Horse-drawn line crew

          PGE crew hoisting poles from a wagon.
 

1900 - 1909

On October 12, 1900, eight individuals were granted a Charter by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The Local Union's numbered designation was to be 125. Its charter is the longest continuous Charter in the Ninth District of the Brotherhood.

Our Charter members were W. H. Powers, F. E. Myers, E. Schearer, T. A. Huffaker, R. Collins, A. A. Harrigan, W. Helhwahger and E. Crouch.

Local 125 was given jurisdiction over all outside work in Portland and vicinity and all outside classes of electrical work in the State of Oregon not then under the jurisdiction of any Local Union. The beginning bargaining history began with the electric railway companies in Portland and the Old Home Telephone Company in Portland.

Our Local grew from the little electric railway and telephone companies in Portland to our current jurisdiction that covers Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Northern California and a small segment in Nevada.

Our Local grew from three separate Units in Portland to more than seventy-five Units that are currently active.

The basic premise and beginning of our Local stemmed from two basic fundamentals, the first being safety on the job and the second being able to secure fair and reasonable compensation for our work.

The mandates of our Local Union as directed by the International are:

• To organize all workers in the entire electrical industry in the United States and Canada; including all those in public utilities and electrical manufacturing, into Local Unions,

• To promote reasonable methods of work,

• To cultivate feelings of friendship among those of our industry,

• To settle all disputes between employers and employees by arbitration (if possible),

• To assist each other in sickness or distress,

• To secure employment,

• To secure adequate pay for our work, To reduce the hours of daily labor,

• To seek a higher and higher standard of living,

• To seek security for the individual,

• And by legal and proper means to elevate the moral, intellectual and social conditions of our members, their families and dependents, in the interest of a higher standard of citizenship.

Our International's first priority is organizing into trade industrial and service Unions. The IBEW began with the efforts of a small group of Linemen who gathered together in 1891 to form the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. These individuals traveled across the United States and helped electrical workers everywhere to form Local Unions and become members of the NBEW. This heritage of organizing built the NBEW and continued until the organization grew outside the United States into Canada when it became the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 

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Deschutes Valley Water District laying
wire-wrapped wood pipe in 1915

PGE line crew in 1912

1910-1919

In the beginning of the decade, the initiation fee was $2.00; dues were $5.00 for Journeymen; and sick benefits were $5.00 per week. The Executive Board met every week, first on Fridays then later to Thursdays, with the exception of special meetings. Executive Board and Business Agent elections were every year, and there were approximately 400 members in 1914.

Local 125 did its fair share of Union support. There were donations to other Local's strike funds, letters written to the Labor Press regarding Home Telephone Company's non-union practices, and "fines imposed on any member caught eating in unfair houses," meaning restaurants that used non-union meat suppliers. Local 125 held members' cards against unpaid grocery bills, rent, and electric bills when petitioned ensuring good standing of its members in the community .

Members were organizing streetcar workers and telephone men. Local 125 was working to get submarine cable pulling work, and jurisdiction over pole yards. In June of 1914, the Union Hall and office space was consolidated to a new location, the Labor Temple. A few years later, Local 125 petitioned the Labor Temple builders to construct a new Labor Temple. Rent for the Hall and office space previously was $35 and $20 per month, respectively. At the Labor Temple, rent was $31.50 per month for both.

The Business Agent managed the day-to-day business of the Local. He was paid $30 per month plus expenses. Apprenticeship lasted two years and, just as at present, many members were granted traveler's cards and many traveler's cards were accepted.

When Auxiliary #4 went defunct, Local 125 took in all former members in good standing. In November 1914, Local 48 members notified Local 125 that 48 was closing their charter.

When agreements were open for negotiations, the Executive Board appointed committees to negotiate, consisting of the Business Agent, several employees of the utility, and other members, if needed.

On May 4, 1914, Local 125 adopted the By Laws of the Central Labor Council by a vote of 147 to 0. Passwords were given for members to attend Local meetings. The duration of sick benefits was extended from 9 weeks to 18 weeks. Correspondence was through letters and telegrams. In 1916, different Locals requested the American Federation of Labor for separate charters for outside electrical workers.

The end of the decade brought war. "It's resolved by Local Union 125 IBEW that we go on record as forming a preparedness such as will ensure to ourselves and to our posterity our rights and liberties unhampered by foreign dominations or interference. Be it further resolved that such military preparedness shall be used for defensive purposes only and shall then be used only after efforts for settlement through the channels of peace have been exhausted." This peace was not reached until the following decade.

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Electrical tower

   
   Broadway trolley

1920 - 1929

There were many strikes going on in this decade. The telephone strike, railroad strike, Pacific Power & Light, Eastern Oregon Light & Power, and the Canadian General Electric strike were just a few that impacted the members of Local 125. In February of 1920, all working members earning less than $5.50 were assessed $50 for the telephone strike and $75 on all earning from $5.50 to $7.00. As Local 125 did for other locals, Local 48 proposed assessing $1 per week on its members to aid our local in the telephone strike. Furthermore, all men working on the telephone job during the strike were suspended from the IBEW and assessed $1/day.

In March of 1920, Local 125 sent two delegates to San Francisco to form the District Council. The International Office was moved from Springfield to Washington, DC.

Our local participated in or organized social activities. There was a dance at the Broadway Hall of Local 44 and one at the Labor Temple, and a joint picnic between Local 48 & 125 at Bull Run Park. There were requests at Executive Board meetings for a committee to be formed to plan more social gatherings and requests for funds to be set aside for this purpose. These activities brought members and their families together and further solidified the Brotherhood.

Several sub locals were formed: Pendleton, Salem, Baker, and LaGrande. Work was still being done on the Labor Temple, the future office of Local 125. Each member of Local 125, except members now directly affiliated with sub locals, purchase a bond valuing $26.25 with the first five payments at $2.75 and five more monthly payments at $2.50 each to raise the remaining $15,000.

During this decade, Eastern Oregon Power Company raised the lineman’s rate from $6 to $6.80.

All member of IBEW gained the advantage of life insurance at a "very moderate figure" with a minimum of operating expense known as the Electrical Workers Relief Association, the precursor to the Death Benefit Fund.

Local 125 supported pro-Union politicians, regardless of their party affiliation. According to Executive Board minutes, "It is proposed to organize national, state and local non-partisan campaign committees in order to make a cohesive effort the election of men whose ideas are in common with labor." This support was beneficial to the politician and to the Union. Our voice needed to be heard in Congress.

The Labor Press was and still is a powerful vehicle for the Brotherhood in the community. They published a poem during this decade that embodied the sentiment at that time, but is relevant for modern times:
 

And raids the product of your toil,

And follows in disaster’s wake,

And lives upon the loot and spoil?

The rat!

What takes from others what they make

And what they grow in clothes and food;

Steals all that’s earned by labor’s sweat

Despoils the things in life held good?

The Rat!

Who preys upon his fellow-man

That earns his bread, conditions makes

For those who toil in honesty?

Who’s lower than the crawling snake?

The Industrial Rat.

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Construction linemen gin poling
tower for BPA transmission line

Pacific Power and Light building

1930-1939

Minutes: Reports from previous month read and approved.

Communications: Oregon State Federation of Labor lists following companies unfair:

Yellow Cab, Transportation Employees Journal, United States Bakery, Davidsons Bakery, Haynes-Foster Bakeries, WR Donuts, Barkers Bakery, Sugar Crest Donut, Coca Cola Bottling, Real Silk Hosiery; following unfair theaters: Alameda, Novelty, Moreland, Venetian, Granada, Union, Highway, Iowa and Rivoli.

Reports: Hirsch Weiss Company and Oregon textile Company make Portland made, union made clothing; H.D. Lee Mercantile Company (makers of Lee Union Make Overalls etc.) have established 5 day work week for their employees without loss of pay; PGE tries to cut all wage scales by 10%; Campbell Manufacturing now making Union-made shirts; Upholsterer strike on Doernbecker Furniture Manufacturing Company; locals within territory appoint active Press Secretary; Montana electrical local’s initiation fee is $50; Lotus Isle Amusement Park opens; Lincoln Memorial Park built by organized labor.

New Business: International Union #16 for Tobacco workers urges purchase of Clown cigarettes; looking to organize NW Electric Company and California Oregon Power Company; PGE Company recommends all but operating force on five day work week to prevent laying off men in the winters; Central Labor Council plans to hold benefit ball to raise funds for assisting needy members of organized labor; Building Trades Council holds picnics in Oaks Park; Merrill Mortuary Company conducts funeral of any member of Local Union (having a paid up card at time of death) free of charge (except for clothing and cemetery expense) if death is met in line of duty.

Good of the Union: Entertainment Committee organizes Grand Jamboree and dance & card parties; LU 125 buys tickets to Policemen’s annual balls; donates to Oregon Tuberculosis Association; subscribes to $5,000 worth of 7% gold notes of the Labor Temple Association; ordered to prepare and edit a monthly bulletin of progress of all Northwest unions; assesses fifty cents collected from each member who fails to attend at least one regular meeting per month and further, each member who fails to attend regular meetings on next succeeding month are accessed twenty-five cents additionally; donates to Union Label Promotional League, and United Textile Workers; assesses $5 fee upon any of our members found patronizing unfair theaters, barber shops, restaurants and motion picture houses; elects two delegates to Joint Executive Council of Electrical Workers in Seattle; purchase a check protectograph for $20; endorses Gust Anderson for City Commissioner; Charter of Local Union 125 closed indefinitely on account of unemployment of members and general economic condition.

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NUID - Jefferson County

        PGE lineman in 1944

1940 - 1949

In 1940, the Executive Board recommended that a committee of 3 be appointed as the Coordinating Committee to work toward standardization of agreements, practices and policies between various locals of the IBEW in the Northwest area. The Oregon State Federation of Labor requested that Local Union 125 contact the International to help us get a representative on the American Federation of Labor to help fight Oregon Anti-labor law. Also at this time, the office employees working in the Hall were members of Office Employee Local 16821.

Several interesting discussions occurred at the Executive Board meetings during this decade. Brother Louderback announced that he expects to make a tour of the country soon and would appreciate the names and addresses of any relative of the members of Local Union 125 enroute who feeds good and lives on the main line. The Executive Board recommended that Local 125 sponsor a candidate for Queen of the Red Head Round Up at Taft, Oregon. There was a discussion held on the ethics and other considerations of beer drinking. Brother R. I. Clayton asked that the Democrat who took his hat at the last meeting night, please return it and get the one he left instead.

Also, there were social events planned and attended by local union members. The Waitress Union coordinated a Leap Year Dance at the Labor Temple. There were picnics with softball competitions in the summer at Viking Park.

In the beginning of the decade, the Local Union 125’s Portland General Electric Company wage committee instructed to begin negotiations with PGE Company to secure 2 weeks paid vacation, 10 days sick leave with pay per year, cumulative sick leave effective at expiration of then current agreement. PGE responded that they weren’t in a position at that time to grant any of the Union demands. Later, the Local’s wage committee negotiated for the inclusion of streetcar fare in the new agreement or a proportionate increase in wages since free transportation for PGE employees would be discontinued that April.

In 1941 the Business Manager’s salary was raised to $300 per month. In 1942 the cable splicers’ scale of wages for all electrical contractors went to $1.60/hour from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and $3.60 per hour for all overtime and Saturday and Sunday work. The Executive Board recommended that the Local forego the collection of local dues from members who go into any branch of the military service. The District Foreman of the Seattle District took bids for a job as Foreman paying $0.89 per hour with no takers.

Total membership went from 1,141 in 1942 to 1,343 in 1943. The question of a 6-day work week for local power companies went before the Manpower Commission. Motion carried that any member who was entitled to a vacation with pay and who does not take it shall be assessed a fine equal to the amount earned during his vacation period, but if the employing company will pay the overtime rate for the vacation period, the member will not be penalized.

Classes at Marquette University for Local Union 125 members were sponsored by the Local. In 1945, the Executive Board recommended the purchase of cars for Union use. In 1946, Mr. S.G. Hufford took the floor at an Executive Board meeting to explain the Permanente Hospital’s New Community Health Plan. Certainly, this was the precursor to the present-day HMO’s. Also that year, West Oregon Cooperative Electric Company voluntarily increased the rate for linemen from $1.62 to $1.76 per hour. In 1948, officers’ salaries were $10 per month and stewards’ fees were $5.00. Motion carried that any members of Local Union 125 convicted of illegally crossing a picket line be assessed $50. Electrical contractors paid one percent payroll tax into Local 125’s pension fund.

When a member passed away, the Charter was draped for 30 days. This decade saw the end of World War II and the passing of many Brothers and Sisters who fought for their country.
 

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Charles Simpson
Tualatin Valley division of PGE

1950 - 1959

In the beginning of the decade, Central Arizona Lighting became the first company to pay into the IBEW pension. They granted an $1.25 per month increase to all IBEW members it employed with $1.00 paid into the pension fund and $0.25 paid into social security. The International Convention was held in Miami, Florida and the Oregon State Federation of Labor Convention took place in LaGrande. The Governor’s Safety Conference was held in Olympia, Washington. A study was made by the council showing that the number of males in the United States between the age of 18 and 25 years decreased by 2 million from 1940 to 1950 but held even for ages 26 to 50 and increased for ages over 50 years.

Portland Power & Light negotiations were completed with $0.05 per hour increase across the board with adjustments on some classifications. Skamania County PUD through negotiations, grants 30 days sick leave and injury clauses but no hourly increase in wages. Bonneville Power Administration also granted $0.05 per hour increase across the board for all except operating force who has an additional $0.02 per hour. Under the escalator clause of the Clark County PUD agreement, and $0.08 per hour increase in wages was declared effective. NECA agreed to increase the wages for a cost of living increase of $2.75 for journeymen linemen and $2.50 for construction.

By the middle of the decade, Oregon Labor Press subscriptions climbed to $0.12 per copy. The Executive Board recommended the purchase of a 100’ x 100’ lot on the Southeast corner of SE 6th & Pine for business offices and a meeting hall with an adjoining 50’ x 100’ lot. Instead of this, the business office was moved from the 700’ space to a 2,700’ space and the old hall was used for meetings. Work done stringing overhead traffic lights by the City called out linemen to fill out crews. Portland Traction Company substituted gas busses for trolley busses. Motion was made and unanimously passed that one car belonging to Local 125 be traded in on a new Ford at the present price of $1,400.

After a long fight, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company in California was totally organized under the IBEW for over 8,000 members. Bill #252, a safety bill before the Oregon Legislature, was opposed by PGE and PP&L, but Tillamook PUD supported the bill. PP&L was contacted on their lack of support of the Apprentice Plan. The Local 125 sick committee asked for volunteers to assist contacting every sick Brother possible during the month. BPA had approximately 530 union members in their employment with approximately 480 electrical workers.

By the end of this decade, donations had been made to several causes and charities including:

American Cancer Fund
American Heart Association
American Red Cross
Christmas Basket Fund
Easter Seals
March of Dimes
Oregon Society for Crippled Children and Adults
Oregon State Federation of Labor Scholarship Fund
Oregon Tuberculosis and Health Association
Salem Trades and Labor Council
Striking United Mine Workers
Vancouver Central Labor Council


The Executive Board of Local 125 recommended that it assume its share in the production of a course of study for apprentice linemen and utility electricians to be prepared by the state board of vocational education. This Board granted the Sunnyside Branch of Local 125 the use of that name for their bowling team. The Board also recommended that an additional state tax on beer be opposed. 600 Members were affected by the West Coast Telephone Company strike due to refusal of a $0.15 per hour wage increase with a reduction in the progression rate. An agreement was reached that all steel tower linework be done by electrical workers and all radio towers by ironworkers. More agreements would be reached in the decade to come.

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BPA SF6 Breaker

   
Faraday Power House

1960 - 1969

Correspondence: Pacific Power & Light, Portland General Electric and Clark County PUD read letters thanking the Union and its members for their efforts during the Columbus Day windstorm. Groups read letters regarding the practice of using helicopters to set steel towers, and discussed the matter.

One letter was concerned with labor becoming much too indifferent in its support of matters pertaining to labor. Labor must increase opposition to the "Right Wing" element that seems to be gaining strength. Discussion followed about urgent need to support Medicare and the policy of large organizations contributing to Right Wing efforts on a tax-deducted basis through the guise of religious or charitable contributions.

New business: The statewide organization of the Public Utility District in Washington broke up. IBEW Local 77 will negotiate with individual PUDs. With the new Landrum-Griffith Labor Law, certain officers and employees at the Unions must be bonded. This was expected to cost IBEW Local 125 approximately $1,300 per year compared to last year’s bonding expense of $45.

Opportunity and progress has allowed Unions to organize operating employees in the power projects of the Army Engineers here in the northwest as a result of Executive Orders issued by President Kennedy. This affects nearly 500 people eligible for Union membership.

Local 125 formed a Safety Committee to investigate and review various accidents and to promote safety. The human element is the biggest contributing factor to accidents.

Limitations were set on the type of work a small, two-man crew can perform. Among these are pulling conductors across a road and working close to energized equipment. The crew-size reduction has become a controversial point in all utility Unions. Reduction is the result of mechanization and the development of new tools. Three-linemen crews are becoming the most prominent, consisting of one Foreman and two Linemen. From recent accident reports, it appears that working "shorthanded" contributes to accidents.

The use of the "bare-handing" technique is rapidly growing. This also refers to using rubber gloves on lines in excess of 5K volts.

Reports: At the meeting of local Unions Business Managers in the northwest that have jurisdiction over electrical utilities, the following discussions took place: safety and accident investigations, union shops, issue of forcing Foremen to withdraw from the Union, and right-to-work laws. Local 125 was in good condition compared to other local Unions.

Discussion continued on the jurisdiction between Local 125 & Local 48 over "outside" work. From recent appeals to the International, it was anticipated that this dispute would be settled to the benefit of Local 125 and other outside locals.

The pay for Oregon legislators was reported to be about the lowest in the nation. PGE, West Oregon Electric and Salem Electric Coop agreed to 4.15% wage increases with some increase in fringe benefits.

Bonneville Power negotiations completed the most difficult and controversial negotiations on record. True collective bargaining transpired for several days before a settlement was reached. All other craft Unions involved supported Local 125 to the fullest.

Good of the Union: Annual "Old Timers" dinner held at the unionized Multnomah Hotel. The 123 attending retirees honored four additional members with 50-year recognition.

Nominations for President were called with William C. Miller, Jr. nominated.

Labor Union Show held in the Portland Coliseum, conducted by the Labor and Card section of the AFL-CIO on a national basis. Show was free to all Local 125 members. PGE displayed space to stress labor relations. Members of the Unions cooperated with PGE to assist in the display.

Parker Sotram was awarded the contract for construction of the PP&L-Pacific Gas & Electric 500KV tie line.

At the quarterly meeting of the Industrial Relations Committee in Pittsburgh, PA, a record number of cases were processed. The biggest points of contention were the proposal to return to one-and-a-half time on overtime instead of double-time, and the huge increase in work of non-Union contractors.

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