Becoming Union
Interested In Career With The IBEW?
The IBEW Advantage
If you are a NON-union journeyman Lineman, then you deserve all the benefits that come with being part of an important, essential profession.
The IBEW offers non-union linemen a better life, and we strongly encourage them to explore the many benefits of joining our team – we know YOU will see the difference!
There are many ways to gain membership into the IBEW. It mostly depends on your time in the trade and where you live.
If you're just starting out, you can apply for the Groundman Books at any Local in the country. When you get your CDL or permit, then apply to an IBEW Joint Apprenticeship.
If you have 4,000 hours the trade (some allow for 3,500 hours) you can apply for Direct Entry into one of our 9 apprenticeships. You do not have to start over.
If you have 7,000 hours in the trade, most Locals can bring you in as a Conditional or Construction Lineman. You would be evaluated on the job and they would determine what steps need to be taken to Journey out.
If you have over 10,000 hours in the trade, there may be quicker options for you as well.
GETTING STARTED:
• FIND THE LOCAL NEAREST YOU.
• TALK TO THE ORGANIZER OR WHOEVER THE BUSINESS MANAGER HAS HANDLING THE ORGANIZING.
• CDL A, COPIES OF ANY AND ALL OTHER CERTIFICATIONS (CPR, OSHA 10, CRANE CERTIFICATION).
• BE PREPARED TO PROVE YOUR YEARS IN THE TRADE (STATEMENT ON COMPANY LETTERHEAD, W-2’S, CHECK STUBS, PRINT OUT FROM SOCIAL SECURITY). IF YOU FEEL IT NECESSARY ON THE W-2’S BLACK OUT YOUR WAGES WE DO NOT CARE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MADE.
• BE PREPARED TO PROVE YOUR EXPERIENCE A STATEMENT FROM EMPLOYER SOMEONE WHO CAN BE CONTACTED IS THE BEST, (DISTRIBUTION, TRANSMISSION OVERHEAD AND OR UNDERGROUND, OR OTHER YOU FEEL PERTINENT).
• IF YOU ARE GOING TO ENTER THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM A COPY OF HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS AND DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENT (GED).
• IF YOU WENT THROUGH AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM HAVE PROOF.
• IF POSSIBLE A RESUME WILL DEFINITELY HELP.
• SOME LOCALS MAY VARY SOME FROM THIS BUT ALL THIS WILL BE NEEDED AT SOME POINT.
What Is Needed To Qualify For The Construction Lineman Exam
- You need either a US DOL certificate from an approved apprenticeship program or proof of 11,000 documented hours in the trade. Accepted documentation of hours can be W2’s, check stubs or tax transcripts.
- You cannot have been in an IBEW apprenticeship and dropped out. (wait period is 2 years passed their estimated top out date)
- Your W2’s will be used to calculated hours by taking the gross income and dividing it by your hourly wage for that year. A check stub from each year is good but not required. If you can’t provide a check stub, then we divide your gross wage by the IBEW journeyman lineman rate for the jurisdiction you are taking the test in.
- Once those hours are verified, you can take the test. 70% is a passing score.
- You can retake the test within a month. If you fail 3 times then they have to apply to the apprenticeship.
- You can’t see the ones you missed except the transformer portion because they are manually graded and score is inputted by the examiner on the electronic test before it is submitted
Want to Unionize?
IBEW Union Authorization Card
What is union authorization for representation? The authorization is a card or petition signed by an employee indicating his or her desire to form a union at their place of employment. The authorization states that the employee “authorizes the IBEW to represent them in collective bargaining."
All information is strictly confidential and never shared with the employer!
Union Authorizations…The Facts What is a union authorization? - An authorization is a card or petition signed by an employee indicating his or her desire to form a union at their place of employment. The authorization states that the employee “authorizes a local union of the IBEW to represent them in collective bargaining”. This means that the employee has indicated his or her desire to be represented by the union. Why is an authorization necessary? - The National Labor Relations Act, the federal labor law that defines employees’ rights to form a union, requires that a majority of employees sign authorizations to prove they want a union before the IBEW can ask for recognition from the Employer.
1 How does an authorization work? -
1. Employees sign IBEW authorization petitions or cards.
2. When a majority of authorizations have been secured, the IBEW will ask the Employer to recognize your union.
3. If the Employer should refuse such recognition, the card may be then taken to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) where the IBEW will file a petition for a secret-ballot election.
4. The NLRB then sets a date when you vote -- by secret ballot-- to be represented by the IBEW.
5. The NLRB then issues a certification – which legally compels the employer to bargain with the IBEW - and soon thereafter, contract negotiations begin with the Employer for the changes the employees through their union want to make.
What else will the authorization be used for? - Nothing else. The only reason for the card is to determine sufficient interest from the employees in seeking collective bargaining with the employer. The IBEW’s policy is that employees should vote, in an election sanctioned by a neutral party, whether they want IBEW representation. Once employees determine that they want the opportunity to vote in an election, the cards are forwarded to the third party to support the employee’s petition.
1 Source: The National Labor Relations Act as amended Will my employer see my authorization? - As long as the IBEW has possession of the cards, the employer will not see the authorizations. If the employer agrees to a card-check, a neutral third party will compare the authorizations to a listing of employees provided by the employer. If the authorizations are not in the possession of the IBEW, however, the IBEW cannot guarantee who sees or doesn’t see the authorizations. If I don’t believe in joining the IBEW, should I sign an authorization? - The IBEW doesn’t want anyone to sign an authorization unless they truly want to form a union. The decision to sign an authorization is the employee’s choice and the employee’s choice alone. No one should or will be forced to sign an authorization. Can signing an authorization force a union on the employer? - No. Under Federal law, once the employees decide to seek recognition of their union, the Union must “demand” (legally request) recognition by the employer before the NLRB will intervene on the employees’ behalf. (Why should the government expend taxpayer’s dollars to conduct an election if the employer will voluntarily recognize the employees’ wishes to form a union?) The employer can, and usually does, refuse such voluntary recognition. In some cases, the employer and employees agree to a card-check provision, wherein a neutral third party is selected by the IBEW, and the employer validates majority support for a union by employees, and the employer then bargains with the IBEW. The NLRB petition clearly asks if the Union has asked the employer to voluntarily recognize the union. The NLRB rules and procedures are designed to uphold employee-free choice in forming a union. If a majority of employees are opposed to forming a union, no union will be formed, according to the NLRB. The company says I cannot get my card back once I give it to the union. Is this true? The IBEW’s policy is that any employee who wants to get their authorization revoked prior to an NLRB petition being filed or a card-check procedure can get their authorization back without question. Once the authorizations are submitted to the NLRB with the Petition or a neutral third party in card-check procedures, the NLRB or neutral party has possession of the cards. The IBEW then has no control over the cards. Signing an IBEW Authorization card is the first step to a brighter future! www.ibew.org
