The Biggest Problem with the IBEW — and How We Can Fix It

I love being in the IBEW and I believe in the brotherhood. But if we’re being honest, we have some issues we can’t ignore anymore — because they’re starting to cost us market share.

The core problem? We’ve got some of the best wages in the industry, but our productivity and skill levels aren’t always consistently higher than non-union crews. When the perceived value gap gets too wide, contractors start looking elsewhere.

Add in uneven member standards (shop rockets who get rushed through without mastering the trade), and internal politics/favoritism that undermine the “brotherhood” we talk about so much — and you’ve got a recipe for slipping influence.

How do we fix it? • Make apprenticeship graduation tougher — real skills tests, not just hours logged. • Reward journeymen who actually train apprentices instead of just using them as labor. • Hold everyone accountable for production and quality. • Market our value to customers and make sure we deliver on it. • Bring transparency to dispatch and overtime so favoritism isn’t the norm.

We can’t protect the trade if we don’t protect our standards. So here’s my question to everyone:

What do you think is the biggest problem in the IBEW — and what’s the real solution?