The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) celebrated the 132nd anniversary of its founding on November 28th. The first convention of the electricians’ union, then known as the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (NBEW), took place from November 21st-28th, 1891, in St. Louis, which is the jurisdiction of Local 1 to this day. The NBEW became the IBEW when Canadian local unions joined in 1899. The first constitution was ratified on November 28, 1891 by 10 delegates who are now considered the IBEW’s founding fathers: Henry Miller (first President), J.T. Kelly (first Secretary-Treasurer), Joseph Berlowitz, M. Dorsey, T.J. Finnell, H. Fisher, E. Hartung, W. Hedden, F. Heizleman, and C.J. Sutter.
Read more in “History & Structure: Celebrating 125 Years of IBEW Excellence,” published in 2016.
