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International President Kenneth W. Cooper emphasizes that RENEW and NextGen members are leading the IBEW now, not just preparing for future leadership, as the union added 24,000 members in the past year and needs young workers to help meet growing demand for skilled electricians across all sectors.

Feature story from the RENEW/NextGen conference in Portland highlights how these programs for members 35 and under are crucial for union growth, with 215 committees now active across North America focusing on organizing, leadership development, and building stronger local unions through community engagement and political activism.

International Secretary-Treasurer Paul Noble celebrates IBEW members' holiday generosity through food drives, toy collections, and community service, noting that charitable giving is especially critical this year as economic challenges including job cuts, government shutdown effects, and rising costs impact more American families.

IBEW locals across North America demonstrate union values through holiday charity work, including Ann Arbor Local 252's 25-year toy drive for children's hospital patients, food drives at Asbury Park Local 400 and Cheyenne Local 415, and Savannah Local 508's annual gift-wrapping party that provides presents and grocery cards to families in need.

Tacoma Local 76's Sisters of 76 Women's Committee, launched by journeyman Lisa Forsberg, strengthens organizing and member support through conduit workshops, clothing banks, try-a-trade events for high school students, and Habitat for Humanity projects, demonstrating how affinity groups help diversify union membership and improve outreach to underserved communities.

IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection contractor Guarantee Electrical won three AGC Keystone Awards including Specialty Contractor of the Year for excellence on projects including the USDA Food Safety Lab and Siteman Cancer Center, while PayneCrest Electric earned honors for transforming office space into Clayco's St. Louis headquarters at the November construction awards gala.

IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper honors military veterans in union ranks by sending challenge coins to every IBEW veteran. Cooper highlights union's heavy investment in veteran outreach including hiring an international representative for veterans' affairs, expanding Veterans Electrical Entry Program, and supporting 70+ local Veterans Committees. He urges locals to recruit more servicemembers, noting veterans bring loyalty, pride and teamwork that enrich IBEW jobsites and strengthen organizing efforts.

Fourth District International Vice President Austin Keyser joins President Cooper and Secretary-Treasurer Noble to discuss IBEW's record-breaking membership growth in 2024-25. Keyser explains how his district led the way with innovative organizing strategies and intensive efforts that drove unprecedented expansion across the union.

International Secretary-Treasurer Paul Noble argues that unions are what make manufacturing jobs good jobs, citing model partnership between Local 2173 and Delta Star. Noble warns that momentum from Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and CHIPS Act is threatened by current administration reversals. He urges locals to leverage Clean Technology Training Trust to organize manufacturing sector, noting union membership below 10% demands aggressive action to restore North American manufacturing as middle-class foundation.

IBEW-led lineworker rodeo debuts at Iowa State Fair, attracting 4,000+ visitors including Gov. Kim Reynolds and federal legislators. Fifteen teams of union journeymen from Iowa locals competed in four timed events including cutout change-outs, power line flips, emergency rescues, and signature egg climb. Event showcases labor-utility cooperation through LAMPAC partnership, with plans to make rodeo annual tradition and key organizing tool for recruiting veterans and young workers into IBEW.

Rep. Donald Norcross (Local 351), only IBEW electrician in Congress, introduces bipartisan Faster Labor Contracts Act to combat union-busting delay tactics. Bill establishes 120-day timeline for first-contract negotiations, moving from talks (Day 10) to federal mediation (Day 90) to binding arbitration (Day 120+). Addresses problem where newly organized workers wait average 458 days for first contract. House companion to bipartisan Senate measure by Sens. Hawley and Booker aims to level playing field for workers who courageously organize.

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A redevelopment plan for the former Hartford Trade School building at 110 Washington Street would create approximately 57 affordable and workforce housing units through a $33.6 million project by Arch Communities and Boston Communities. The 1928 building, which has been used as a city warming center, is pending approval from the city council and environmental reviews, with construction potentially starting in spring 2026. Source: courant.com

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica causing catastrophic floods and landslides across the Caribbean, killing seven people and underscoring the urgency of the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Cabinet colleagues the hurricane highlighted the importance of the summit for those unable to "pick up their island and move it out of the way of the approaching storm." Source: theecologist.org

Bill Gates calls for a strategic pivot in climate action ahead of COP30, arguing the world should focus on preventing human suffering rather than solely on emissions targets. In his memo "Three Tough Truths About Climate," Gates contends that climate change is serious but won't end civilization, and that health and prosperity are the best defense against climate impacts, sparking debate among climate scientists and activists. Source: gatesnotes.com

COP30 in Belem, Brazil marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement with critical discussions on climate finance, deforestation, and closing the gap between countries' pledges and the 1.5C warming target. Key issues include scaling climate financing from $300 billion to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, protecting tropical forests through Brazil's proposed $125 billion fund, and addressing the urgent need for ambitious national climate plans. Source: france24.com