Administrative Assistant – Helen Shaw

303-398-7343

Background:

1. Graduated from Carbon High School, Price, Utah, 1963.
2. Graduated from the College of Eastern Utah, Price, Utah, with a degree in Machine Tool Technology 1965.
3. Served in the United States Navy for 4 years.
4. Member in good standing with the Local Union 111, since 1971.
5. Employed by Public Service Company of Colorado at the Arapaho and Cherokee Power Plants, Denver, CO (1971 to 1973) as a Helper; and Comanche Power Plant, Pueblo, CO (1973 to 1981) as an Apprentice Mechanic, Power Plant Mechanic and then as a Classified Mechanic (Machinist and Millwright).
6. Active in all Local Union 111 and Public Service Company of Colorado Joint Committees 1972 to 1981.
7. Shop Steward for six years.
8. Business Representative from November 1981, to December 1982.
9. Promoted to Assistant Business Manager in December 1982.
10. Promoted to Senior Assistant Business Manager - December 1987.
11. Chairman of the Local’s Human Rights Committee – January 1990 to October 1999.
12. Participated on President Bill Clinton’s panel on race relations – June 1995.
13. Office Administrator - May 1996 to May 1998.
14. Appointed to Board of Directors, Mobile Tool International, Inc. - July 1996 to December 2003.
15. President of A.F. of L. Building Corporation - April 1997 to May 1999.
16. Opened the Pueblo office in October 1999.

• Unit Assignments:
• Unit 16, PSCo – Pueblo Gas
• Unit 16B, PSCo – Comanche
• Unit 16B Shift, PSCo – Comanche
• Unit 24C, Tri-State – Pueblo
• Unit 33D, SMI International – Colorado Springs
• Unit 35, Southeast Colorado Power Association - Lamar

Commities:

• Arbitration Advocate

• Human Rights Committee Chairperson

•  Human Rights Committee Investigator

•  Joint Conference Committee (Alternate)

• Southern Colorado Labor Council Representative

• Stationed in our Pueblo Office

In 2005 the local was successful in organizing Asplundh Tree Expert Co. on the Western slope and in Southeast Colorado. We were in negotiations for a year with these two new groups and lost them when they were influenced by the Company that they no longer needed the Union.

I have attended the Utility Conference the past two years. I was elected as a delegate to the IBEW 37^th International Convention held this past September in Cleveland, Ohio.

Since the last Policy Committee Meeting, the total number of Grievances in my Units have decreased. Most of this reduction is due to the experience and knowledge that our Stewards have gained in resolving disputes and reaching settlements before Grievances are actually reduced to writing.

In the past two years I was involved in two Arbitration cases with Xcel Energy, both being termination cases.

The first case involved a gas fitter, who was fired for not reporting to work at the regular time of his work shift. This employee was working the evening shift and was also on the Gas Rodeo Team for the Company. The Company has a past practice of letting the employee off to set up and practice for this event during the day. On the day in question, all of the employees on the team were practicing and setting up for the event. The Grievant’s shift was from 3:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. while the rest of the team was on the day shift with a quitting time of 4:00 p.m. The employees started the practice session at 7:30 a.m. and set up and practiced all day. Management did observe that all of the team was at the practice site the entire day. At the end of the day, all of the employees filled out a time card and went home. The grievant did not report for his regular shift at 3:30 since he felt he was at the practice site with the rest of the team and he was participating in a Company event. However, on the other hand, the Company felt the grievant had falsified his time card when he submitted it for 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. since he did not obtain permission for the change in his starting time and he did not report for his regular shift starting at 3:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., the Company terminated this individual stating he was stealing time from the Company when he submitted the time card for 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The arbitrator ruled the grievant did not steal time for personal gain, and he did not get permission to change his shift, therefore, his decision was to reinstate the grievant with no back pay but he was to regain all other benefits.

The other case also involved an employee who was fired for falsifying her time card when she reported working overtime on two different occasions, which she did not work. The Union’s argument was a disparity of treatment since the Company, just prior to this case, gave another employee a decision making leave for committing the same offense. Both employees were in violation of the Corporate Code of Conduct. The Corporate Code of Conduct applies to all employees from the top rung of the ladder to the bottom rung of the ladder and should be administered equally to all employees. The Arbitrator agreed with the Union and ordered the Company to reinstate the employee with full back pay and reduce the termination to a decision making leave with pay.

I was in negotiations with Asplundh Tree Expert Company for most of 2005, but we lost these employees because of the games the Company played in the negotiations, and by convincing the employees they did not need the Union.

I was involved in the interim negotiations with Xcel Energy pertaining to Letter of Agreement P-98-0042 in Energy Supply. The new letter of agreement was ratified by the members in November 2004.

I negotiated a three year agreement with Southeast Colorado Power Association in 2005, in which a wage increase of 3% the first year, 2% the second year, and 2.5% the third year were reached. Medical remained the same.

This year we negotiated a two year agreement with SMI International with a 3.5% wage increase the first year, and 3.25% the second year. We also received an increase to the pension plan and to stand-by pay. No changes to the medical plan.

To do my best in aiding the members in reaching fairness in the workplace; to continue working with the Stewards so that they may receive the education to help their fellow members achieve a better working environment, and improve the standard of living for themselves and their families.

Respectfully submitted by H. John Sena, Senior Assistant Business Manager

HJS: jh/opeiu#5/afl-cio

Mike Byrd: Business Manager

George Wilson Jr. :Remote Agent Craig, Grand Junction

John Sena: Remote Agent Pueblo

Dennis Z. LeTurgez: Remote Agent , Grand Junction

Bruce J. Lawlor: Senior Assistant Business Manager, Denver

Sean McCarville: Agent, Denver

Patrick Weak: Senior Assistant Business Manager

John Vogel: Agent, and Dispatch, Denver

Timio Archuleta: Agent, Denver

James Thorp: Agent, Denver

Mike Hixon