More than 2,000 representatives from hundreds of IBEW locals across the US and Canada came together in September for the IBEW’s 39th International Convention in St Louis, the very city where the IBEW was founded 125 years ago.
The swarms of IBEW delegates, alternates, guests and family members made a big impression on St. Louis before the convention even began. On the Thursday before the beginning of the convention, hundreds of members participated in a Day of Service, volunteering at a wide variety of community service sites, including homeless shelters and food banks. The Henry Miller Museum opened that same day in the former boardinghouse where the union’s founders first met.
Local 1245 delegates with 9th District IVP John O’Rourke at the Henry Miller Museum
“One of the highlights from the Convention for me was the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Henry Miller Museum,” said Local 1245 delegate and PG&E Lineman Cloudell Douglas. “In place of ribbon, they used copper wire, and instead of scissors they used a pair of Klein side-cutting [lineman’s] pliers.”
The convention officially kicked off on Sept 19th, and as the first order of business, the delegates were tasked with electing the top three International officers. Of the more than 700 IBEW local union business managers, Local 1245’s own Tom Dalzell was chosen to nominate International President Lonnie Stephenson for another term as head of the Union.
In his nomination speech, Dalzell called IP Stephenson as “a fighter, a diplomat, and a preacher of the gospel of organized labor and trade unionism” and noted that “I know of no one who is better-suited for the job than Lonnie Stephenson.” Stephenson was elected unanimously, as were International Secretary-Treasurer Sam Chilia and International Executive Council Chair Christopher Erikson.
The week-long convention was jam-packed with exciting speakers, including several elected officials, current and former IBEW figureheads, and a handful of labor leaders who travelled from as far away as Ireland and Italy to join the delegates in St. Louis.
“One of the underlying themes that many of the speakers touched on was the critical need to build IBEW union power through organization and political action,” said Local 1245 Business Rep Hunter Stern, who attended the convention as a delegate. “Almost everything that we need and want as a trade labor movement depends on higher membership and electing worker-friendly lawmakers.”
The convention hall
Indeed, the focus on organizing and politics also came through in several of the resolutions that were put forth during the convention. The resolutions sparked quite a bit of debate and gave the delegates a unique opportunity to shape the future of the union.
“The opportunity to witness delegates enact the policies and procedures that will govern our Union for the next five years was a very memorable experience,” said delegate and former 1245 staffer Dorothy Fortier. “I was particularly excited to see a Diversity and Inclusion Resolution with teeth adopted by the Convention delegates, and I was also happy to see the IBEW reaffirm its position against all forms of discrimination.”
IP Stephenson with 1245 E-Board member Stan Zamora
“There were a lot of great resolutions proposed,” said IBEW 1245 Executive Board member Mike Cottrell, who attended his first IO Convention this year. “I enjoyed having the opportunity to work together with all the other delegates to get good things done for the Brotherhood.”
For more convention highlights and details on the resolutions that were passed, visit //ibew.org/convention/Convention-Action.