Join / Organize
You're already an electrician.
Get paid like one.
If you're doing electrical work in the St. Louis region without a union card, you're doing the same work as Local 1 members for less money, thinner benefits, and no say. Changing that starts with one confidential conversation.
The Difference
What changes with a card
| Non-Union | IBEW Local 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wage | Whatever the shop offers | Contract scale: $49.29/hr, raised on schedule |
| Benefits package | Maybe, with premiums from your check | $34.34/hr in contractor-paid fringes |
| Health insurance | Premiums from your check, if offered | Family coverage, contractor-paid |
| Retirement | A 401(k) if you're lucky | Pension, income security, and vacation and holiday funds |
| Training | On your own dime and time | Free upgrade classes for life |
| A voice on the job | Take it or leave it | A contract, a steward, and a vote |
How It Works
Three ways in
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Experienced electricians: organize in
If you've been working in the trade, you don't start over. Local 1 evaluates your experience and brings you in at the level you've earned. Many members organize in directly from non-union shops, and plenty bring their whole crew.
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New to the trade: apprentice
The five-year registered apprenticeship pays you from day one, with raises as you advance and zero tuition debt. See the apprenticeship page for programs and how to apply.
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Your whole shop: go signatory
If your employer does quality work, they may be a fit as a signatory contractor, keeping the crew together with union wages and benefits. Here's what that looks like for the company.
Straight Answers
What people ask us
Will my boss find out I talked to you?
No. Conversations with Local 1 organizers are confidential. It is also illegal for an employer to retaliate against you for union activity, and we know how to protect people who organize.
Do I lose my experience and start as an apprentice?
No. Experienced electricians are evaluated and placed according to their skills. If you've been running work non-union, we want that experience in the local, not reset to zero.
What does it cost?
Members pay dues, a small percentage of what the contract wins for you. The wage-and-benefit difference between union and non-union work in this market pays your dues back many times over. REPLACE WITH LOCAL DATA: current dues structure
Is there actually work?
Local 1's signatory contractors staff major projects across the region, and the referral system keeps members working. Ask the organizer what the work picture looks like right now. You'll get a straight answer.
Contact an Organizer
Start the conversation
Fill this out and an organizer will reach out, discreetly. Or skip the form and call (314) 647-5900 and ask for the organizing department.