately $50,000 in reported lobbying
expenses buys them millions of dollars in savings in health care
costs. Much of those costs are dumped on taxpayers. When
a motion was made by the Democratic leadership on March 9th
to bring this to a vote, the motion was defeated 59 to 35. 57
Republicans and 2 Democrats voted to keep your taxes higher.
35 Democrats voted to lower your taxes. No Republicans
opposed this form of corporate welfare. Wal-Mart’s
$50,000 lobbying investment paid off. Impact:
Workers paychecks and taxes.
Governor’s Energy Task Force on
Efficiency & Renewables: IBEW 2150 served on
this task force that recommends increased reliance on energy
efficiency and renewable energy. On November 11th
both the State Senate and State Assembly Utility Committees
sponsored legislation aimed at making these recommendations state
statute and a permanent part of energy policy for the state of
Wisconsin. A variety of stakeholders will review the
details of the legislation with the intention of passing a
bipartisan bill aimed at returning Wisconsin to a leadership role
on energy policy among the 50 states. The IBEW sees this
legislation as an opportunity to participate in the new high
efficiency and renewable projects that will improve
Wisconsin’s economy and quality of life. IBEW
Branch Impact: Inside, Utility, Outside,
Manufacturing
Governor’s Energy Task Force on
Efficiency & Renewables- SB 459: On Friday,
March 17th Governor Doyle signed the Energy Task Force
bill in Green Bay. The site for the bill signing was Solar
Mining Company. They manufacture solar water heating
systems for schools, hospitals, and other large facilities.
Local 2150, represented by its President, Forrest Ceel,
introduced Governor Doyle at the ceremonies to a crowd that
included Senator Rob Cowles, Representative Phil Montgomery, and
PSC Chair Dan Ebert. The Governor commented on how
Wisconsin was going to be a leader in energy efficiency and
renewable projects. Millions of dollars of investments will
open up job opportunities for the construction, operations, and
maintenance for hundreds of megawatts of wind and solar energy
projects. IBEW Branch Impact: Inside,
Utility, Outside, Manufacturing.
Firearms Discharge Toward
Transmission Facilities – AB 748: Local 2150
attended the bill signing ceremonies for AB 748. With
Governor Doyle signature this statute will impose strict
penalties (jail and/or fines) if a firearm is discharged in the
direction of transmission facilities. Local 2150 testified
in favor of the bill citing the threats of vandalism and violence
toward construction and utility workers who build, operate, and
maintain the interstate transmission system. IBEW Branch
Impact: Utility, Inside & Outside Construction
Drug & Alcohol Testing on
Prevailing Wage Jobs – AB 736: On Wednesday,
March 22nd Local 2150 was invited to attend the bill
signing ceremony by Governor Doyle for AB 736. This bill
will require that employers on a “prevailing wage” job
have in place a written program for the prevention of substance
abuse among its employees. Virtually all employees in the
utility industry in safety sensitive occupations have to (first
responders gas or electric, nuclear power plant employees,
dispatchers, etc.) work under similar rules. This bill
would require employees who perform similar work to meet the same
standards. IBEW Branch Impact: Utility, Outside,
Inside
Point Beach Sale to Florida
Power& Light: In December 2006 Wisconsin Energy
Corporation announced the sale of Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant
to Florida Power & Light. Point Beach has two units
each producing over 500 megawatts of non-emission power. Local
2150 has four contracts representing over 450 workers and has
maintained a relationship with the current owner that has kept
almost all contracted work done by union labor at the plant.
Local 2150 opposed the sale of the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant
to Dominion Corporation three years ago on the clear grounds such
sales to out of state ownership can only be characterized as a
step toward deregulating the electric power industry in
Wisconsin. But because the Public Service Commission’s
approval of the transfer set a precedent for more merchant power
plant owners, Local 2150 decided to reluctantly support the Point
Beach sale as in the best interests of our 450 members
represented under four labor contracts. The sale was
approved by the PSC in September and our members now are
employees of Florida Power & Light. Labor Impact:
IBEW Locals 2150 & 158 and Building Trades.
Workforce Successor Statute in Act 9
of Reliability 2000: This historic and
groundbreaking legislation was driven by the Utility Workers
Coalition to protect utility workers in the event their place of
employment was transferred to new ownership. Lobbied
heavily by members of the coalition the result is job security,
wage, and benefit protections for our members for up to a 30
month period after the transfer of ownership. Several situations
have required our monitoring of the enforcement of this statute
including the transfer of ownership of Kewaunee and Point Beach
nuclear plants to out of state owners. Impact: Utility
Workers in Wisconsin.