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Satellite Office:

104 W. Washington Effingham, IL 62401

Facebook at

IBEW Decatur

IBEW Local 146 3390 N. Woodford St. Decatur, IL 62526 www.ibew146.com Job Referral Bid Line Open: 217.877.4604 5:00PM to 7:00AM Fax: 217.877.5204 Regular Union Meeting is the 2nd Tuesday of each month starting at 6:00PM

Josh Sapp—- 217.855.6738—- josh@ibew146.com

Justin Martin —- 217.619.6097 — justin@ibew146.com Ken Musick —-- 217.706.0088 —- ken@ibew146.com

13 Tuesday Union Meeting 6:00PM

14 Wednesday Valentine’s Day

10-16 DON’T FORGET TO RE-SIGN

20 Tuesday JATC Meeting 4:00PM

20 Tuesday E BOARD MEETING/Trial Board 6:00PM

13 Tuesday Union Meeting 6:00PM

10-16 DON’T FORGET TO RE-SIGN

17 Saturday St. Patrick’s Day

20 Tuesday JATC Meeting 4:00PM

27 Tuesday E BOARD MEETING

6:00PM

Holiday Season at Local 146

It was another wonderful Holiday at Local

146 as we once again lit up downtown Decatur

with Christmas lights and enjoyed the Annual

Family Christmas Party. See Page 2 for more

details. “I don’t think the Christmas lights in Central Park and on the light poles of downtown streets have ever looked better than they do this year. I see them early in the morning when I arrive downtown before dawn and in the evening when I’m leaving the office and they sure do create the “Christmas” feeling with their beauty. Thanks to the efforts of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 146, and their team of Apprentices, for all of their efforts in stringing all of those lights. Christmas in downtown Decatur would not be the same without their efforts.” Paul Osborne, Decatur Tribune

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Holiday Season at Local 146

IBEW Local 146 Journeyman Wireman, Apprentices, and Office Staff worked together to put up the

Christmas lights in Central Park and on almost every light pole in downtown Decatur.

2018 Holidays

The Union Office, METC and Credit Union will be closed in

observance of the following holidays.

Memorial Day Monday, May 28th

Independence Day

Wednesday, July 4th

Labor Day Monday, September 3rd

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 22nd

Veterans Day (in lieu of 11th) Friday, November 23rd

Christmas Day

Tuesday, December 25th

The Annual Family Christmas Party was a success with over 248 children enjoying the wonder of seeing

Santa, receiving a gift, creating crafts, and enjoying delicious cookies!

Due to the generosity of the following local businesses, 64 gifts were given away to our members.

Black & Company Dunker Electric Supply IBEW Local 146 Credit Union

Kirby Risk Electrical Supply Monical’s Pizza O’Charley’s

Olive Garden Papa Murphy’s Pizza Red Lobster

Red Wing Shoes Solsa American Burrito Co.

Springfield Electric Decatur Springfield Electric Mattoon

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Business Manager’s Report

Spring is on the way and it looks like we will have some work coming with it. There will be an outage at Clinton Power Station starting April 30th and it is scheduled to last at least 20 days. Hiring for the outage will start the first week of April. This outage is supposed to be heavy on electrical work, so we are going to need help manning the work. Also, Exelon has agreed to train Journeyman for CV/IV qualifications and MOV training. Dates of the sessions are listed on page 4 of this newsletter. Please contact Kenny if you are interested in attending. Nearly every hospital in our jurisdic-tion has sizeable projects planned for this year, including new buildings. We are currently monitoring a large ware-house project near the Midwest Inland Port in Decatur and the Cronus Fertilizer Plant in Tuscola. Both projects are moving forward, and we should know more in the near future. Some of this work will be slow going this spring but should pick up as the year moves on.

The Future Energy Jobs Act that saved Clinton Power Station has plenty of other work for us as well. We are currently looking at 3 different Wind Projects and at least 3 solar projects of 2 MW or larger. One of the wind projects is pro-posed for Dewitt County and there is some opposition to the project. If you live in Dewitt County I encourage you to reach out to county board members and ask them to support the project. We also may need people to attend the county board meetings. Please consider helping if you are contacted by us to attend. These wind projects are going to happen and if it is rejected in Dewitt they will just move to a different county that could be outside of our local. The solar projects should really start to take off in the second half of the year.

At the February union meeting the bylaw change affecting how the death assessment is collected passed by a wide margin. Thank you to those members who took the time to show up at the meeting and participate in the vote. After approval from the International Office the change will go into effect. Active members will pay an extra $3 a month when they pay their monthly dues for a total of $36 a year. Retirees and those on travel cards or withdrawals will have the opportunity to participate by paying the fee once a year. The average yearly amount paid by members over the last 12 years has been around $42 a year. The current benefit amount is $3500. In addition to saving the participant $6 a year on average, the local will no longer have cost incurred to process a death assessment mailing and collection of payment. The last death assessment saw 9 people charged with not paying which requires a costly trial board to hold those individuals accountable. Please contact the office if you have any questions about the change.

Sign shop negotiations are ongoing. Bodine Motor Shop negotiations will be starting soon, followed by Decatur Indus-trial Electric later this summer. If you work under any of these agreements and you have questions or concerns about the agreement now is the time to get them addressed. Please contact myself or Kenny for issues concerning the motor shop agreements.

IBEW asks that you do not patronize the Dog Haus Biergarten.

The Illinois primary election is coming up on March 20th and it is important for all our members and their families to get out and vote. Early voting has already started so there is no need to wait. The biggest race for organized labor is the governor’s race. We need to elect a strong candidate with the resources to take on Governor Rauner in the fall. That is why the AFL-CIO endorsed J.B. Pritzker early on and we need to get him through the primary, so we can take out Rauner in November. Governor Rauner continues to push an agenda that hurts working families by trying to strip col-lective bargaining rights, weaken prevailing wage laws, and dreaded “right to work” zones. He needs to go! If you have any questions about where any of the candidates stand on issues important to labor, don’t hesitate to give me a call.

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Clinton Power Station

The following classes will be offered to Journeyman at the Clinton Power Station-Maintenance Learning

Center in Classroom X. At this time, the classes are offered to Journeyman only.

Exelon can support 1 CV/IV class on Saturday, 3/24/18 at MLC ; 8 people max class size

Exelon can support 1 CV/IV class on Saturday, 3/31/18 at MLC ; 8 people max class size

Exelon can support 1 MOV Maint. Class on Saturday, 04/07/18 at the MLC ; 4 people max

class size

Exelon can support 1 MOV Maint. Class on Saturday, 04/14/18 at the MLC ; 4 people max

class size

Please contact the Hall as soon as possible if you are interested in taking a class.

An 8 hour voucher will be given to Journeyman that attend these classes

to be redeemed at the Clinton Power Station Outage.

Clinton Power Station Outage

scheduled for April 30, 2018

Work Outlook: Book I—108

Apprentices — 0 Book 2 — 66

Remember re-signs are due MONTHLY between the 10th and the 16th of the month and in person re-signs are mandatory on your annual anniversary date.

Always have a paid up dues receipt with you and some locals require a “good guy” letter before you are placed on their out-of-work list. Call the Union office for your letter before you leave home to sign books. Any questions concerning upcoming work, call Ken Musick at 877-4604 ext. 6.

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Union Meeting Announcements - November, December & January

Proposition for Membership: November—Erik Trueblood BMS December—none January—Brian Anderson BMS & Robert Bender DIE

Accidents/Illness/Births/Sympathies: 11/23 Kenny Webb passed away 12/29 Jeff Williams had surgery 12/2 CJ Leming got married 12/30 Scott Sullivan’s house burned down 12/5 Jay Dunn’s sister passed away 12/31 Kevin Rhodes got married 12/7 Jim Boliek had surgery 1/1 Tim Gosnell’s mother passed away 12/9 Tyler Moore got married 1/4 Zach Wrigley has a new baby boy 12/10 Paul Corrington’s wife passed away 1/4 John James mother-in-law passed away 12/12 Jack Doore had surgery 1/8 Cole Garriott has a new baby boy 12/12 Ron Cummings had surgery 1/8 John Sexton had surgery 12/13 Frank Slaughter passed away 1/9 Jeff Taylor hospitalized 12/18 John Murphy had surgery 1/9 Scott Tondello’s grandmother passed away 12/24 Scott Litteral’s parents passed away 1/11 Rick Willenborg’s mother passed away 12/24 Scott McIntyre’s mother-in-law passed 1/17 Ron Cumming’s sister passed away 12/27 Corey Hoene had surgery 1/17 Steve & Chris Wrigley’s brother passed away 1/23 Terry Camfield’s brother & Jerry’s uncle passed 1/26 Logan Bruner’s grandmother passed away

Door Prize 50/50 Credit Union November Antonio Douglas Ed Fitton Dallas Hubbard December Jessica Yantis Richard Karr Kyle Maxwell January Bill Durbin Zach Sirbaugh John Sexton

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS! IT PAYS TO ATTEND YOUR UNION MEETING$$$$$$$$$

The November 2017 union meeting had 35 in attendance. The December 2017 union meeting had 42 in attendance. The January 2018 union meeting had 43 members in attendance. IBEW Local #146 has a total membership of 628 members.

Monthly Dues Increase for 2018 and beyond

2018 2019 2020

Per Capita/monthly dues $19.00 $19.00 $20.00

PBF Contribution $18.00 $19.00 $19.00

Total monthly due to I.O. $37.00 $38.00 $39.00

Add in the Local portion and this will make the monthly dues for

Apprentices/trainees $37.50 $38.50 $39.50

Motor Shop/Residential/

Telecommunications $38.00 $39.00 $40.00

Signmen/JIT $38.75 $39.75 $40.75

Journeymen Wireman $39.75 $40.75 $41.75

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VOTE Tuesday, March 20

Early Voting 2/8/18—3/19/18

Union Recommended

IL Governor Macon County Clerk IL Comptroller JB Pritzker Amy Rueff Susana Mendoza IL Lt. Governor Macon County Treasurer IL Treasurer Juliana Stratton April Kostenski Michael Frerichs IL Secretary of State Macon County Board IL Senate 48th District Jesse White District 1—Kevin Meachum Andy Manar District 1—Laura Zimmerman IL Attorney General District 2—Verzell Taylor IL House 95th District Kwame Raoul District 3—Jerry Potts Sue Scherer District 4—Jay Dunn District 4—Lloyd Holman

A Few Things To Keep In Mind...

Keep your dues paid up and your receipt with you, especially if you are going to be working in another local. If you are working in another local remember that it is your responsibility to clear in. Don’t take your contractor’s word for it.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and a first-year apprentice or trainee has as much input on safety as an experienced Journeyman. If something doesn’t seem safe speak up and if you are in a supervisory posi-tion pay attention to the concerns of your co-workers.

It is your right to request that a representative of the union be present for any discussion that might result in disciplinary action. If we aren’t present in the beginning, it gets much harder to resolve the issue. Don’t be afraid to speak up!

Elections have consequences: The supreme court is going to rule soon on the Janus vs AFSCME case which could ruin the ability of unions to exist in the public sector. On the surface this may not seem like such a big issue for an inside construction local like ours, but it will lay the ground work for national “right to work” legislation. The labor movement is much stronger when our brothers and sisters in the public sec-tor can collectively bargain and organize into unions.

The Trump administration’s budget calls for an increase of ten times the amount a pension fund must pay per participant to insure the pension plan. Most of our membership isn’t aware that this is even some-thing the pension trust pays for. Increasing the amount by 1000% will adversely affect pension plans all over the place, not just the Decatur Plan. The only way to stop and/or fix this is legislatively and we will need help in Washington to get that done.

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2017 Tax Time — IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Monthly dues and working assessments may be partially deductible as a business expense if you itemize your deductions for your income taxes. Everyone is provided with a dues receipt when you pay the monthly dues as required by the Internation-al. You should keep those receipts for proof of payment. In addition to the required monthly dues payments, members working within Local 146 are required to pay a working dues or working assessment. The amount of the assessment depends on your classification and is calculated as a percentage of your total gross income. Your paycheck stubs should show this deduction and would serve as proof of payment in the event of an IRS audit. The working assessment deducted from your weekly paychecks is based on the following rates: Journeyman, Apprentices, Residential, CW and CE Classifications . . . . . . . 4% Sign Electricians, Inspectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3% Motor Winders, Machinists, Electronic Tech, General Help, Utility . . . . . . . 2% Therefore, your possible business expense deduction would be the total of the monthly dues and assessments. However, the Revenue Recognition Act of 1993 contains statutory provisions denying the business expense tax deduction for lobbying expenses for certain organizations. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 146 is one of those organizations. The non-deductible portion of your 2017 working dues and assessments is 2.73%. For applicability to your individual circumstances, you should consult with your tax consultant or advisor. The following is an example of how this deduction should be applied. Your total of W-2 gross income for 2017 was $63,472.50 at 4% working assessment = $2538.90 2017 monthly dues = $ 465.00 Total business expense for dues $3003.90 Less 2.73% for lobbying expenses X 2.73% - 82.01 Net business expense deduction for dues $2921.89 Other Deductions: With tax time upon us, many of you are scrambling to compile your information to document deductions. While you may not have thought this receipt or that receipt was important at the time you received it, if it could be used as a deduction it is very important. If you ask anyone who has been through an IRS audit, it is far easier to prove a deduction when you have the original receipt than to try and have one recreated. Some important documents you may want to keep at least through tax time are: All check stubs—verify wages and dues deductions All monthly dues receipts Hotel/motel expenses not reimbursed by an employer if traveling for work or to find work Vehicle mileage logs with actual mileage and description of travel Receipts for books and supplies for training for your job not reimbursed by your employer Receipts for specialized clothing i.e. steel toed boots, fire retardant clothing, safety glasses, etc. Your tax consultant or advisor can provide you with a more detailed list. A little preparation as the year progresses can save a lot of time and headache later.

Local 146 Death Benefits

$3,500—IBEW Local 146 Death Benefit – funded thru $20 membership Assessments (Active and Retired) $6,250—International Death Benefit - Funded thru monthly dues payments. Has double indemnity in case of an accidental death. $20,000—NECA-IBEW Welfare Trust Fund - must be eligible in the regular Health & Welfare Plan. Has double indemnity in case of an accidental death. $4,000—American Income Life - A no cost accidental death and dismemberment policy (Active and Retired) $3,000—International Retiree Death Benefit – Starts at $6250 but is reduced by each pension check until it reaches $3000 $5,000—NECA-IBEW Retiree Welfare Trust Fund - must be eligible in the Retiree Health & Welfare Plan

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JB PRITZKER

For GOVENOR Defending the Rights of Working People

Pritzker is committed to protecting the rights of workers to speak up and negotiate together for better wages and working condi-

tions. And he will fight for an enforceable prevailing wage and strong project labor agreements.

(Candidate website, accessed 2/5/18)

Investing in Illinois Pritzker will reinvest in distressed communities to stimulate growth and create new jobs. He will leverage federal funds to invest in

surface, rail, water and broadband infrastructure across the state and make Illinois an appealing place to live and work.

(Chicago Sun-Times, 2/2/18)

Creating Good-Paying Jobs Pritzker knows how to create jobs. He will revitalize Small Business Development Centers and help start new businesses across the

state. And he will make sure these are good jobs by supporting a living wage and equal pay for equal work.

(Chicago Sun-Times, 2/2/18)

KWAME RAOUL For ATTORNEY GENERAL Protecting Working People Raoul thinks the attorney general should have the power to defend working people, and proposed a “workplace protec-

tion unit” to track businesses who violate prevailing wage and minimum wage laws or who commit wage theft.

(Illinois News Network, 11/9/17)

Raising Wages Raoul supports raising the minimum wage and has fought for wage security and health insurance for caretakers who

work with seniors. He supports equal pay for equal work, co-sponsoring the Equal Wage Act to reduce the gender pay

gap.

(Candidate website, accessed 2/8/17)

Improving Health care Raoul supported the expansion of Medicaid and pushed for increased access to hospitals. He has been an early supporter

of measures to fight the opioid crisis, toughening laws on the manufacture or distribution of fentanyl and heroin.

(Candidate website, accessed 2/8/17)