We have attended many IBEW conventions throughout our careers, but the 41st International Convention, held in San Diego in September, was one of the most energized and consequential we have ever experienced.

More than 2,000 delegates from across the United States and Canada came to California with a big job to do: chart the course of the IBEW for the next five years.

And every one of them took that responsibility seriously.

We elected officers, voted on amendments and resolutions, debated the issues, and made the tough decisions that will shape our union’s future.

In this issue of The Electrical Worker, you can review those actions and the votes taken in San Diego.

We didn’t see eye to eye on every issue. There was real debate among delegates about which direction to take.

But our solidarity never wavered. Whatever our differences, we knew we were all part of one united IBEW.

Among the many decisions we made, we voted to push for stronger retirement benefits, strengthen our grassroots political program and defend the IBEW from other unions seeking to perform electrical work.

We also voted to strengthen the IBEW’s general fund, ensuring our financial stability and supporting investments in programs that will power our union’s future.

But one of our most important decisions was to rededicate ourselves to organizing.

There is no question that the IBEW came to the West Coast with the wind at our backs.

The last decade has brought consistently strong growth, with the last two years breaking organizing records that had stood for more than 50 years.

Today, IBEW membership stands at more than 920,000, putting us even closer to our goal of 1 million members before the decade is out.

But delegates understood that those positive numbers come with a challenge: Can we grow fast enough to meet the historic demand for electrical workers?

Demand for skilled electrical workers is higher than ever, and opportunities for growth are exploding in nearly every branch of the IBEW.

Delegates committed to making organizing a priority and endorsed Day One membership, ensuring that every worker in our industries has a welcoming home in the IBEW from the very start.

They also doubled down on support for the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, RENEW/NextGen, and our women’s and veterans’ committees — all vital to bringing more workers into our ranks and developing the next generation of IBEW leaders.

The hunger for everything we enjoy as IBEW members — good wages, secure benefits and a voice at work — is stronger than ever. Everything we did at the convention was about strengthening our ability to bring more workers into our union and ensuring that we truly represent every community across our two nations.

Of course, we’re not organizing just for the sake of it. We’re organizing because it’s the source of our power.

More members means more power to fight for higher wages, better benefits and stronger contracts. A bigger IBEW gives us a stronger voice in the policy decisions that directly affect our jobs and livelihoods.

And a bigger IBEW is a more secure IBEW — protecting everything we’ve won for working families and preserving our legacy for future generations of electrical workers.

“Powering a Brighter Future” wasn’t just a slogan on a banner.

It defines our responsibility as IBEW leaders for the next five years: to write the next chapter of IBEW history and strengthen our leadership in our industries, in the labor movement and across our two nations.

And whether you were in San Diego or not, every member ready to take action has a role in leading this union forward.

So take the time to read through this issue.

Because the votes we took in San Diego weren’t just words on paper.

They are our battle plan for victory over the next five years — with consequences for generations to come.

We both arrived in San Diego feeling deeply optimistic about the IBEW’s future.

Our power and influence are stronger than ever, as reflected in the many guests who joined us, including leaders from politics, business and labor, as well as union friends from around the world.

But when the final gavel fell, we both knew our future was even brighter.

We knew our delegates were fired up and ready to head home and carry out our mission to organize every electrical worker in North America.

You — our brothers and sisters in every local — will shape our future. And with you leading the way, we couldn’t be more confident about where we go next.

Thank you for a historic week. Now let’s keep making history.