The IBEW 1245 Executive Board, Advisory Council, Staff and special guests met for the second quarter Advisory Council meeting at the Union Hall on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
New Advisory Council Members Iyasha Davis (Central Area Clerical) and Jed Cruz (Humboldt Division) sworn in
New Advisory Members Sworn In
IBEW 1245 President Cecelia de la Torre swore in new Advisory Council members Iyasha Davis (Central Area Clerical) and Jed Cruz (Humboldt Division).
State of the 9th District Report
IBEW District 9 International Vice President Dave Reaves commended IBEW 1245 for the successful Grid of the Future conference and the consistent leadership role 1245 has played building effective working partnerships with employers, growing the union, and leading initiatives to meet rapid changes taking place in the energy space.
IBEW Vice President Dave Reaves delivering the State of the 9th District Report to the IBEW 1245 Ad Council
“We are in the middle of the second industrial revolution. New technologies, new energy sources, AI, data centers, robotics will require new skill sets across our fields.”
The volume of work is on the rise. To keep pace with demand, he stressed the importance of recruitment and training the next generation of every classification. Case in point: 85,000 trained and qualified electricians per year over the next five years are needed in order to meet projected demand.
In anticipation of more manufacturing jobs, the International is standing up a New Clean Transportation & Electrical Training Trust that will work with all eleven IBEW districts. Reaves thanked Bob Dean and 1245 for the instrumental role IBEW 1245 has played conceptualizing and setting up the Trust.
Organizing is critical. As of late April, IBEW membership hit 856,000 members. Of those members, 157,299 are in the 9th District.
Bottom line: “We’ve got to embrace change. You are the future. We’re the ones doing the jobs, getting the training, …IBEW will lead the way. It’s in our wheelhouse. It’s an exciting time. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Reaves.
Business Manager Report
Bob Dean concurred. “The Grid of Future conference was about change. Most of the change is an opportunity. As we move forward – no matter where you look – there is a generation of work coming. How do we staff it? How to survive the technological changes? We’re doing everything we can to keep and defend our work.”
PG&E’s pilot program, PROPEL, a new version of SAP, aims to “modernize its technology infrastructure,” and, if successful, could have a detrimental impact on our clerical members. The introduction of more AI could have an impact on many of our other members as well. We need to be prepared for all of it.
IBEW Vice President Dave Reaves with IBEW 1245 Women’s Committee Members Eileen Purcell, Nicole Brooks, Tiffany Clemons, Iyasha Davis
In 2025, no fewer than 20 sets of negotiations are taking place, including PG&E and SMUD, two of our largest employers. Dean thanked members who submitted more than 13,300 proposals to the PG&E Bargaining Committee and 1,141 proposals to the SMUD Bargaining Committee.
In response to questions about the future of gas, Dean stated that gas is in a good position. “Every day, the system has grown. We also have hydrogen hubs, experimental plants in Lodi, and clean natural gas projects. Every gas plant lease has been extended. California cannot meet its electrification goals without gas. In northern Nevada we believe we will be building new gas plants.”
In addition to major negotiations, IBEW 1245 is in the middle of election season. Union officers, the Advisory Council, and delegates to the International Convention that will take place in San Diego in 2026 are on the ballot.
Reports
Advisory Council Members delivered reports. Many thanked the Local for hosting the Grid of the Future Conference as well as for making safety and mental health a priority. They shared concerns, including the impact of 1) recent Executive Orders terminating union contracts for some federal employees, including IBEW 1245 represented members at WAPA, 2) PG&E assessments of line clearance tree trimmers and 3) violence in the field.
2nd Quarter Photo Contest Winner Vince Guitron with Business Manager Bob Dean & President Cecelia De La Torre
Photo Contest Winner
Vince Guitron, Gas Crew Foreman out of PG&E’s San Jose Yard, won this quarter’s photo contest. Brother Guiton described the phenomenal work taking place as part of the BART extension to San Jose.
The next Advisory Council meeting is Saturday, July 26, 2025.
– Eileen Purcell, Sr. Advisor, Photos by John Storey