White Plains Electricians Start Contract Negotiations

Newly elected members to the Westchester – Fairfield Advisory Board are pictured with Local 3 officials (back row standing l to r): Recording Secretary Joseph R. Bechtold, Apprentice Director Andy White, Assistant Business Manager Paul Ryan, Business Representative Thomas Capurso, Business Manager Christopher Erikson, President John E. Marchell and Business Representative Michael Whalen.

Preparations have begun for the upcoming Westchester-Fairfield contract negotiations. On January 15th, a meeting was held to select Advisory Board members representing the graduating classes from January 2005 thru January 2007. At the the meeting, nine members were nominated by their classmates and appointed by President John E. Marchell to serve on the Advisory Board. In attendance were Business Manager Chris Erikson, Assistant Business Manager Paul Ryan, Recording Secretary Joe Bechtold, Business Representatives Mike Whalen and Tom Capurso, and Apprentice Training ­Director Andy White. The members appointed to the Advisory Board were: Patrick Baxter, Michael Bellino, Tricia Benderoth-New, Michael Gerri, Sherry Jadus, Matthew Keane, Anthony Lucariello, Louis Sanchez and Kevin Smith.
The Advisory Board held its first meeting on January 23rd at the Amackassin Club in Yonkers to select four members of the Board who will serve as the Negotiating Committee. The newly selected members of the Negotiating Committee were: Ted Jadus, Chairman, Stephen Blades, Secretary, John Marfia, William Vanadia
In attendance at this meeting were ­Local 3 President John E. Marchell and Business Manager Chris Erikson, Assistant Business Manager Paul Ryan, Business Representatives Mike Whalen, Tom Capurso and Mike O’Neill, Executive Board members Tom Cleary, Richard McSpedon, Bob Simoniello, Maureen Steiger and Gordon Young, and Apprentice Training Director Andy White. Discussions on the upcoming negotiations and other items pertaining to our area were held with everyone being given the opportunity to ask ­questions and express their views.
On January 30, an informational meeting was held for all ‘A’ journeypersons in the Westchester-Fairfield jurisdiction of Local 3 in which the newly appointed negotiating committee was introduced by President Marchell and accepted with great enthusiasm. President Marchell, at the recommendation of Business Manager ­Christopher Erikson, established a sub-committee to study the Westchester-Fairfield Employment Plan. Edward Puncar, chairman, introduced the sub-committee members: Tina Hylton-Campbell, Richard DeGasperi, Joe Duffy, Bob Fogarty, Len Gilliam, Bob McSpedon and Dan Mecca. The membership gave comments on the Westchester-Fairfield Agreement and the Westchester-Fairfield ­Employment Plan. All were encouraged to send their suggestions on the contract to the negotiating committee. The committee was shown a great deal of support and encouragement from the ­membership.