Most people might not think of construction workers as chess aficionados, but the success of Washington, D.C., Local 26’s chess tournament proved otherwise.
“It was more successful than we thought it would be,” Local 26 President Tom Myers said. “It appears that the average electrician is more cerebral than commonly thought.”
The January tournament was hosted by Local 26’s RENEW chapter and open to all members of the local, as well as the area’s building trades. More than 20 people registered for the first-ever event, and even more showed up at the door, said Logan Valle, the local’s RENEW president. RENEW is a young workers initiative in the IBEW; Canadian locals have a similar program called NextGen.
“The chess tournament was a lot of fun,” Valle said. “It felt really good to see all of the hard work that our RENEW committee members put into it pay off. And who knew watching the championship round would be so intense!”
The idea for the tournament came from RENEW Treasurer Wesley Hebler, who often plays virtual chess with co-workers during breaks at the jobsite. It quickly gained traction within the committee and then with Local 26 leadership.
“It was new and innovative, so we thought it was in line with the mandate of RENEW, which is to bring new and innovative ideas to the local and to train young leaders,” said Myers, who attended the event. “New leaders need support whenever possible.”
Attendees included rank-and-file members, Local 26 officers and agents, instructors and retirees, and members of other building trades unions.
“It was really surprising and satisfying to see so many individuals of different ages and classifications who might not otherwise come together on a jobsite,” RENEW Vice President Carolyn Gillespie said.
Attendees were also treated to lunch before the playing started, which provided an additional opportunity to socialize.
“The best part of the event, in my opinion, was just before we started competing,” Valle said. “Everyone was talking and laughing and encouraging each other before the tournament. It was like one big family meal.”
The tournament got a financial boost from the Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building and Construction Trades Council, which donated funds for the RENEW group to purchase the chess sets. Local 26 officers personally donated $300, which served as the prize for the tournament winner.
Due to the success of the inaugural tournament, there are plans to make it an annual event and keep it open to all building trades members.
“While RENEW membership is reserved for members 35 and under, we hope that by allowing members of any age to participate that we create an opportunity for the voices of the next generation to be heard and carried through the union,” Valle said.
The Local 26 RENEW chapter has about a dozen active members who regularly attend other events put on by the local, from the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus’ days of service to the Motorcycle Club’s annual poker run.
“Whenever you ask them for help, they show up and are happy to participate,” said Business Manager Joe Dabbs, who also attended the event. “That’s important because every time we come together through work and conversation there are teachable moments of the challenges a union faces and the complexities of running a large local.”
In addition to fostering union solidarity, the chess tournament is an opportunity to disprove the stereotype of construction workers as not being intellectual.
“It’s an unfortunate and inaccurate notion. I’m sure all electricians, and tradespeople in general, would like to distance themselves from such an idea,” Gillespie said. “Chess has been popular for a long time, and for good reason. But the game itself has acquired some unfortunate stereotypes as being elitist or ivory tower. Hopefully, we can push back against both of those flawed assumptions by hosting more of these tournaments.”
