The Summer issue of The Switch is now available!!! Click on the image below to read it:
Heroes
"Becoming a union electrician is one of the smartest decisions I made. It’s a dream job for people who don’t want to go to college and who like to work with their hands. For the first time I consider work not just a job, but a career. And for the first time I feel I am being fairly paid."
Coleatus Thomas, 3rd Term Apprentice
"Everyday I appreciate how much I look forward to my work. Taking an active roll in interesting jobs from beginning to end is satisfying. I like the hands-on component and the variety, especially now with green building. I take pride in contributing to a better world."
Clayton Kingston, Vancouver, 4-year Journeyman
"Residential remodeling is my preference. Why? You never know what the wiring will look like behind the walls of older homes. Trying to understand logic of previous electricians fascinates me. Being a union electrician is more than a job to me. It’s a satisfying career; it’s an extended family and it’s how I plan to retire."
Eric Jensen, Tualatin, 10-year Journeyman
"After high school, college seemed natural. After switching degrees four times I looked at other options. I found out electrical work paid well and I liked that it involved analytical and mathematical skills. Not racking up more college debt, and earning while learning sealed the deal."
Kelly Rainey, Hillsboro, 4-year Journeyman
"Quality of life is important. Being a union electrician allows me to earn an honest and good living while doing something I enjoy each and every day. I take pride in the quality of my craft and I enjoy the variety it offers. It’s been nine years since I’ve chosen this trade as my career, and looking back I wouldn’t change a thing."
For nearly the past century, NECA-IBEW Local 48’s electricians have helped build Oregon and southwest Washington. NECA and IBEW Local 48 have partnered in labor-management relations to lead the region’s electrical industry, working on such high profile projects as the Rose Garden Arena, Portland International Airport and MAX Light Rail stations.
NECA
Locally, the National Electrical Contractors Association traces its roots back to 1911. The organization supports more than 160 contractors through assistance with labor relations, legislative and marketing outreach, building inspection and management issues, providing legal counsel, controlling workers’ compensation costs, and laying the groundwork to train, recruit and retain a qualified workforce. NECA connects the region’s electrical contractors, giving them unified representation and decision-making power in their industry.
IBEW Local 48
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48 formed in 1913 to support the region’s growing electrical industry. Today, IBEW Local 48 represents more than 3,600 electricians in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, implementing extensive training programs, working with contractors to reach labor agreements, and serving as a unified voice in bargaining representation.
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