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IBEW electrical workers standing together

Electrical Workers Deserve Better

Your Skills Are Worth More Than The Carpenters Think

The Carpenters Union has been using electrical workers' skills to drive down wages and benefits for years. It's time to join the union built by electricians, for electricians.

Live · Loss Clock See what Carpenters Local 57 members have lost — ticking up every second lossclock.org →

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By submitting, you authorize the IBEW to contact you. Journey-level electricians are routed to an organizer; everyone else receives apprenticeship application information by email. Privacy Policy

$24K–$37K
More Per Year vs. Carpenters
850,000
IBEW Members Nationwide
4,546+
Signatory Contractors Nationwide
1891
Founded — Over 130 Years

The Problem

The Carpenters Union Is Not Your Union

Electrical workers who end up under Carpenters jurisdiction are being short-changed on wages, pensions, healthcare, and representation — every single day.

Wages Driven Down

Total package gap (1,800 hrs/yr): Carpenters Local 57 A Card electricians earn ~$23,976 less per year than IBEW Local 1 journeymen doing the same work — B Card members (the typical case) lose ~$36,792 per year.

Inadequate Pension

Carpenters Local 57 New Entrants retire on one DB plan paying $3,850/month at 35 years, no COLA, with death benefits capped around $70K. IBEW members build retirement across three independent pension funds, anchored by a DC plan projecting $5,830/mo at the conservative 4% safe-withdrawal rate while preserving a $1.5M–$2M+ account balance that passes to the spouse in full.

Weaker Healthcare

The Carpenters cap employer health contributions below average work hours, putting coverage at risk during slow periods. Working spouses must take their own employer's coverage — making the Carpenters plan secondary and often costing money out of pocket.

You Pay for Tools

Carpenters members pay for their own power tools out of their paychecks. Under the IBEW contract, members supply hand tools only — power tools are purchased by the contractor.

Workers Who Made the Switch

Real electrical workers. Real results.

“I never broke six figures until I joined the IBEW. Same skills, same hard work — completely different future.”
Zach Hesterberg Former Reinhold Electric — 16 years in the trade
“When I sat down and actually compared the pension numbers, I couldn't believe what we were leaving on the table. The IBEW wasn't just a better deal — it was the only deal that made sense.”
Don Heberer General Foreman, PayneCrest Electric
Group of IBEW electrical workers at IBEW Local 1 hall IBEW Local 1 members inside union hall Former Carpenters members who joined the IBEW

How to Join — 3 Simple Steps

The process is straightforward, confidential, and completely on your terms.

  1. Contact Us

    Fill out our secure form or call your local organizer. Your employer is never notified.

  2. Meet an Organizer

    An IBEW organizer will reach out confidentially to walk you through your options, rights, and next steps.

  3. Join the IBEW

    Sign your authorization card and take your career — and your future — back.

Your Privacy Is Protected

We understand the risks workers face when speaking out. Everything you share with us is strictly confidential. Your employer will never be notified. You may remain completely anonymous. You can opt out or request your data be deleted at any time.

IBEW — Electricians Standing With Electricians

Ready to Take Your Career Back?

Electrical workers across the country are choosing the IBEW — the only union built specifically for the electrical trade. Better pay. Better retirement. Better representation. The decision is yours.