The History of IBEW
The Modern Era
In 1941, the golden jubilee year of the founding of our Brotherhood, we returned to the city of our birth, St. Louis, for the 21st Convention. Fifty years from our founding after, as International Secretary G.M. Bugniazet stated in his Convention report, ``having gone through a turbulent and hectic period, one of the longest and most severe depressions of our time, accompanied by rapid change" our 21st Convention represented 869 local unions in good standing and a membership nearly 200,000 strong. Reports to the 1941 Convention pointed out the dramatic progress achieved in the 12 years since the Miami Convention.
In 1929 the average wage for inside electrical workers in the United States was $1.15 per hour. In 1941 the average was $1.38, and a new high of $2.20 had been reached in some areas. In 1929 less than one-quarter of our members worked the five-day week. In 1941 almost the entire membership of 200,000 enjoyed the reduced workweek.
A new type of industrial relations was achieved with the signing of a collective bargaining agreement (including some of the best provisions in the country) with the government's huge power development, the Tennessee Valley Authority.
In September 1941 an important event took place: The National Apprenticeship Standards for the Electrical Construction Industry were established. These standards resulted from a cooperative effort of the IBEW, NECA and the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship.
We have mentioned the strides made in organizing utilities and manufacturing plants. Considerable progress was also attained in railroad organizing, as well as in the electric sign and radio broadcasting industries.