10 3 TO D AYY
IBEW LOCAL 103 NEWS • WINTER 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris
INSI DE THIS ISSU E INDUSTRY NEWS New Biden/Harris Administration ................................................................... 4 Tables Turn in U.S. Senate ............................................................................... 4 Boston Mayor Walsh Ascends to U.S. Secretary of Labor .............................. 5 What New Political Developments Mean to You (Local 103 Members) ........... 5 Black History Month ........................................................................................ 6 COVID-19 Update .......................................................................................... 8 IBEW Local 103 Recognized by Building Pathways for Diversity Strides ....... 9 Member Spotlight: Joe Kelly ........................................................................ 9 Public Transit Public Good Coalition ............................................................ 10 Organizing Update ....................................................................................... 11
P I P E L I N E P R OJ E C T S Assembly Row .............................................................................................. 12 Union Square................................................................................................. 13 GLX ............................................................................................................... 13
COMMUNIT Y NEW! ‘Care That Works’ Child Care Program for Members ..........................14 Habitat for Humanity .................................................................................... 15 Annual Friends of Mayor Walsh Holiday Toy Drive ....................................... 16 Billerica Holiday Festival Lighting ................................................................. 17 IBEW Local 103 Hats, Gloves & Scarves Drive .............................................. 17 NEW! IBEW Local 103 COVID-19 Testing .....................................................18 NEW! Paid Family Medical Leave ................................................................. 20 Trust Fund Update ........................................................................................ 21 JATC Update ................................................................................................ 21 Free Online Code Update Code .................................................................. 22 In Memoriam ................................................................................................ 23
I B E W L O C A L 1 0 3 ’S M I S S I O N : To provide Greater Boston’s developers with the best-trained, most efficient, safest electricians and telecommunications specialists, while fostering our Union’s values of economic fairness, equal opportunity, and charitable giving in the communities where we work, live and raise our families. Our unwavering commitment to professional excellence is personified by our Joint Apprenticeship Training facility. The Local 103 JATC is among the most advanced electrical apprenticeship programs in the country. Working for better wages, better benefits and fair working conditions is just one part of our Union’s focus. Local 103 members take pride in giving back their time and expertise to causes and charities serving those less fortunate.
BUSINESS MANAGER’S
From Lou Antonellis Business Manager / Financial Secretary IBEW Local 103
Brothers and Sisters —
REPORT
Looking back on 2020 from a work and hours standpoint, it was a decent year at Local 103. Despite the pandemic-forced lockdowns in the spring, work continued, and we were able to close over 1,000 new jobs as wins. These jobs represent more than $720 million in new business for Local 103 contractors and members. The work covers all sectors of our industry, highlighted by three, massive, high-rise construction projects: One Congress Street, Winthrop Square and the South Station Tower. These jobs are moving slowly right now but are likely to ramp up significantly in the months ahead.
Despite the ongoing pandemic and economic uncertainties, the fundamentals of our economy today continue to project a relatively strong outlook in terms of how they translate into work opportunities for Local 103 members. The past several months have been a crazy time in our nation’s history, and it has been sad and troubling to see our country so divided. The assault at our nation’s capital, as difficult as it was to watch, was an unfortunate final act of the failed Trump administration.
The good news is that we have turned the page to a new president and fresh new leadership in Washington. We are hopeful that our country will come together and heal, hopeful for our new president’s success, and hopeful for better days ahead. We’re starting to see how the Biden administration will give the American people and the American worker hope for the future. Biden’s bold plan to battle the coronavirus through a massive, well-coordinated vaccination rollout will help re-open our country’s economy in the coming months — including our bars and restaurants, our meetings and family gatherings — and, ultimately, get everyone back to work safely. What also gives me hope are several of President Biden’s first steps in support of labor unions, steps which have already set a positive tone for labor over the next four years. He fired Peter Robb, a Trump-appointed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) attorney, after he refused to resign. Robb is a controversial and aggressively pro-management, anti-union attorney at the NLRB, and now the first General Counsel to be forced out of the NLRB in over 50 years. The NLRB enforces collective bargaining laws and serves as a referee for disputes between unions and employers. This move from Biden signals a potentially more pro-union Labor Board than ever before. Biden also appointed Jennifer Kropke from IBEW Local 11 in Los Angeles to the Department of Energy as Director of Energy Jobs within the administration. Jennifer brings with her four decades of IBEW advocacy and activism to this role. This appointment directly reflects the IBEW’s years of friendship and support for Joe Biden and the important role the IBEW plays in the nation’s energy sector. Biden has also appointed labor ally Sharon Block to a White House Regulatory Post, representing another pro-union appointment by the new President. What should give the labor movement the most hope is President Biden’s appointment of Boston Mayor, Marty Walsh, to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor. It is perhaps the most promising Cabinet appointment that working people have ever seen. Marty is a union Laborer, former head of the Boston Building Trades and, as Mayor of Boston, an ardent advocate for union construction. This move should give hope to anyone who straps on a pair of work boots and goes to a dangerous construction job — hope for a safer workplace and hope for better wages, better benefits and better working conditions. Please keep your families and yourselves safe, continue to wear your masks, safely social distance and wash your hands regularly. We are excited for another productive year at Local 103 in 2021. Let’s Get to Work!
Fraternally,
Louis J. Antonellis Business Manager / Financial Secretary
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A NEW ERA DAWNS
4 6 TH U . S . P R E S I D E N T JOE BIDEN & VICE PRESIDENT KAMAL A HARRIS Joe Biden was officially sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, and Kamala Harris as Vice President, on January 20, 2020, marking the end of a heated election season and a tumultuous transition of power. Biden and Harris have committed to reversing the war on organizing, collective bargaining, unions and workers waged by the Trump administration over the last four years. This is excellent news for IBEW Local 103 members, and even more so, for the millions of Americans that have not yet accessed the privilege of union membership.
TA B L E S T U R N I N T H E U . S . S E N AT E Democrats will take control of the U.S. Senate, meaning the party will have majorities in both chambers of Congress, as well as the executive branch. This conclusion hinged on Georgia’s runoff elections, in which Democrats Raphael Warnock (Georgia’s first Black senator) and Jon Ossoff (Georgia’s first Jewish senator) — both endorsed by the majority of Labor — won against Republican incumbents. These senators will be the first Democrats to serve Georgia in Congress in more than 20 years.
The great volume of work that lies ahead of Biden/ Harris to reverse the Trump administration’s antiworker agenda will be met with smoother sailing in Congress, due to a seismic shift of power in the U.S. Senate, which is now majority Democrat. Biden also brings with him a diverse, pro-worker cabinet and the intention to build pro-worker agencies.
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BOSTON M AYO R WA L S H APPOINTED U.S . L ABOR S E C R E TA R Y BY BIDEN Joe Biden has already begun to prove that he will make good on his promise to America’s working class. IBEW Local 103 could not be more proud to congratulate our dear friend, Boston’s Mayor, Martin “Marty” J. Walsh, on his appointment to U.S. Labor Secretary.
the Metropolitan District (MetroBTC). As a Massachusetts state legislator, and most recently as the Mayor of the City of Boston, Walsh has consistently demonstrated his profound commitment to making stronger communities and safer workplaces.
Marty Walsh is a seasoned union leader and ally. He launched his career as a member of the Laborers’ Local 223 union, worked his way up to become president of that union, then later, principal of the Building and Construction Trades Council of
Mayor Walsh’s appointment is a thrilling development, and comes on the heels of IBEW Local 103 International President Lonnie Stephenson’s appointment to Biden’s Climate Engagement Advisory Council and economic task force.
IBEW Local 103 looks forward to working with the Biden/Harris administration and with incoming Secretary Walsh to ensure a future where all workers have access to family-sustaining careers.
W H AT A L L T H I S M E A N S F O R I B E W L O C A L 1 0 3 M E M B E R S : Under the Biden/Harris administration, with our good friend Marty Walsh as Labor Secretary and with strong labor allies in Congress, IBEW Local 103 looks forward to bold action in favor of our members and all working Americans: • The strongest climate resiliency plan in U.S. history • The creation of thousands of good, union jobs • A robust COVID-19 stimulus plan, including: • Resources for first responders, cities and towns to combat the virus • Extended unemployment benefits • Direct payments to individuals and families • Relief for small businesses hurt by the recession
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• A comprehensive infrastructure bill • Strong labor protections, such as the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act • Reversal of Trump’s executive orders harmful to federal workers’ rights • Reversal of Trump’s weakening of the NLRB and OSHA • Reversal of Trump’s corporate tax cuts • Decorum, character, fact checking, diplomacy
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BL ACK HISTORY MONTH Black History Month is a time to honor the proud, resilient and glorious history of the African American community. It is also a time to reflect on the histories of race and justice in our nation and to recommit to our fight for true equity for all. This Black History Month, Local 103 and the Greater Boston Building Trades unions secured an agreement with the region’s three leading general contractors — John Moriarty and Associates, Suffolk Construction, and Turner Construction — to ensure that all workers get time off on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, or overtime pay if they do work. This prolific agreement sets a standard that exceeds federal and state law in honoring a prominent civil rights leader and labor reform advocate. “This is much more than a symbolic action,” said Kenell Broomstein, Business Agent of IBEW Local 103. “It is one that has real weight and meaning and is an example of the kinds of structural, policy, and economic changes that must be made to ensure our industry is truly advancing not just the conversation, but also the causes for which Dr. King stood.”
IBEW Local 103 celebrates our Black brothers and sisters throughout Black History Month (February) and every day of the year.
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KENELL BROOMSTEIN Business Agent: 14-year member First woman of color to serve as Business Agent of a major Boston construction union; New England Women’s Leadership Award Recipient; Boston Employment Commission Board Member; Greater Boston Labor Council Future Committee Board Member; IBEW International 2nd District Women’s Committee; IBEW Local 103 Electrical Worker Minority Caucus Chair
GORDON GUERRA Technician: 20-year member Company: Outkast Electrical Contractors Project: Clipper Ship Wine & Spirits, East Boston
A LT O N B L A K E Journeyman 12-year member Company: John A. Penney Co. Project: Verizon Tower at North Station
JOHN GREEN IBEW Local 103 Examining Board Officer Journeyman: 16-year member Company: Balfour Beatty Project: Electrical Steward, Green Line Extension (GLX)
SADE DALL AS Journeywoman: 9-year member Company: E.G. Sawyer Co. Project: Boston Children’s Hospital Wife to Anthony Dallas (IBEW Local 103 member)
R O S A LY N MURKISON Technician: 23-year member Company: CTS Project: Mugar Building, Northeastern University
ANTHONY DALL AS Journeyman: 5-year member Company: Sullivan & McLaughlin Project: MassMutual Insurance, Boston Seaport
K E N R OY B R O W N E Journeyman: 2-year member Company: Outkast Electrical Contractors
Husband to Sade Dallas (IBEW Local 103 member)
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I M P O R TA N T C O V I D - 1 9 U P D AT E Governor Charlie Baker increased the capacity limit for Massachusetts restaurants, gyms and other businesses from 25% to 40%, effective February 8. Indoor gatherings remain restricted to 10 people, and outdoor gatherings to 25 people. Baker cited a decline in the positive test rate and fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations in his announcement. This is hopeful news for our region. Still, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts has continued to steadily rise throughout the winter season — as was to be expected in the cold winter months — and indicates the necessity to continue strictly adhering to CDC guidelines of hygiene and social distancing to limit the spread of the virus. Massachusetts construction sites continue to be among the safest in the nation, thanks in large part to the high standards of safety that Mayor Walsh put forth in conjunction with the union building trades. Safety on the job is and will always be IBEW Local 103’s highest priority. Local 103 is working hard to move essential workers, like those of us in construction, up on the list to receive vaccinations. We are also working to be a Host Vaccination Site with our two super, subzero vaccination storage freezers.
All construction sites and personnel are obliged to adhere to the policies listed below at all times. We encourage you to alert the COVID officer on your job site, or the Union Hall, if conditions are not meeting the requirements for safety and hygiene: City of Boston Guidelines: www.bit.ly/BosGuidelines Commonwealth of Massachusetts Guidelines: www.bit.ly/MassGuidelines Subzero vaccination storage freezers at IBEW Local 103
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IBEW LOCAL 103 RECOGNIZED BY B U I L D I N G PAT H WAY S FOR DIVERSIT Y STRIDES IBEW Local 103 is proud to have received the 20% Tradeswomen by 2020 Award at the 3rd Annual Building Pathways Awards Benefit, in recognition of the strides we have made to diversify our apprenticeship programs with increasing numbers of tradeswomen. Building Pathways, a pre-apprenticeship program started by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh in 2011, is focused on introducing women and people of color to opportunities in the building trades unions. Along with the Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues, Building Pathways in 2016 set a goal for local unions to reach 20% women apprentices, or to have a 20% increase, by the year 2020.
Business Manager/Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis (right) and Business Agent Kenell Broomstein (left) accept the ‘20% Tradeswomen by 2020’ award on behalf of IBEW Local 103 in a virtual ceremony.
The event was aired live on the Building Pathways Facebook page. IBEW Local 103 Business Manager/ Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis accepted the award along with Business Agent Kenell Broomstein. IBEW Local 103 believes that strong representation of tradeswomen is critical to a strong electrical construction industry and we will continue pushing toward that goal through proactive recruitment outreach. We thank Building Pathways for this award and are proud to accept on behalf of all our tradeswomen.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: J O E K E L LY ELECTOR AL COLLEGE ELECTOR
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My goal was to rebuild that bridge and bring the voice of labor back to the Democratic Party, but also to bring the voice of the Democratic Party back to labor. - Joe Kelly, MA Electoral College Elector
12-year member Joe Kelly has long been involved in his community and in the democratic process. Local 103 is proud to recognize him for his most recent participation in our democracy as an Electoral College elector. Earlier this year, Kelly won a seat as an at-large Democratic committee man, representing organized labor, then decided to run to become an elector. That leadership and service was especially important in such a pivotal election for unions and all working people. 103 TODAY | WINTER 2021
On December 14, Kelly was one of six men and 5 women who served as Massachusetts’ 11 presidential electors this year. Democrat Joe Biden carried the state of Massachusetts by a 33-point margin, the largest margin for any presidential candidate since 1964. Massachusetts was one of three states where Biden won every county. Becoming an elector isn’t easy. There were more than 20 candidates this year and electors must campaign for each slot. Kelly, who lives in Hingham, MA, said there wasn’t a representative from labor among the candidates for the 2020 electoral class, which prompted him to run for the position. As reported in
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IBEW LOCAL 103 FIGHTS A G A I N S T M B TA SERVICE CUTS Transportation is about more than just getting people from point A to point B. It’s about ensuring that working people are able to access well-paying jobs by expanding the opportunities available to them. That’s why IBEW Local 103 is proud to be part of the Public Transit for Public Good coalition’s fight to oppose severe service cuts to the MBTA (again). Even though the T is a vital service for working people, it comes under attack year after year. MBTA management wanted to slash the T’s budget, which would cause irreparable damage to the Commonwealth’s heavily-utilized transit system. But together as the Public Transit Public Good coalition, IBEW Local 103 and our allies succeeded in blunting some of the harshest cuts when the T’s oversight board voted December 14th, as reductions and service cuts would have been considerably worse without our collective pressure. The MBTA employs hundreds of Local 103 members, as well as thousands of other tradespeople. Just last year, management and the Baker administration tried to privatize the mechanics. It’s critical that we fight for these brothers and sisters, and to maintain their access to these good, middle-class jobs. Transit cuts would also reduce access for all our communities, increasing the burden on communities
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of color and low-income families, who already have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. IBEW Local 103 will continue to fiercely advocate for our members employed by the MBTA, as well as for our entire community, which relies on a comprehensive, effective and well-managed transit system. This effort includes demanding both rider and worker representation on the Fiscal and Management Control Board that oversees the MBTA. It is absolutely essential to preserve the integrity of this critical public good, and the family-sustaining jobs it provides directly to local families.
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ORGANI ZING UPDATE W E L C O M E , PAT R I O T LIGHT & POWER , LLC. Congratulations and welcome to IBEW Local 103’s newest signatory contractor, Patriot Light & Power, LLC! Patriot Light & Power is based in Boylston, MA. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, IBEW Local 103 has pushed forward to generate new partnerships and expand access to union benefits across the region. We are excited to join forces with Patriot Light & Power to bring high-quality expertise to electrical projects across the Commonwealth.
Michael Evangelous (center) and Lyle Rudloff (right) of Patriot Light & Power, LLC, with IBEW Local 103 Business Manager/Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis (left)
WELCOME , MOLLON ELECTRICAL CO. INC. Congratulations and welcome to new IBEW Local 103 signatory contractor, Mollon Electrical Co. Inc! Mollon Electrical Co. Inc. is a full-service electrical group located in Braintree, MA. The company has operations across commercial, residential and electrical vehicle charging projects. We are thrilled to welcome Mollon Electrical Co. Inc. to our IBEW Local 103 family!
Patrick Mollon of Mollon Electrical Co., Inc. (right) and IBEW Local 103 Business Manager/ Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis (left)
WELCOME HOMEL AND P O W E R + U T I L I T Y, L L C . Congratulations and welcome to IBEW Local 103’s newest signatory contractor, Danvers-based Homeland Power + Utility, LLC. Homeland Power is a family-owned, full-service shop led by Michael Carpenter and Jonathan Carpenter (a third-generation IBEW member). The company offers extensive services in storm restoration, electrical construction division, design/build and budgeting, andmore. Local 103 is proud to partner with Homeland Power + Utility, LLC.
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and 1 Jonathan 0 3 T OCarpenter D A Y (center) | WIN T Mike E R Loomis 2021 (right) of Homeland Power + Utility with IBEW Local 103 Business Manager Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis (left) 11
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TAKING BACK SOMERV ILLE A S S E M B LY R O W Block 5 - Puma HQ 455 Grand Union Boulevard, Somerville • Developer: Federal Realty Investment Trust • General Contractor: Cranshaw Construction • Electrical Subcontractor: Bent Electric (Core & Shell) and Atlantic Power & Light (Puma fit-out) • Electrical Project Value: $9.6 million
About: The new Block 5 office development will tower at 14 stories, and feature 250,000 SF of office space above 30,000 SF of retail and 335,000 SF of parking (550 spots). PUMA is expected to occupy a majority of the office space to build the company’s new North America headquarters. 450 PUMA employees are expected to relocate from offices in Boston and the current headquarters building in Westford, Massachusetts, in 2021.
Block 8 - Residential High Rise - 340 Canal Street, Somerville • • • •
Developer: Federal Realty Investment Trust General Contractor: Cranshaw Construction Electrical Subcontractor: State Electric Electrical Project Value: $16.5 million
About: Block 8 at Assembly Row will boast a 24-story building featuring 500 new residences with 500 parking spaces, including 31 affordable units (49 to be built by Federal Realty elsewhere in the city), as well as approximately 26,500 SF of restaurant and retail space. The project will employ around 75 IBEW Local 103 members at peak construction.
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UNION SQUARE Block D2 - Residential Buildings - Union Square 50 Prospect Street, Somerville • Developer: Union Square Station Associates (US2) • General Contractor: Cranshaw Construction • Electrical Subcontractor: Sullivan & McLaughlin
• Electrical Project Value: $20 million
Block D2.1 - Lab Project - Union Square 10 Prospect Street, Somerville
About: Two new residential buildings in Block D2 will make available 450 new apartments, including more than 90 much-needed affordable units. The start of work on D2 will also facilitate progress on the construction of the Union Square MBTA Green Line stop. Upon completion, pedestrians will be granted access to the T from this stop while construction continues on the Green Line and across Union Square.
• Developer: Union Square Station Associates (US2) • General Contractor: Cranshaw Construction • Electrical Subcontractor: Bent Electric • Electrical Project Value: $16 million
About: The new life sciences lab building will stand 9 stories above grade and include 157,900 SF of lab space for new and existing Union Square occupants. Just steps away from the Green Line, the project will be completed and ready for use in 2021. The building is designed to meet LEED Gold certification, and will include a blue roof for environmentally friendly water retention. The project will also add more green space to the neighborhood. About: The Green Line Extension (GLX) will extend the northern end of the Green Line from Lechmere to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford. Despite MBTA budget cuts and service changes, the Green Line Extension project will move forward in 2021, and is expected to be completed by December. The GLX is also expected to significantly reduce vehicle emissions by supporting an increased ridership of over 50,000 trips per day.
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GLX (Green Line Extension) • Developer: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority • General Contractor: Balfour Beatty • Electrical Subcontractor: State Electric • Electrical Project Value: $250 million
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Care that Works
DO YOU NEED EARLY MORNING CHILD CARE?
Our new program offering child care during construction hours might be the solution for you and your family!
Scan this QR code and fill out our interest form to get started. For more information, contact Lindsay McCluskey at: lindsay@massclu.org or 617-758-9681. carethatworks.org 103 TODAY | WINTER 2021
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H A B I TAT F O R H U M A N I T Y : E ASTON, MA
ANDOVER , MA
IBEW Local 103 is proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity to give back to our community. Recently, our members have been hard at work helping to build a new, single-family home in Easton, MA.
We are also proud to have helped build six new townhomes for low-income families in Andover. The Boston JATC invited Nashoba Valley Tech and Medford Vocational Tech students to help out, giving them valuable experience on the job, a look at what IBEW Local 103 is all about and the priceless joy of helping their community.
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IBEW LOCAL 103 COLLECTS HUNDREDS O F T OY S F O R L O C A L FA M I L I E S
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This has been a year filled with challenges for so many families due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this toy drive is a reminder that in Boston we take care of those in need. These gifts will help ensure that we make this holiday season a special and joyful one for our city’s kids.
- Martin J. Walsh, Boston Mayor
Business Manager/Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis (right) and President Bob Sheehan (left) IBEW Local 103 is proud to help spread holiday cheer by collecting toys for children of lowincome Boston families. This year marked the 7th Annual Friends of Mayor Martin J. Walsh Holiday Toy Drive, a charity initiative organized by Mayor Walsh to relieve some stress for local families during the holidays.
“Our members understand how fortunate we are for our union and for the security we have as members,” said IBEW Local 103 Business Manager/Financial Secretary Lou Antonellis. “We love to take every chance we can get to give back to those in our community that are less fortunate. It’s what the holidays are all about.”
This year’s drive, which took place against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and widespread unemployment, topped our 2019 donation, which Walsh described as “two truckloads.” “On behalf of the City of Boston, I would like to thank all of you for your generous donation,” Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said to IBEW Local 103 members and staff at the Union Hall. “This has been a year filled with challenges for so many families due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this toy drive is a reminder that in Boston, we take care of those in need. These gifts will help ensure that we make this holiday season a special and joyful one for our city’s kids.” 103 TODAY | WINTER 2021
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh visits the IBEW Local 103 Union Hall
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IBEW Local 103 Gives Back for the Holidays
IBE W LOCAL 103 GIVES BACK FOR T H E H O L I D AY S Tree lightings are treasured annual community celebrations, and even more so during these trying times. Despite the ongoing pandemic, IBEW Local 103 is proud our union and Gaston Electric ensured that Billerica families were still able to enjoy a sense
of togetherness during the holidays by volunteering to create a beautiful, outdoor public light display on the Billerica Common. IBEW Local 103 is happy to use our expertise to give back to the community year round, and we thank all the volunteers!
I B E W L O C A L 1 0 3 W O M E N ’S C O M M I T T E E H AT, S C A R F A N D G L O V E D R I V E IBEW Local 103 Women’s Committee held their annual charity drive for local, low-income families. They collected and distributed newlypurchased hats, scarves, gloves and other cold-climate gear for both adults and children. As the weather becomes colder, the necessity for services and items for those in need increases, and with the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, many families have had to choose between paying their rent or paying for food and clothing. During the holiday season of giving, members and friends of IBEW Local 103 were incredibly generous. Our most sincere thanks goes to everyone who donated to the successful drive.
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!
NEW
FREE
COVID-19 TESTING FOR
IBEW LOCAL 103 FAMILIES!
Stay safe and get tested at our very own union hall, or at participating CVS Health locations. Free of charge
IBEW Local 103 and the Health Benefit Plan are pleased to announce that we are officially working with CVS Health to provide FREE COVID-19 testing to IBEW Local 103 families, without the need for physician referral. The initiative is part of our ongoing mission to uphold the safety and security of all members and our families.
Open to all Health Plan Participants and their Dependents
Please contact the Trust Funds Office with any questions: (617) 288-5999
Appointment required
Scan here to register for COVID-19 testing:
No referral necessary
IBEW Local 103 Union Hall Rapid Result Testing
CVS Health Locations Testing
• Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. • IBEW Local 103 Union Hall, 256 Freeport Street, Dorchester (in the office trailer in the rear parking lot) • Results within 30 minutes • Appointment required
Lab Testing AND Rapid Testing available at participating CVS locations. An appointment is required and availability is subject to store hours. Follow the instructions below to make an appointment at: CVS.com/EmployerTesting
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HOW TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT 1.
Log on to: www.cvs.com/employertesting Appointments must be made via the URL above. Enter your Home Zip Code and Date of Birth where indicated. In the “Employee ID or Student ID” field enter the 9-digit number under your name (no letters, no suffix) from your Blue Cross Blue Shield card. Click “Get Started” and go to Step 2.
2.
Choose a testing location and appointment date: To be tested at Local 103, choose “Employer/campus Locations” and then an available date. If there are available times on the date you selected, they will appear in red boxes below the location. Testing can only be scheduled 3 days ahead. To be tested at a CVS Location, choose that option and enter the ZIP code where you would like to be tested and the date you’d like to be tested. Locations in, or near, the selected ZIP code will populate along with the map. Choose an appointment time:
3.
4.
If there are available times for the date you choose, they may appear in red boxes under each location. Otherwise, you may have to click “Check for available times” to get them to appear. Reminder: At some CVS Locations, you will have the option of either “Lab testing (drive thru)” or “Rapid result testing (Limited availability).” At the Local 103 location, we will only have “Rapid result testing.”
Complete visit information.
5.
Click “Submit”. You will receive a confirmation email with a confirmation code. If you have any questions throughout this process, please contact the Trust Funds Office at (617) 288-5999.
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N E W ! M A S S A C H U S E T T S PA I D FA M I LY M E D I C A L L E AV E Beginning on January 1, 2021, the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave Act (“MAPFML”) provides a state-funded benefit for members who work in Massachusetts. It is similar to the federal FMLA law but provides for paid leave funded through a state payroll tax which began in October 2019. You may use MAPFML leave to manage your own serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, to bond with a child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement, or to manage family affairs when a family member is on, or has been called to, active duty in the armed forces. You may use up to a total of 26 weeks of MAPFML leave in a benefit year. Part-time employees are eligible for MAPFML leave on a pro rata or proportional basis. Leave can be taken intermittently in separate periods of time due to a single qualifying reason. To qualify for MAPFML leave, you must have earned at least $5,100 in the previous 12 months and at least 30 times more than your expected weekly MAPFML benefit. The benefit amount paid is based on your average weekly wage at the time you apply for leave up to an indexed maximum weekly benefit of $850 for 2021. Benefits may be reduced by other wages or wage replacement benefits, including unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation, and permanent disability. The law requires employers to continue to provide Health coverage while an employee is not working due to such a leave, unless the Health Plan in question contains a provision continuing coverage for the affected employee. The Local 103, IBEW Health Benefit Plan has been amended to include a provision where Participants taking leave under the MAPFML can maintain eligibility during such leave. Since the law allows very small increments of leave to be taken, our Health Plan will work on the same basis. Our Plan will grant eligibility credit for any Participant utilizing such leave on an hour-for-hour basis without contribution from the Employer.
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Such eligibility credit will only apply to reaching the 144 hours required to maintain Health Plan coverage for any month during which such leave is taken and will not apply toward either the 48 months required for coverage during unemployment nor toward the 15 years required for coverage during retirement. If such leave is taken due to the Participant’s own serious medical condition, the leave, and the associated credit, will be counted toward the Participant’s 60-month lifetime disability coverage. However, even if the 60 months have been exhausted, Participants will still be eligible for coverage under the MAPFML regulations. In order to be eligible for Health Plan Eligibility credit under this provision, the Participant must provide the Health Plan with documentation of the approved leave. Upon the conclusion of your leave, MAPFML provides you with certain reinstatement rights with respect to job assignment, pay status, employment benefits, length-of-service credit, and seniority. Under the law, employers also may not reduce, pause, or stop your ability to earn vacation or sick time, seniority, length-of-service credits, bonuses, or any other employment benefits, plans, or programs you were previously eligible for because you went on leave.
You may learn more and apply for MAPFML benefits online at:
www.mass.gov/pfml
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RETIREMENT PL AN
TRUST FUND UPDATE
As of the date of this newsletter, there have been no new Coronavirus-related regulations with respect to retirement plans. For our Participants this means the following: • RMD’s from the Deferred Income Plan will again be issued in 2021 where they were not in 2020. • For Deferred Income loans for which payments were deferred under the CARES Act, payments will again become due beginning in April 2021. • Deferred Income Statements for the period from June 1, 2020, through November 30, 2020, were sent out in the first week of February. A return of 8.44% was reported. • Testing appointments can be made online. See pages 18-19 for details.
C O V I D - 1 9 T E S T I N G AT IBEW LOCAL 103!
IBEW Local 103 and the Health Plan are working with CVS Health to bring COVID-19 testing to the IBEW Local 103 Campus at 256 Freeport Street beginning in January 2021! • All Covered Persons under the Health Plan (Participants and their Dependents) will be eligible for testing. • Testing will be by appointment only. No referral from a doctor will be required. • Testing appointments can be made online. See pages 18-19 for details.
JATC UPDATE
BUILDING ACCESS The JATC is open for remote member services but remains closed to in-person visitors. Access to the building is via appointment only. Anyone seeking to conduct business at the JATC must make an appointment by emailing appointment@ibeweducation.com or calling 617-436-0980.
A P P L I C A N T U P D AT E All applicants from the 2019-2020 cycle who qualified for an interview last spring that was postponed due to the pandemic, were notified on 01/04/21 that their interview will be conducted sometime late spring/early summer of 2021. The JATC did not accept any new applications this year and we hope to open applications again in the fall of 2021.
J AT C T R A I N I N G A C T I V I T I E S All in-person apprentice classes have been postponed since mid-December due to the pandemic. Several day and evening groups began virtual classes in January and will continue into February, others will be assigned online coursework and the remaining groups will be postponed until March.
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E L E C T R I C A L B U S I N E S S L I C E N S E I N F O R M AT I O N The MA Board of State Examiners of Electricians (BSEE) has issued every electrical and systems business entity a new “A1” business license number in accordance with 237 CMR 16.03. This license will need to be renewed along with your master contractor license in 2022 and every three years thereafter. The fee for this new license is the same as a master license renewal. The BSEE has not set a date for when company vehicles and advertising must reflect the business license number in lieu of the master license number. We will continue to keep you posted on changes and news updates. If you received an electrical business license in the mail, visit: www.mass.gov/doc/electrical-business-license-faqs/ download to read the Frequently Asked Questions list issued by the BSEE.
ONLINE CODE UPDATE
Follow the JATC online at the following social media platforms:
JATC of Greater Boston
@ bostonjatc103
@bostonjatc103
FREE
for IBEW Local 103 Members!
Stay current on your electrical code training from the safety of your home. N E W ! - N F PA 7 0 N AT I O N A L E L E C T R I C A L C O D E U P D AT E 2 0 2 0 - NOW ONLINE
Due to the ongoing public health crisis, all in-person • The MASSACHUSETTS deadline to The NFPA 70 National Electrical Code 2020 course complete the required 15 hours of code update classes are postponed until further notice. is easily accessible, and will allow you to meet state continuing education is July 31, 2022. Instead, IBEW Local 103 and the Boston JATC are licensure requirements at your own pace starting offering the course to all members ONLINE free of January 11, 2021. • The NEW HAMPSHIRE deadline to charge, to ensure that there is no gap in essential See reverse side for details. complete the required 15 hours of continuing education. continuing education is June 30, 2021. All in-person code update classes are postponed until (NH deadline was extended from further notice. Instead, IBEW Local 103 and the Boston December 31, 2020 due to the JATC are offering the course to all members ONLINE free pandemic.) Visit the NH Board of of charge, to ensure that there is no gap in essential Electricians website for more info: continuing education. www.oplc.nh.gov/electricians/
Visit www.BostonJATC.com/code-update-courses to register.
For more information or to register for the online Code Update course, please visit our website: www.bostonjatc.com/code-update-courses 103 TODAY | WINTER 2021
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IN MEMORIAM IBEW Local 103 honors those members who have recently entered into Eternal Rest: James E. Carney, Jr.
9/1/2020
Robert C. Berry
12/11/2020
Robert P. Butler (Retired)
9/18/2020
Paul E. Konig (Retired)
12/13/2020
Francis M. Collins (Retired)
10/9/2020
Joseph L. McNiff (Retired)
12/13/2020
Zafrullah Haneef (Retired)
10/14/2020
Miquel A. Viveiros
12/14/2020
Henry W. Cusick (Retired)
10/21/2020
Thomas J. Rollins, Jr. (Retired)
12/17/2020
Robert J. McGann (Retired)
10/21/2020
William L. Buttner
12/21/2020
Jason M. Goodwin
10/24/2020
Owen P. Doherty (Retired)
12/23/2020
Daniel J. Rawdon (Retired)
10/26/2020
Richard A. Leonard (Retired)
12/24/2020
Carmine DiSciscio
10/29/2020
Mario H. Marmai, Jr. (Retired)
12/27/2020
Robert A. Osborn (Retired)
11/1/2020
John P. Graney (Retired)
Michael A. Prevett (Retired)
11/2/2020
Norman J. Nadeau (Retired)
John J. Chester, Jr. (Retired)
11/3/2020
Francis P. Nigro (Retired)
Donald L. Bigelow (Retired)
11/6/2020
Albert J. Nadeau (Retired)
1/26/2021
John M. Quirk, Jr. (Retired)
11/6/2020
Henry F. Robinson (Retired)
1/26/2021
Arthur F. Murphy (Retired)
11/7/2020
James P. Barker, III (Retired)
1/27/2021
Douglas F. Ivany (Retired)
11/8/2020
Salvatore J. Pauta (Retired)
1/28/2021
Sean J. McDonald
11/10/2020
Donald S. Boutilier
Robert L. Baker (Retired)
11/11/2020
James J. Donovan (Retired)
John W. Steeves, Jr. (Retired)
11/16/2020
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Lou Antonellis Business Manager/Financial Secretary 256 Freeport Street Dorchester, MA 02122