The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 102 is celebrating its 125th anniversary this month with its 3,000 members in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Local 102 was created back in 1900, when 11 electricians decided to join the IBEW.
“Unions were originally formed during the industrial revolution, but back then, safety was the key issue. Life expectancy was short and working conditions were poor,” IBEW Local 102 President Bernie Corrigan said.
Times have surely changed, and the role of IBEW Local 102 has expanded beyond safety standards and pay to providing training, tuition reimbursement and other services to help keep their members trained and employed.
Today, the electricians perform work for large and small companies, hospitals, refineries and other big institutions, as well as highway and bridges across New Jersey. Their work continually changes as technology gets more sophisticated.
Corrigan, who has served as Local 102 president since 2009, often draws parallels to the business community by comparing his organization to HR outsourcing companies.
“We conduct ourselves just like a business – you must sell yourself and the services you provide to the contractors and end users we serve. We try to make life easier for them by taking on more of the business details. They like the idea that they don’t have to worry about benefits—that’s one less thing they need to do.”
Corrigan is a strong believer in being connected to the local communities and having a seat at the table at the state level. In fact, Corrigan was elected to the New Jersey Business & Industry Board of Trustees in 2024, serving a three-year term.
“Being connected is key to our success. We do a lot of volunteer work, bike rides, charities– you must get out there and touch the lives of others,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges facing the electrical workers and Local 102 is keeping its members up to date with the introduction of new technology.
Corrigan added that lifelong education is critical so people can pivot in the marketplace.
“We have a training center at our building in Parsippany and we also have a partnership with Rowan University,” he added.
Local 102 offers a tuition reimbursement program for members. It also has an apprentice program, where members can become journeymen in five years.
Corrigan is optimistic about New Jersey’s business future.
“I am a firm believer in life-long learning and being a strong communicator, so people understand what we do and the critical role our folks play. We have a great state, a great location and a strong business community here; we just need to get better at attracting new businesses to locate here so we can continue to grow.” he said.
