ibew affinity groups
IBEW Affinity Groups
IBEW members come from all backgrounds with an array of life experiences as diverse as the communities we serve. The principles of the IBEW, stretching back more than 130 years, call for equal treatment and a rejection of issues that divide us. In the IBEW, the bonds of the Brotherhood are unbreakable. Many find belonging, special bonds of friendship and support in groups of like-minded individuals. Affinity groups not only strengthen our union but the communities we live in. There’s a place for everyone in the IBEW.
Find your place in The IBEW
IBEW Strong
Diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzz words in the IBEW. They’re an opportunity to grow our ranks, extend the opportunities of membership, and to create a workforce for the future that reflects the communities where we live and work.
A union that embraces people from all backgrounds and walks of life is a union that is poised to grow and expand opportunity for all its members. It’s a union that is IBEW Strong.
Veterans Committees
IBEW members serve their communities, and before that many served their countries bravely and with distinction.
The IBEW Veteran’s Committees seek to help veterans, both recently separated and far removed from active duty, connect with one another and strengthen the bonds of IBEW Brotherhood through support, mentorship and good times.
The Veterans Committees, whether at the international or local levels, work to honor veterans by extending the opportunities in the IBEW to even more active and former service members, promoting programs like the Veterans Electrical Entry Program (VEEP), Helmets to Hardhats and more.
Women’s Committees
IBEW Women’s Committees are a dedicated force, working to promote education, engagement and the empowerment of women to further strengthen our union. Committed to breaking barriers, fostering inclusivity, and advancing the collective voice of women within the IBEW, women’s committees foster a supportive network that champions opportunities, addresses challenges, and advocates on behalf of the invaluable contributions of women. Join or form an IBEW Women’s Committee at your local union and help to increase the participation of women through recruitment, retention, mentorship and activism.
RENEW & NextGen
Reach Out and Engage Next-Generation Electrical Workers, or RENEW, is a dynamic initiative that grew out of the IBEW’s 38th Convention in 2011 to inspire young IBEW workers to become active in their local union by focusing on issues important to them, providing education about the IBEW and the labor movement, and fostering relationships with members and local union leadership.
Known in Canada as NextGen, the program is committed to cultivating a vibrant future for our union by providing a platform for young workers to engage, connect, and contribute to the ongoing success of the IBEW.
Through mentorship programs, skill-building opportunities, and community involvement, RENEW and NextGen empower the next generation to lead with passion, purpose, and a commitment to the values that define our union.
Electrical Workers Minority Caucus
The Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, or EWMC, grew out of conflict in 1974, but over the past 50 years, it has grown to be embraced as what its President Emeritus Robbie Sparks calls “the conscience of the IBEW.”
The EWMC’s mission of promoting equity, opportunity and employment for minorities and underrepresented workers in the IBEW seems simple, but its work over five decades has been complex and at times difficult. Still, its leaders’ persistence has made it an influential voice within the IBEW, pressing the organization ever forward.
A More Perfect Union:
50 Years of the EWMC
Read more in the Electrical Worker
