Dear Sisters and Brothers,

On 8-1-09, President Edwin D. Hill, Emeritus signed the NECA/IBEW National Outside Construction Emergency Response Agreement to help protect outside construction members during a natural disaster, to ensure the jobs are kept at home without fear of being penalized and to guarantee the wage and benefit package for all employees while working away from their home area.

Unfortunately, our members are being solicited through social media and word of mouth to quit one employer, only to be hired by another employer. This is being done by IBEW members, NECA employers, and non-NECA employers. Our customers are upset that IBEW members abandoned their jobs, leaving the work unfinished to go on storm projects. Our Outside Market share nationally is 33% and has been hovering in this area for some time now. Someone is doing the other 67% of the outside work in the U.S. If we continue to alienate our everyday customer we are sure to lose the market share.

The Emergency Response Agreement is very clear on this issue. "Employees traveling under this provision must provide proof they were legitimately referred to the traveling contractor by an IBEW local union to the site local union upon request. Employee "raiding" or "direct solicitation" is not an acceptable practice and may result in appropriate grievances or charges filed against those involved."

I urge all business managers and your members to start policing this issue before this escalates and the IBEW loses customers along with market share.

With best wishes, I am

Fraternally yours,

Lonnie R. Stephenson

International President