Electrical Workers Minority Caucus meets and volunteers in Portland

Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley told delegates to the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus Jan. 18 that he is pushing for energy retrofits to be a primary piece of any jobs bill that comes out of Congress in the next few months.

“We can put a lot of people to work re-building the buildings we have, saving a lot of energy, and saving a lot of money,” Merkley said.

To achieve this, the bill must include financing assistance for residential and commercial building owners who cannot afford the upfront cost of a home renovation, but who could pay for it out of the savings they will see on their energy bill.

Merkley said financing assistance can allow federal dollars to be leveraged substantially farther than a rebate program. For example, appropriating $2 billion for loan guarantees could allow $20-$40 billion in financing.

Electricians applauded the announcement. Electrical contractors have been hit hard by the Great Recession, with unemployment in the industry as high as 40 percent in some areas.

More than 350 delegates from throughout the country attended the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus convention Jan. 14-18 at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland. This year’s host was IBEW Local 48. The caucus serves as a support and networking system for minorities within the union, providing education and training.

On Jan 14, more than 125 volunteers fanned out across the city for a “day of service” in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Volunteers ran electrical wiring, added electrical receptacles, updated and repaired electrical panels, painted, and more, said IBEW Local 48 President Eric Hayes, who helped coordinate the event.

The projects ranged from work at a food pantry to doing a service on a 1940s church.

“I’ve been involved with this since 1996,” said Marjorie Ramirez, a member of IBEW Local 48. “I think the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus has been doing volunteer work for a minimum of 20 years.”

Caucus delegates also collected working cell phones, wall chargers, and batteries to donate to the Portland Women’s Crisis Line. 

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