Home USA Politics IBEW Local 191 Electrical Union Wage Raise

IBEW Local 191 Electrical Union Wage Raise

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IBEW is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

I ask you to open your financial thoughts, letting go of worn out beliefs about high wages and unions to expand your wisdom about high wages, unions, the impact of union wages and higher wages. All of these strengthen wealth in all facets of your community.

While you read this article read with an open heart. Please and Thank you. So I ask all people… How are hourly wages and union wages the base of the economy to enhance Main Street, Small Businesses and Corporate America profit margins?

I understand the reply; for the world economy.

“What are your feelings about this question?”

So I ask… How do you and the world encompass old worn out beliefs that low wages create prosperity for all and as long as businesses are making money all is good? How are you and the world swirling in “cheap is better” and “lower is the way to go?” How has this mindset kept the world within economic manipulation since the beginning of time until the present day?

How is that thinking a fallacy that got the world into the current economic situation?

So I ask the world now…

How will rising wages lift the world into prosperity and offer that steady economy people can trust? People think businesses and corporations making huge profits make the economy stronger, yet people overlook the fact that corporations and businesses accumulate wealth from hourly workers and union wages.

On June 1st, 2015, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 191 and NECA Contractors, negotiated a $.94 hourly raise for Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties; and $1.04 for Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan counties adding communal wealth to these counties and Washington State.

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Electrical Workers

Local 191 has about 1450 Union Electricians in Local 191 spread throughout these counties. That actual median of $0.94 and $1.04 is $0.99 or 99 cents. Thus, for illustration purposes, I will use a $0.99 an hour raise to show you the actual effects of the raise.

$0.99 per hour x 1450 Journeyman Electricians active members in IBEW Local = $1,435.50 per hour of new revenue spread throughout Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom, Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan Counties, as well as Washington State.

The facts are these:

$1,435.50 per hour new revenue x 40-hour workweek (50 weeks a year) = 2,000 workable hours per year.

2,000 work hours per year x $1,435.50 hourly income from the raise = $2,871,000 of new taxable and spendable income on IBEW Local 191 $0.99 per hour raise that is liquid in all the counties June 1st, 2015 to May 31st, 2016 listed above, and Washington State.

Dividing $2,871,000 by 12 months, from June 1st, 2105 to May 31st, 2016, = $239,250 new monthly revenues for Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish & Whatcom, Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan Counties in IBEW Local 191 jurisdiction and the State of Washington, coming just from the raise hike of $1 per hour on June 1st 2015.

To enlighten you further on the total revenue Local 191 puts into Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan counties, and Washington State. Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom. Local 191 Union Electricians earn $41.15; and $38.15 is earned in Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan counties with approximately 1,450 191 members.

The median wage between $41.15 (Westside) and $38.15 = $79.30, Therefore $79.30 divided by 2 = $39.65 (Eastside). So for illustration purposes only, these are the estimates: Median is $39.65 for illustration purposes and these are illustrations only.

$39.65X 1450 members in IBEW 191 Union Electricians = $57,492.50 per hour of revenue put from IBEW Local 191 members.

$57,492.50 X 2000 work hours per year = $114,98,000 of taxable spendable and savable income put forth into Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan counties, and Washington State from IBEW Local 191.

Therefore, Local 191 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers introduces $114,985,000 ($9,582,083.333 new monthly revenues) of savable spendable income and taxable income to Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom, Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan counties and Washington State, between June 1st,2015 and May 31st 2016.

As I expand your money wisdom. A dollar circulates 6 to 25 times, therefore the total economic impact of Local 191 wages into the economy is as follows:

6 x $114,985,000 = $689,910,000

25 x $114,985,000 = $2,874,625,000

So the impact of IBEW Local 191 wage may range from $689,910,00 to $2,874,625,000 therefore I ask all business owners in Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Okanogan counties, and Washington State. How do you feel about unions and union wages now? As you can see from above, Local 191 has a bountiful impact on the economy in Washington State.

So … how does alienating unions actually lessen Washington State tax revenue and lessen your business profits? Simple. Because Non-Union Electrical Contractors charge about the same as Union Contractors then pay less and most are without benefits.

How do people without health insurance benefits take economic prowess away from communities and shrink all businesses bottom lines? Are you against unions and hourly workers making as much as the market will bear? Where did your dislike for unions come from? Have you ever been in a union? Are you going by what somebody told you or actual experience? If actual experience, then I understand.

However, Hearsay is not the truth. Has somebody ever told you something you thought was an “absolute” for years only to then find out is was a fabrication? How did you feel? So do you feel you could have poor quality information about unions? Look at when unions were strong and the vibrant economy surrounding you and your family. Now look at the economy with free trade undocumented workers, sweatshops and child labor. How do you feel about the economy now?

I ask all of you: Do you know non-union contractors charge within dollars of union contractors, yet pay out less to their hard-working employees without benefits? How do companies that pay no benefits actually put communities in a financial standstill? The union and union people invest in the communities they are involved in through many types of investments.

How are you and the world closed minded about high wages, unions and union wages without realizing it? How is being closed minded to high wages and unions actually part of financial struggles you and the world face today? How does poverty cause wars?

Do you want to make as much money as you can? If you answer, yes, then how come you don’t feel that way about union people and others having the ability to make as much as they can? How is selfishness, greed, and the need to control others caustically causing economic challenges in the world? I desire to make as much per hour as I can as a Union Electrician.

Now I ask, look around your area, to see all the lights that are on, fire alarm systems that keep you safe, and all the stop lights making your commute better. So I ask: can you install them hook them up and make them work? Union electricians can. Do you know all electricians have to take continuing education classes to keep their licenses current? So tomorrow I ask you to do something without electricity. Just to see … if you can do it.

I ask you: Have unions caused companies to go to the government for bailouts or does bad management cause corporations to fly straight to D.C. in their corporate jets begging for bailouts? How does blaming labor for everything keep business cycles and outcome the same?

Blaming labor has been around since the beginning of time, so how do poor CEO’s, managers and other corporate overseers, keep having the same outcomes with different people? This is the problem the business world never faces up to. Workers can only do what their bosses tell them to; good, bad, or indifferent.

How are low wages the creators of poverty causing higher deficits and cultural unrest?

I now ask all businesses owners of the world: Would you rather have a person walk into your store making $41.15/$38.15 per hour or $25 per hour? It is a truth that union wages and benefits stabilize communities, expand economic growth, and enhance YOUR business profits.

I now understand low wages keep the world swirling on the borderline of a downturn in the economy to keep it controlled. But NOW is the time for unions to stand tall, telling the world and all the naysayers that unions stabilize and expand Main Street and all business profits, alleviating poverty and enterprising prosperity in every union community.

Ask yourself … If lower wages was the way to go, wouldn’t all third world countries be economic powerhouses by now? How come “right to work” states take more tax money than they put into the tax coffers?

Now is the time to expand our wisdom, energize our entrepreneurial talents, to enterprise our lives into wealth and success, see, and appreciate the truth high wages are the path to peace and prosperity allowing people to participate in their dreams in bold new way.

How do the media pundits and politicians blame labor and wages for their poor quality decisions?

I ask … How can labor be blamed for anything as they make no political or management decision, as the politicians blame labor and wages for everything then the politician votes him/herself a pay raise every year?

So I ask … How are you and the world stuck in manipulation that low wages are a good idea? As I ask … How are low wages the reason that keeps businesses having to cut back and run on skeleton crews with little to no profit margins? How do high wages energize higher profit margins and the path to full employment around the world with people enjoying more prosperity allowing people to enjoy a life free of fear?

How are high wages the path for less stress and more vacation time for people to relax?

I ask … How are union wages and high wages are the economical base and wealth innovation of all economies?

I thank all the readers took time to read this article.

As a member of IBEW Local 191 I thank NECA for their negotiating in good faith with Local 191 negotiation committee.

Thank You for thinking about this issue.

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