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History of IBEW Local 265 In the year of 1890, electricity was a new product. With it was a certain atmosphere of mystery that fascinated men. They knew little of its fatal endings, or how to protect themselves. So about half of the men who entered the trade in those days were killed by the force they tried to harness, and put to the service of their fellow men. Their hours were long, 10 to 14 hours a day, with pay as low as 15 cents an hour. It was in this year that the great St. Louis exposition was held. As a part of it, there was to be a tremendous electrical display, the first of it's kind in the world. Wiremen and linemen flocked into St. Louis from all over the country, to prepare the great stage. They discussed their deplorable conditions and the hazards of their work, and they decided to combat them with a force of numbers. This took courage, for in those days, any sort of a Labor Union was considered contrary to the American way of life. Its members were regarded as subversive fanatics. Frequently, men were black-balled from an entire industry for Union activity. These men were desperate, and it is only natural that, they who had the courage and stamina to work in such a hazardous field, would do something about a condition where hundreds of men, sweat, toiled, and died. The garment workers, the hatters, and the cigar makers had already proved the strength of organization. In late November of 1891, a small group of ten men met in a little room known as Stolleys Dance Hall in St. Louis, and launched the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Henry Miller was elected the first Grand President. Wandering linemen spread most of the early day organization. Too little has been said for those nomadic men who roamed throughout the nation, working where they could, living where they would; the Boomer Linemen. They at once became missionaries of organization, scattering seeds of unionism wherever they went, following the example of their leader, Henry Miller. These men had visions of security and reasonable compensation for their labor; dreams of safe working conditions and shorter hours, if not for themselves, for the ones that would follow. With the addition of a newly organized local in Ottawa, Canada, the name of National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers was changed to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in the year 1899. A group of such linemen were working in Lincoln in the spring of 1902. They found conditions here deplorable. The best wages were about $2.00 for a 10 hour day, and frequently the day was stretched to 11 or 12 hours, with no extra pay. The six-day week was standard throughout the country. They found that safety measures in Lincoln were virtually unknown. The principal employers of Electrical Workers were the Lincoln Telephone Company, the Nebraska Bell Telephone Company, the Lincoln Traction Company, who operated the street cars and furnished electricity for distribution, and the Lincoln Gas and Electric Light Company. Most of the wireman of those days became a curbstone contractor when not working for one of these companies. The tales of better conditions where Unions had been established fell on ready ears. But there was the ever-present element of fear and insecurity. Employers of Electrical Workers everywhere were bitter toward the I.B.E.W., and anyone suspected of belonging to it was constantly under pressure. Ones security and livelihood were threatened. To the boomer linemen this meant nothing. If he were fired, he just moved on. A group of linemen met at 1026 "0" Street in an upstairs rear room. There was much concern about people who appeared in the hall-way outside the room, as it was suspicion that the employers, having got word of the meeting, had sent spies to see who was in attendance. The meeting that night was a success in that temporary officers were elected and an application for a Charter was signed. John Curran was elected as the first President and nine men signed their names to the Charter. Minutes and other records indicate that Local 265 almost immediately became a leader of organized labor in Lincoln. In that same year, 1902, a member of 265 was elected President of the Central Labor Union and served as Grand Marshall in the Labor Day Parade. A look at Lincoln in those first years of 265, found trolley cars were still new and a one horse-car was still used on the Belmont run. Steam cars had been tried, but were discarded. There were no transmission lines and few rural communities had either electric or gas lights. Many towns, who had electricity, started their plant at dusk and shut it down at midnight. Homes with electric lights had a carbon lamp hung on a cord from the ceiling of each room, with no switches. All lights were lit as long as the generator ran. Little electricity was used for power, and other than the trolley cars, the Corlis engine and line shaft was the principal means of industrial power. The streets of Lincoln were lit by series ark lamps, suspended between poles on opposite sides of the street. In 1903, as an economy move, the city went back to gas for street lighting, but condensation from the gas froze in the winter causing considerable trouble and maintenance. So after 2 years, the series ark lamp was again used. These first five years were years of progress for 265. The membership had grown steadily, and their place within the Brotherhood and the ranks of labor, was assured. There is no knowing now what their exact membership was, as boomer linemen came and went constantly, most of these men working for the two Telephone Companies. A traveling card then, was just what the name implied. If a man desired to move on, he took out a traveler, putting it into the Local where he went to work. There is at least one instance of where a man transferred in and out of here, three times in one year. Some men belonged to as many as 5 or 6 different Locals in a year. Many of these linemen came from 162 of Omaha, a Local that no longer exists. For the first few months, the initiation fee was $1.50, but was later raised to $7.50 for journeyman and $5.00 for helpers. The dues were fifty cents, but in 1903 the per capita tax was raised to meet the expense of the first, salaried International President, and the Local dues were raised to $1.00. Boomer linemen who arrived in the city without funds, were given a meal ticket good at a nearby cafe. In 1905 the primary lines of the Lincoln Gas and Electric Company were 1100 volts, while the secondary was 55 volts. Later, the primary was raised to 2300 volts and the secondary to 110 volts. In these early days, members of many Local Unions took advantage of the newly acquired power of organization. They made unreasonable demands of employers and went on strikes on every pretext. For some of these Locals, this attitude was suicide, for others, internal problems arose and grew to dangerous proportions. If the Brotherhood was to survive it had to be disciplined. The convention of 1903 elected Frank J. McNulty as the first full time, salaried President of the I.B.E.W. He was a strong, magnetic leader with a winning personality. He created a sense of responsibility, which became a steadfast policy. The Local seems to have been more than a labor organization in those days. The following is quoted from the early by‑laws. "It is the duty of all members of this Union to lead sober and industrious lives, and while this Union is not strictly a temperance Union, the excessive use of intoxicating liquors cannot be tolerated to the detriment of our membership." "Any member found guilty of defrauding Hotel or Boarding House Keeper, Storekeeper, Employers, or other Brothers shall be suspended or expelled as this Union may direct." There is an incidence of one member being refused a traveler until he paid up his debts about town. Another member wishing a traveler, left $5.00 with the Financial Secretary for payment of a bill, and this matter is entered in the official records. Still later a member seemed to be having domestic troubles, and was ordered to explain to the Union, the differences between himself and his wife. An investigating committee was appointed and this committee went into the home with their investigation. Sometime later, they reported to the Local all details, finding the man guilty, and recommended his suspension. Friends of the accused brother took the floor in his defense,and heated words followed. It was voted not to concur in the committees report. This angered one committeeman, saying that the Local was no longer run as it was intended to be; he left the hall, never to return. Late in 1909 the new Labor Temple was finished and the Local moved in. 265 had supplied lighting fixtures for the building, costing $75.80. Also, its members did considerable work on the structure and an unknown amount of material was donated. Two members built a beautiful electric sign and hung it in front of the building. The Year 1910 was a historical year for 265, as it was the year of the first big strike. Up until then, they had progressed smoothly, making occasional gains in conditions. Many safety features had been established and the going rate for Journeyman was now $2.75 for a 9-hour day. Early in March, a committee was appointed to establish a new wage rate. At the next meeting they reported back to the Local, recommending $3.00 a day for all Journeyman, and $3.25 for a Foreman. Prior to this, few foreman had drawn any differential. The report was accepted and the committee was ordered to present these demands to the employers, with instructions that they would become effective the following Monday morning at 7:30. All companies rejected the demands. Then the Bell Telephone Company settled almost immediately, but the other companies held out. One company imported strikebreakers from Georgia and of course several disturbances and minor altercations followed. The strike was settled after seven long weeks, and although it was very costly to the union and the members, the respect, strength and brotherhood of the local was at a new high. In 1912, a new element came into the picture. This was the "wireman". Actually, there were very few wiremen at the start. Much of the inside work was performed by the linemen who were out of work or between jobs. However, the wiremen and the linemen cooperated extremely well with each other and the number of wireman members grew rather rapidly to the extent that by 1917, the wiremen had control of the local by a margin of nearly 3 to 1. The electrical contractor had become a definite part of the industry some years before 1916, but many workmen still did curbstone contracting as a part time enterprise. Some of them, working short hours and at a low wage rate, were dependent on this extra bit of work. Yet they were in direct competition with their employers, usually accepting work at a figure that would just pay wages, with no consideration of overhead. The Local, realizing that this condition was detrimental to the industry, and to their own future well being, passed a resolution forbidding it's members to accept any electrical construction work on the side. This was a great stride in an effort to protect the industry from unfair and substandard competition. Employers who were members of the Local were attending‑meetings regularly, some holding office. In 1916 the President of the Local was an employer as were other officers. However, in conformance with the Constitution of the Brotherhood, the Local voted that all such offices would be declared vacant, and that contractors would not be permitted to attend the meetings of the Local, but could retain their membership if they so wished. These two actions drew a distinguishing line between the contracting electrician and the employee. Collective bargaining with the contractors was somewhat different in those days. In 1917, the Local Union voted a scale of 65˘ per hour, and that no work could be done at straight time pay on Saturday afternoon from May through September. The 8-hour day, 48-hour week had already been established, and this was the first step toward a 5-1/2 day week. These conditions had become common throughout most of the Brotherhood, but still were considered revolutionary in Lincoln. A few of the contractors accepted the demands, but others rejected them. A strike against individual contractors followed. 1919 was a period of readjustment following the war. Work was slow and it was about this time that the "jurisdictional dispute" started for the Building Trades. The '20's saw the construction of the State Capitol, a project that brought temporary prosperity to 265. Then with the depression, the bottom fell out. Our membership, which had peeked 200 members in 1910, was down to 8 in the early '30's; all unemployed and borrowing enough money to pay I.0. per‑capita in order to keep our Charter. Small as the Local had become, they were constantly fighting for Union recognition and to protect their jurisdiction. The year 1935 saw a negotiated scale of 87-1/2 cents and the start of the 40-hour week. World War II saw Local 265 doing their share and more towards the war effort; and yet, with construction of the Lincoln Air Base, the local began to get back on its feet and grow. A new type boomer had been created by the war. These new boomers were usually married men, some with families. Most of them were interested in the large projects only, where they could rent an apartment or park their trailer for several months at a time. Many times they moved with the school season, that their children might get their proper education. Yet today, and for sometime to come, the industry is dependent on these men to fill in the gaps that occur when large projects are constructed. In 1948, the International Office issued a charter to Local 1525, granting them jurisdiction over all line construction in the State of Nebraska. After headquartering in the old Labor Temple since 1909, Local 265 moves into its new building on Cornhusker Hiway in 1955. Construction of that building was another example to what members of 265 can do when they put forth the extra effort in the spirit of Brotherhood. In 1971 Local 265 built its new meeting hall and apprenticeship training center. Local 265 took over the wireman members and inside jurisdiction of Local 616 at Grand Island in 1960. We then merged with Local 1180 of Hastings in 1961 and with Local 1591 of Scottsbluff in 1962, thereby giving Local 265 inside jurisdiction over a good share of the State of Nebraska. In 1977 Local Union No. 507 of Grand Island was granted a charter and jurisdiction from York County west to the Colorado-Wyoming border. Local 507’s jurisdiction was merged into 265 in 1994. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, Local 265 experienced its share of economic downswings. The boomers of before were now known as Travelers, and many of our members had to travel to secure employment. The middle and late 90’s were a boom time to 265 and we employed many travelers year – round. Records show that through the years, officers and members of 265 have been active in community affairs, both by monetary contributions and by donating work to such agencies as the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Cedars Home and many others. Our interests have also covered other areas such as safety and legislation of laws to benefit all citizens of Nebraska, not just our members. The first Electrical Ordinance for the City of Lincoln was drawn up by members of 265 in the year, 1910. And of course at various times since then, we have had a hand in amending that Ordinance, plus attempts for a State Electrical Law go back to the '30's. In the early days, an apprentice, which was more commonly known then as a "helper", picked up his knowledge on the job only. There were practically no textbooks available that one could understand. Consequently it took many years for a person to become an accomplished electrician. In 1941, the IBEW and NECA drew up and signed a set of apprenticeship standards with the U.S. Department of Labor. Today it is probably the most complete and respected apprenticeship program available. The National Electrical Contractors Association, NECA is almost as old as the IBEW although the earliest reference to a local chapter in this area that we can find was in 1925. A good share of what we have and where we are today is the result of joint effort and cooperation between our two organizations. The IBEW and NECA developed the Council on Industrial Relations, more commonly known as the CIR. This move eventually took away from the unions, the right to strike, setting up in its place a means of resolving labor‑management problems in a peaceful manner, by and only by people within our great industry. 265 has progressed under the requirements of this no‑strike procedure just as well and maybe better than some of the other craft unions that still enjoy the right to strike. It has been said that an electrician invented the word "stubborn"; he later became a contractor and gave essence to its meaning. Well, stubborn as our employers may be at times, we are thankful for the labor‑management relationship we have today and we hope that it is only the beginning of bigger and better things to come. While Local 265 was organized for the linemen and the telephone workers, we now proudly represent in their place, the Inside wiremen, Residential wiremen, motorwinders, and electronic technicians. Local 265 has always strived to better itself. Now days, we have a full time Apprenticeship Director to manage the most important training challenges we face with changing technology. We have started a market recovery program to offset the non-union competition and continue to fight for market share. We organize workers who are already skilled in the field of electricity. Our goals of today are not different from our forefathers of 100 years ago. With good wages, benefits, and safe working conditions, we are able to reach our personal goals and contribute back to this organization and to this fine City and State we live in.
References: The Pamphlet “History & Structure of the IBEW” Former L.U. Business Manager Bob Johnstone |
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