District 5 Report — September 2022

As we are now into Fall and the end of the year is right around the corner, we are continuing work at Antelope Valley College, Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Antelope Valley Hospital, Palmdale Medical Center and several Kaiser facilities. We are also working throughout the defense plants with our members working at Boeing, Lockheed and Northrop. With defense starting to pick up, we will see more contracts which will put more members to work.

Coming up in November is the 225 MW Solar, Battery Storage and Substation that CSI Electric will be working. We will be partnering with our sister Local 428, Bakersfield on this project because it will be in both jurisdictions.

I would like to thank our Business Manager Joël Barton and President Rusty Roten for all their help in securing all the Community Workforce Agreements we have thus far with more in the future. It takes time, hard work and politics from staff to members and elected officials to achieve these special agreements which our members enjoy today.

We have three members running for office in District 5. Brother Dave Gomez is running for Palmdale City Council. Brother Vince Dino is running for Palmdale Water Board Director and Brother Miguel Sanchez is seeking to win a seat on the Antelope Valley Union High School District Board of Trustees. Thank you to our members and let’s help these Brothers win their seats. Remember, Brothers and Sisters, that politics create jobs.

I would like to thank everyone who helped me at the picnic with all the kids’ games which is a lot of work and very exhausting. I would also like to thank the many members who have helped District 5 and Local 11 in making IBEW stand out in our community with special thank you to Kris Mendoza, Alton Wilkerson, Ben Frank and Beto Gonzales.

In Solidarity,
Mitch Klein