With 750,000 members in our union, we have men and women doing all kinds of work. From building hydroelectric facilities in Canada to keeping the lights on in California, there is a lot of diversity in what we do. But one thing that unites us is our commitment to doing the work well. That's what our broadcasting branch does and chances are, you've seen that work in action.

It's not our largest division, but it's highly visible. With our national agreements with CBS and Fox Sports, we have technicians working throughout the news, entertainment and sports industries, including 60 Minutes, the NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, the PGA Tour and the NCAA. So whether you're watching football on Sunday or the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday, you're watching the work of our brothers and sisters.

Good work knows no political boundaries. When a self-identified conservative chooses to work with St. Louis Local 4, it is because he knows he is getting the finest possible production crew. Our Code of Excellence guarantees that.

Then again, as New York Local 1212 Business Manager Ralph Avigliano notes, the code is practically par for the course. With broadcast production, so much of your work affects the rest of your crew that you always do your best. It's workforce solidarity in action.

As this month's story about Local 4 shows, there is tremendous organizing potential too. We have a high quality product to offer, and when you're dealing with live feeds on television or radio, you can't afford to settle for anything less than the best and most reliable.

In many ways, our lives are powered by our members. We don't always see them, but if they are doing their jobs right, we don't have to worry. For broadcasting, they're often running the cameras and orchestrating the sound. And without them we'd miss not just those exhilarating 50-yard touchdowns but the presidential speeches and election night returns that determine whether our rights will be protected or under fire.

It's an honor to champion the talents of such a diverse group of professionals and I look forward to building the ranks of those represented under the IBEW banner.

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