Nov - Dec 2011 - Local 798

PHILLIP W. WALLACEAR, IA, KS, MN, MT, MO, NE, ND, OK, SD501/724-8801 918/663-6520 Press 6The work in the Midwest States has pickedup some in the fourth quarter of 2011 with somemaintenance work that the Gas and Oil Companiescan no longer neglect. Michels has crews workingsince March on some of these shorted outcasings, replacing vent pipes, and a lot of workhas been done and will be done after the floodingof the Missouri River that washed the banks awayand exposed some of the small bore pipelines thathave to be replaced in Missouri, Iowa, and theDakotas. There has been less than 80 miles ofMainline Pipeline done in my 10 state area this year and that was 16” and under.Not a lot of new construction.Now for some good news about the Keystone XL Pipeline! The last week inSeptember we attended 10 meetings in 5 days from Glendive, Montana to PortArthur, Texas where we fought to get the Presidential Permit for the XL Pipeline.The United Association was joined by the other crafts in this fight to support theXL. The Montana and South Dakota Meetings that Chad Gilbert and I attendedwere 75% in favor of the Pipeline. Scott Smith, Business Manager of LU44Spokane, Washington, and soon to be UA Rep over the Northwest states camewith several UA Members from Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado. AlsoGreg Sayles, UA rep from Minnesota organized UA members from Wisconsin,Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Laborers from Montana and theDakotas were there in support. Thanks go out to Kevin Miller and the InternationalUnion of Operating Engineers for bringing busloads of the 49ers out of Minnesota.The Environmental groups that are trying to stop the XL Pipeline are putting alltheir negative comments on the Keystone Pipeline we put in service last year. Theykept saying the Keystone Pipeline had 14 leaks. The pipeline has had no leaksbut there have been some leaks on the pump stations that the unskilled non-unionlabor built. There were 26 Stations on the Keystone and union labor built 5 inMissouri and 2 in Illinois. The seven stations we built have no leaks and I went onrecord stating that to the State Department at these meetings.The Project Labor Agreement that Danny Hendrix, David Barnett, and the UAhave signed with TransCanada is 1200 miles of 36” mainline pipeline and 15 pumpstations to be built in 2012 and 2013. The XL Pipeline will be built under a microscopefrom the Montana/Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico with safety andenvironmental rules we’ve never worked under before. This pipeline will be built incomparison to the TransAlaska Pipeline.With the XL and the Marcellus Shale Gas drilling and gathering in Rick Taylor’sarea, the next two years should be great for anyone that has pipeline skills. If yourwelding skills are not what they need to be to make these 45 or branch tests youneed to go to Tulsa and use the 798 Training Center and learn to be a Craftsman.This is the best Pipeline Training Center in the world that should be used by ourmembers who need the help.Never Forget, United We Stand, Divided We Fall!New Prejobs:Sheehan Pipeline:Arkadelphia, AR. Kinder Morgan. Valve Replacements. Spreadman: TubbLong. Welder Foreman: Brett Mason. Job Steward: Rick Morgan.Charps Welding:Roseau, MN. EFG. 1 mile of 6”. Job Steward: Pat Floura.Michels Pipeline:Monona, IA. Enterprise Products. 3 - 7,000 ft 8” HDD side by side.Spreadman: Billy Rodgers. Welder Foreman: Lee Allan. Job Steward: LeonGibson.Southern Pipeline:Prescott, AR. Center Point Energy. 7.7 miles of 12”. Spreadman: FerrellFeagin. Welder Foreman: Jason Knight. Job Steward: A.J. Malner.Intercon Const.:Nashwauk, MN. Northern Natural. 2-1/2 miles of 12”. Spreadman: NickGretzinger. Job Steward: Walter Cole.Midwest Underground:Scott City, MO. Kinder Morgan. Launcher and Receivers Installation.Spreadman: Jerry Herring. Welder Foreman: Hershal Mason.Infrasource:Wyoming, IA. Kinder Morgan. Anomaly Digs and Spool In. Spreadman: JedBaus. Welder Foreman: Kevin Coleman. Job Steward: Stanley Chapman.Big Inch:Muscatine, IA. Kinder Morgan. 7 Miles of 36”, Hydro Testing. Spreadman:Frank Ayers. Welder Foreman: Chris Holcman. Job Steward: Jeremy Ryan.Appalachian Pipeline:Butte, MT. Northwest Energy. 11,000 ft of 12” & 8” with 3 HDD’s. Spreadman:Anthony Campbell. Welder Foreman: Sam Talley. Job Steward: Alan Emfinger.Midwestern Pipeline Services:Little Rock, AR. TransCanada XL Pipeline. Double Joint 55 Miles of 36”.Spreadman: Mike Wilhite. Welder Foreman: Seth Cox. Job Steward: JustinWallace.BLACK SCHROEDERTX409/753-2264 918/663-6520 Press 2The Keystone XL Pipeline is the largest, mostcontroversial pipeline ever to be built in America.We have just finished attending all of the publicmeetings held by the Department of State for theKeystone XL Pipeline from Port Arthur, Texas toGlendive, Montana. I would like to express mygratitude to all the 798 Brothers & Sisters whotook their time to come to those meetings to showunion support. I would also like to say thanks andwhat a great way to show Union solidarity to allthe different locals who came out to show supportfor the Keystone XL Pipeline. We had representatives from the United Associationand sister UA locals, Local 195, Local 68, Local 211, Local 286, Local 142, Local106, Local 60 LIUNA (Laborers International), Operating Engineers, Teamsters, IBEW,United Steel Workers, Boilermakers, Ironworkers, Sheet Metal Workers, Fire Fighters,and the Police Officers Association. We had around 500 Union Brother & Sistermembers in Port Arthur, and about 200 in Austin showing Union support. There wasa lot of opposition against the Keystone Pipeline, hopefully with all the speakers &positive things that were said about the Keystone Pipeline, the Department of Statewill make their final analysis and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will approve it andwe will be laying pipe early in 2012.I have held a pre-job for Price Gregory International in Rosenberg, TX. If you area dispatched or contract hired welder on this job you need to take dead aim at thewelding test, they are fair but they want their pipe welded. If your welding skills arerusted please go to our training center or your back yard and polish them up. Theyshould be kicking off the main line around the last of October. If you are trying todispatch to this job call the job line, when the dispatch is turned over to me thatmeans no one called the job line to apply.If I can help anyone, don’t hesitate to call and everyone please work safe.Pre-jobs:Price Gregory InternationalRosenberg, TX. 41.9 miles of 24”, 69.4 miles of 36”, & 80.5 miles of 20” forEnterprise. Superintendent: Paul Cumbie. Welding Superintendent: Kirk Kirkland.Welder Foreman: Stan Campbell. Start 9-15-11. Approximate completion, 2-1-2012. Working 6-10’s.CHAD GILBERTAZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, WY970/565-8746 918/663-6520 Press 3I am pleased to start my report by bringingattention to C&A Construction, which has acquireda job for Holly Gas on the UNEV Project. This jobwas let to three non–union contractors before westarted the Ruby Line last year. One contractorwent out of business, the second left the projectunfinished, while the third is having turtle troublein the Las Vegas area. C&A has been workinghard with Holly to do the best job possible andthey are doing tremendously. Everyone is workingsafely and efficiently and trying to give Holly theirbest. There is no doubt the gas company can see a difference in the contractors andB L U E L I G H T R E P O R T S • N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1 • PA G E 9