Sec. 1. The charter issued this organization by the American Federation of Labor states that it was granted for the purpose of a thorough organization of the trade.

There must be a systematized knowledge of the science of electricity in all of its various applications of electron transfer and electromagnetism. This requires a thorough understanding of the many means of production, transference, control and utilization of electricity and of the foundation or preparatory work to be performed. It is quite necessary, therefore, that the jurisdiction of the I.B.E.W. be recognized as one covering:

(a) The manufacture, assembling, construction, installation or erection, repair or maintenance of all materials, equipment, apparatus and appliances required in the production of electricity and its effects.

(b) The operation, inspection and supervisors of all electrical equipment, apparatus, appliances, or devices by which the energy known as electricity is generated, utilized amid controlled.

(c) The manufacture, assembling, construction, installation or erection, repair or maintenance of all materials, equipment, apparatus and appliances required in the transmission of data, voice, sound, video and other emerging technologies (including fiber optics, high speed data cable, etc.).

Sec. 2. Electrical workers shall be organized under five general branches of the I.B.E.W., namely: Outside and Utility Workers; Inside Electrical Workers; Communications Workers; Railroad Electrical Workers; and Electrical Manufacturing Workers.

Sec. 3. Keeping in mind progress for the I.B.E.W., and that all electrical work be done by its members, it is impractical to classify or divide jurisdiction of work in every detail between the various branches in this organization to meet all situations in all localities. Therefore, the classifications and divisions outlined below are necessarily of a general nature, and L.U.'s whose jurisdiction with other L.U.'s of the I.B.E.W., or whose agreements are harmonious and conducive to the progress of the I.B.E.W., shall not be disturbed. But when harmony and progress do not prevail, or when disputes arise, the I.P. shall determine what L.U. will do certain work or jobs, consistent with the progress and best interests of the I.B.E.W. in obtaining and controlling the work in question.

Outside and Utility Workers

Sec. 4. These shall include: Foremen, linemen, electrical rail grinders, groundmen and helpers. Outside electrical inspectors, cable splicers, technicians, trimmers, maintenance men, and clerical workers. Aerial and underground cable men and combination trouble men working for distributing companies. Load dispatchers, metermen, station attendants and switchboard operators in lighting and power stations. Telephone switchboard operators and trouble men working for distributing companies. Fire and police operators, maintenance and battery men, signalmen and electrical layout men. Operators of electrical apparatus when generating, furnishing or supplying electricity. All employees of utility employers generating or producing or transmitting or distributing electricity, gas or water.

They are to have jurisdiction over the following:

The operation, maintenance and repair of equipment owned or operated by utility employers. All electrical construction work outside of isolated plants and the property lines of any given property, but not electric signs, and not street electrical decorations, except when messenger or guy wire is necessary for support and when fed and controlled from the street.

Series arc lamps and wiring when fed and controlled from the street. All line work consisting of wood, concrete or metal (or substitutes therefor), poles or towers, including wires, cables or other apparatus supported therefrom. Line work in public, private or amusement parks.

All work necessary to the assembling, installation, erection, operation, maintenance, repair, control, inspection and supervision of all electrical apparatus, devices, wires, cables, supports, insulators, conductors, ducts and race-ways when part of distributing systems outside of buildings, railroads and outside the directly related railroad property and yards. Installing and maintaining the catenary and trolley work on railroad property, and bonding of rails. All underground ducts and cables when they are installed by and are part of the system of a distributing company, except in power stations during new construction, including ducts and cables to adjacent switch racks or substations. All outdoor substations and electrical connections up to and including the setting of transformers and connecting of the secondary buses thereto.

Renewable electrical energy sources such as solar photovoltaic, geothermal, wind, biomass, wave, etc., and other distributed energy installations such as fuel cells, microturbines, etc.

Inside Electrical Workers

Sec. 5. These shall include: Wiremen, technicians, fixture men, crane men, crane repair men, signal men, load dispatchers, trouble men, switchboard operators and erectors, operators of electrical apparatus when generating, supplying or furnishing electricity for other than distributing companies. Inside cable splicers, picture machine operators when the machines are used for educational or advertisement purposes other than theatrical.

Inspectors, shop men, bridge operators, crane operators, meter testers and installers, inside battery men, fire and burglar alarm installers and repair men, marine electrical workers, glass tube benders and pumpers.

They shall have jurisdiction over the following:

All electrical signs, all street electrical decorations when no messenger or guy wire is necessary for support. Installation, construction, inspection, operation, maintenance and repair of all electrical work in isolated plants and within property lines of any given property, and beginning at the secondary side of the transformer, except line work consisting of poles and towers, including wires or cables and other apparatus supported therefrom and except all outdoor substations as defined in Sec. 4 hereof.

When aerial wires or cables are used to provide electric current for buildings or structures within the property lines of any given property, the inside-men's jurisdiction shall start immediately after the first point of attachment of such aerial wires or cables to such buildings or structures.

Renewable electrical energy sources such as solar photovoltaic, geothermal, wind, biomass, wave, etc., and other distributed energy installations such as fuel cells, microturbines, etc.

Communications Workers

Sec. 6. These shall include the following divisions and classifications:

(a) Radio, television and recording engineers, technicians, operators, installers, inspectors, maintenance and repairmen and service men, engaged in the application of electricity to the transmission and transference of voice, sound and vision for commercial, educational and entertainment purposes, excepting employees of common carrier companies.


(b) Telephone and other workers, employed by common carrier communications companies, engaged in the erection, installation, operation, maintenance, repair and service work associated with telephone, and intercommunication electrical apparatus used in the transmission, transference production and reproduction of voice, sound and vision in the public or private communications services supplied by common carriers.

They shall have jurisdiction over the following work:

The erection, installation, operation, maintenance, repair and service of such telephone, and intercommunication facilities, beginning at the first point of distribution or the first terminal inside of building or property lines.

Railroad Electrical Workers

Sec. 7. Railroad electrical workers are those employed by railroad companies, including wiremen, technicians, fixture men, armature winders, meter men, electrical inspectors, switchboard operators, generator, motor and substation attendants, electric crane operators, cable splicers, signal men and signal maintainers, power, telephone linemen and repairmen, ground men, electrical rail grinders, rail bonders, electrical bridge operators, battery men amid all electrical workers employed by railroad companies.

They shall have jurisdiction over all electrical work on the property of the railroad companies.

It is hereby provided, however, that under no circumstances shall they do any construction or reconstruction work where building trades mechanics are doing work in connection with it. Any dispute will be referred to the I.P. for a decision.

Electrical Manufacturing Workers

Sec. 8. These shall include: All employees of companies engaged in the manufacture of products, components, equipment, apparatus, machines, devices and appliances used in the production, transmission, conversion, control, distribution, measurement and utilization of electricity. They shall have jurisdiction over the following:

All work performed by such employees in the manufacture, testing, rebuilding and repair of these products on the premises of the company.

Sec. 9. All government workers may be organized under any of the above general branches of the I.B.E.W., as stated in Section 2.