IBEW Local 465
Imperial Irrigation District

Unit Chair Cesar
Perdomo
IID UNIT OFFICERS
(2007-2010):
Unit
Chair:
Cesar Perdomo
Vice
Chair:
Jeffrey Zinn
Recording
Secretary: Paul Kovacic
Executive Committee:
Lupe Estala
Darryl Dees
Todd Marzolf
Frank Silva
Executive Board
Member: Jeffrey Zinn
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I.B.E.W. LOCAL 465
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
UPDATE
MAY 2008
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May Unit Meetings: La Quinta, May
21st – El Centro,
May 22nd.
The El Centro
meeting this month will feature another “Candidate Forum” for IID Board of
Director. Last month’s meeting featured challengers Bruce Kuhn, Mike Cox and Tony Gallegos. This month’s meeting will return the three
challengers, along with Stella Mendoza and John Menvielle. The
business portion of this meeting will be from 4:00-4:30 p.m. the Candidates will
be available from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
Make sure to come to this meeting and show your interest in this very
important election. Non-members and card
signers are welcome to attend the Forum.
Officers of the Employee
Association are NOT eligible to attend either the business session or the
Candidate Forum.
The La Quinta meeting
will be held in the IID Board Room at headquarters from 3:30 – 5:30
p.m. There are two sessions one starting
at 3:30 p.m. and the other at 5:00 p.m.
Even if you can’t stay for the whole meeting, drop by to pick up the
latest information on District property, and meet your Stewards and
Officers.

Members at
the April Imperial Dam Mtg.
Meet and Confer:
Our committee met with District negotiators on April 23rd. At that meeting the Union
countered the District’s proposed “Wage Survey” with descriptions and
narratives of different classifications value to IID’s
operations. Service Reps, Basin
Operators, Water Construction, Relay Techs, Generation Mechanics, and Scada Techs were discussed.
Next meeting, the Union will continue
the same discussion on other classifications.
As you know, some jobs were targeted for Zero or Negative wage
adjustments by the District. The Union
also presented information on the increased cost of living (4.4% February 07 –
February 08) for both Indio and Imperial Valley, and other IBEW Municipal contracts that
were settled with positive Base Wage increases as well as supportive Wage
Adjustments. Our next two meetings with
the District are May 15th and 29th. Danny Amparano and Matty Carmona will be invited to these meetings. Terry Lorona and
Eddie Gill will be invited in June.
Thanks to standing committee members Perdomo, Zinn, Rose, Castro and Cruz for their continued hard work.
Membership Development:
The V.O.C. will change its name to the L.A.C. “Leadership Action
Committee” starting next month to more accurately reflect its role
on District property. May starts the
first split of the L.A.C. group into two separate bodies, the El Centro and La Quinta committees. In July we will again be splitting into a
separate “Water” committee. Our future
hope is to have independent groups reflect like duties and job classifications
within the IID structure. Future splits
will involve Clerical, Power, Generation and more. It takes volunteers. As we grow, anyone
interested in representing their area may contact Cesar
Perdomo at 1-760-315-7402 or John
Hunter at 1-619-246-4653 for more information.
Complaints:
We resolved an issue with regards to a Rubber Gloving
premium. Another employee’s merit raise
was returned after initially being denied.
A variety of Complaints are being carried through various levels by
Officers and Stewards. Settlements made
on behalf of employees sometimes are helped by the relationship we have with
management. Others are because the employee was denied or disciplined
inappropriately. While IID’s grievance system is inherently flawed due to no
independent consideration or judgment for cases, until a Contract is obtained
we will continue to pursue employee interest in the fairest possible way.
Stewards Training:
May 17th will mark the second annual “Public
Stewards” training class in El Centro. This class will be held at the Moose Lodge
from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch and
refreshments will be served. Jerry
Fecher and John Hunter with assistance from Unit Chairman Perdomo
will present this class for the Public Sector, which is very different from the
International’s “Basic Stewards Training” last given in January of 2008. Spaces are open to Stewards, Officers, and
members interested in gaining knowledge in representing Public Sector
employees. Call the Union office at
1-800-339-4969 to register.

April 23rd Candidates Forum
in El Centro
Final Thoughts:
Anyone wishing to submit ideas or articles for publication
may contact John Hunter at the Union Office.
Most IID employees have a unique advantage over private
sector workers, the ability to vote their future: Board of Director
elections. While Politics are sometimes
an enigma, they can determine your job, benefits and future. While Board members have to balance the needs
of the Public with running a responsible organization, they cannot ignore the
needs of the employees for “fair and reasonable” wages and benefits. IID is no different that L.A.D.W.P., City of Riverside, Turlock Irrigation, Modesto Irrigation,
S.M.U.D. or countless other Public Utilities in California, their employees are “Utility” workers. One difference is all these properties are I.B.E.W.
represented. These are not one way
relationships, the Employer must prosper in order for the employees to prosper.
But, not having benefits, wages and working conditions and a dispute procedure
defined and included in a binding M.O.U. gives the employer every advantage. Some employees can make every excuse for not
caring, but it will cost them in the end, especially in their pocketbook.