IBEW Local 81

What IBEW Local 81 does

IBEW Local 81 (legal name: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 81) is a private, nonprofit labor union founded in 1913 that represents skilled electricians in northeastern Pennsylvania, with its headquarters at 431 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton. The organization is affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) national body and operates under a long-standing labor-management partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Its primary customers are IBEW-NECA affiliated electrical contractors, supplemented by residential customers and government/public sector projects subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.

The union's core offerings are (1) a registered 5-year apprenticeship program operated through the Scranton Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), producing Journeyman wiremen with classroom instruction plus on-the-job training; (2) labor-management partnership services that dispatch trained members to electrical contractors via an out-of-work referral list governed by seniority; and (3) member services including job referrals, benefits administration (health insurance, annuity, vacation fund, national pension plan), dues management, and member communications through the ibew81.org portal and newsletter. Notable technical capabilities include EVITP certification for EV charging station installation (aligned with federal national charging network guidance) and influence over the National Electrical Code through past leadership participation on the NEC Committee.

Revenue is generated primarily through member dues (specific amounts not publicly disclosed), with no public revenue figures, financial filings, or dues schedules available. Distribution operates regionally through the union referral system and the NECA contractor network, with all activity confined to Scranton and surrounding northeastern Pennsylvania communities. Leadership is currently held by Business Manager/Financial Secretary Michael McDermott, following Eddie O'Donnell's retirement.

Name

IBEW Local 81

Legal name

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 81

Website

https://ibew81.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

IBEW Local 81 is a Scranton, Pennsylvania labor union representing skilled electricians, founded in 1913 and affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. It runs a 5-year apprenticeship, dispatches members to electrical contractors, and provides training in EV infrastructure and code compliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Electrical Work (1731), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Electrical Power Systems & Utility Linework (Transmission/Distribution) (EDAOABAC)

Keywords

• Union electrician services
• Electrical apprenticeship training
• Labor management partnership
• Journeyman electrician certification
• EV infrastructure training

Headquarters

HQ city

Scranton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IBEW Local 81 is a labor union that represents skilled union electricians in northeastern Pennsylvania, providing them with fair wages, benefits, job referrals, and continuing education. It runs the Scranton Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), a 5-year registered apprenticeship program that trains new electricians, and operates the IBEW-NECA labor-management partnership that dispatches qualified Journeyman electricians to affiliated contractors for commercial, industrial, residential, infrastructure, and renewable energy projects.

Product overview

IBEW Local 81 is a labor union representing skilled electricians in northeastern Pennsylvania. The organization offers an electrical apprenticeship program (Scranton JATC) for training new electricians, labor-management partnership services connecting union members with electrical contractors, and member services including job referrals, benefits, and communications. The union was founded over 110 years ago and is affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBEW-NECA Electrical Apprenticeship Program (Scranton JATC) A joint IBEW-NECA apprenticeship and training program that trains electricians in northeastern Pennsylvania, providing classroom instruction and on-the-job experience through the Scranton Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC). It prepares participants for Journeyman electrician status and includes specialized training such as EVITP certification for EV charging infrastructure.
• Labor-Management Partnership Services (IBEW-NECA Referral Dispatch) A collaborative relationship between IBEW Local 81 and electrical contractors that provides skilled union electricians for construction projects in northeastern Pennsylvania. Members sign the out-of-work list and are dispatched to contractor jobs based on availability and seniority.
• Member Services Services for IBEW Local 81 members including job referrals, benefits administration (life and health insurance, annuity plan, vacation fund, national pension plan), business manager updates, dues management, and member communications through the website portal.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBEW-NECA is a labor-management partnership providing trained electricians to NECA contractors. For over 100 years, the IBEW-NECA trained electricians of Local 81 have brought safe, reliable power to Scranton and businesses. The partnership includes the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC).
• National Electrical Code CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul J. Casparro, former Business Manager, served as chairman and panel member of the National Electrical Code Committee, influencing electrical safety standards.
• Scranton JATC (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Apprenticeship and Training Committee providing structured 5-year apprenticeship training for electrical workers in partnership with NECA contractors.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IBEW Local 47: Southern California IBEW local covering San Bernardino, Riverside, and surrounding counties. Operates the same IBEW-NECA apprenticeship/JATC model and dispatch referral system that defines Local 81's service to Scranton contractors.
• IBEW Local 3: New York City IBEW local union representing inside and outside electrical workers. Same IBEW-NECA labor-management structure, JATC apprenticeship model, and member benefit stack as Local 81; comparable product offering (trained Journeyman electricians, job referral, apprenticeship).
• IBEW Local 134: Chicago-area IBEW local representing electrical workers under the IBEW-NECA framework. Closely comparable in offering: registered apprenticeship through a JATC, Journeyman wireman certification, and contractor job dispatch — the same core operating model as Local 81.

Regional players

• United Association (UA) Local 524: Plumbers and pipefitters local serving the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region. Adjacent building-trades union in the same regional labor council as IBEW Local 81; same union apprenticeship and benefits model, parallel trades.

Others

• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA): Strategic labor-management counterpart to IBEW. While NECA represents the contractor side rather than workers, the IBEW-NECA partnership is the structural foundation that drives Local 81's contractor relationships and dispatch volume.
• Scranton School District Career & Technical Education: Regional secondary career and technical education provider that introduces high-school students to electrical trades. Acts as a feeder pipeline (or competitor for early talent) into Local 81's apprenticeship program in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Broad incumbents

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): National parent organization representing approximately 775,000 members. Local 81 is a subsidiary affiliate; the national body sets the IBEW-NECA framework, NEC participation, and EVITP program that Local 81 operates locally.

Emerging players

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National trade association for open-shop (non-union) contractors, including an apprenticeship/trade training arm. Competes with IBEW Local 81 for electrical contractor relationships and for apprentice talent entering the skilled trades.
• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC): National trade association of non-union electrical contractors with its own apprenticeship training program. Directly comparable alternative pathway for electrician training and labor supply; competes with IBEW Local 81 for the same pool of contractors and apprentices.
• Penn College of Technology: Pennsylvania technical college offering electrical construction and electrician programs. Competes for prospective apprentices who might otherwise enter Local 81's JATC program; comparable workforce-development output for the Pennsylvania trades pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/scrantonelectriciansjatc
• Xtwitter.com/IBEW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i.b.e.w.-local-81

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IBEW Local 81