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Find out the life-changing benefits you can receive by joining IBEW

A career as an electrician through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 520 can yield many benefits for you and your family.

IBEW 520 wages

One of the main benefits is the ability to provide for yourself and your family by bringing home a livable wage. From first-year apprentice to seasoned journeyman, all Local 520 electricians earn an hourly wage that allows them to live comfortably. This wage does not vary based on gender or race, but is based on experience in the trade. Progression in the trade can be made in multiple ways. A tradesmen or tradeswomen can work their way through the apprenticeship, you can progress as a CW or CE or you can work your way up within a company — becoming a foreman, area foreman, general foreman and beyond.

IBEW 520 member health insurance

IBEW Local 520 members and their family receive full health insurance. The healthcare plan covers the member, their spouse and any dependents. This cost is entirely covered by Local 520 contractors, including premiums. Since our contractors cover healthcare costs, members see more money on their paycheck compared to a non-union electrical worker. For example, if a non-union contractor is charging a worker $640 per month for family health insurance, that equates to $4 per hour during a 40 hour week that could be on a worker’s paycheck.

Local 520 members also receive a form of life insurance. If a member passes away, every member contributes to a fund that provides the member’s surviving family with a level of financial support. This support goes beyond paying for the cost of services, as it helps to cover any financial hardships encountered by the loss of their loved one. The membership contributions not only help support the family, but help them know they are part of the Local 520 family.

Dental and Hearing Coverage

Starting October 1, 2022, IBEW Local 520 will be getting dental and hearing coverage. More details will be provided closer to coverage date.

IBEW Local 520 - Electricians

IBEW 520 member retirement

IBEW Local 520 also provides two different retirement benefits for its member electricians. Our members are invested in annuity plans, which are like 401k plans, but the employer is required to make contributions equal to a percentage of the employee’s wages. Under this plan, employee contributions are optional, but can help enhance the amount received during retirement.

Additionally, after completing their career and retiring, IBEW 520 members receive a healthy pension.

IBEW 520 members only pay for hand tools

Thanks to our Collective Bargaining Agreement and relationship with Local 520 signatory contractors, Local 520 members are only required to provide a short list of hand tools. The employer supplies all power tools, batteries, ladders, hole saws and other large tools and equipment.

Items can go missing on job sites, as it is not uncommon for contractors to mix up equipment. If this happens, Local 520 members should not panic. Equipment replacements are paid for by the contractor, not out of the member’s pocket.

Also, the signatory contractor provides all necessary personal protective equipment. Members are not required to pay for their own safety glasses, hardhats, harnesses or other safety equipment.

Multi-jurisdictional membership

IBEW membership is valid nationwide. Electricity works the same everywhere, so IBEW electricians can go anywhere in the country where there is available work. Local 520 members also know that if they have to move, they can find good employment opportunities just about anywhere they desire to live.

If you are someone who wants to go after large projects with lots of hours and available overtime, Local 520 is the organization  for you. Many of our members prefer to work on these types of jobs, and our established network of tradesmen and tradeswomen can help you identify which projects offer plenty of hours and overtime, while identifying economical places to stay throughout the job.

Working under a contract

The most important benefit Local 520 members enjoy is the security of working under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). With a contract, items such as raises are strictly spelled out in writing. Members can refer to their CBA to find out the exact date and amount of their next raise. Working conditions are also written out in the contract and cannot be changed by the contractor or the Local without mutual agreement. Retirement and healthcare benefits are also clearly stated in the CBA and they transfer between employers, so no matter who you work for, your benefits stay current and the employer can never take them away.

Combined, these benefits make a career as a member of IBEW Local 520 beneficial to you and your family.

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