1891 National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers founded (Nov. 28) and affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (Dec.7). Apprenticeship system established.

1892 First women members admitted into NBEW.

1893 First Journal published (Jan. 15), called The Electrical Worker; continuously published under various titles. Cleveland Convention delegates voted to hold conventions every two years.

1895 Telephone operators joined NBEW

1896 First woman organizer appointed.

1897 First woman delegate sent to the National Convention

1899 NBEW becomes international union when jurisdiction is extended to include Canada; name changed to International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

1903 First full-time, salaried Grand President

1908 Reid-Murphy split; IBEW affiliated with the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada.

1912 Court decision upheld McNulty-Collins as officers of the legitimate IBEW.

1913 Delegates return to a united Convention. Split in the IBEW ended and seceding faction (Reid-Murphy) reabsorbed into the legitimate Brotherhood (McNulty-Collins) by agreement in 1914.

1918 Constitutional amendment renders actions of conventions final.

1919 Telephone Operators Department established.

1920 Council on Industrial Relations founded. IBEW headquarters moved from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D.C.

1922 Electrical Workers’ Benefit Assn. Founded.

1924 Research Department established.

1927 Pension Plan established by Detroit convention

1929 IBEW moved into its own building at 1200~15th Street, N.W.

1946 Number of vice presidential districts increased from 10 to 12; National Employees’ Benefit Agreement signed by IBEW and NECA

1947 Permanent National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry formed. Government Employees Department established. Progress meetings for vice presidential districts instituted. National Electrical Benefit Fund went into effect.

1950 Members voted to submit to referendum vote the holding of the International Convention every four years instead of every two. Affirmative decision reached in 1952.

1951 Broadcasting and Recording Department established.

1954 Chicago IBEW Convention was the largest labor union convention ever held in the world.

1955 Construction and Maintenance, Manufacturing, Telephone and Utility Departments established; previously existed as divisions within the IBEW.

1959 Skill Improvement, Safety Departments established

1963 Supreme Court ruling supported authority of IBEW Constitution

1966 Founders’ Scholarship Program instituted to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the IBEW.

1971 IBEW moved to new, permanent address at 1125_15th St., N.W. Special Services, Organizing Departments established.

1972 IBEW membership reached one million in October; Telephone Department operations relocated to 1.0.

1977 IBEW and NECA agreed to improve NEBF benefits and increase employer contribution from 1% to 3%

1981 Electrical Industry Health and Welfare Reciprocal Agreement established; achieve 100% participation in 1985.

1982 IBEW affiliated with the Canadian Federation of Labor.

1984 Electrical Industry Pension Reciprocal Agreement established; achieve 100% participation in 1989.

1987 Pension Investment and Employee Benefits Dept. Established in response to 33rd Convention resolution.

1988 Skill Improvement Department renamed Technical Services Department; Safety Department renamed Safety and Health Department; Telephone and Cable TV Departments combined into the Telecommunications Department; Education Program established (became Education Department in 1991).

1989 Research and Education Dept. Rename Research and Economics Department; Organizing Department renamed Special Projects Department. Canada IBEW-COPE established.

1991 Centennial Exposition and the 34tI~ and 100th Anniversary Convention held in St. Louis. Delegates vote to hold convention every five years. Special Services

1992 Bylaw Approval Department and the Appeals Department consolidated into Bylaws and Appeals Department.

1994 New database established for agreement approval/analysis, Research and Economics, Technical Services Departments merged to become Research and Technical Services Department. Public Relations Department established.

1995 Journal, Public Relations Departments merged as the Journal and Media Relations Department. First IBEW-wide opinion poll of rank and file members conducted.

1996 Electronic voting used for first time at an IBEW Convention. Committee appointed to study IBEW’s structure and Constitution.

1997 IBEW re-affiliates with the Canadian Labor Congress.

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