To achieve the ability to set the terms and conditions of employment in our industry for a better standard of living and safer workplaces for all involved.
To establish our union, through membership and involvement, as an essential component to our community economically, politically, and socially.
To enable the IBEW to continue to play a positive and stabilizing role in our industry for the benefit of its membership, participants, customers, and community at large.
To promote positive relationships throughout our industry exemplified by our Labor-Management cooperation.
By the late 1800s, electricity was changing American life and the widespread use of electricity saw the emergence of a new profession.
Electricians were needed to build and operate electrical installations at expositions and World Fairs that showcased the newest inventions in electricity. It was at the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Fair in 1890, Henry Miller, an experienced electrician led the drive to organize the profession and with the help of the American Federation of Labor, formed the Electrical Wiremen and Linemen’s Union, No. 5221.
The new but dangerous field of electrical work had a very high mortality rate and linemen and wiremen were receiving meager wages with little training. Henry Miller knew that true bargaining power meant a national union for electricians so it was in 1891 he and nine other founding members formed the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers representing 286 electricians.
By 1899, the NBEW’s influence extended to Canada and the union’s name was changed to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Today’s IBEW has approximately 750,000 active and retired members working in the fields of utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and governments.
