IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Michael E. Cramer... Financial Secretary / Treasurer

Wayne Lord... Business Agent

Jeff LaBroski... Business Agent

John Robinson... President / Dir. of Service & Repair

Jim C. Cadden... Vice President / Organizer

Jeff Warden... Organizer

Matt Schoellman... Fund Manager

Robert L. Cross... Director of Training

✁

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

Union Hall

(713) 869-3592

(800) 798-1074

Fund Office

(713) 869-2592

(800) 833-2980

Training Center

(713) 861-3202

(800) 891-8900

Credit Union

(713) 869-9053

Website

www.plu68.com

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If you haven’t logged into the member section of our website @ www.plu68.com , please do so

and leave your email address. To those 500+ members that have logged on and left email

addresses, we are able and have been sending important messages from the Union hall. One of

the most important benefits of this is being informed of a members passing as we are notified. If

you have any difficulty logging on please call Lynnesa at the Union hall. Additionally, you may

email the Union hall generically at [email protected] with questions, comments, change of

address/phone numbers, etc.

ISSuE NO. 164 NEWSLETTER MAY 2011

UNION MEETINGS

The next Union meeting will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 6:00 P.M. at 502 Link Road

in Houston, Texas. Please note that June’s Union meeting date was changed per motion during

the May Union meeting. Astros’ tickets raffle at this meeting.

The next quarterly Beaumont Union meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 28 beginning at 5:00

PM at the Union hall at 695 Chamberlin in Beaumont, Texas.

*Please remember to turn cell phones off or on vibrate during Union meetings.*

Local 68’s Retirees Club will be providing lunch to all interested retirees on Thursday, June 30th at the Hickory Hollow restaurant at 101 Heights Blvd. @ Center (just before Washington Ave). The luncheon will

begin at 12:00 noon. If you have questions or to R.S.V.P. call Larry Koenekampat 713.861.0587 or Jim Seay

at 281.426.6553.

Local 68’s 50 year Retired Life Member Club increased by

three this month as Brothers Norman Holmes, Frank

McKinley and O.D. Wark reached this milestone. Financial Secretary Mike Cramer presents a watch, pin and certificate to Brother McKinley on the left and Brother O.D. Wark on the right.

RETIREES LUNCHEON

RETIRED LIFE MEMBERS

Our annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM on Friday, June 24 with the weigh-in at 3:00 PM on Saturday, June 25 again at Hornbeck’s in Port Bolivar.

Get your boats ready and your beach houses reserved as we will begin taking early registrations June 1st. Return the enclosed registration form early and save the $5.00 late fee.

68’s FISHING TOURNAMENT

As another apprenticeship school year comes to an end we wish to honor our fine Instructors who sacrifice time away from their families and other things they could be doing to train our future journeyman. It’s a tuff commitment to be at the training center two days a week or every other Saturday for ten months straight each year. Some do both. Almost all work full time jobs also. Don’t forget they’ve become Instructors

sometime after their five years of apprenticeship training. In addition to all of this they give up a week of their summers (five years minimum) to be trained in Ann Arbor, Michigan to qualify them to obtain Instructor Certification after attending many hours of college instruction courses locally. Local 68’s outstanding Instructors are:

Keith Bagley Kenneth Bagley James O. Brewer Selmer “Ray” Burgess

David Fought Othon Guillen IV Michael Johnson John Jordan Jr.

Alvin McKnight III Joe Milstead Deric Perry Benjamin “Biff” Reed

Timothy Sandusky Sam Santos Matt Schoellman Glen Sheppard Terry Voyles Scott Wang Jeff Warden John Wood

INSTRUCTORS

Pictured with his 1st place Texas

plaque is Stanley

West and the

other apprentices from around the state.

Pictured L-R UA Training

Director Mike Arndt, General

President William Hite,

Stanley West and LU 286 BM

Corby Shelton.

Plumbers Local Union #68 Newsletter Page 2 May 2011

APPRENTICE COMMITTEE

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Saturday, June 18 (Texas City) ... 8:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. Saturday, June 18 (Houston)... 8:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. Tues., June 21 & Wed., June 22 (Houston)... 5:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Tues., 28 & Wed., June 29 (Houston)... 5:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Congratulations to Local 68 Fifth year apprentice Stanley

L. West, Jr.won 1st place in the UA/MCA State Apprentice

Contest held in Austin, Texas the last week in April. Brother West competed against apprentices from San Antonio, Austin, Waco, Ft. Worth and Dallas. We all wish Brother West the best

next month in New Orleans as he competes against apprentices from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee in the District 3 contest.

The Houston Area Plumbing Joint Apprenticeship Committee will offer the 30 Hour OSHA Safety Course on Friday, June 3 & Saturday, June 4 and Friday, June 10 & Saturday, June 11, 2011 from 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Students must be present all four days in order to receive credit and qualify for the 30 Hour OSHA Certification Card. Contact the Training Center at 713-861-3202 ext. 217 if you are interested in registering for this 30 Hour OSHA Safety Course.

Houston Astros’ tickets raffle winners at the May meeting were: Freddie Lopez, Drew Holbrook, Broderick Grissett, Frank McKinley, Jim Dixon, Robert Jackowski, Alberto Castillo, Sam Santos, Brad Jenkins, Saul Aleman, Fernando Cortez, Sean

Harrison, Chato Woodard, Steve Rosilier, William Pylate, John Jordan, Jason Britnell andSantos Martinez.

RAFFLE WINNERS

NEWEST LOCAL 68 MEMBER

If you are currently paying Metal Trades dues ($23 monthly) it is not necessary to check in monthly as you are not eligible to have your name on the out-of-work list while on Metal Trades dues status. If you are on Metal Trades dues status and are employed by, or desire employment with a signatory contractor, you must contact Financial

Secretary-Treasurer Mike Cramerfor a classification change.

METAL TRADES STATUS

Local 68’s Community Improvement Scholarship

applications are available and must be received back complete in Local 68’s office by 4:30 PM on Monday, June 27th. Members, spouses or dependent children (as defined by our

Group Protection Plan) are eligible to apply. Applicants must be a high school senior or returning student planning to attend a university, college or technical institute in the fall or spring term.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT FUND

Please be aware that the Trustees of our Group Protection Plan approved a physical examination benefit increase (including lab expenses) as follows:

For individuals between the ages of 15 and 39, benefits will be provided for a routine physical examination once every five calendar years. For individuals 40 years of age

deductible is waived and the benefits will be provided up to a maximum payment of $400 per exam.

Your Trustees encourage you to take advantage of this enhanced benefit and visit your family doctor for appropriate screenings and preventive care. Additionally, remember to use a Blue Cross / Blue Shield PPO in - network provider and call

Plumbers Local Union #68 Newsletter Page 4 May 2011

The officers, members and staff of Plumbers Local 68 congratulate the graduates of 2011 for the completion of their vigorous training, both in the classroom and on the job. This year’s graduates are:

Javier Abrego Michael T. Adair Emeden A. Alanis Jose A. Barron Christopher M. Bean Eric R. Boles Glen E. Cameron Elmer Carranza Louis C. Castillo Martin Cerna Michael T. Cloud Robert S. Duque Tobin B. Erp Allan J. Fairburn Blake L. Ford Matthew G. Freeman Anthony J. Gardner Vernon J. Gay Stephen C. Harms Jose G. Hernandez Drew P. Holbrook, Jr. Allen D. Isaacks John C. Johnson Christopher M. Justice Michael T. Lovell Oscar Luevano Eric L. McCloud Ricardo A. Moreira Daniel L. Morris David L. Opperman, Jr. Dustin K. Patterson Jason C. Petty Brandon T. Powell Justin T. Reed Jose A. Regalado Andrew Reyes Raymond E. Russell Shawn W. Russell Pedro S. Sanchez, Jr. Cole H. Sellers Billy J. Setliff Ronald T. Smith Rickey A. Springer Adam M. Talamantez Kyle D. urban Jose L. Vazquez, Jr. James M. Venable Luis E. Villanueva Stanley L. West, Jr. Stanley D. Young Leonardo J. Zamora

2011 GRADUATING CLASS

Graduates and other apprentices at our banquet are honored for various achievements including attendance, written contest scores and practical skill performance projects scores. Our 2nd year apprentices compete on the written portion of the contest only, while the top five highest written scores by 3rd, 4th, and 5th year apprentices compete in the practical skills portion also. Congratulations to all of our apprentices who participated in the written and practical portion of this year’s contest. Presenting

awards for the Committee were Alejo Guevara, Othon Guillen IV, Ken Borski, Kevin Gill andJC Carman.

Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Fifth Year

Edward Anderson Adrian Caraveo Johnathan Bader Landrum Calhoun

Charles Barbee Rodolfo Flores David Bowman Glen Cameron

Johnny Guitierrez Andrew Miles Sylvan Franco Stephen Hodge

Hershell Hayes Joshua Mills Alden Garza Blake Joffrion

Agustin Santos Angel Perez Corey Gill Brandon Powell

Felix Rodriguez Christopher Hallman Ronald Smith

Aaron Santos Matthew McWhirter Stanley West

Kevin Woodall George York First Place Contest Winners

2nd Year Edwin Anderson 3rd Year Aaron Santos 4th Year Corey Gill 5th Year Stanley West High Written Score

Aaron Santos

Practical Skills Project Winners

Welding Corey Gill

Builders Level Corey Gill

Copper Brazing Corey Gill,

Brandon Powell, Kevin Woodall

Copper Soldering Joshua Mills

Material Take Off Joshua Mills

Rigging Kevin Woodall

Plumbing Repair Rodolfo Flores

Parts Identification Stanley West

2011 APPRENTICESHIP BANQUET

Left: Director of Service and Repair

John Robinson

addresses attendees

Right: Drew Holbrook

receives "Outstanding Graduate

Award" from JC Carman

2011 APPRENTICESHIP BANQUET

2011 Graduates and Honored Guests

Above: UA International

Rep. Bill Eden

Center: UA Training Rep. Phil

Campbell informs the graduating

apprentices their journeyman training now begins. Below: MCA Executive Director

Glenn Rexcharges the

graduating apprentices. Right: Director of Training Robert Crosswelcomes attendees with Business Manager

Plumbers Local Union #68 Newsletter Page 6 May 2011

2011 APPRENTICESHIP BANQUET

Five Years Perfect Attendance Awardpresented by Ken Borski and Kevin Gill. L-R: Ken Borski, Christopher Bean,

Glen Cameron, Drew Holbrook, Stanley West Jr., James Venable and Kevin Gill. Not pictured is Stephen Harms.

Clockwise #1: 3rd Year

apprentice Joshua Mills

#2: 2nd Year apprentice Edward Anderson #3: 5th Year apprentice Brandon Powell Above Center #7: 3rd Year apprentice Aaron Santos #4: 5th Year apprentice Kevin Woodall #5: 5th Year apprentice Stanley West Jr. #6: 4th Year apprentice Corey Gill

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