CSAEW President Hansen Speaks Out on Securing Work and Electrical Solidarity
Tom Hansen, Business Manager/Financial Secretary of IBEW Local 302 in Contra Costa County, is proud to have been involved with the California State Association of Electrical Workers (CSAEW) for more than 20 years, the last four as the Association’s president. He likes to point out that the CSAEW is one of the most powerful labor associations in the state, representing 83,000 union electricians in 27 different locals.
A 30-year union electrician, Tom took a few minutes to discuss the State Association’s role and its efforts to guarantee work for current and future IBEW members across the state.
What is the role of the CSAEW, known as the State Electrical Association?
CSAEW represents our IBEW members around the state and in Sacramento, the state capitol, making sure not only are our members safe on the job, but we also protect our members’ work. That means working with state and local legislators to protect and expand our jurisdiction. Our goal is make sure our members continue to be able to aspire to the middle-class and have good, safe jobs.
Why is a state-wide model important, as opposed to locals vying for themselves?
Every model has its strengths and weaknesses. At the local level, each local has its own area it is concerned about, so its focus is intently on its own jurisdiction. But when we all come together, we can focus on statewide issues where we wouldn’t be as effective if we were negotiating individually.
It also gives us a way for the different electrical groups to come together and talk about our common issues. Don’t forget, we have the Inside Wireman, those are the construction electricians, partnering with the utility and lineworkers, the outside branch. We all come together in Sacramento under the CSAEW to work together on common goals and legislation. If we were to operate separately, we’d all be going off in different directions. There’s strength in numbers. When we come together and agree on a course of action, we are more effective at what we do.
What are some ways in which you do this?
Mostly, it’s lobbying and talking to our legislators about our issues. We also do advocacy with different agencies, like the state licensing board or the Department of Industrial Relations. We’ll actually come together as a group, each local sending people to speak at different hearings. That’s another way we do advocacy. There’s power when you represent 83,000 active electricians who are paying attention to how their elected officials vote on issues.
What are some recent victories or issues you’d like to highlight?
One of our biggest, most recent victories has been helping expand the car charger network in California. We worked really hard on that, making sure that it’s going to be built, installed and maintained by skilled and trained union electricians.
One of the other current campaigns we’re working on is making sure that large-scale battery storage and solar projects are done by union electrical contractors with properly trained workers to ensure a safe installation.
What are some challenges that you face with an association of 27 different electrical affiliates?
We have a surprising amount of solidarity in the room. Everybody comes together, understanding that the reason we’re there is to work together. We’re all brothers and sisters when we walk into the room. So we’ve got that common thread. We work together on all our issues — the inside and outside wiremen come together to hash things out so we understand each other’s challenges and problems and come to consensus.
The Association bridges the problems and any gaps. It brings us together as one voice.
Why is the work the State Association does so important?
It’s the old labor saying that if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. We need to have a seat at the table so that we can advocate for our members. The one thing that is different about our members compared to the general population is that our members don’t have a regular place to go to work next month or next year.
So one of our main mandates as an Association is ensuring we have work for our skilled members. We’re also constantly making sure that our members have the skills for the future work in electricity and that our contractors can be competitive for the work that’s coming.
A big part of our job is also making sure our members have the work and the hours to qualify for their healthcare and pension benefits. Everything relies on hours – we’re a unique industry in that way.
What would you like the rank and file to know?
The State Association is one more way that the leadership of each of their locals is working on their behalf and looking out for them and trying to make sure that they’re protected and represented and that somebody is actually advocating that future electrical work in California goes union.
The state association is a unique entity that I’ve watched change and grow over the years. Our 27 locals are very engaged. Plus our current leadership team and consultants are the best we’ve ever been. We’ve got some serious, hardworking people that are looking out for us. That should give our members confidence that we’re looking out for them. st we’ve ever been right now. We’ve got some serious, hardworking people that are looking out for us, plus the locals are really engaged.