A Message from Business Manager Chris Erikson Jr.
Last week, I was honored to spend three great days in the Navajo Nation with Electrical Workers Without Borders North America (EWWBNA). Our delegation consisted of leaders from EWWBNA, the IBEW, and local unions. We met with Dr. Buu Nygren, President of the Navajo Nation, who thanked us for assisting the Navajo people and pledged his support for the program going forward. Additionally, we met with leadership and management from the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), who oversee the volunteer program. We discussed issues and solutions to make it more effective and ensure its continued success.
Most importantly, we got to visit volunteers from Local 3 and Local 611 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who are the true heroes working in the desert heat and harsh conditions to install services and wire up homes, bringing electricity to where it has not existed for over a century. It is unimaginable that in today’s times, nearly 10,000 homes in the Navajo Nation still don’t have electricity. Thank you to all the Local 3 and IBEW volunteers. We remain committed to supporting this program and making a difference in the lives of those who truly need it most.
Along with Local 3's delegation, I also attended the IBEW 3rd District Progress Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. IBEW leadership, including International President Kenny Cooper, International Secretary-Treasurer Paul Noble, and 3rd District International Vice President Frank Muia, fired up the delegates with exciting reports on membership increases across the IBEW and the 3rd District (NY, NJ, PA, and DE). The IBEW now has over 900,000 active and retired members, moving toward President Cooper's goal of 1 million members. Current counts of journeymen wiremen, journeymen linemen, and apprentices are the highest in IBEW history, alongside the most hours worked in a year ever.
Local 3 members had key roles throughout the program, including Local 3 journeywoman and Congressional candidate Allison Ziogas, who I had the honor of introducing to the delegates, plus EWMC Executive Committee member and Local 3 Vice President Lou Alvarez, and IBEW 3rd District Women's Committee Chair and Local 3 rank-and-file member Erin Sullivan. International Vice President Muia closed it out with an exuberant report on recent growth in the 3rd District and current and future work opportunities. Local 3 will continue playing our role in supporting this growth and making the most of the moment for the next several years in our jurisdiction and throughout the 3rd District.
