Delegates to the 41st IBEW International Convention resumed the business of considering proposed resolutions Sept. 24, addressing a host of issues.
Resolution No. 18
Calling for increased support and promotion from local unions in the U.S. and Canada for the Helmets to Hardhats program and its mission of placing former military servicemembers in the union building trades, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 19
Calling for recognition and support from the IBEW for VIPER Transitions, a program that assists transitioning military service members and veterans to careers in the electrical industry, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 20
The delegates adopted an amended version of Resolution No. 20, encouraging the international president to create full-time military and veteran’s affairs coordinator positions to assist veteran members and work with the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and other transition programs for service members.
Resolution No. 21
Calling for all U.S.-based locals to recommit to supporting and protecting the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and calling on all locals to participate in prevailing wage surveys within their jurisdictions, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 22
Calling for the IBEW to reaffirm its support and encourage every local to form Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, RENEW/NextGen, Women’s, Veterans, and Retiree committees, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 23
Calling for all members, including historically underrepresented workers, to have access to training and leadership opportunities and for the IBEW to reaffirm its support for IBEW Strong so all members learn the centrality of diversity to the labor movement generally and the IBEW specifically, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 24
Calling for the IBEW to reaffirm support for IBEW Women’s Committees, prioritize identifying and training women for leadership positions, and to support the efforts of the International Women’s Conference and International Women’s Committee, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 25
Calling for the IBEW to reaffirm support for the RENEW/NextGen initiative, strongly encourage every local union to establish and support RENEW/NextGen committees, and support young members establishing themselves in the IBEW, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 26
Calling for the IBEW to denounce all forms of workplace harassment, bullying, discrimination and violence; reaffirm its commitment to safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces; and encourage all locals to use every available tool so all members can work with dignity, safety and respect, which was adopted.
Resolutions Nos. 27 and 28
Calling for the IBEW and all local unions to support and defend immigrants and migrants, advocate for the creation of immigration systems that protect and value workers, and support all IBEW members impacted by the elimination of work authorization policies and programs. The delegates adopted a substitute resolution recommended by the Resolutions Committee.
Resolutions Nos. 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33
Calling for the IBEW to publish and make available Spanish translations of the IBEW Constitution, Basic Laws and Policies, Guide for IBEW Stewards and U.S. Pattern Bylaws and to encourage locals with significant numbers of monolingual Spanish speakers to provide translation services for their meetings. The delegates adopted Resolution No. 33, which provides for these actions, but did not adopt Resolution Nos. 29, 30, 31 and 32, which would have required additional actions.
Resolution No. 34
Calling for the IBEW to reaffirm its support for the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus and encourage all local union leaders to attend the EWMC annual leadership conference, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 35
Calling on all U.S. locals to commit to raising at least $15 per member per year for the IBEW PAC, by payroll deduction if possible. Discouraging locals from operating their own PACs and asks delegates to support use of the IBEW PAC. The delegates adopted an amendment to Resolution No. 35 calling on the IBEW PAC to lengthen its lookback period when considering requests from local unions, system councils and groups of local unions.
Resolution No. 37
Encouraging locals to use all available political tools provided by the AFL-CIO and IBEW International Office, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 38
Calling on locals to appoint an officer or member to complete a train-the-trainer course to become certified to conduct Politics, Activism and Livelihood training at the local, and to strive for at least 80% of their membership to receive PAL training, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 39
Encouraging local presidents to appoint, in addition to registrars, political education committees that mirror locals’ demographics, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 40
Encouraging all IBEW members in the U.S. in Canada to run for public office, and asking the IBEW to support IBEW candidates for public office by providing advice and, in accordance with campaign finance laws and at leaders’ discretion, resources and financial support, which was adopted.
Resolutions Nos. 41 and 42
Calling on the IBEW to take action to defend against the Carpenters’ encroachment on the IBEW’s electrical trade jurisdiction. The delegates did not adopt Resolution No. 41 as submitted but adopted an amendment to Resolution No. 42 calling on the IBEW to treat the defense against the Carpenters as a strategic priority, to establish a dedicated Electrical Jurisdiction Defense Fund or allocation, to work to prevent the Carpenters from benefiting from national agreements and to keep the membership informed of progress in this fight.
Resolution No. 43
Recognizing that placing tariffs on Canada hurts workers and calling on the IBEW to advocate for the U.S. and Canadian governments to address trade issues with countries having lower wage and labor standards using those standards to unfairly compete with businesses. Asking the entire IBEW to stand in solidarity to ensure that workers are protected as global trade policies are renegotiated, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 44
Encouraging the IBEW to work with stakeholders to revitalize and strengthen domestic commercial and defense shipbuilding, and to redouble efforts to train and support the industry’s workers. Calling on the union to support legislation and funding for such shipbuilding and to oppose efforts to move shipbuilding or repair work overseas. Asking the IBEW to amplify the global importance of revitalizing shipbuilding, ship repair and maritime industries, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 45
Encouraging the IBEW to oppose attempts to weaken or dismantle the Jones Act, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 48
Encouraging locals to coordinate with their JATCs to market curricula, programs and facilities to help potential apprentices, customers and elected officials better understand the benefits of community-based electrical training, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 49
Urging the IBEW to continue supporting and promoting the National Training Institute and encouraging construction locals to fully participate in the NTI, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 50
Supporting the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and urging all local unions and members to support the work of the alliance and to participate in its Boots on the Ground program and other education and conservation projects, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 51
Strongly encourage members to receive The Electrical Worker by electronic delivery, and that the international president implement a policy requiring that all new IBEW members receive The Electrical Worker by electronic delivery unless they opt ct to receive it by mail, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 52
Encouraging all local unions to support and contribute to the Electrical Workers Historical Society and its efforts to preserve our history for future generations, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 53
Maintaining and using the Unity Fund and encouraging all local unions to support and contribute, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 54
Continuing the IBEW’s commitment to health and safety, including mental health and safety, and working to eliminate the stigma around seeking help for mental health challenges. Additionally, all local union and international officers are strongly encouraged to take Mental Health First Aid at Work or similar training so that they are better able to recognize, understand, and respond to mental health challenges faced by any union sister or brother, which was adopted.
Resolution No. 55
Recognizing the importance of local unions participating in the Safety Caucus to continue our fight for safety and health provisions that benefit all working people, which was adopted.
The Resolutions Committee plans to return to Resolutions Nos. 46 and 47 as it continues to consider proposed resolutions.
