"I was working nonunion and wanting something better. I knew it was out there, and when I was approached by Local 1 Business Agent Butch Hepburn, he was just the person I'd been waiting to meet. Butch and I tried to get my company to go union, but despite a couple of close votes, it didn't happen.

Thankfully I was offered an apprenticeship, and I jumped on the opportunity. Since joining the union, I've flourished. The continuing education I'm offered is just amazing. So is the health care. When I married my wife, she had two children from her previous marriage, and I was able to adopt them. I remember seeing the judge sign the adoption papers on a Friday, and when I called on Monday to add my kids to our insurance, I was told they'd been covered since the moment the judge signed the papers. I cannot be more thankful to the IBEW for that and for the ability to work toward building a comfortable retirement for my wife and me.

I try to promote the IBEW every chance I get. Now we need to get out there and overturn right-to-work in every state and unionize the whole of this country."