Remembering Our American Veterans On Memorial Day

It is with great pride that IBEW Local 363 recognizes and remembers all veterans who served and protected our country.

We hope that everyone will take a moment to join with us and give thanks to the brave men and women who made the American way of life possible.

Thank you to all veterans who serve and who have served our great country.

Inside Electrical Agreement Ratified By IBEW Local 363 Members

The Inside construction wireman membership ratified a new construction agreement at our May union meeting. The agreement is for a term of one year and includes no change in the current wage rates. There were a couple of small language changes agreed to and some clarification in regard to posted jobs.

Thank you to our members who particpated in the negotiations and to those who sent in suggestions and comments. We will meet again with the contractors association in 2011 to negotiate a successor contract.

Middletown "Requests For Proposals" For PLA Study Are In

Back in April the Middletown School Board voted 5-4 to send out "requests for proposals" from companies that would be interested in doing a study to see if a PLA would save the district money on their construction costs for their new elementary school.

The proposals were due in to the school district last Friday May 21st. Now the board and the superintendent will evaluate the proposals, the estimated costs of the study and they will either pick a company to do the study or decide not to proceed.

Either way, it is their decision. We hope that the school board sees the advantage of utilizing the PLA for the financial savings to the district, for the local workers who will be employed there and for the students that may get a chance to start a career in one of the building trades through the various apprenticeship programs.

The next board meeting is on June 3, 2010 at 7:30 pm. HOWEVER - As of this date, we have not confirmed whether this will be on the agenda that night or not.

Please check back here for the next meeting date in regard to this subject and come out to support the PLA proposal.

Vote For Lynne Perkins For Middletown School Board

Tomorrow there is a School Board election being held in Middletown. This election - for one seat only - could very well decide whether or not the school will use a PLA to build its new $60 million elementary school this year.

The subject of PLA's came to light recently in the Middletown District and there were clear lines drawn among those on the board in regard to who supports PLA's or even local labor for that matter.

Lynne Perkins stood up for the local workers and for the taxpayers and gave her full suppport to a motion to have a PLA study done to see if the district could save money on their multi-million dollar project. She was one of five - on the nine person board, who voted yes to do that study.

Now she is being targeted for defeat for bucking the Superintendent - who is NOT a supporter of PLA's, organized Labor or even local labor.

We are supporting Perkins because she is an independent voice on that board.

The bottom line is that she supported our cause - which was to get work for our unemployed members - when we needed her to do that.

COME OUT ON TUESDAY MAY 18 NOON TO NINE PM and VOTE FOR LYNNE PERKINS for Middletown School Board.

Voting sites are: Middletown High School, Twin Towers Middle School, Chorly Elementary School and Truman Moon Promary Center

Election questions? call (845) 326-1196

BIG Thanks To Members Who Came Out This Week To Middletown And Ramapo

Thank you to everyone who attended public meetings with us this week in an effort to help get work for our unemployed members.

The Town of Ramapo had a meeting on Thursday night about the brand new, multi-million dollar minor league baseball stadium.

We asked our members to come out and support this project BECAUSE there is some opposition to it. Groups of people who are against it are starting to come out. We need to show that there are people who support it that want the stadium AND jobs it will bring.

Having a stadium for a minor league team is a positive investment for a cummunity and we support it.

The Middletown School Board had a budget meeting - also on Thursday night - and we attended to continue to push for the PLA.We are showing support for those who voted with us and ordered the PLA study to be done.

Thanks to those who came out to support the $60 million dollar project that will bring work for our members.

Middletown also has a SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION for ONE SEAT coming on MAY 18, 2010. This is A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION. The Supervisor, Eastwood wants Boardmember Lynn Perkins off the board because she voted for the PLA Study and he didn't want her to do it.

We need to support Lynn Perkins for Middletown School Board all building trades unions and members need to vote for her. She supported labor and keeping jobs local and union.

Need People To Attend Candidates Night This Monday In Middletown

We were informed by email on Friday night that there will be a Middletown School Board candidates night held on this Monday night at 7pm at the Monhagen Middle School.

Here is the email:

The first candidate forum for the Middletown School Board Election is sponsored by the MTA
(teachers union)and will be held 5/3/10, Monday, at 7 PM at Monhagen Middle School off of County Rte. 78. Questions will be permitted from the audience.

I appreciate as many supporters as possible who can be there.

Thank you for your support, Lynne Perkins

Lynn Perkins is the ONLY seat up for re-election and she is being targeted FOR DEFEAT because SHE SUPPORTED THE PLA for the new $60 million dollar elementary school. We need her to stay on the board in order to even have a chance at having a PLA after the study comes back.

The Superintendent and four others on the baord are against PLAs and not supporters of local construction unions. They are working hard to unseat Perkins to kill the PLA issue.

There will still be a vote on this later and we need her there. We need to support those who support us.

Pass the word. Any Middletown School District members from IBEW Local 363 who can make it should come - others can come too just to show support. Retirees are always welcome too.

Here are the directions to the school


MONHAGEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Phone: 346-4800
555 County Rte. 78
Middletown, NY 10940
Take Route 17 West to Exit 120. At end of ramp turn left on Rt. 211 West. Continue straight for approximately 4 ½ miles. (Rt. 211 will eventually turn right – don’t turn – stay straight). Turn right onto County Rt. 78. Monhagen is second school on left (about ¼ mile).

Take Route 84 West to Exit 3W (Middletown) onto Route 17M. Take Route 17M to 2nd traffic light. Turn left onto short bypass to County Route 78. Continue through 2 traffic lights to second school on left.

See you there.