• Posted: November 12, 2018
• IBEW Local 134

 

On the first Thursday of March, IBEW Local 134 opened its doors for its brothers and sisters to see their new home on the south side of Chicago. Located at 2722 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Local 134’s new home hosted over 1,300 members for its inaugural meeting.

To mark this monumental occasion, Local 134 was honored to have Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago bless the new hall before the official meeting took place. The Cardinal applauded the brothers and sisters of Local 134 for their dedication to serving the common good and giving back to the Bronzeville neighborhood through things like a gymnasium that will be opened for anyone in the community to use.

“For a local union to come into the heart of the city and create a space, not only for the members, but for educating others and welcoming the community is truly generous and kind of you,” Cardinal Cupich said. “May [the hall] become a center where members are served, where workers are given knowledge and skill and where all find community.”

The Cardinal’s blessing culminated years of hard work for Local 134. In January 2015, over three years prior to the new hall opening, myself and others at 134 put together a building committee to begin exploring new locations for the brothers and sisters of 134 to gather. Since 1954, the union had called 600 W. Washington in Chicago its home. This iconic building housed the first central steam generating plant that was used to operate the cable car system when the city transitioned from horse-drawn street cars. In addition, the building marked Chicago’s history with foundation from buildings built prior to the 1871 Chicago fire.

While 134’s old building was steeped in history, it was time to find a new home. The new location, nestled in the heart of Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood, is just a few blocks from McCormick place, Chicago’s iconic convention and tradeshow facility that provides Local 134 with its largest amount of man hours each year. In addition, the hall is right next door to Dunbar Career Academy which hosts a comprehensive construction trades program called Chicago Builds for high school juniors and seniors looking to join a specific trade.

In addition to a new union hall, work continues at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute in Alsip, Il. Phase one began with the Renewable Energy Training Field (REFT) which opened in 2015. The goal of the RETF is to become the center for all renewable energy technology so that IBEW members and non-IBEW affiliated individuals can have access to the latest technology that will drive Illinois’ power into the future. Phase two, which consists of a new building addition, will house the administration portion of the Institute and is slated to open this summer. With new space for the administration, the Institute will be able to expand its footprint within its existing building and offer updated classrooms with new labs for the apprentices.

Local 134 will continue to give its brothers and sisters the best possible tools and the best possible home as it looks to remain the go-to source for highly-skilled electricians in Chicago.