Stephen Rumburg, Business Manager and President of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 465, joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast.
IUOE Local 465 currently has around 1,000 active members. Members are split into two categories, hoist and portable or stationary. The hoist and portable section of Local 465 comprises all of North Carolina and 14 counties in South Carolina. The stationary section covers all of North and South Carolina.
Despite operating in two of the least union friendly states, Rumburg said they’ve seen a growing number of people wanting to organize. With fewer well-paying non-union jobs available, Rumburg has been able to leverage the higher rates of their stationary positions to bring in more members. Similarly, the hoist and portable section has benefited from high paying federal jobs that require union workers, and they’ve turned that into a driving force for growth.
The push for renewable energy has arrived in the Carolinas. Local 465 and the North and South Carolina Building and Construction Trades Council are trying to ensure unions get the work. Rumburg mentioned that Local 465 and the building trades council are working together to convince the government that union trades should be awarded the jobs on the off-shore wind farm project being planned. Rumburg believes this renewable energy push will allow Local 465 to continue growing their membership.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.