President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 38, Mike Muzik, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and talked about volunteer work performed by the Local’s members to light up Public Square in downtown Cleveland for the holiday season. Muzik also talked about the increased number of apprentices in their registered apprenticeship program.
Muzik has served as President of Local 38, which has nearly 1,900 active members in the Cleveland area, since 2017. His career has spanned over 32 years with the nearly 128-year-old Local.
Every year prior to the holiday season, Local 38 Brothers and Sisters volunteer to hang Christmas lights in Public Square. The volunteers work together to decorate the Squre about a month before Winterfest festivities, the large celebration when the lights are officially turned on. Not only does the volunteer work help create a greater relationship between the Local and residents, but also between the Local 38 members. It has become an annual event, as some Brothers and Sisters bring their families to help decorate, Muzik said.
Local 38 has seen consistent growth in its registered apprenticeship program. Many new apprentices are coming to the IBEW from union families, just not always IBEW families. There is constant work for new electricians, and with the investment from the Infrastructure, CHIPS and Science acts, more work is still to come. To match the need, Muzik hopes they can keep up with the growing demand by bring in more new apprentices.
To hear Muzik discuss more about the effort to decorate Cleveland’s Public Square, listen to the show above.