Political/Legislative Affairs

202 728-6046
Political@ibew.org

Welcome

The IBEW Political/Legislative Affairs Department is committed to advancing the IBEW mission and improving the lives of all IBEW members through supporting education, advocacy, mobilization, public policy, and legal and administrative action. The legislative and political education and activism of the IBEW is organized and administered through the Political/Legislative Affairs Department at the IBEW International Office. This department oversees one of the strongest political action programs of its kind and develops educational materials on current issues and candidates; maintains a website where registrars can access resources online; and makes political presentations at IBEW conferences and progress meetings. The department also provides training for local union leadership, registrars, and state and district coordinators which is designed to provide attendees with the tools and knowledge needed to develop or enhance their local union political program.

Congratulating IBEW Members in Public Office

Hundreds of IBEW members serve in public office, including Brandon Chafee, who was elected Connecticut state representative serving the 33rd district on a platform emphasizing workers' rights, infrastructure improvements and health care. Also on November 4, two IBEW brothers were re-elected to the Maine legislature, including Manchester Local 1837 member Kevin O'Connell and Augusta Local 1253 member Scott Cuddy. In New Hampshire, Manchester, N.H., member Kevin Kavanaugh was re-elected to the state Senate.        

5 Key Steps to Secure the U.S. Electricity Supply

What will it take to make a 21st century electrical grid a reality? The need for a more reliable, resilient, affordable grid won't wait for the pandemic to end, say former energy secretary Ernest Moniz and IBEW International President Lonnie R. Stephenson. Their critical prescriptions include investments in climate change mitigation, infrastructure modernization and increased training for essential workers like IBEW members.     

Did You Miss the 2020 Campaign Kick-Off? Don't Worry.  

On July 8, 2020, hundreds of IBEW activists tuned in for the IBEW 2020 Campaign Kick-Off, a Zoom discussion about mobilizing and engaging IBEW members for the November 3 election. Participants learned about the political landscape, get-out-the-vote tactics, vote-by-mail, member data management and fundraising -- all optimized for campaigning in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. They also heard from guest speakers like Vice President Joe Biden and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, and heard about the importance of IBEW members serving on boards and commissions as well as how the power of the president can affect IBEW members. 

With your help, we will lay the groundwork for a better political environment for working families in 2021.  

Coronavirus Impact on Elections

In an effort to safeguard voter access and public safety, California announces plans for all-mail general election in November, and states push back their presidential primaries due to the coronavirus pandemic. What you need to know. 

Letters in Support of IBEW Members During the Pandemic

Transportation Trades Letter Requesting Emergency Funding for Public Transit Agencies

IBEW Urges Congress to Oppose Inclusion of the GROW Act in Coronavirus Relief Legislation

Multiemployer Coalition Letter Opposing Composite Pension Legislation

IBEW Letter Regarding CBS News Bargaining Violations and Use of Nonunion Camera Crews

Request for Public Transportation Funding in Upcoming COVID-19 Emergency Bill

Joint IBEW/NEI Request for Emergency Funding for Nuclear Industry

Transportation Unions Request Rule Mandating Passengers be Required to Wear Masks

Letter Supporting Pandemic Risk Insurance for News, Sports and Entertainment Industries

IBEW Urges Funding for Agencies with Infrastructure Projects

Labor Letter Urging Congress to Protect Amtrak Workers from Proposed Cuts

Transportation Unions Request Infusion of Emergency Aid for Mass Transit

Infrastructure Investment Urged in Upcoming COVID-19 Relief Legislation 

AFL-CIO Unions Urge Congressional Action on Multiemployer Pension Plans  

America's Building Trades Letter in Support of Healthcare and Pension Legislation

Requesting Economic Relief for Professionals Designated Essential

Transportation Trades Letter on Rail Safety and Staffing Levels

IBEW Asks Congress to Adopt Multiemployer Pension Reform

Letter Urging Virginia Governor to Support Wage Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic

Letter Requesting Utility Workers Receive Priority Access to PPE

IBEW/NEI Request Nuclear Fleet Tax Credit Inclusion in COVID-19 Stimulus

IBEW Endorses Joe Biden for President

The IBEW endorsed Joe Biden on February 5. Biden's energy policy aligns most closely with IBEW members, 85 percent of whom work in energy-related industries. "We feel that Joe Biden is the best choice for the IBEW because he has taken the time to listen to what our members have to say about the biggest challenges facing our country. And that makes me confident that IBEW members will always have a seat the table in a Biden administration," said IBEW International President Lonnie R. Stephenson.  

The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, offers a powerful argument in favor of Joe Biden in an endorsement, citing his commitment to job creation, labor rights and workplace safety as well as infrastructure investment and support for worker protections during the pandemic. 

Stephenson: 'They Are Trying to Kill America's Multiemployer Pension Plans'

A new plan, introduced by Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), is a recipe for the ruin of IBEW multiemployer pension plans, including the National Electrical Benefit Fund. Here's what you can do to show your opposition. 

Building IBEW Power at the Local Level

Do you know who has the power to control key decisions in your jurisdiction? It might surprise you to find out that it's not elected officials -- it's boards and commissions that are appointed by elected representatives. In cities that have high market share, IBEW members serve on boards and commissions, making decisions on regulations that can help, or hurt, IBEW members. See how you can help build IBEW power at the local level. 

IBEW Urges Congress to Get Moving on Nuclear Waste Storage

A trio of recently introduced bills before the U.S. House of Representatives could help unlock meaningful, long-term employment for IBEW members in Nevada — and beyond. Key to those jobs is opening a permanent repository for spent nuclear fuel, IBEW Political and Legislative Affairs Director Austin W. Keyser told Congress at a hearing on June 12.  

Register to Vote. Because it Matters.

Did you know that the gains we win at the bargaining table can be wiped out by laws on the local, state or federal level? Educated IBEW members armed with the facts necessary to choose the candidates that support our jobs are key to the survival of the IBEW.

I am a Retiree and I Vote: Keep Your Hands off My Pension

An all-hands-on-deck IBEW mobilization followed the urgent appeal: your pension is at risk. Come to Washington, D.C., to defend it. On November 28, 2018 approximately 250 IBEW members from across the United States carried the simple message to Capitol Hill: say no to a circulating proposal that could decimate IBEW’s multiemployer pension plans like the NEBF. 

Home-Grown System Rigging… and How We Can Stop It

Every 10 years, legislative maps are redrawn following the U.S. Census. In 2011, politicians rigged the system like never before. The nonpartisan organization FairVote says that of the 435 seats up for reelection in the U.S. House of Representatives, only about 10 percent will be competitive, due to gerrymandering.