Whereas, the contributions for an IBEW member traveling into another IBEW local’s jurisdiction forms part of their wage package; and
Whereas, these contributions are earned by the member as part of his/her wage package, it is only fair and just that if these members elect to have these contributions reciprocated to their home local, the full amount that they earned should be reciprocated; and
Whereas, most Welfare Benefit Plans have an individual hour bank to assist members when they are unemployed and therefore, any additional contributions a local may receive on behalf of a member, because of the higher level of contribution in the local union where they are working, will benefit members and their families when they are unemployed; and
Whereas, unemployment has been a way of life for IBEW members in the construction industry for the past several years, thus depleting, or destroying the individual member’s hour bank; and
Whereas, the IBEW has always led the way for ensuring that its members’ interests are protected and respected to the highest degree;
Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the IBEW amend Section 6 of the Electrical Industry Health and Welfare Reciprocal Agreement to allow for the transfer of the full welfare contribution from one IBEW local to another for members who wish to have their welfare contributions reciprocated to their home local; and
Be It Further Resolved, that the International Office strongly support, promote and encourage all IBEW locals in all Districts of the IBEW to sign and endorse this new Welfare Reciprocal Agreement to ensure that all IBEW members receive the full benefits from their welfare contributions when working in another IBEW local union in order to protect a member’s welfare benefits for them and their family.
Submitted by: Local Union 11 Los Angeles, Local 12 Pueblo, Local Union13 Burlington, Local Union 34 Peoria, Local Union 60 San Antonio, Local Union 82 Halifax, Local Union 105 Hamilton, Local Union 115 Kingston, Local Union 120 London, Local Union 177 Jacksonville, Local Union 193 Springfield, Local Union 213 Vancouver, Local Union 226 Topeka, Local Union 230 Victoria, Local Union 242 Duluth, Local Union 258 Vancouver, Local Union 271 Wichita, Local Union 288 Waterloo, Local Union 294 Hibbing, Local Union 306 Akron, Local Union 350 Hannibal, Local Union 369 Louisville, Local Union 401 Reno, Local Union 402 Thunder Bay, Local Union 405 Cedar Rapids, Local Union 415 Cheyenne, Local Union 428 Bakersfield, Local Union 443 Montgomery, Local Union 453 Springfield, Local Union 529 Saskatoon, Local Union 530 Sarnia, Local Union 545 St. Joseph, Local Union 569 San Diego, Local Union 584 Tulsa, Local Union 586 Ottawa, Local Union 601 Champaign-Urbana, Local Union 625 Halifax, Local Union 637 Roanoke, Local Union 649 Alton, Local Union 666 Richmond, Local Union 725 Terre Haute, Local Union 773 Windsor, Local Union 894 Oshawa, Local Union 993 Kamloops, Local Union 1003 Nelson, Local Union 1316 Macon, Local Union 1530 Albany, Local Union 1555 Moncton, Local Union 1687 Sudbury, Local Union 1687 Barrie, Local Union 1852 Sydney, Local Union 2038 Regina, Local Union 2085 Winnipeg, Local Union 2330 St. John’s
Statement of Committee,
Committee Secretary Musacchio: The Electrical Industry Health and Welfare Reciprocal Plan is governed by participating trust funds. Signatory trust funds alone have the authority to propose and approve amendments to the reciprocal agreements by referendum vote as provided in the reciprocal agreements which read as follows: “This agreement may be modified or amended at any time by written approval of a proposed amendment of modification by a simple majority of all participating trust funds. The reciprocal administrative office shall prepare and circulate proposed amendments, tabulate all votes on amendments and report the results to the participating funds.”
This matter can only be addressed by a signatory trust fund. Therefore, the committee recommends Non-Concurrence.
Committee Chairperson D’arcy: Brother Chairman, I move the committee report.
Committee Secretary Musacchio: Brother Chairman I seconded the motion.
International President Hill: There’s a motion to concur with the committee’s report of non-concurrence. Discussion?
Delegate Mike Franey, Local 41, President Hill, brother and sister delegates, I rise in support of the Resolutions Committee for non-concurrence on this issue. The reciprocal program enjoyed by the Brotherhood today would not have become a reality without the independence and autonomy of the trustees at the local level.
This structure was a cornerstone in development of the reciprocal agreements and must be preserved, the responsibility to propose and amend the agreement must remain with the trustees of the signatory trust funds.
And I move the Question.
President Hill: There are many people at the mikes. I’d just as soon you didn’t move the question.
Delegate Franey: Thank you brother.
President Hill: Thank you. Brother Franey.
Delegate Fern J. Tardif, Local 625: Thank you Mr. Chairman. We submitted this resolution, and after talking to the representative on the Resolutions Committee, we believe there’s a misunderstanding of our intent here.
We realize that the individual local unions and their trustees are the only ones that can approve any amendment to the participationagreement. It was our intent with the first resolve that if the delegates of this convention support it, what we are trying to accomplish here, that the amendment would go back with the support of this convention to the local unions that are participating in the reciprocal agreement.
Therefore, I would ask if its possible to send this resolution back to the committee with a change to the first resolve to read as follows:
“Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the delegates of this convention support and recommend to the trustees of participating Health and Welfare Trust Funds to the IBEW Health and Welfare Reciprocal Agreement that the agreement be amended to allow for the full transfer of health and welfare contributions from one local union to another and this amendment be forwarded to the reciprocating administrator’s office by the International Office for such a vote to be conducted.”
President Hill: Are you proposing an amendment to the resolution that’s presently here?
Delegate Tardif: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Well, I guess a clarification because, again, this was our resolution, and certainly we thanked the support of the many locals listed; and again, we believe there’s a misunderstanding of the committee of what we were trying to accomplish by this resolution. And we believe that if the committee had another opportunity to review the change that we’ve just read, that perhaps we would receive their support and, thus, receive support of the delegates.
This is a very important resolution for all of the brothers and sisters in the construction industry and utility industry that travel across both Canada and the United States and rely on reciprocity of health and welfare contributions for them and their families. And therefore, it’s important that the delegates of this convention understand the true intent of our resolution.
President Hill: Thank you, brother. Just one moment, please.
Brother Tardif, I’ll reactive your mike, but I’ll take that as a motion to recommit it to the committee for reconsideration. But a will need a second to that.
The motion was seconded by several unidentified delegates.
President Hill: All in favor.
Opposed?
How about I ask all the ayes to stand up, please. Thank you.
Noes, please.
The motion is carried.