The term union electrician refers to a professional electrician who has completed trade school and joined the local chapter of an international or national labor union, such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). These construction professionals undergo union training that adds to their electrical knowledge, as the electricians in this video point out. Some of these electricians develop specialties in electrical work, like commercial or residential electrical projects.

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Labor unions use collective bargaining methods to negotiate pay standards and benefits for their members. Union electricians all earn the same rate for the same job, negating differences in pay due to gender or race. As long as the electricians hold the same job title or training level, they earn the same rate.

While a non-union electrician works in the employ of a specific company or independently, a union electrician obtains work through the union. These construction professionals don’t lose their jobs if a company they work with closes. Their local union, a part of the larger American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), helps them obtain a new work assignment. The IBEW and similar unions provide stability that transforms a job into a career. Each union electrician earns a pension that pays them at the same rate in retirement as when they worked.