IBEW News

Source:midhudsonnews.com

A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction blocking the Trump administration from proceeding with planned federal workforce layoffs, providing relief to government employees and unions amid ongoing government shutdown concerns.

The AFL-CIO calls for an immediate end to the government shutdown in its Working People Weekly List, highlighting the impact on federal workers, union members, and essential services across the country.

Labor unions in the Oak Ridge and Anderson County area are experiencing growing pressure from the ongoing government shutdown, as members face uncertainty about pay, benefits, and job security during the extended closure.

Skilled trades workers who supported President Trump in the election are expressing feelings of betrayal as administration policies and the government shutdown directly impact their livelihoods, union protections, and job prospects.

A union electrician and Navy veteran has entered the Democratic primary race to challenge incumbent Rep. Chris Smith, bringing a working-class perspective and labor advocacy experience to the congressional campaign in New Jersey.

IBEW Local 280's new $5 million union hall in Redmond is approaching completion, providing modern meeting spaces, training facilities, and administrative offices to better serve electricians and members in the region.

IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper warns that recent legislation eliminating tax incentives for wind, solar, and hydrogen projects will cancel many clean energy initiatives putting IBEW members to work while also increasing electricity bills for American families. Cooper calls the "One Big Beautiful Bill" irresponsible for its impact on working families and union jobs. Source: ibew.org

International Secretary-Treasurer Paul A. Noble highlights how the IBEW/NECA Family Medical Care Plan addresses rising healthcare costs that now consume 18% of the U.S. economy. The plan, designed by IBEW members for IBEW members, operates without bloated overhead or millionaire CEOs, covering over 190 locals and 450 employers with premiums below industry average while adding or improving benefits 135 times since inception. Source: ibew.org

IBEW Local 11 celebrates a major victory as the LA Convention Center expansion project moves forward after years of effort. The project will create dozens of immediate job calls ramping up to several hundred positions over the coming months, with completion targeted for the 2028 Olympics. Business Manager Robert Corona credits the powerful labor and business coalition for getting this project across the finish line. Source: ibew11.org

Melissa Reyes of Charlotte Local 379 shares her unconventional journey from running away at 15 to becoming a respected organizing leader in North Carolina. The daughter of immigrants, Reyes led a major organizing effort at a Westinghouse nuclear fuel plant and now serves as an organizer for Local 379, using her energy, persistence, and commitment to justice to advocate for working families in one of the least union-friendly states. Source: ibew.org

The Jonesboro Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, in partnership with IBEW Local 1516 and the National Electrical Contractors Association, celebrates the opening of a new 10,200 square foot training facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The facility provides additional classrooms and hands-on learning labs, coinciding with the apprenticeship program's approval to reduce from a 5-year/900-hour program to a 4-year/720-hour program. Source: kait8.com

IBEW Local 1 members banner the new Hampton Inn in Festus, Missouri, protesting the hotel's use of Bates Electric, a non-union contractor paying substandard wages and benefits below Local 1's established rates. Members Rich Niehaus and Dominick Zimmerman take the union's message directly to the public at 1331 Shapiro Drive. Source: labortribune.com

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler condemned the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget directive instructing federal agencies to prepare for permanent reductions in force if a government shutdown occurs October 1. Shuler stated that federal workers who keep essential government services running have already suffered immensely from Project 2025 and DOGE agenda chaos, declaring they are not pawns for political games. More than 201,000 civil servants have left the federal workforce, with massive cuts at agencies including Labor, Education, and EPA affecting electrical workers and other union members in federal service. Source: aflcio.org

Nvidia announced its revolutionary Blackwell architecture for data centers, featuring 208 billion transistor GPUs with 10TB/s chip-to-chip interconnects creating unified computing power. The Blackwell platform includes GB200 NVL72 systems delivering 30x faster AI inference than previous generation, with partners including AWS, Dell, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle adopting the technology. The massive data center infrastructure buildout required for Blackwell deployment creates unprecedented construction opportunities for electrical contractors and IBEW members specializing in power systems, cooling infrastructure, and advanced electrical installations for AI facilities. Source: markets.financialcontent.com

Major Chinese technology companies including Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance are investing heavily in battery energy storage systems to meet surging power demands from AI data center operations. The shift toward battery backup and storage solutions addresses the massive electricity requirements of artificial intelligence computing while providing grid stability. This global trend in battery storage deployment for data centers creates expanding opportunities for electrical workers skilled in energy storage installation, power management systems, and backup power infrastructure throughout the technology sector. Source: ess-news.com

Analysis of the intensifying global competition for dominance in energy storage technology, with implications for grid modernization, renewable energy integration, and industrial power systems. The energy storage race involves multiple competing technologies and international players vying for market leadership in batteries, hydrogen storage, and advanced grid solutions. For electrical workers, this competition drives innovation and investment in storage infrastructure that requires skilled installation and maintenance expertise, creating sustained employment opportunities in the rapidly evolving energy storage sector. Source: economies.com

Examination of the business case for microgrids with multiple distributed energy resources, demonstrating how these systems deliver measurable economic and operational value through enhanced reliability and flexibility. Multi-DER microgrids combine solar, battery storage, generators, and advanced controls to provide resilient power while reducing costs and improving efficiency. The growing adoption of microgrid technology creates substantial demand for electrical workers with expertise in complex power systems, renewable integration, energy management systems, and the specialized electrical work required for distributed energy installations. Source: energytech.com

Energy Vault and Pacific Gas and Electric launched the world's first ultra-long duration hybrid microgrid combining battery storage and hydrogen fuel cell technology for extended backup power capability. The groundbreaking system represents a major advancement in energy storage, providing days or weeks of backup power rather than hours from conventional batteries. This innovative hybrid approach requires specialized electrical work for complex power management, hydrogen systems integration, and advanced control systems, creating new opportunities for electrical workers to develop expertise in cutting-edge energy storage technologies. Source: chemanalyst.com

Electrical Workers Without Borders North America (EWWBNA) is mobilizing IBEW volunteers for humanitarian electrical work, including the "Light Up Navajo" project bringing electricity to approximately 15,000 families living without grid connections on the Navajo Nation. The organization harnesses the skills and goodwill of electrical professionals by fielding volunteers on social-impact projects in disadvantaged communities, helping them adopt renewable energy systems and obtain training to maintain them. IBEW members from Local 3, 611, and other locals are volunteering their expertise under the direction of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. Source: ibew.org