Code of Excellence

Presentation to Local Union Officers, Leaders, and Staff

Rev. 09/06

Industrial version

1

Union Density 1955-2004

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

'55 '60 '65 '70 '75 '80 '85 '90 '95 '00 '04

2Source: AFL-CIO

A Look at Our Union’s GrowthTotal IBEW “A” and “BA” Membership For Selected Years

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

1,000,000

1919 1925 1930 1941 1954 1972 2004

3Source: IBEW© Research and Technical Services Department

IBEW® Local Union XXX Membership Totals 1965-2004

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Why the Statistics?

Why don’t we represent every electrical worker? Why don’t people want to join? Are we keeping up with attrition through

organizing? Are we able to market the IBEW by our work? What will be the future of our industry? Can we compete with low-wage/limited-benefit

nonunion employers? Why are we losing our work?

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We Need a New Plan…

As a local union, we need to get back to basics. We have to instill the fundamental characteristics of being an IBEW member: Most skilled Most highly trained Safest Most productive In one word, “professional”

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An IBEW program of job responsibilitywith the following goals:

Work performed on time and under budget.Restoration of a sense of pride and professionalism by our members.Strong recommendations by customers using our work.A union workplace.

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What is the Code of Excellence?

Essential Elements for Success:

Total support of local union officers. Strong steward structure. Total support of local union membership. Development of effective communication

among leadership, members, and stewards. Development of effective communication

with employer management, supervisors, and our customers.

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Why a Code of Excellence?

Promotion of IBEW professionalism.Improved perception of IBEW by customers who use our services.Enhanced competitiveness. Improved organizing opportunities. (If we’re top quality, more workers will want to be associated with us.)

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Excellence Stewards

• Must be trained in dealing with job peer pressure.

• Must be committed to the local union reputation by setting high standards of professionalism, productivity, and quality of work.

• Must have the ability to work with management and our customers to reach these goals.

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Support from Officers and E-Board(1)

It is essential for the officers to encourage membership support for the Code of Excellence at every opportunity.

It is essential for the executive board to support the business manager and staff when problem members are brought before them.

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Support from Officers and E-Board(2)

It is essential for the officers to support the Code of Excellence and the local’s front-line soldiers—the excellence stewards.

It is essential for the officers to promote the Code of Excellence and the values it embraces.

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Local Union Support for the Steward

The business manager and the business representatives are responsible for providing support in all areas to the Code of Excellence stewards.

This support, in addition to standing behind the steward, is to provide him or her the resources and training to advance the Code of Excellence and provide quality representation and a union workplace for our members.

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Enforcement(1)

Business manager—overall enforcement of Code of Excellence.

Business representatives/staff—enforce at direction of the business manager.

Stewards—business manager’s representatives on the jobsite. Empowered by business manager to enforce the Code of Excellence on that jobsite.

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Enforcement(2)

The Code of Excellence steward will work with on-site management to adjust all problems, whether involving management or labor, as soon as they occur and starting at the foreman level and continuing upward until the issue is resolved.

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Enforcement(3)

If it is the judgment of the Code of Excellence steward that assistance from the union office is needed, the assigned business representative will assist until the issue is resolved at whatever level is required.

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Enforcement(4)

If it is the judgment of the business manager, assistance from an International Representative is needed, the International Representative will assist until the issue is resolved at whatever level is required.

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Enforcement(5)

When a problem exists with a member in regards to conduct, lack of effort, attitude, lack of skills, etc., the Code of Excellence steward will work with the individual member to help him or her solve the problem and return the member as a productive part of the IBEW team.

By designating a job as a Code of Excellence project, the employer agrees to work with the steward in this manner.

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Enforcement(6)

When a member will not or cannot comply with the requirements of the Code of Excellence and his or her responsibility to the IBEW, and the Code of Excellence steward and the assigned business representative are in agreement that all efforts to help the employee have been exhausted, the member will be referred to the executive board.

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Enforcement(7)

This referral to the executive board does not put the member on trial.

The executive board does not conduct a hearing, but supports the local’s commitment to the Code of Excellence. The Board must take the appropriate action to assist the member in becoming a productive member of the IBEW team.

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Enforcement(8)

The Code of Excellence steward and the assigned business representative will be present at the meeting to explain their efforts with the member.

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Enforcement(9)

The executive board will decide what is needed to aid this member’s return as a valued member of the IBEW team.

As an example, if it is a substance abuse issue, the executive board has the authority to require a supervised or inpatient recovery program as a requirement to return to full membership.

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Enforcement(10)

When a member will not or cannot comply with the requirements of the Code of Excellence and his or her responsibility to the IBEW, and the situation is serious enough to require charges being filed, the charges will be filed by the business manager or the assigned business representative and the charged member will be tried by the local union trial board.

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Enforcement(11)

The local union executive board is responsible for eliminating chronically problematic members through constitutional mechanisms.

All members terminated for just cause by the employer in Code of Excellence workplaces will receive an automatic invitation to explain their conduct to the executive board. This will be in addition to the normal grievance procedure.

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Support of the Code

It is extremely important that the executive board support the Code of Excellence to maintain the credibility of the local.

If a business representative and a Code of Excellence steward have exhausted all means of assisting a member to comply with the Code, they should expect and deserve the support of the executive board when they make their appearance.

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Support of the Code

Thus far, the Code of Excellence has proven its value as a viable method to increase our professionalism.

The integrity of our local demands the extra effort and single-minded attention to making this a continuing success.

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Support of the Code

This is a cultural change for many of our members, and it needs nurturing and attentiveness, lest we fall back into old habits.

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Support of the Code

Professionalism, quality of work, and high productivity in a union workplace are our rewards for the work we put in to make this happen.

We cannot afford to fail!

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We Control our Destiny

If it is to be, it’s up to me!

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Thank you for your commitment!

IBEW® Code of Excellence30