December 2020

  December Issue 

 

 

 

Oregon and California Adopt Emergency COVID-19 Standards

Two West Coast states have stepped up to provide protections for working people during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, joining just two others that have done the same, largely in the absence of a federal rule.

Local 26 Retirees’ Medical Equipment Program Helps Families Heal, Stay Connected

Members of Sarnia, Ontario, Local 530 got the chance to give back to a piece of their childhood when they volunteered to help upgrade Camp Attawandaron, part of Scouts Canada.

IBEW Members Light Up A Holiday Season Like No Other

Holiday lights are a form of seasonal magic, radiating cheer, drawing instant smiles, evoking happy memories and lifting spirits. It’s hard to imagine a year when we’ve needed that more.

Upstate NY Program Provides a Career in the Trades to Underserved Communities of Color

There's a lot of talk about helping those who are less fortunate break the cycle of poverty, but the Rochester Multi-Craft Apprenticeship Preparation Program is actually getting it done.

Four of the IBEW’s Top Electricians Take the Stage on ESPN2 This Weekend

The Ideal National Championships, which annually pits top electricians from across the United States against each other in skill competitions, was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. IBEW members still have a chance to cheer on their brothers and sisters, however.

Inaugural IBEW Strong Workshop Lifts Up Efforts to Expand Diversity and Inclusion

The IBEW in Canada recently held the first workshop of the union's new diversity and inclusion initiative.

Local 1220 Member’s ‘Purposeful Walk’ Takes Him to Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame

Don Cornelli’s father had a successful career as a General Motors executive, so he understandably encouraged his son to study accounting before he left for Central Michigan University in the early 1980s.

Chicago Local Teaches Area Firefighters How to Stay Safe with Solar

It’s among a firefighter’s worst-case scenarios: An overnight call to a scene where the surroundings are dark and unfamiliar and every step poses life-threatening danger, not from flames or degraded structure—they’re used to that—but from live wires, trip hazards and physical impediments to the most basic of firefighting strategies.

In Oklahoma, Right-to-Work Is No Impediment to Organizing Success

Don’t count Trentice Hamm as a right-to-work supporter. The IBEW’s Oklahoma state organizer would much prefer his home state got rid of the law that hinders working people’s opportunities at a better life.

‘Contactless Office’ Program Aims to Help Chicago Bounce Back

The Loop is Chicago’s heartbeat, 35 snug blocks of landmarks and skyscrapers that draw hundreds of thousands of workers, shoppers, diners and tourists on a normal day.

Severe Weather During COVID-19 Proves No Match for Iowa Lineworkers

Early weather forecasts for Iowa on Aug. 10 called for run-of-the-mill summer thunderstorms. But by midday, Cedar Rapids Local 204 Business Manager Dustin Stumma knew things had changed dramatically.

November 2020

  November Issue 

 

 

 

Quebec Locals Score Big Wins During Open Period

Montreal Locals 568 and 1604 once again racked up membership gains during the province's recent open period.

Rail Talks Continue Amid COVID-19 Concerns

Slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings remain underway to reach terms on a new national freight rail agreement—a pact that will directly affect the pay, benefits and working conditions of thousands of IBEW members.

In Federal Vacuum, Pro-Worker States Act To Protect Workplaces from COVID-19’s Spread

Labor activists and public officials are making strides at the state level to reduce workers’ risk of exposure to COVID-19, piecemeal but vital efforts in the absence of a national game plan nine months into the pandemic.

How Unions Help Workers During the Coronavirus – and How Employers Cripple Those Efforts

Recent reports from the Economic Policy Institute show how unions help working people during times like the coronavirus pandemic – and how they’re hobbled from doing more by anti-worker policies and practices.

Famous Strike Marches Across U.S. Movie Screens for One-Night-Only Theater Premiere Dec. 1

“What if you could get ninety dollars in six months?” “Quit dreaming, there’s no union here.”

From a Pennsylvania Field, a Monument to Fallen Linemen Is About to Rise

It wasn’t pretty at first glance. Some people would have seen an open field with trash strewn all over and thought Rae Johnson was crazy.

Regional Approach Brings ‘IBEW Strong’ Diversity and Excellence to Stadium Project

A strategic partnership between two IBEW locals in Massachusetts helped union electricians win work on a minor league baseball stadium while also promoting the brotherhood’s longstanding values of diversity and excellence.

After a Bumpy Ride, First-Contract Talks are Underway for Casino Workers in Boston

More than a year after the Encore Boston Harbor hotel, casino and convention center officially opened for business on the banks of Massachusetts’s Mystic River, negotiations are finally underway toward a first contract that would cover dozens—and eventually hundreds— of maintenance workers at the region’s first-ever luxury resort.

'The Worst Fire Season I've Ever Seen' IBEW Members on the Front Lines of Record West Coast Fires

Record-breaking wildfires engulfed vast portions of California, Washington and Oregon this summer, and IBEW members were there saving lives and property and ready to rebuild when the flames subsided.

October 2020

  October Issue 

 

 

 

Ottawa Local Shares Outdoor Space to Help Neighboring Restaurant During Coronavirus

The coronavirus has upended the restaurant industry like almost nothing else, making it difficult to stay afloat. So, when Ottawa, Ontario, Local 2228 was asked to share some outdoor space with a next-door business in need, they were happy to do their part and help put a few of their neighbors back to work.

New Attacks on Federal Workers Part of Administration’s Anti-Worker Agenda

The Federal Labor Relations Authority has issued three new rulings regarding federal employee unions. What’s not new is their disregard for the rights of union members.

Ontario Local Begins Innovative Apprenticeship

For more than a century, the IBEW has been successful by adapting to changes in the electrical industry. Thunder Bay, Ontario, Local 402 Business Manager Glen Drewes is confident his local union has found an innovative way to build on that history.

Tennessee Electrician Invents an Equipment-Saving Lubricant

Steven Hood has worked for nearly a quarter of a century as an industrial electrician, so he’s seen his share of co-workers on jobs getting frustrated when friction would cause their drill bits and saw blades to stop cutting, seize up or snap.

Indiana Local, Signatory Contractor Partner with NAACP to Expand Solar Training Program

Evansville, Ind., Local 16 has a long, proud history. The city sent one of the 10 delegates to the IBEW’s first convention in 1891 and Local 16 has been a major part of the southwestern Indiana community for more than 100 years.

IBEW Members Restore Historic Bells at California High School

The bells at Salinas High School had been silent for 30 years, but with the help of a few Castroville, Calif., Local 234 members, the chimes are now back up and ringing.

Study: Unions Increase Political Power for Poor and Working People

It's generally assumed that politicians are more responsive to their well-heeled and wealthy constituents than they are to the poor and working class. But a new study shows how unions can shift that balance.

Local 257 Volunteers Brighten Missouri Crisis Center with LEDs

A crisis center and shelter in Missouri’s capital now has bright, efficient lighting thanks to a dozen IBEW volunteers who were proud to lend a hand.

IBEW Photo Contest Deadline Extended to Nov. 1

The deadline for the 2020 IBEW Photo Contest has been extended by one month, from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

'True Friends of the Navajo Nation' Arizona Locals' Giving Spirit Leads to Unforgettable Day

Parked behind a sprawling hall on tribal fairgrounds in Window Rock, Ariz., the supermarket semi-truck looked like any other on the outside.

September 2020

  September Issue 

 

 

 

Labor Department Proposes New Pro-Employer Rule on Gig Workers

A proposed Labor Department rule aims to change the standards for determining who is an independent contractor, or gig worker, making it easier for working people to be denied the benefits of full employment.

IBEW Initiative Boosts Already Strong Canadian Diversity Efforts

In the August edition of the Electrical Worker, International President Lonnie R. Stephenson announced the "IBEW Strong" initiative to grow a more inclusive and representative union, and IBEW leaders in Canada are embracing the push to increase diversity while continuing to educate the best electrical workers in the world. It's something that's been a First District priority for years.

Gallup: A Majority of Americans Support Unions

A new Gallup poll shows a majority of Americans still believe in the power of collective bargaining.

IBEW Family Tells Daughter’s Miraculous Recovery Story in New Book

Tom Whitehead has met heads of state and dined with Academy Award-winning actors. He’s consulted with some of the most respected doctors in the world. He’s traveled the globe and given so many speeches he’s understandably lost count, raising money for childhood cancer research and the foundation named after his now-teenage daughter.

Campaigning for Change: Locals Urge Early Voting in Election Year Like No Other

The roar of a rally crowd, volunteers at your door, shaking a candidate’s hand at the union hall and other hallmarks of election season are as traditional in autumn as football.

Stephenson: Union Jobs, Baseload Power Essential to New Energy Economy

A low-carbon future requires more than investment in renewable energies, it demands good jobs backed by strong labor standards and the inclusion of baseload sources for grid security, International President Lonnie R. Stephenson told members of Congress this week.

Judge Squashes Manitoba Legislature’s Move to Silence Public Sector Unions

The IBEW and its labour allies in Manitoba achieved a major win on June 11, when a judge threw out a controversial piece of legislation designed to hold down the wages of 120,000 public employees in the province and damage their collective bargaining rights.

New York Member’s Alaska Adventure Featured on ‘Brotherhood Outdoors’

Jared Crast traveled 3,000 miles with his older brother last fall to hunt deer in Alaska only to have a bear come between them and a potential trophy.

Indiana Women's Committee Starts Strong Out of the Gate, Powering Horse Therapy Facility

The South Bend, Ind., Local 153 women's committee hasn't been around long, but they're wasting no time in making a difference, both for their members and for the community.

IBEW Education Partner Hosts Virtual Open House this Week

IBEW members looking to add a college degree to their portfolio now have a special opportunity to do just that.

‘Build Back Better’ Showcases IBEW Leadership on Energy Policy

The IBEW took center stage last week at a Wisconsin “Build Back Better” event promoting Joe Biden’s plan to emphasize jobs, training and investment as the nation carefully transitions to a clean energy economy.

Coronavirus Couldn’t Stop Local 94’s Annual Food Drive

Even though their state was among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the members of Cranbury, N.J., Local 94’s “NxtUp94” young electrical workers committee still managed in June to go ahead and conduct their seventh annual food drive.

The Energy Future Will Be Union-Built: New Jersey’s Plan to Become the ‘Houston of Offshore Wind’

Hundreds of IBEW members could be working as early as next spring on construction of the New Jersey Wind Port, a massive project that has union leaders hopeful about the potential for decades of long-term renewable energy jobs for members of the IBEW and other union trades.

“Brotherhood Outdoors” Features Wyoming Member, Lineman During Labor Day Weekend

Dennis Tester has been a hunter most of his life. But the Casper, Wyo., Local 322 member had never hunted black bears until June, when he went on a three-day trip to Idaho that will be featured on the latest episode of the Union Sportsmen Alliance’s “Brotherhood Outdoors” television series.

A Victim of Decades-Long Meddling, Union-Shop USPS Facing Fresh Challenges

Republican Party mega-donor Louis DeJoy implemented major service cuts at the U.S. Postal Service almost immediately after being installed as the agency’s 75th postmaster general in June, cuts that not only threaten normal mail delivery but that also take aim at the most reliable method of absentee voting as U.S. states gear up for the first mid-pandemic presidential election in more than a century.

Cooper Sworn in as IVP in Historic First

Fourth District International Representative Gina Cooper has been appointed the district’s vice president, making her the first woman to serve as an international vice president in the IBEW’s 129-year history.

August 2020

  August Issue 

 

 

 

New Jersey Members Answer Call for COVID-19 Work in the Virgin Islands

Ten members of Jersey City, N.J., Local 164 recently answered a special job call that transported them on a 1,700-mile journey south.

The IBEW Remembers International Vice President Brian Malloy

The officers of the IBEW are deeply saddened to announce the death of Fourth District International Vice President Brian Malloy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer late last year. He was 60 years old.

NLRB Memos Deal New Blows to Workers' Safety, Job Security in COVID-19 Era

Imperiling workers and the public, the National Labor Relations Board has dismissed cases against employers charged with firing COVID-19 whistleblowers and refusing to bargain over safety and health issues.

Trump Administration Seeks Permanent Cuts in Social Security Funding

President Trump pledged Aug. 8 to pursue a permanent cut to the funding of Social Security and Medicare if he is reelected in November.

Long Island Members Power New Navy SEAL Museum

When members of Long Island, N.Y., Local 25 learned of a museum being built to honor a local Navy SEAL hero, they were all in.

West Virginia Solar Agreement Brings New Work and Members

A disturbingly small percentage of the electrical workers who install residential solar panels in North America belong to a union. Thanks to a new partnership between the IBEW and an innovative West Virginia-based solar firm, that portion is growing.

Pandemic Prompts Shifts in Training for New Electricians

Apprenticeship education in inside construction was experiencing plenty of change before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the North American economy to its knees in March.

Oregon Locals Provide New Pregnancy Benefits for Members

Pregnant IBEW members in Oregon now have more options when it comes time to plan their families.

Verizon Leave for Volunteer EMT ‘Invaluable’ to NJ Community

Fred Ackerly already was helming a volunteer ambulance crew on an overnight shift and alternating weekends when COVID-19 roared into New York City, an hour outside his New Jersey hometown.

Building a Stronger IBEW

The first page of the IBEW Constitution begins with a declaration: "Our cause is the cause of human justice, human rights, human security."

New NLRB Ruling Expands Employer Surveillance

The National Labor Relations Board has issued a new anti-worker decision that allows an employer to search an employee’s personal items, including their cars, while on company property.

July 2020

  July Issue 

 

 

2020 Campaign Kickoff Headlined by Biden Draws Close to 1,000

“The only way to deal with power is to have power,” Joe Biden said.

Member’s First-Ever Solo Marathon Raises Money, Inspires Community

Josh Horan had never in his life run anything close to a marathon. But the physically active Windsor, Ontario, Local 773 member felt so compelled to do something to fight the worldwide spread of COVID-19 that he recently challenged himself to train in only three weeks for a long-distance solo run, and to turn the effort into a fundraiser to help buy personal protective equipment for health care providers.

Cleveland Members’ Work Helps a Community Heal

A group of IBEW electricians is working on a major redevelopment project that, when finished, could end up helping a Cleveland neighborhood bring some closure to one of its most horrific chapters.

Local 258 Traffic Controllers Provide Safety on Roads, Security at the Border

Vicki Flett worked an office job for Telus, the Vancouver-based telecommunications company, until six years ago when she turned from that for a challenge more physically demanding – work as a traffic control person on the roads and byways of British Columbia.

‘Heros for Heroes’ Thanks Garden State Health Care Workers

Members of East Windsor, N.J., Local 827 recently wrapped up an effort that took them across the state to deliver more than 4,700 submarine-sandwich meals to three veterans’ facilities and dozens of hospitals.

Local 3 Volunteers Grateful for Role Getting Urgent PPE to Medical Workers

The images were shocking: nurses and doctors in the world’s most prosperous city begging for help as New York’s soaring COVID-19 infections drained their stockpiles of masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment.

Virginia Issues Nation’s First Standard Requiring Employers to Protect Workers from COVID-19

Employers in Virginia must follow a strict set of rules to protect workers from COVID-19 or face stiff penalties, under an emergency standard issued this week by the state’s Safety and Health Codes Board.

Union Plus Scholarship Helps IBEW Daughter Chase Nursing Career

Kasey Gamble grew up in a state with a small union presence, but she has seen throughout her life the difference organized labor can make on a family’s quality of living..

Timely Tampa PPE Donations Protect Workers During COVID Spike

Tampa, Fla., Local 915’s donation of gear designed to protect working people in its home city from the spread of the novel coronavirus took place in June just as cases of COVID-19 were beginning to spike dramatically throughout the Sunshine State.

IBEW Widow Champions Workers in Senate Run Against Iowa’s Ernst

Theresa Greenfield awoke to bright, sunny skies on June 3, 1988, roused her lineman husband, packed his lunch and saw him off to work.

Navy Commitment Puts New Jersey Member on COVID-19 Duty in South Pacific

Trenton, N.J., Local 269’s Ed Nowak is among the thousands of IBEW members who have stayed on the job as COVID-19 has spread across North America and around the world. But unlike most of his union brothers and sisters, Nowak found himself fighting the coronavirus pandemic on the other side of the planet.

Thank a Lineworker Today

July 10 is National Lineworker Appreciation Day, an occasion to celebrate the men and women who keep North America’s electricity running and to memorialize those who have been injured or killed doing their job.

AGL Employees Ratify Contract, Become Full IBEW Members Amid Pandemic

One of the largest organizing victories in the South in recent years reached a crucial milestone when the members of Atlanta Local 1997 voted overwhelmingly to approve their first contract with Atlanta Gas Light.

Scenes from a Pandemic

IBEW members and their families across the United States and Canada are coping with the health, stress and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. The stories below are a snapshot of the early crisis for members in four states. They ran in the July issue of The Electrical Worker with a cover story on the challenges New York City members faced this spring as their home became the global center of the pandemic.

At the Center of a Pandemic: New York Members Endure the Latest Test of Their City’s Resilience

Crises are a calling for the brothers and sisters of New York City Local 3. They were on the front lines when the towers fell. When Hurricane Sandy wreaked destruction. When other states and nations have cried out for help after storms and earthquakes.

Fighting for Jobs, IBEW Asks Members to Weigh in on Ohio Wind Project

IBEW leaders in Ohio and developers of a proposed wind farm in Lake Erie are asking members to contact the governor’s office to request his help in changing a decision made by a state board in charge of approving the $126 million project.

June 2020

  June Issue 

 

 

How Prevailing Wage Boosts Homeownership

The benefits of a prevailing wage extend beyond just pay and benefits, according to a study from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. Prevailing wage laws also make it easier to get a piece of the American Dream.

IBEW Member Tapped to Head Michigan’s Coronavirus Workplace Safety

Sean Egan, a member of Muskegon, Mich., Local 275, has been appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as Director of COVID-19 Workplace Safety.

St. Louis Member, Former Lawmaker is New Head of Missouri AFL-CIO

Jake Hummel has been a longtime successful advocate for Missouri’s working people, so it came as no surprise when he was asked to assume the top post in the state’s labor movement.

PA Local's Food Drive Fills Shelves of Area Charities

By the numbers, there were seven pickup trucks, 30 deliveries, six food banks and $15,000 in cash donations to help feed the community that Chester, Pa., Local 654 has served proudly for 80 years.

Globetrotting Halifax Members Maintain Navy Fleet

Members of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Local 1133 perform maintenance work on the Royal Canadian Navy's most sophisticated vessels — and some are never quite sure where that responsibility will take them, or when.

Ohio Locals Honored by LAMPAC for Job‑Protecting Efforts

Two IBEW locals in northern Ohio were honored in March for their work in helping to preserve nearly 4,300 nuclear energy jobs in the state.

VEEP Graduates Get a New Brotherhood

The Veterans Electrical Entry Program recently graduated its second class, opening life-changing career opportunities for veterans and strengthening IBEW locals across the U.S.

Brotherhood Across Borders: Angola Hospital Mission Bonds IBEW, Italian Electrical Workers

After two weeks in the dusty, southwest corner of Angola helping to electrify a remote maternity hospital, Alex Alcantara was full of emotion as his "unbelievable trip" came to an end.

How to Avoid Heat-Related Illness This Summer

As temperatures continue to rise this summer, it’s important to remember to stay safe and avoid any heat-related illness.

A Safer Workplace: New Jersey Utility Members Collaborate to Innovate

For members of Cranbury, N.J., Local 94 working for the state’s largest utility, PSEG, safety is embedded into everything they do. And that commitment extends not only to working safely, but to coming up with innovative ideas to make the job even safer.

Louisville Members Score Big with Soccer Stadium Project

Louisville, Ky., is already famous for its contributions to the world of sports — think Louisville Slugger baseball bats, legendary boxer Muhammed Ali or the spectacle of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Now, with some help from the members of the city’s IBEW members at Local 369, professional soccer is set to join that distinguished list.

Charitable Donations Mark the CFL’s Closure

When representatives from the IBEW presented more than CA$250,000 to seven children’s hospitals across Canada, the charitable act brought closure to a turbulent chapter in the Canadian labour movement.

 

May 2020

  May Issue 

 

 

Tennessee Members Honored After Rescuing Woman from Flood Waters

Cody Bryant felt a little out of place when the Tennessee General Assembly honored him and fellow Kingsport, Tenn., Local 934 members Rick Courtner and Mollie Ingle in February.

Chicago Member Snaps Pics of Blue Angels Flyover

When Joseph Glynn saw that the Blue Angels flight path over Chicago would go over his union hall, he made sure to grab his camera before he went out to catch the show dedicated to honoring essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

IBEW Members Leading the COVID-19 Response

Rene Mata is a San Diego Local 465 gas service technician, and for most of his 16-year career, the biggest threats on the job were gas leaks. Explosions are uncommon but perilous, and leaks must be addressed quickly.

New Mexico Local Powers Overflow Hospitals for Coronavirus Patients

Members of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Local 611, with help from a handful of travelers, have completed work on two hospitals to help deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the Southwest.

OSHA Releases New COVID-19 Recommendations for Construction Sites

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released a new webpage at the end of May with guidance for construction employers and workers as states and municipalities relax restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Most Important IBEW Program You Haven’t Heard About

A century ago in Detroit, IBEW Local 58 members were locked in a bitter dispute with employers who wanted to slash workers’ pay from $1.25 an hour to $1 an hour.

'Tape Measures Instead of Guns':Journeyman Uses Life Story in Appeal to U.S. House Panel

Witness John Harriel began his testimony on Capitol Hill in the middle of his harrowing life story of gangs, prison, reform and ultimately service.

IBEW Members Make Face Shields to Help Fight Coronavirus

With personal protective equipment in short supply, a number of enterprising IBEW members have stepped up to make face shields and masks for health care workers with their personal 3D printers.

IBEW Members Step Up in Crisis for Longtime Partner CBS

On the afternoon of March 11, CBS officials announced the immediate closing of the network’s Broadcast Center in New York after two employees were diagnosed with the coronavirus. The network’s flagship news program, “CBS Evening News,” was scheduled to air less than four hours later.

IBEW Joins Entertainment Unions to Discuss Pandemic Pain, Path Forward for Industry’s Workers

The havoc the coronavirus is wreaking on the entertainment industry was the focus of a national media call last week that included the impact on IBEW members in sports and news broadcasting, and how their union is fighting for them.

Reno Local Powers Conversion of Parking Structure Into Temporary Hospital

Across the United States, empty facilities are being converted into much-needed hospitals for patients suffering from the coronavirus. In Reno, Nev., members of Local 401 performed that critical work in an especially unique place – a parking garage.

Atlanta Local 613 Opens New Hospital Tower 4 Months Early

By now, everyone understands the phrase “flatten the curve.”

Gulfport Local Improvises: Hands out Moonshine Hand Sanitizer in Makeshift Containers

Part of responding in an emergency is working though the crisis with what you have, even though that often looks nothing like what you need.

Wisconsin Local Powers Alternative Care Facility

The Wisconsin State Fair Park outside Milwaukee has been converted into an alternative care facility to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic and Local 494 members were there to power it.

April 2020

  April Issue 

 

 

Wisconsin Local Powers Alternative Care Facility

The Wisconsin State Fair Park outside Milwaukee has been converted into an alternative care facility to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic and Local 494 members were there to power it.

Railroad Branch Seeks Federal Help to Keep Workers Safe on the Job

Most IBEW members in the union’s railroad branch have remained on the job since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, but the AFL-CIO says the U.S. is not doing nearly enough to keep the nation’s frontline transportation workers safe from this global pandemic.

The Sweet Smell of Success: Big Raises for Portland Wiremen at Nabisco Bakery

With a quarter-century of experience at the Mondelēz Nabisco plant in Portland, Ore., journeyman wireman Jim Smith knows it takes at least two electricians per shift to ensure that millions of Oreos, Saltines and other popular snacks wend their way from baking to packaging without major disruption.

Syracuse Local Celebrates Easter Supporting Frontline Workers, Local Businesses

Throughout its 124-year history, Syracuse, N.Y., Local 43 has had a tradition of giving back to the central New York communities it serves. So, when most of the area shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its members figured out how to step up in a big way.

IBEW Members Power Field Hospitals in Long Island

With help from some travelers, members of Long Island, N.Y., Local 25 are powering two overflow hospitals to deal with the demand from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Hamilton, Ont., Local Builds Temp Hospital in One-Week, 24 Hours a Day

For half a decade, the members of Hamilton, Ont., Local 105 made the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation one of the main recipients of their charitable donations each year.

Workers Memorial Day, Day of Mourning Call Us to Honor Lives Lost, Pledge to Fight For Safety of all Working People

This week, union members across the world will come together to celebrate the lives of workers lost and to recommit to the fight to make safety priority No. 1 on the job.

Local 11’s Good Works, Focus on Safety, Help Members and Greater Los Angeles Cope with Crisis

From safeguarding members to community service, Los Angeles Local 11 is playing a leading role helping the nation’s second-largest metropolitan area respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Ontario’s Local 636 Members Give New Meaning to Serving on the Front Line

Linda Georgiu affectionately calls the clerical workers she represents at Windsor Regional Hospital and Windsor’s Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Ontario as “my girls.” Only two men are among the 548 members working at the two facilities.

IBEW, AFL-CIO Announce Earth Day Initiative to Plot Future of the Energy Industry

The IBEW and the AFL-CIO on Wednesday announced an innovative partnership with former Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz aimed at protecting jobs while moving the U.S. toward a carbon-free energy future.

Detroit Local Powers Alternative Hospitals in Fight Against Coronavirus

Members of Detroit Local 58 are providing critical power to two centers being repurposed as overflow hospitals to help combat the COVID-19 virus.

Utility Workers Local 704 Continues Labor’s Tradition of Generosity in Dubuque

The Dubuque Area Labor Harvest sprung to life in the 1980s to help feed union members and their families in a city ravaged by recession and sky-high unemployment.

Utility Workers Sequestered at Work on Both Coasts; Plans are in Place Across North America

Several dozen IBEW utility members have been sequestered at their work sites in California and New York since early April to protect critical power infrastructure and personnel from the threat of COVID-19.

In Hard-Hit New Jersey, Governor Thanks Local Unions for Massive PPE Donation

Few states have seen more devastation due to the COVID-19 pandemic than New Jersey. Not surprisingly, the IBEW and its local unions there stepped up to provide a huge assist to frontline healthcare workers.

Local 1547 Steers Massive Mask-Making Project for Fairbanks Hospital

Amanda Mertes was online exploring the shortage of personal protective equipment and the viability of cloth masks when she got a phone call that turned her curiosity into a mission.

Members Retool Factories for Critical Ventilator Production

IBEW locals across the country are pitching in to power the facilities being repurposed for production of much-needed ventilators to help with the growing Coronavirus pandemic.

Special Delivery: Local 134 Helps Retirees Stay Safe, Well, and Fed

As volunteers delivered care packages of food to Chicago Local 134 retirees and widows at the end of March, Elbert Walters said it was a little like “reverse trick-or-treat.”

Boston Local Donates 20,000 Face Masks to Area Hospital

Boston Local 103 has stepped up to help address the shortage of face masks needed to combat COVID-19.

Canada's Parliament Approves $2,000 a Month for Pandemic-affected Workers

Last week, Parliament passed and received royal assent on Bill C-13, “An Act respecting certain measures in response to COVID-19,” a relief package that will provide $2,000 a month through July for those who have lost their jobs or who are going unpaid as a direct result of the disease.

March 2020

  March Issue 

 

 

What the $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill Means for IBEW Members

With the COVID-19 pandemic essentially closing the American economy, the House and the Senate sent an unprecedented $2 trillion bill to the White House, where the president signed it late Friday afternoon.

National Lighting Bureau Donates LED Lights to Coronavirus Testing

The IBEW-partnered National Lighting Bureau is offering free LED lights to remote COVID-19 testing sites being set up nationwide to help combat the global pandemic.

IBEW, Telecom Partners Working to Help Members Cope with Coronavirus Pandemic

The IBEW has negotiated agreements with Verizon, AT&T and other companies that will provide telecommunications employee-members added flexibility in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Unions Fight Back; Trump Backs Down from Plan to Gut Apprenticeships

After a coordinated response across North America’s Building Trades Unions, including hundreds of thousands of letters, phone calls and comments from union construction workers, on March 10 the Trump Administration backed off its plan to undermine the century-old construction apprenticeship system.

COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines for Construction Trades

North America’s Building Trades Unions issued specific advice for construction industry employers to protect IBEW members and other construction professionals from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

Agreements with CBS, FOX Sports Deliver Good News for IBEW Broadcast Crews

Hundreds of IBEW members hired by CBS for the now-canceled NCAA men’s basketball tournament this month will still be paid thanks to the union’s whirlwind efforts to help protect workers from the financial fallout of the coronavirus crisis.

IBEW, NECA Sign National Agreement in Response to COVID-19

The uncertainty surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been deeply unsettling to nearly every industry, and the IBEW and its partners at the National Electrical Contractors Association have signed an emergency agreement to help construction workers and contractors navigate these turbulent times.

Trump Slashes New Navy Ship Orders, Threatens to Cancel Shipyard Workers’ Collective Bargaining Agreements

President Trump’s 2021 budget cuts new ship construction by 20%, killing 10 new ships – some for this year – and putting thousands of shipyard jobs at risk, including many IBEW jobs. This is despite his promise only one year ago to increase the fleet by 30% by 2030.

Code of Excellence Boosts Safety and Morale at Colorado Utility

The energy running through La Plata Electric Association in southwestern Colorado these days isn’t limited to the utility’s power lines.

 

IBEW Member Wins Maine House Seat

Manchester, Maine, Local 1837 member Kevin O’Connell has been a lot of things throughout his career. Now he can add “member of the state House of Representatives” to his résumé.

 

IBEW Celebrates Women in Construction Week

This week we celebrate our sisters in the building trades who work side by side with our brothers to build our bridges, buildings, roads and more.

2019: Photo Contest: Results

The IBEW's 2019 Photo Contest results are official, and thousands of you weighed in on IBEW.org, Instagram and Facebook.

Outside Organizing for the 21st Century:A Golden Age, a Silver Tsunami and an Ironclad Plan

With a significant victory in New England, the IBEW announced a new era in outside construction organizing.

February 2020

  February Issue 

 

 

IBEW Members Dominate ‘Super Bowl for Electricians’

In what has become a yearly tradition, IBEW members dominated the competition at the fourth annual Ideal National Championships, which draws union and nonunion electricians from across North America and is considered the top competition of its kind for inside wiremen.

Biden, Sanders Split on Natural Gas with Thousands of IBEW Jobs at Stake

A bill introduced late last month by Vermont senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders could cost tens of thousands of IBEW jobs and cripple a natural gas industry fueling job growth across the entire U.S.

White House Vows to Veto PRO Act’s Worker Protections

On Feb. 5 — one day before 224 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from both parties voted to approve a bill to make it easier for working people to join labor unions — the White House issued a strongly worded statement opposing the measure.

IBEW-Run Gas Plant Named One of the 'Top Plants' in the World

The people who live among the lakes and forests in far northern Michigan are hardy people. Up at the northern end of Lakes Huron and Michigan, three and half hours north of Detroit, the winters are long, cold and dark.

NLRB Threatens Oregon Law Protecting Workers from Union-Bashing Captive Audience Meetings

The National Labor Relations Board is trying to kill a law unique to Oregon that prohibits employers from forcing workers to attend anti-union meetings, adding a state battle to its ferocious attacks on workers’ rights at the federal level.

Leveling the Playing Field: Pre-Apprenticeships Open Doors to the Middle Class

Any IBEW member knows a career in the trades can be incredibly rewarding. Whether it’s a debt-free education, a paycheck that provides a family with a solid middle-class life or the simple satisfaction of creating something with your own two hands, the opportunities available through the IBEW and other union trades are limitless.

NLRB Cracks Down on Union Symbols at Work

The National Labor Relations Board took another major step to eradicate the rights of working people with a recent controversial decision cracking down on workers wearing union insignia on the job.

The IBEW Endorses Vice President Joe Biden for President

The leadership of the IBEW, while attending its annual officers meeting this week, unanimously endorsed Vice President Joe Biden to be the next President of the United States.

PRO Act Clears House, Would Make Joining a Union Easier

An effort in Congress to make it easier for working people to join labor unions took a big step forward on Thursday when 224 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.

Proposal Threatens Social Security Disability Benefits for Millions of Workers

A federal scheme that could rob millions of injured workers of their Social Security Disability Insurance is being widely condemned as a vicious attack on vulnerable Americans, similar to disastrous cuts in the 1980s.

IBEW Members Deliver Another Super Performance on the World Stage

Football fans across the world aren’t likely to realize it, but in most years, IBEW members are as critical to their Super Bowl viewing experience as chicken wings and guacamole.

January 2020

  January Issue 

 

 

Idaho Locals Helping Lead Statehouse Battles for Good Jobs, Workers’ Rights

Lobbying for union jobs and workers’ rights isn’t easy in a state as red as Idaho, but IBEW activists are playing a robust role in bridging the divide.

IBEW Leader Appointed to Key Role in Michigan’s Labor Department

Michigan’s working families have a new powerful voice in government with the recent appointment of Muskegon, Mich., Local 275-member Sean Egan to the state’s department of labor.

Two Major IBEW Priorities Finally Made Law

Several of the IBEW's highest legislative priorities were signed into law Dec. 20.

Green Transit Initiatives in Ontario Mean More Jobs for IBEW Members

Toronto’s GO Transit commuter rail network has committed to a shift away from reliance on diesel-powered locomotives, a push that could translate into meaningful, long-term employment for up to 1,500 members of Toronto Local 353.

IBEW, NFL Step Up Partnership to Protect Children

The IBEW's multiyear effort on behalf of the National Child Identification Program was honored at the start of the Dec. 15 Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game at Lambeau Field in recognition of a strengthened partnership with other unions and the National Football League to protect missing children.

IBEW Photo Contest: It’s Time to Vote

The IBEW photo contest is entering its final phase: your turn.

Locals’ OSHA Partnerships Help Keep Workers Safe

Across the U.S., an ongoing shortage of inspectors at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is putting workers’ lives at risk. But IBEW locals are stepping in to help fill the gaps.

Organizing Wins Pile Up for IBEW at New Jersey, Long Island Altice Locations

Years of legwork — along with the sale of a telecommunications giant — has led to hundreds of new members for the IBEW and its local unions on Long Island and in New Jersey.

BC Women’s Committee Collects Comfort Cases for Assault Survivors

The Kamloops, British Columbia, Local 993 women's committee has been hard at work collecting all kinds of items, from clothing to toothpaste to pillowcases, for "comfort cases" for sexual assault survivors.

‘Light Up Navajo’ Linemen Bring Electricity and Love to a Nation in Need

In the sacred story of the birth of the Navajo Nation, the first holy people rose through three worlds before emerging into the splendor of their homeland in what would become the American Southwest. They called it the Glittering World.

Union Plus Scholarship Application Deadline Approaching

IBEW members who are looking for some help paying for college — for themselves or for someone in their immediate families — have until noon Eastern Time on Jan. 31 to apply for the scholarships available through Union Plus.

Retired Wireman Hopes TV Success Will Fund Charity Work

Although he spent most of his nearly 40-year career working as a journeyman inside wireman — or maybe because of that — Charles Bush has held a longtime, abiding appreciation for the outdoors, and for fishing in particular.

Creative Thinking Helps Bring Museum Workers into the IBEW

In what’s believed to be a first in the IBEW’s history, museum workers have voted in favor of joining the union and have begun to bargain with management over a first contract.