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2008 IBEW UNION FRONT GROUP UPDATE
SAVE OUR COOP =
CHUGACH RELIABILITY GROUP = CHUGACH ACTION COMMITTEE =
IBEW UNION
Izzo, Reiser and Wiggin are running as part of a slate of three candidates whose campaign costs will largely be paid by a well known special interest, IBEW Union organized Chugach Electric employees and their allies operating under several front groups: "save Our co-op", Chugach Reliability Group and Chugach Action Committee. These IBEW backed groups have a long history of running massive and costly, nasty slime campaigns that consist of obvious misrepresentations and lies. Those attacked by the IBEW are ordinary citizens trying to serve the community at absolutely no personal gain to themselves.
IBEW Union and Chugach Action Committee joined at the hip
The IBEW "feel good" ad campaign is all about soft support paid for by
IBEW Local 1547 to help out in the Chugach Electric campaigns.
Source: IBEW Union Local 1547 April/May/June 2006
newsletter: http://www.ibew1547.org/news.asp?StoryID=1&NL=AMJ
The actions
of IBEW 1547 members during the last several months have made me extremely proud
to be your business manager. Most significantly, Chugach Electric Association
employees faced a contentious board of directors’ election from anti-labor
candidates who threatened their livelihoods. IBEW members at Chugach Electric
Association spearheaded an incredible grassroots organization— Chugach Action
Committee— and put tremendous effort into affecting the outcome of that
election. Their success was a huge victory, not only for themselves and our
local, but for all working Alaskans. The union-endorsed candidates were elected
by a margin of almost two-to-one.
The CEA employees, as well as many other supportive IBEW members, started early and worked very hard. They courted support from businesses and other unions. Volunteers attended the meetings of a dozen or more unions with flyers and information on the importance of voting in CEA’s election. Their fundraising efforts were phenomenal. Members organized spaghetti feeds and sold raffle tickets for just about everything from handmade blankets to 50 pounds of silver salmon. These determined IBEW members raised enough money to procure the services of professionals who ran radio ads, TV ads and direct mailings. But more importantly, in concert with your local, we motivated the membership. Member-volunteers got the word out by talking to their neighbors and friends and asking for their support and vote. They did phone banking and door-to-door educating of both the membership and the community on the importance of the election and the impact the outcome would have on them personally.
The results were a resounding victory. IBEW-endorsed candidates, Jeff Lipscomb and Jim Nordlund, received 7,842 votes and 7,797 votes respectively. Antiworker challengers Ray Kreig and David Ausman received 4,937 votes and 4,801 votes. These results reflect a perfect example to all of us—how to win an election; how to get the job done; how to perpetuate solidarity between our members, among other unions, and throughout the community. If all of us showed this type of effort for all elections—utility, state, local and federal—we could continually be successful in electing candidates who put supporting the cause of working families in Alaska and America at the top of their agenda.
Congratulations and a well deserved thank you to the Chugach Action Committee, the CEA employees and all the IBEW members who volunteered many hours of their time in order to make this success possible. The more active and unified the membership, the more effective the union.
Have a great summer!
Larry Bell
Business Manager
Source: IBEW Union Local 1547 Nov/Dec 2006 Newsletter, page 5: http://www.ibew1547.org/nov_dec_nl_06.pdf
Awarded at the IBEW Shop Steward's 2006 Leadership Conference
Also Larry Bell further brags in this issue: IBEW Union Local 1547 Nov/Dec 2006 Newsletter
Two IBEW Local 1547 commercials were recently awarded MarCom Creative Awards.
“Badge 1,” which features Linemen in a snow storm was awarded the Platinum
Award. Another spot entitled “Badge 2” won honorable mention. The spots were
created by Lottsfeldt/ Smith, and filmed at the Tom Cashen Electrical Training
Facility in Anchorage.
MarCom Creative Awards is an international competition for marketing and
communication professionals.
Anchorage Daily News, March 31, 2006:
The IBEW is endorsing Lipscomb and Nordlund, said Larry Bell, the union's business manager.
Anchorage Daily News, April 28, 2006:
Commenting on Jeff Lipscomb & Jim Nordlund winning seats on Chugach Electric Board:
Larry Bell, business manager of the International Electrical Workers union said, "The voters of Chugach Electric have spoken clearly tonight, and we at the IBEW are exceptionally pleased."
Organization
Chugach Reliability Group is a Limited Liability Company made up of Chugach
customers who are Chugach Electric members, contractors, employees and members
of Alaska’s Railbelt electric utilities and is governed by a Management
Committee. The initial Management Committee members are Bruce Davison, Joe
Griffith, Jim Nordlund, Jeff Lipscomb, Steve Boyd, and Peg Tileston. The
founding members of Chugach Reliability Group are Bruce Davison, Joe Griffith,
Mark Wiggin, Jeff Lipscomb, Steve Boyd, Pat Jasper, Jim Nordlund and Alan
Christopherson.
Steve Boyd is manager for the IBEW Contractor Association, NECA. Nice
photo of him with Gary Brooks and Mark Begich on IBEW website: www.ibew1547.org/news.asp?StoryID=7&NL=Jan
Jeff & Jim were endorsed by IBEW in 2006, Mark Wiggin in 2007.
Please send comments or questions to Chugach Consumers
