What Do You See:

1891 or 2013?• Rapidly changing and growing economy• New technologies and emerging

industries replacing old system• Workforce with new demographics• Transient workforce enabled by mobility• Huge concentration of wealth at the top• Working people turning on each other• Greed’s Momentum Being Questioned

Why the NBEW• Mortality Rate at 50%• 80 Hour Weeks• No Federal Laws• Few, if any, Friends in High Places• A Willingness and Energy to Fight Back

What The Founders Did• What were these early leaders able to

accomplish?– In 1891 the NBEW was constituted at our

inaugural convention with 10 Delegates representing 286 workers in eight cities.

– The second convention, held in 1892 had delegates representing 43 separate local unions and 2,000 total members.

– By 1919 the IBEW and its local unions represented over 148,000 workers in many branches of the electrical industry.

Brother Henry Miller, 33

Sister Julia O’Connor, 28

Brother Ron Weakley, 26

Young Workers Often Led the Way

• The Founders, all in their 20s and early 30s, crafted a message of hope and opportunity.

• Dynamic IBEW Leaders like Julia O’Connor and Ron Weakley picked up their message in their 20s and amplified it.

• They all knew that to be successful, we had to think creatively and be bigger than organized greed.

Young Workers Can Lead Again

• In the Battle Over Public Employee Collective Bargaining in Wisconsin, which Age Groups Most Supported the Unions?

• 18-29, 30-49, 50-64, or 65+?

My Generation… • The “millennial” generation is the most

educated and inclusive generation in history. • By in large we grew up with an open and

tolerant view of the world because of the history before us.

• We are also the first collaborative generation since the Great Depression and that generation was the one that fought our way into the middle class.

• Have Legitimate Anger Toward Status Quo

Our Message Resonates with Young People

• Declaration of the IBEWOur cause is the cause of human justice, human

rights, human security…. • Objects of the IBEWTo organize all workers in the entire electrical

industry in the United States and Canada, including all of those in public utilities and electrical manufacturing…

… to elevate the moral, intellectual and social conditions of our members, their families and dependents in the interest of a higher standard of citizenship.

It Starts With Our Members

• External Organizing• Practical Tools• Internal Organizing and Mentoring

External Organizing

• Utilize Young Members in M2M/M2FM• MDVOC: Their peers are being most hurt• Community Engagement• Build Coalitions• Build Upon Their Collaborative Spirit

Practical Tools

• AFL-CIO has a lot of resources• IBEW Locals Throughout US and Canada

Have Young Worker Groups• Build Volunteerism into Apprenticeship• Create Opportunities and Seek Out Success

Internal Organizing

• More than Anything, our young members Need and Want Mentors.

• Seek out Young Members and Create Opportunity for Meaningful Involvement.

• Pass Down Our Proud Heritage.• Ask.

What Do You See: