May 2023

Hello Sisters and Brothers,

I owe the Union a great deal of gratitude for the life it has afforded me and my family. Five years ago, I was asked to take on the role of Business Representative at the Hall and I felt as if it was my duty and obligation to give back to the Union in this regard. Three years later, I made the decision to return to the tools. Since that moment, I have had an outpouring of requests from members to take on the role of Business Manager. I thought long and hard about entering into the politics of our Union, and ultimately decided that I was dissatisfied with where we were at as a whole and again felt that pull of duty and obligation to do something about it. I quit my job so that I could dedicate my full attention to traveling the State and meeting members face to face. All my campaign expenses have been paid for by my own Union wages, as I don’t feel like money should be the reason you take on this important role in our Local. This position will not be a steppingstone in my career as I will have a reduction in pay due to it. I have no desire to advance to the International Office or become a Senator someday, I simply want to give back to the Union that has given me so much.

With that being said, the health of our Local is in poor shape right now. Only about 25% of our membership has voted in previous elections that decide who will run our Local. Many contracts being ratified are done at similar percentages. Much of our membership is uninterested and disengaged with our leadership. Union meeting attendance is down and very few people opt to run for the elected offices in our Local. I have spent a lot of time interacting with membership as a Lineman, a Shop Steward, and a Business Representative; both in and out of the State. Most members working in the trades are very pro-union when discussing core issues like having a contract with good wages and benefits, annual raises, health and welfare, and retirements. The conversation generally changes significantly when discussing the Local Hall’s and the International.

I feel that the biggest problems that challenge both our Local and the IBEW as a whole, are internal. There is a huge disconnect between the Hall and most of the membership. It is not just in our Local either, other Locals I have traveled to feel the same way. I want you, the membership, to feel confident that your labor leaders are putting as much time and effort into their jobs as you are. At many properties, we have members that rarely or never see their Business Representative. As a 22-year member myself, I believe we have an obligation to increase our membership engagement and I would like to see the Hall incorporate more time in the field with members, attend safety meetings, and otherwise start engaging with members more frequently.

One of the biggest divides between members and the Hall, as well as an impediment to organizing much of the non-union element, is politics. I have had several discussions with members that disagree with our Local’s endorsements and have had no real venue to discuss them. Our social media pages repeatedly delete any comments that are not in line with the Hall’s view. This is not an effective way to have dialogue with the people we represent. I want to implement more avenues of communication and have an open forum to hear feedback, concerns, and questions regarding these decisions. I want more transparency in how and why we choose to endorse each candidate.

We are an organization that is tasked with representing our membership. If leadership feels that they are more knowledgeable on a subject than its members, it’s their duty to effectively communicate what they know on the matter. If there is still a disagreement, then the Hall needs to seriously reconsider its position. At what point does an organization that no longer represents its members' opinions expect to succeed? I want to represent the Local, not control it. 

This election, if you are one of the 75% of members that doesn’t feel that their vote will change the direction of their Union, I urge you to reconsider. You have a choice between the past established leadership's nominated and endorsed candidate, or you can vote for someone who has spent over 20 years working side by side with you. My opponent and I both want the Union to be successful, but the routes we take will move us in different directions. Please take the time to look at both of our websites and endorsements.

I look forward to the opportunity to represent you and your interests moving forward.

In Solidarity,

Brannon Nichols

Ballots must be received at the post office no later than June 9th. Ballots cannot be dropped off in person at the Hall, they must be mailed.