James Thorpe
Senior Assistant Business Manager

Administrative Assistant – Helen Shaw

303-398-7351

Background:

  1. Graduated Grafton High School, Grafton West Virginia, 1976.
  2. Worked as a Welder A for Mobile Tool International, previously General Cable, Westminster, Colorado.
  3. Proud member in good standing with the IBEW, Local Union 111 since September 1986.
  4. Served as Steward for eight years and as Chief Steward for seven years in Unit 33C, Mobile Tool International.
  5. Served on the Mobile Tool International FJAC for two years.
  6. Served as Apprentice Coordinator, Mobile Tool International, for six years.
  7. Helped organize Mobile Tool International’s Plants in Laverne, California and Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1997.
  8. Elected to Executive Board for Unit 33C, Mobile Tool International, in 1998.
  9. Member of the 2000 Negotiation Committee for Unit 33C, Mobile Tool International.
  10. Served two years on the for IBEW Local Union 111 Audit Committee.
  11. Came on Staff April 2002, as a Business Representative.
  12. Promoted to Assistant Business Manager in October 2003.

Unit Responsibilities:

  1. Unit 6 – PSCO-Sterling, Colorado
  2. Unit 6A and 6AS – PSCO Pawnee Station, Brush, Colorado
  3. Unit 10 PSCO Salida
  4. Unit 12 – Morgan County REA – Fort Morgan, Colorado
  5. Unit 13 PSCO Alamosa
  6. Unit 17A – United Power, Inc. – Brighton, Colorado
  7. Unit 19A – PSCO Roundup – Wiggins, Colorado  
  8. Unit 21 - PSCO/WG – Durango, Colorado
  9. Unit 24B - Tri-State G&T – Durango, Colorado
  10. Unit 26 – La Plata REA – Durango, Colorado
  11. Unit 26A – La Plata REA - Pagosa Springs, Colorado
  12. Unit 30 San Luis Valley REA
  13. Unit 33- United States Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado
  14. Unit 33A – CBS Outdoor, Denver, Colorado
  15. Unit 33B – Broadcasting (CBS/FOX) and Oswego Creative, Denver, Colorado
  16. Unit 33M - Mitel Telecommunications

Negotiations:
  1. Unit 12, Morgan County REA. Successfully negotiated and ratified a 30-month contract. Highlights include: 1st year wage increase of 3.5%; 2nd year 3.5%; and final six months 2% increase. Increase in 401k, and also successful getting the 401k language into the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
  2. Unit 17A, United Power, Inc. Successfully negotiated and ratified a 5-year contract. Highlights include: 1st year 3.5% increase, 2nd year 3.5% increase; and 3rd year 3% with a wage opener for remaining contract.
  3. Unit 33B, Oswego Creative. Secured a 2 year contract with increases of 5% for the first year; and 5% the second year.
  4. Unit 33, BOR. Secured a 1 year wage increase of 4%

 

Unit 26 and 26A La Plata REA.

Education and Training:

  1. IBEW Local Union 111, Steward School four times.
  2. Interest Based Bargaining training through the FMCS.
  3. IBEW Local Union 111 COMET, MENO and Organizing training.
  4. George Meany Southwestern Negotiation School 2003.
  5. Southwest Labor School 2003 and 2006.

Conferences Attended:
  1. IBEW Manufacturing Conferences in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.
  2. IBEW Local Union 111 Policy Committee 1997.
  3. United Steel Workers of America, Workers Ownership Institute in Cleveland Ohio, 1997 and 1998.
  4. IBEW Trade Show in San Francisco, California, 2001.
  5. IBEW International Legislative Conference 2003.
  6. Telecommunication Conference 2003.

Acknowledgments:

I would like to give many thanks and my utmost respect to Business Manager Mike Byrd for giving me the opportunity to continue to serve this Local, and for his continued support and guidance. It is because of people like Mike that this great Local Union is what it is today and where we can take it in the future.  My thanks also must be extended to all the Business Agents who, with their many years of combined knowledge and experience, make this job look much easier than it truly is. 

My thanks must also be extended to the supportive Staff for all their hard work and assistance. They have all made me feel more than welcome and are always willing to go the extra distance it takes to make this Union as great as it is. I must commend all my Chief Stewards, Stewards, Unit Chairmen, Recorders and Committee Members who are out there every day volunteering their time to serve this Local Union with pride. Without their hard work and dedication, I would not be able to do my job, so I respectfully thank each and every one of you!

Objectives:
  • To educate and serve the current, and future, Members of this Local.
  • To see that all members are treated with the respect and dignity that he/she deserves.
  • To do all that is in my power to ensure that the membership receives the highest standard of wages, benefits, working conditions, and job security.

Respectfully submitted by James M. Thorp, Assistant Business Manager

JMT: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