IBEW Local 300 'Greens Up' South Burlington

South Burlington, Vt. -- (May 8, 2008) -- Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 300 recently participated in Green Up Day.
The Local 300 contingent, which included Jean Watkins, Matt Lash and electrical apprentices Willie Kasongo and Jared Titus, braved steady rain to pick up garbage along South Burlingtons Gregory Drive, Kimball Avenue, Shunpike Road and Williston Road on May 3. Kasongo and Titus received credit towards the yearly community service quota that all IBEW Local 300 apprentices are required to meet.
"Our members work just as passionately for the community as they do for their employers," said Watkins, IBEW Local 300s training director. "Giving back is part of the fabric of this union. Despite demanding job and classroom schedules, IBEW apprentices volunteer hundreds of hours each year."
Always the first Saturday in May, Green Up Day is a statewide initiative that promotes responsible environmental stewardship and the benefits of litter-free communities. The event is coordinated by Green Up Vermont and receives its funding from private businesses, municipalities and individuals.
ABOUT IBEW LOCAL 300
Based in South Burlington, IBEW Local 300 serves 1,200-plus working Vermonters at some of the states most successful businesses, including American Electric, Ben and Jerry's, Brown Electric, Burlington Electric Department, Central Vermont Public Service, Century Electric, Entergy-Vermont Yankee, E.S. Boulos, Green Mountain Power, Peck Electric, Sherwin Electric, Vermont Gas, Washington Electric Cooperative and several municipalities. Local 300 members earn a living wage, healthcare coverage and best-in-class retirement benefits. The organization is part of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and represents approximately 750,000 laborers in utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads, government and more. The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among AFL-CIO unions because of its size and highly skilled constituency.