Rene Cruz Martinez
Six-year IBEW member Rene Cruz Martinez has joined the IBEW Local 1245 staff as an Organizer. He will be stepping in for Jammi Juarez, who recently accepted a new position with IBEW International.
Brother Cruz Martinez started with PG&E in July of 2011 as a Customer Service Representative at the Sacramento Call Center. Over the years, he has worked as an Operating Clerk at the Concord RMC, a Materials Handler in both Fremont and Marysville, and, most recently, a Routine Field Clerk in San Luis Obispo, a position he relinquished to join the Local 1245 staff.
Cruz Martinez began his union activism shortly after joining the union, when he volunteered on the weekends to fight against California Prop 32 in 2012. He was instrumental in pioneering IBEW 1245’s Organizing Steward program, and has been an active participant in the program since its inception. As an Organizing Steward, Cruz Martinez worked tirelessly on numerous internal organizing campaigns – from educating his co-workers about the union difference on a daily basis and leading contract fights and ratification votes, to standing in solidarity with Local 1245 members at Diablo Canyon. He also participated in several new organizing campaigns, including the Sunoptics campaign, the Taylor Farms Campaign and most recently, the San Diego Gas & Electric call center organizing campaign. Rene has participated in a wide variety of state and local political campaign fights that directly impact our members, most recently at the City of Berkeley, and will be spearheading the upcoming elections at the Irrigation Boards in Merced, Turlock and Modesto. He has also traveled to Wisconsin, Indiana, Arizona and Nevada to lead campaigns.
“I decided to join the staff of IBEW Local 1245 because I have a passion for organizing, and doing it full-time will allow me reach out to more people and share the union difference with them,” said Cruz Martinez. “I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and excited to work with the awesome leadership of this local.”
Cruz Martinez is a leader in Solano Chapter of the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, the Sacramento Central Labor Council and the Stonewall Democrats of Sacramento. In his free time, he enjoys travel, music concerts, history and art.