‘STRENGTH THROUGH SOLIDARITY’
Westin Harbour Castle Reservation Portal Now Open
for IFPTE 62nd Convention
We’re approximately one year out from the opening of IFPTE’s 62nd Convention being held at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, Ontario, CA, July 19-22, 2027. As we prepare for the event, we want to allow ample time for Convention attendees to reserve their sleeping rooms at the Westin. Locals and attendees may now use the IFPTE reservation portal to book your rooms. Standard rates are $339 CA (king or double based on availability). Let the countdown begin!
IFPTE Local 20 Members Ratify New Contract with PG&E, Including Highest-Ever Wage Increases
Members of the Engineers and Scientists of California, IFPTE Local 20, voted this week to ratify a contract with Pacific Gas and Electric Company. ESC represents nearly 5,000 highly skilled professionals at PG&E, which provides utility services to 16 million California residents. “With this agreement, ESC members have secured the highest three-year wage increases of any PG&E contract in the Union’s 74-year history,” said John Mader, President of Engineers and Scientists of California and of the Union’s PG&E Unit Board.
IFPTE Letter Supporting House WRDA Bill Cites Favorable Provisions on Boundary Realignment and Cites Concerns about Wasteful Army Corps Office Relocations and Lack of Transparency
This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee both passed their respective Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bills with unanimous bipartisan support. IFPTE sent a letter to House T&I Committee Members to shore up support for union-backed provisions and also remind lawmakers that USACE’s ongoing effort to move offices out of New York City is a waste of taxpayer dollars, will result in skilled workers leaving the agency, and will harm critical missions and project delivery. The House WRDA bill did include IFPTE-backed language offered by Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA) that requires the USACE to inform Congress and consult with stakeholders before any boundary realignment is implemented. The language was included as part of a bipartisan Managers’ amendment to the bill.
Rep. Goldman, Sen. Schumer, Sen. Gillibrand, Other Lawmakers Request Investigation of Army Corps Office Relocations That Harms IFPTE Local 98 Members’ Work, Result in Workforce Attrition
After successfully encouraging New York congressional lawmakers to request an independent study on the impact of moving Corps work from New York to New Jersey, IFPTE continued to fight for Local 98- represented jobs by urging congressional appropriators to halt the move until the study can be completed. In a letter to key congressional appropriators this week, IFPTE warned that, “The relocation is expected to cause substantial workforce attrition among highly specialized engineers, scientists, planners, and project managers…”, while urging lawmakers to block the move to, “allow the GAO to fulfill the Congressional request to investigate USACE’s relocation of the New York District and North Atlantic Division offices.” IFPTE’s latest efforts come after a request from New York Congressman, Dan Goldman along with several lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Shumer, for an independent study regarding the fiscal impact of the move.
Society of United Professionals Young Professionals Network Hosts Ottawa Social Event
Members of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) from the Society of United Professionals (SUP/IFPTE Local 160) hosted a social event at Level One Pub in Ottawa, Canada bringing together Society members from the Ottawa region for an evening of networking and socializing.
House Bill to Cut Veterans Benefits and Privatize VA Services Loses Support and Is Pulled Moments Before Floor Vote — Read Union Letter to House Lawmakers Opposing Bill
This week, the ill-named “Taking Care of America’s Veterans Act,” H.R. 9237, was stopped from passing in the House of Representatives after a “motion to recommit” showed that enough Republicans would join with Democrats to oppose and defeat the bill on the House floor. The AFL-CIO letter, signed by IFPTE, opposed the bill because it “cynically packages long-sought, well-deserved new benefits for disabled veterans with benefit cuts to other veterans and a slew of provisions designed to further privatize the VA healthcare system.”
MFL Calls for Action to Address Growing Epidemic of Workplace Violence
The Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL), of which TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 and WAPSO/IFPTE Local 162 are affiliates, have released a new report examining the growing epidemic of workplace violence across the province and offering practical solutions to better protect workers. The report warns that incidents of workplace violence in Manitoba have more than tripled over the past decade and calls for a province-wide prevention strategy to address the current crisis
Unions Power America Sweepstakes
The 6th annual Unions Power America Sweepstakes is back and it’s MASSIVE. Like more than $150,000 in cash prizes MASSIVE. Union Plus is proud to give back to union members who keep America going, so here’s what YOU can win during the Sweeps: 🏆 2 Grand Prizes: $40,000 + a stay at a hotel from Priceline — EACH 💸 1 First Prize: $20,000 💵 2 Second Prizes: $5,000 each 💰 40 Third Prizes: $1,000 each. Yep, 45 winners total and every SINGLE prize is going to a hard-working and well-deserving union member. Just like you. So what are you waiting for? Get your name in the hat before the August 19 deadline!
TAKE ACTION, TELL CONGRESS
IFPTE Urges Congress to Block Trump Administration from Accessing Personal Medical Data of Federal Workers
IFPTE responded this week to efforts by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to unilaterally implement a rule forcing health insurers to disclose the individualized, personal medical information of current and former federal employees to the Trump Administration. In asking both Congressional appropriators and authorizers to come together in a bipartisan way to prevent the Administration from accessing this data, IFPTE reinforced to lawmakers that, “Medical records invoke core cannons of personal, social, psychological, cultural, and religious privacy that are absolutely sacred to all Americans.” Read IFPTE’s letter to key Capitol Hill lawmakers and join IFPTE’s member mobilization letter writing campaign here.
IFPTE Local 400 