"An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success." - Stephen Covey
What is a union?
A union is a group of people with similar interests or issues who join together within a company or a trade to stand together as one voice, one concern, to bargain, collectively as a group for better hours, wages, stronger benefits and safer working conditions. Belonging to a union gives the individual a voice to be heard through a group with your employer with little fear of retaliation. The intimidation factor of sitting down with your employer one on one versus sitting down with your fellow co-workers and your employer becomes a non issue and the intimidation factor is eliminated.
What do unions do?
A union's primary objective is to protect the well being and interest of the members, to secure good contracts for its members and to enforce the provisions of that contract. The union also administers some of the contract's important benefits directly. Often these include health plans, pensions and labor/management partnerships and trusts.
How does the union work out problems with management?
First, through direct lines of communication, if this does not work then through a collectively bargained grievance procedure. The contract spells out what the grievance procedures are, the necessary steps that must be taken and explains how conflicts are to be resolved and time frames that are allowed.
Typically the violation is a simple mistake or lack of knowledge about the collective bargaining agreement or CBA. A simple phone call can resolve most issues. However if the Employer and the Business Agent (BA) disagree on the issue then it progresses through the grievance procedure. No grievance in IBEW 233 has ever lead to a strike or a lock out as our agreements provide for a binding arbitration decision. IBEW 233 prides itself in working with the contractors to avoid any contract problems or disruptions in work.
What is a CBA?
CBA or collective bargaining agreement is a negotiated working agreement between contractors and members. This agreement covers the length of the agreement, wages, tools, daily work hour, holidays and the type of work you perform, to name just a few. Language also established and maintains family health insurance, pensions, the apprenticeship and training upgrades. The CBA is designed to make the playing field even for everyone from a first day apprentice to a heavy industrial contractor.
Who negotiates your contract?
The members of IBEW 233 and members of management (National Electrical Contractors Association or NECA) each choose their own members to be a part of a negotiating committee. Members from IBEW 233 decide what to negotiate and instruct the negotiating committee as to those areas of the CBA they would like to see modified. NECA does the same. It's a partnership that depends on each other to work together to benefit each other in the CBA and in the work we perform.
What kind of say do I get in the contract?
Before contract talks start, the Business Manager asks the membership what they want in a contract or what the members would like to see modified. Once the contract has been negotiated, it's submitted to the membership for ratification.
How long do contracts last?
Anywhere from 1 to 3 years. These time frames are agreed to by both IBEW 233 and NECA.
What are union dues and what are they used for?
There are two different dues; basic monthly dues and working dues. Basic monthly dues are paid monthly, a portion goes to the International Office (part of which goes to the day to day operational costs with the remainder going to a pension/death benefit fund) the other portion goes to the IBEW 233. That money goes into the local's general fund and goes to the operations of IBEW 233 such as advertising, member representation, organizing, education and negotiations. If you itemize your taxes some or most of your dues are tax deductable.
What does the "International Office" do?
The International's responsibilities include; lobbying Congress for laws that benefit our members, maintaining the International pension/death benefit fund, assist any locals that need help and coordinating national campaigns or organizing efforts.
What's a "local"?
A local is like a franchise, if you will, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Most decisions are made at the state and local union level. A local is better suited to know what the area requires for the type of work, people, wages and working conditions that can be supported. The local is for the benefit of the membership. The local is here to help and support members in their day to day working lives.
How democratic are unions?
The whole process is open and democratic. You decide if you want to sign an authorization card. You decide whether to vote "yes" on joining the union. You decide what to tell your negotiators you want in a contract. You vote on the contract once it's negotiated. You vote on who will be the officers of your local. You are the reason the union is here for you. You are the union!
Why Belong to a Union?
There are many reasons to join a union, health insurance, pensions, fair working conditions, better wages, to not feel intimidated by your employer, family tradition, etc. Each person has their reason to join and sometimes it’s for a change to better yourself and your family.
Can I and my co-workers form a union?
"Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purposes of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection..." This is Federal Law and is contained in Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
"Although it’s true that only about 20% of American workers are in unions, that 20% sets the standards across the board in salaries, benefits and working conditions. If you are making a decent salary in a non-union company, you owe that to the unions. One thing that corporations do not do is give out money out of the goodness of their hearts." - Molly Ivins
Benefits of Electrician Membership at IBEW 233
When you join IBEW 233 you can and will receive the best pay and benefits in the industry. And you will! They are defined in the contract what you WILL receive!
All of our members receive whole family health insurance with no out of pocket cost for extra family members. This means it doesn’t matter whether you are single, married with no children, starting to have a family or have 10 kids, it costs the same. Coverage typically starts on or about the third month of employment. If you’d like more information on the health coverage, please visit www.8thdist.org
Supplemental Coverage
Short term disability is available through a nationally recognized company. Coverage can be for yourself, your wife and children depends on the coverage you desire. Plans can include life insurance, dental, vision, cancer/specified disease. The plan follows you, so if you go onto another employer even outside of the trade you can still keep this coverage.
Pensions and Retirement
Our members have comfortable retirement plans! They have four types of pensions, not four to choose from, but four separate pensions. Depending on the age you want to retire, there are available options to retire early with minimal reductions. Federal ERISA law mandates that it takes five years to vest in the pensions. Benefits include disability benefits, joint and survivor benefits, early retirement minimum age. There is a 401k salary reduction program that you may voluntarily donate more money into your own plan.
National Electrical Benefit Fund
The NEBF is another defined benefit plan in which contributions are made by employers at an amount equal to 3% of your gross wages. The plan provides three types of benefits: retirement benefits, disability benefits and pre-retirement spouse benefits.
The 8th District Pension is a defined benefit plan in which contributions are made by employers at a specific hourly amount times the total hours you work each month. The plan has options for normal retirement early retirement or deferred retirement in which a member may elected from several different methods of receiving benefits.
The 8th District Annuity plan is the flexible option along with an hourly contribution by the employers to the individual members plan. This annuity also has a 401k salary reduction that a member can contribute more to their personal account in $.50 increments up to $8.00 an hour. There are several different options to invest YOUR money the way you want to!
IBEW Pension Benefit Fund
The IBEW Pension is sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as established in the IBEW Constitution. Contributions are made by Active “A” members into the Pension Benefit Fund. The plan provides three types of benefits: retirement benefits, disability benefits and death benefits. The plan has options for normal retirement at age 65 and optional early retirement at age 62. The death benefit is $6,250.000 and can double to $12,500.00 if there is an accidental death or dismemberment.
Even More Benefits
Our members have a wide variety of other benefits available to them. Union Plus is brought to you by Union Privilege, established by the AFL-CIO to provide consumer benefits to members and retirees of participating labor unions. Union Plus sends out flyers, information and vouchers for members to use. Services include auto insurance discounts, mortgage program, pre-negotiated vehicle pricing, a low rate credit card, cell phone discounts through AT&T, car rental discounts and the list goes on!
Provides short term, confidential counseling for you and your family at no out of pocket cost to you. The EAP can help out members in a wide arrange of issues from stress/anxiety, aging, relationships to finances and legal issues, this ranges from bankruptcy, estate planning, wills, family issues such as divorce and child custody. These are just a few examples of the diverse range of help members receive as a benefit from belonging to the IBEW 233.
Electronic Reciprocity Transfer System
One of the benefits of being in the IBEW is the ability to travel the country and work out of any IBEW local where your credentials as an IBEW electrician will automatically qualify you to go to work and where you will be welcomed as a Brother or Sister. While working away from home, IBEW electricians are entitled to reciprocity of their earned benefits. This means their benefits will be transferred to their home local, maintaining their insurance coverage and the continued accrual of pension credits. Your benefits follow you and there’s no reason to start over at each different employer like the nonunion industry does.
Our organization and membership believe it is of paramount importance that we understand the need for developing safe working practices. We make every effort for proper and safe installations of all electrical work, thus safeguarding life and property. Through the collective bargaining process the members established a Journeyman Upgrade Traing Fund (JUTF), the contractors forward$.05 per hour for all hours worked to the JUTF. This fund is used for classes put on by the Montana Electical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (MTEJATC). Classes are put on by qualified instructors, some of the class subjects are OSHA-10, C-STOP, Stand alone solar and building automation, Understanding Frequency Drives, Power Factor Explained and correction and LED lighting. The classes and materials are up to date and always changing with current technology and trends. All classes are certified for State of Montana continuing education. On average there are 15 classes per year put on by the MTEJATC. No more scrambling to get classes in before the licensing renewal date.
Apprentice and Journeyman Training
IBEW 233 has a top-rated apprenticeship training program and state-of-the-art facility that’s funded by our own industry and not by the government or tax dollars. The NECA-IBEW Training Center provides excellent training in a nationally recognized five-year program. The Training Center guarantees for our members, skills are always up to date – and in demand with Continued Education classes for usually free or very inexpensive to the members per class. Apprentices are allowed, provided there is room to take the CE classes, likewise if there is a subject that a journeyman needs to expand his knowledge, the journeyman can sit in with the apprentice class to gain valuable skills.
The school is centrally located in Helena at 2616 Bozeman Avenue. The training is set up like a traditional class room setting. Apprentices attend class Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm. The training center has two classrooms, a labs building and craft certification building. There are 3 full time instructors that continually go to National Training Institute (NTI). At the NTI the instructors are trained in the curriculum to teach the apprentices and most importantly to understand what they have learned! The Montana Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee(MTEJATC) over the past 10 years has a success rate of 100% on graduating apprentices passing the state exam to get their electrical licenses!
Safer Workplaces
Our members have excellent safety programs which provide for the safety of every electrician on the job. Registered and certified apprentices working along with certified journeyman at the proper ratio helps to guarantee a safe workplace. Our members work for fair employers who comply with licensing and apprenticeship laws.
A Contract
A Contract emphasizes equality and fair treatment. One set of rules that apply to everyone eliminating favoritism and discrimination and guaranteeing that no one can be unfairly or arbitrarily disciplined or dismissed.
Wages
Our members have adequately established and maintained wages for their labor. Strength in numbers equates to bargaining power to improve wages. These excellent working wages help to achieve a higher standard of living for all in the electrical construction industry. Wages are negotiated for the members by the Local and the workers negotiating committee. Our Journeymen earn $29.98 in the Helena and Great Falls areas and $28.80 in the Butte area an hour. Helena/Great Falls foreman receive 8% higher wages and general foremen 15%. In the Butte area foremen receive 7% higher wages and general foreman 14%.
Hours
Working hours for all members are determined by contract at either 5-8’s or 4-10’s. Work outside of these hours is always paid at regular wages times one and one-half or double time for Sunday and holidays. Our overtime is based on daily hours and not 40 hours.
Representation
Representation brings with it clearly defined contract rights including wages and benefits which allow our members to live in dignity and health through a rewarding career and to look forward to a prosperous retirement. We believe in cultivating feelings of friendship among those in our industry. Our members have representation through a grievance process if problems arise at work. Practices of conciliation and arbitration are utilized in the settlement of any differences with employers.
Employment Opportunities
In the IBEW, you have the opportunity to be a part of the best team of electricians in the industry, and work on the most exciting and challenging projects in the area. Our members have access to working for many different contractors in our jurisdiction and have a choice of what areas they wish to accept to be offered work. Out-of-work members are referred to future employment through the IBEW 233 referral system. This means no more answering ads or pounding the pavement when the inevitable construction layoff. The referral office does the work for us and the Department of Labor for the State of Montana Unemployment Division recognizes this process as an employment search.
A Voice
As a member of the IBEW you have a voice in our industry and a voice in our future. Through monthly union meetings members can voice their concerns, air our problems, vote on contracts and decide who will be the future leaders of our Local Union. The Local Union not only represents its members but it is controlled by its members.