Int'l Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers

Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Powerline Safety

Lineman TV.com

Journeyman/Observer: Wilson Martensen
Filipino Power line workers home bound
Unless the much anticipated extension of their H2b visa is approved hundreds of Filipino journeyman lineman will be forced to go back home, these on the onset of an impending active hurricane season for 2007.

But this is nothing new for most of these foreign power line workers in the US who are only concerned about the possibility of a repeat of last years scenario when on a days notice 200 power line workers have to pack up and leave after being denied of the same extension for work permit, these despite major restoration works were still in progress from the aftermath of multiple hurricanes that devastated the south eastern United States.

Several Line contractors who employ them have also been affected, operations and projects have either been cut off and or activities minimized in areas where formerly concentrations of these workers were present.

Existing immigration laws and politically driven policies have made the Filipino Power line workers a high reward but a high risk commitment for US based companies that hire them, that while benefiting from the abundance of skilled workers who can perform according to the safety and North American Industry standards their service’s duration is not guaranteed by the contract that hired them but rather by the opinion whether or not their temporary service is still needed.

Canada and Australia however are benefiting from the situation, presenting a more secured offer of employment with future possibilities of permanent residency and or citizenship. Power utility companies and line contractors are presently active in acquiring the services of the Filipino power line workers into their workforce, giving special priority to linemen with previous US work experience.

Posted: Monday, July 2, 2007

Martensen Redseal Reviewer

source VOA: By Greg Flakus Fort Collins, Colorado
Researchers See Active Hurricane Season, This Year and Beyond
Hurricane season officially began in the Atlantic region on Friday, June 1, and the hurricane experts at Colorado State University, led by professor William Gray, are once again forecasting an active season. As VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Fort Collins, Colorado, they also see more danger from hurricanes in the years to come.

01 June 2007read full

Times Colonist:Carla Wilson,Times Colonist
Job shortages jolt industry
Record construction, wild winter storms and retirement have raked the employment ranks of power line technicians -- and the industry is searching worldwide for replacements

Published: Saturday, March 03, 2007read full

By Douglas Bakshian, Manila
Brain Drain Hits the Philippines
The power sector is taking a hit. Meralco, the Manila electric power distributor, says it is losing linesmen who construct, operate, and maintain power lines. Ruben Sapitulla, head of the company's human resources, says experienced workers are hard to replace. "If you are talking about a first class linesm... read full

By Kris Axtman, The Christian Science Monitor

Floridians treat powerline workers like rock stars
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Forget Shaq Daddy or the commander of the space shuttle Discovery. The most celebrated person in Florida right now is Terry Thorson. When he arrives, people praise the Lord, shower him with food and drinks, and promise to name their next child after him. read full

Skilled Filipino workers in demand

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