-
Who We Are
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
The IBEW represents approximately 775,000 active members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among the American unions in the AFL-CIO because it is among the largest and has members in so many skilled occupations.
As union members, we bargain collectively with our employers over wages, benefits, and rights.
Most of us have very limited bargaining power as one person, but as a group, we are strong. And, with a good negotiated contract, we have legal protections we would not have otherwise.
Formed in 1891, we have earned our reputation as the oldest, largest and most professional electrical union in the world. We are on the job at construction sites, power plants, factories, offices, shipyards, TV studios and rail yards.
We know that there’s strength in numbers and have a proven path to help get results. By securing good wages, solid benefits and safer job sites, our union helps build a better road to the middle class for all working families.
Upcoming Events
Jun 05 Fri Examining Board Meeting - Appointment only, please see details
Jun 05, 20262510 NW 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32609Jun 05 Fri IBEW 1205 Monthly Union Meeting
Jun 05, 20262510 NW 6th St., Gainesville, FL 32609Jun 05 Fri Executive Board Meeting
Jun 05, 2026Gainesville HallJun 19 Fri RENEW Committee Meeting
Jun 19, 2026Gainesville Hall 2510 NW 6th Street Gainesville, FL 32609Jun 19 Fri Juneteenth National Independence Day- Federal Holiday
Jun 19, 2026Who We Represent
Local 1205 has represented workers in the electrical industry throughout North Central Florida, West Florida, and South Georgia since 1940.
To determine the IBEW jurisdiction covers where you live, please use this Local Directory
The objects of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are:
To organize all workers in the entire electrical industry in the United States and Canada, including all those in public utilities and electrical manufacturing, into local unions, reasonable methods of work, To cultivate feelings of friendship among those of our industry, To settle all disputes between employers and employees by arbitration (if possible), To assist each other in sickness or distress, To secure employment, To reduce the hours of daily labor, To secure adequate pay for our work, To seek a higher and higher standard of living, To seek security for the individual, And, by legal and proper means to elevate the moral, intellectual and social conditions of our members, their families and dependents, in the interest of a higher standard of citizenship.
Click here to view our current working agreement.
Career opportunities in the electrical trade are available for all skill and experience levels!
Are you already working in the electrical field?
Chances are that you are not earning up to your full potential. Learn how you can earn more money doing the same job you are already doing!
Use this wage calculator to see how your pay compares to the IBEW Wages in your area. Find out more about what joining the union has to offer by visiting sameworkbetterpay.com
Click here to be contacted by a representative and discover what we have to offer you and your electrical career.
Requirements for becoming an Inside Journeyman Wireman with IBEW.
Please complete this application_for_membership. Once received, a representative will reach out to you to answer additional questions you may have.
Once the application is reviewed, an interview will be set with the Examining Board at the next scheduled meeting.
The Examining Board meets by appointment only on the second Friday of each month. A minimum of a week's notice is required to review paperwork and set up your interview. Hands-on testing as well as a written test may be required at the time of your interview. Three hours of time are allocated for each portion of the test. Testing begins at 9AM EST and concludes around 4PM EST. Please plan accordingly.
Be prepared to provide the following supporting documentation and complete the 1205_member_information_form prior to setting up your interview:
- Completion certificate from a federally registered apprenticeship program (optional)
- Journeyman License (optional)
- At least 5 years of provable work history in the electrical trade (forms of proof are typically an IRS transcript, W2s, check stubs, or Social Security Print out)
- More than five years' work history will benefit your application.
IRS records can be obtained by request through the agency's website.
Electrical Apprenticeship Opportunity
The Electrical Training Alliance of Gainesville is looking for individuals who are interested in a career in the Electrical Construction Industry.(Commercial and Industrial settings)
This four-year program provides individuals with the opportunity to become a Qualified Electrical Worker (Journeyworker) in both Commercial and Industrial settings with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) while you are working for our valued contractor partners affiliated with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). We offer excellent wages, employer-paid benefits, safe working environments and limitless advancement prospects. When you decide to train with IBEW-NECA, you are making a priceless investment in your future.
Please take time to look through our website and feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this program.
Click here to access our website!
Fill out your application for an opportunity to EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!
Ready to join IBEW?
APPLY NOW!
NOTICE OF IBEW LOCAL UNION 1205 MONTHLY DUES RATES
The Delegates of the 40th IBEW Convention, which was conducted in Chicago, Illinois, during the week of May 9 through 13, 2022, approved several amendments to Article IX of the IBEW Constitution. Accordingly, effective January 1, 2023, there will be an increase of two dollars ($2.00) for the per capita that is paid to the General Fund only. There will also be an increase of two dollars ($2.00) in the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund (PBF) contribution, which applies to “A” members only. The following rates will apply to the international office portion of all monthly dues payments for January 2023, and thereafter:
Effective July 1, 2025:
"BA" Members: $49.00 ($588.00 annually)
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT PROCESSING UPDATE
To better protect our members' credit card information, Local 1205 will no longer accept payments over the phone. All credit card payments should be made by the individual member through the payment portal. We appreciate your understanding regarding this policy update and apologize for any inconvenience. If you have difficulties logging into the website or payment portal, please call the hall for assistance.
Gainesville honors IBEW Local 1205 with street naming
Published on September 19, 2025 https://www.gainesvillefl.gov/News-articles/IBEW-Avenue
The City of Gainesville is honoring the 85th anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1205 with a dual street naming, recognizing decades of service by one of the community’s most influential labor organizations. At the evening session of yesterday’s regular meeting, the Gainesville City Commission adopted a resolution designating the portion of NW 25th Avenue from NW 8th Street to NW 6th Street as “IBEW Avenue.” The stretch of road was chosen because it runs adjacent to the union hall.
As part of the largest organization of electrical workers in North America, Gainesville’s IBEW Local 1205 represents electricians, linemen and skilled tradespeople in industries including construction and utilities. The IBEW negotiates multi-year contracts with employers, returning to the table regularly to update wages, benefits and working conditions. The union’s apprenticeship program, operated with the North Florida Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, has trained hundreds of workers, pairing classroom learning with on-the-job experience.
Gainesville City Commissioner-At-Large (Seat A) James Ingle, who serves as president of IBEW Local 1205, has been deeply engaged in ensuring the union’s significance is recognized by the larger community. Ingle began his own career through the IBEW apprenticeship program, a path that provided him with a trade and later influenced his decision to serve in public office.
“For 85 years, IBEW Local 1205 has built more than power lines and wiring—it has built careers, stability and pride for working people in Gainesville,” said Commissioner Ingle. “This street naming honors the electricians and apprentices who keep our community moving forward and reflects the union’s role in making sure hard work leads to a better life.”
The recognition also reflects the Gainesville City Commission’s larger commitment to helping working families. Over the past several years, commissioners have advanced initiatives designed to expand opportunity and improve quality of life, including:
- Workforce housing: Through partnerships with organizations like Bright Community Trust and initiatives such as free plans to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), the city has donated land and supported projects that increase access to affordable housing.
- Education and learning opportunities: The city has developed programs and partnerships aimed at helping young people gain skills and narrow educational and opportunity gaps.
- Traffic and public safety improvements: Through the Vision Zero program and targeted infrastructure investments, Gainesville is redesigning streets to make them safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, addressing concerns that disproportionately affect working-class neighborhoods.
- Neighborhood support: Investments in the Eastside Health and Economic Development Initiative (EHEDI), Mobility on Demand (MOD) transportation options through the Regional Transit System (RTS), and the Community F.I.R.S.T. initiative to bring city leadership directly into neighborhoods are aimed at creating a stronger, more connected city.
For Gainesville Mayor Harvey L. Ward, honoring IBEW Local 1205 is also about looking ahead. Celebrating the union’s role in Gainesville’s economy provides an opportunity to stress the importance of continued investment in training, good jobs and robust technological infrastructure across the community.
“IBEW Local 1205 has equipped people with skills that open doors and helped set a standard for what work in Gainesville should look like,” said Mayor Ward. “In my opinion, dedicating IBEW Avenue is one part history and one part showing who we are—a community that gives working people a chance to thrive.”
IBEW Local 1205 is coordinating a public ceremony to unveil the new street sign on Oct. 7, the exact date the local was chartered in 1940. The event to mark the union’s 85-year history is expected to bring together city leaders, union members and community partners to mark the occasion with both celebration and reflection.
PowerNet Credit Union is the largest labor-based credit union in Florida and has served the Building and Construction Trade local Unions and their members throughout the state since 1961. Membership is open to all Florida building and construction unions, their members, retirees as pensioners or annuitants of said local unions, spouses of members that died while a member, and organizations/affiliations of unions which include employees of the unions and their families.
The 401K offered through NECA/IBEW is now available to members wishing to make contributions.
To find out more, contact the IBEW Investments Department at 1-888-411-4239 or go to the NEFP website: www.nefp.org.
Please complete this form if you are interested in participating. All forms and plan documents are available here.
