Braun Electric Co. has long seemed a natural partner for Bakersfield, Calif., Local 428. Now, thanks to a mutual interest in renewable energy and a long courtship, the two are working together.
Braun became a Local 428 signatory contractor in early November, welcoming nearly 100 new members into the union.
“They had been the largest non-signatory in our area for a long time,” Business Manager Brian Holt said. “Conversations have been ongoing for years.”
California’s Central Valley is one of the leading U.S. regions for natural gas exploration. Braun has been part of the community since its founding in 1945 and has a long history in the gas and oil industry .
In recent years, the company has shown more interest in renewable energy, likely driven by its contractors and partners seeking more work due to incentives from state and federal governments.
The Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Joe Biden in 2022 — which the IBEW lobbied heavily for — extends tax credits of up to 30 percent for companies investing in renewable projects if they pay prevailing wages and employ workers from qualified apprenticeship programs.
At the state level, a law signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom added skilled and trained labor requirements to petrochemical work, a boost for trade unions with high-road apprenticeship programs.
These legislative requirements and investments have made it even more attractive for Braun and other companies to partner with Local 428 and other IBEW local unions. In addition to the tax incentives, they get access to highly trained Local 428 members already working with renewables.
“The oil and gas extraction business has been shrinking,” Holt said. “We’ve been successful working with developers up and down the state on some [renewable] projects. When the IRA hit the streets, those other developers said, ‘We’re going to go for the tax credit.’”
The agreement included requirements on which Braun electricians immediately qualified to become journeyman or move into Local 428’s apprenticeship program, depending on their experience and training.
Holt noted Local 428 members have seen increasing work opportunities in renewable energy for nearly a dozen years as investor-owned utilities expand their portfolios into renewable energy sources.
Renewables are important but they are just one key piece of the deal. The oil and gas industry is not going away anytime soon. In the near term, Local 428 will pick up maintenance work at oil leases that employ Braun workers.
Holt said conversations between Local 428 and Braun always have been cordial. He noted that talks were ongoing before he took over as business manager nearly three years ago.
He praised the company and its president and CEO, David Morphis, for being receptive to the IBEW. Local 428 Assistant Business Manager Mark Dewey, the Ninth District office and the local NECA chapter also played key roles in getting the deal finished, Holt said.
“It was a team effort, and I could not feel more proud of the team.”
“Even working on the details of the transitional agreement, it never felt like a negotiation,” he said. “It was a team effort, and I could not feel more proud of the team. We’re looking forward to working with the Braun companies.”
