Building Trades News

IBEW Local 11 along with several of its contractors are donating the time and expertise of union electricians to Habitat for Humanity to help build 30 housing units in South Los Angeles and San Pedro. Habitat for Humanity is non-profit organization that seeks to eliminate homelessness and provide affordable housing for people in need. They have built more than 225,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

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Local 11 members will be wiring the units and installing photovoltaic panels in both San Pedro and LA. These will be the first Habitat for Humanity projects to use photovoltaic panels.

"Local 11 takes our civic and social responsibility very seriously. We have worked with Habitat for Humanity on several projects over the years because we are committed to helping to make our communities better places for working people," said Marvin Kropke, Business Manager of IBEW Local 11.

"We are not just an entity that works in and around the community—we are a part of it," added Shomari Davis, Business Representative with IBEW Local 11. "We are here because care about the people in the community—bottom line. We have an opportunity to really help people and lend a hand to make sure these housing units have the top-level electrical work that these people deserve."

According to Kim Craft, IBEW 11 Assistant Business Manager, approximately 175 IBEW members will be volunteering on both projects; the total contribution of labor and materials by Local 11 will be $500,000.

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"The average cost of a house in Los Angeles is around $500,000," said Turman which puts it out of reach of many working people. Habitat for Humanity along with volunteers from our craft unions, help make the dream of home ownership a reality for more people.

This has been a collaborative effort, with Kim Craft, overseeing the project, Shomari Davis as the south LA Project Manager, Business Representative Joel Barton as the San Pedro Project Manager and scores of Local 11 members contributing their time, sweat and expertise on these projects.

The IBEW contractors participating in the project include O’Bryant Electric, Walton Electric, Electro Construction Corp, Morrow Meadows, Carol Electric, Sasco, Cartier, Angeles Electric, CSI, ESSCO and Industrial High Voltage.

Ernest Riviera Foreman (Retired) “The biggest influence in my becoming an electrician was my father who was a Local 25 Carpenter. I initially started as a Carpenter in their apprenticeship program and then realized I wanted to do something beside swing a hammer. My father suggested I try the electrical trade. The technical nature of the work was very appealing to me. The on-the-job training is just as important to the apprentice as the classroom instruction. I’ve run jobs and worked as a Foreman for years and handing down our knowledge was an important part of what we do. We really are on the job teachers for our own future. The pensions of retirees like me are funded by the electricians	Mike Hogan Foreman “The greatest thing about being an electrician for me is starting off with a wood building and at the end of the day, you have a place where somebody can live —you turn the power on and the lights come on and it brings the building to life. Of all the trades, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do. It’s such a vast trade. You can do any thing from roping a house to working in a refinery. Union electricians have great benefit packages and training. Where else can you start out not knowing anything, get paid a good wage and get your training paid for? A lot of people pay money to go to school and then start their career. Union electricians get paid to learn and by the time you turn out you are making a great wage and if you are willing to work you will always be able to find work. Its something there will always be a need for. The non-union don’t have anything that even compares to our training. Working on this project is really rewarding. Habitat for Humanity is providing housing for people who really need a place to live. It’s like going back to the good old days of barn raising where the community got together to help one another. It get backs to the idea of neighbor
Rafael Nevarez 5th Year Apprentice “My dad was in construction so I grew up around it. I was really drawn to the electrical field. At a young age I was always taking things apart to see how they worked. I went to college for three years and then heard about the IBEW and knew that was what I wanted to do. It’s a great career. The money and benefits are great; it’s a salary that you can support a family with. I really like being in the union. It gives me a sense of belonging. I have my Local 11 sticker on my truck. I’m a union electrician and that is something to be proud of.”	Rudy Velez Journeyman “Being an electrician appeals to me because it is a trade that you get to really use your brain. I love being able to see the finished product. I worked on a theater once and when we were through I took my family there when it opened to show them what I had done. The union is a brotherhood. When you are working with an apprentice, it like working with your brother or sister—showing them the ropes. This union has been going on for over 100 years. So there are generations of knowledge that gets handed down from year to year.”
Hermes Valtierra Journeyman “I’m proud of being a Local 11 member because we stand up for each other and look out for one another. When I was an apprentice I was helped along by the Journeymen on the job. I was always asking them questions and learning as much as I could about the job so I could improve my skills and become a better electrician. It’s a great opportunity to be able to work on a project like this and help people out who are less fortunate. It’s great that Local 11 is donating time to help this project get done.”	Peter Mendoza 4th Year Apprentice “Before I started working as an electrician I was a teacher, and I wasn’t finding it fulfilling. I had a couple of cousins who were Local 11 members and they told me about it. A friend if mine was also a teacher and we both joined the union in the same year. I find it really satisfying to be able to work with my hands.  In construction you can see the results of your work in a short time-period compared with teaching where you don’t see your results until six, seven eight years later.”