CSAEW Vice President Neal Lauzon, Talks About the Value of Educating Our Elected Officials 

Neal Lauzon, who has helmed IBEW Local 441 in Orange County as its Business Manager for the past six years, has been an activist member of the State Association since 2018. A 25-year electrician, Lauzon believes in the power of member education, safety and collective advocacy to increase IBEW’s market share and political influence to make better lives for the group’s 83,000  members.  

For him, it’s more than a career, it’s personal. His oldest son followed him into the trades is now a first-year apprentice.  

Lauzon was elected Vice President of the CSAEW this past year. We sat down with him to discuss what’s ahead for IBEW and the CSAEW. The goal, he stressed, is getting members more work, maintaining their safe on-the-jobsite record and returning home to their families every night. He pointed out the dual focus of local and state advocacy to ensure job security and safety for IBEW members. 

As the new VP of the State Association, what do you see as the organization’s priorities? 

There are 35 new elected officials in Sacramento after the last election. We need to talk to both sides of the aisle. They don’t know who we are, or what we do, or the value of our craft. Not only are we, as leaders, their constituents, we represent hundreds and thousands of their other constituents. 

Our job is to speak with one voice and educate our elected representatives about who we are, who we represent and what we do, and about the need for safety and training on the job. We talk to them about our job training programs. We want to create an open dialog with our elected officials. We want to talk to them about the value of skilled and trained workers on these huge jobs. And to have them understand the rigors of being an electrician and all the safety protocols we go through to make sure our members go home safe every night. 

We give the 83,000 electricians we represent a voice in Sacramento and in state politics. We want these politicians to know what we do. We also need to advocate for new jobs, because construction is temporary, so we’re always looking for where the next job is coming from.   

Apprenticeships are another big priority of the CSAEW – we need to train the next generation of workers. We do local hire, local training. 

What are your personal goals? 

My top priorities are education, communication and advocating for skilled and trained workforce standards. First we start with the elected officials at the local and state level. But we also have to educate the rank and file about the importance of what we do and how we benefit our local communities.  

Before I got involved with the State Association, my focus had been on Orange County. But at the state level, we advocate for all of us, working together to find common solutions for our inside wiremen, our utility locals and more. The IBEW is very future facing. We are on the cusp of building energy independence for the planet. We are electrifying the nation. We explain how electrification will happen and the systematic changes and the training needed to transition into the future and new jobs.  

How does CSAEW help with job security & safety? 

We talk to our elected officials about the rigors of our industry – the safety, the classroom hours, the on-the-job training and making sure our members make it home each night. Most of them don’t know how much training we have.  

We explain our freelance industry – that we always have to hustle for the next job. Which is why we need to protect their jurisdiction. Of course someone can always come in and do it cheaper, but they’re not going to get the same quality. And finally, we talk to them about our apprentice programs, and opportunities for their constituents to transition from the oil industry to the electrical field.  

How is CSAEW leading the way on clean energy jobs? 

IBEW represents clean energy. The future is green. The world is going through systematic changes, and we have to be ready, transitioning people over to new jobs. Battery storage, solar, EV charging stations, electric cars, and explain to people how electrification will happen.  

But the most important thing is talking about IBEW as part of the solution. There will be so many changes over the next few years as we transition folks into new jobs. We have apprenticeships where we are training the new workforce. There’s battery storage, offshore wind. We have to play the long game. We may not see much of this technology, but it will benefit our children and grandchildren.  

What do you see as the main challenges ahead? 

We need to go full throttle in everything we do to capture the work and provide more opportunity for our members. Sometimes it feels like we’re drinking from a firehose with all the problems we face.  

We impress upon our members that the work we do will pay dividends moving forward. It’s the concept of a rising tide lifts all boats. When you work at the local level it helps your direct community, but at the state level, we lift up all IBEW. We have a stronger voice when we advocate together on issues – whether they be in the north or the south.  

Billion dollar projects generally happen at the statewide level. But by working together, we can capture that work for our members. It’s important that our members know we have their backs. It’s our job to get them work, keep them safe and protect our jurisdiction. We can only do that by joint action. 

The IBEW is future oriented. We have to be. It will be here before we know it.