A Message from Pete Seaberg, Local 332 President

I’m often asked, “What’s the difference between your members and the non-union guys? All of you do the same work, but you guys are so overpriced.” This is often followed up with some version of, “Unions just protect lazy workers.”

At this point, I usually chuckle, smile, and ask them if they actually know anything about construction unions. Of course they don’t. Then I tell them a little about how our union works. Yes, we do get paid high wages and have great benefits. Yes, we fight for our members’ rights every day.  All of this is part of our collective bargaining agreements.

I go on to explain how we get our high wages, full family health insurance and secure retirement plans. That we have all made the CHOICE to fight together, as one massive team, for the betterment and benefit of everyone, not just ourselves. That our strength comes from solidarity and unity. It comes from our everyday CHOICES to hold ourselves to higher standards of craftsmanship and safety. These principles that we choose to live and work by are what set us apart.

Our training, our craftsmanship, our solidarity, and our desire to lift all workers up is the foundation of who we are. I explain that being union creates opportunities for all hard-working, blue-collar Americans. We raise the standards of pay, benefits, and conditions for all workers, not just ourselves. At this point, they usually say they wish they had a union like that, and that they could only dream of benefits like ours.

Brothers and sisters, being union is much more than a choice: It’s a privilege. It is an opportunity to change lives and families for generations to come. Don’t ever take your union for granted. We must always continue building upon what our IBEW forefathers have built for us.

Always IBEW,

Pete Seaberg
President