IBEW 1186

What IBEW 1186 does

IBEW Local Union 1186 is a chartered local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, operating since 1940 as a nonprofit labor organization representing electrical and telecommunication workers across the Hawaiian Islands. Its headquarters are at 1935 Hau Street, Honolulu, with additional offices in Hilo, Kona, Kahului (Maui), and Lihue (Kauai), collectively covering all four major Hawaiian islands. The local represents journey electricians working for signatory contractors in commercial and residential electrical construction as well as telecommunication workers (Unit 1) in cable and telecom installation and maintenance, and Unit 2 members served by a dedicated business representative.

The union's revenue model is dues-based and recurring, with members paying periodic dues in exchange for collective bargaining, workplace representation, training access through the Hawaii Electrical Training Fund (HETF) apprenticeship pipeline, scholarships, retiree support via the Hawaii Electricians Retiree Association (HERA), and political advocacy. The local does not publish dues rates and operates without a parent company or institutional ownership; governance rests with elected officers led by Business Manager/Financial Secretary Damien T.K. Kim. Approximately 35 staff administer the organization, supported by an elected executive board and recent 2026 leadership elections.

From a technology and product standpoint, IBEW 1186 is not a technology vendor. Its digital surface consists of a public website (ibew1186.org), a secure member portal at members.ibew1186.org, a mobile application with SMS opt-in texting (implemented under February 2024 consent rules), and a public-facing Wages & Benefits Comparison Tool that benchmarks non-union compensation against IBEW packages. Go-to-market is community-led: the local acquires and retains members through signatory contractors, collective bargaining, annual member picnics across all four islands, the RENEW program for younger members, candidate endorsements, and a multi-channel social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.

Name

IBEW 1186

Legal name

IBEW Local Union 1186 (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)

Website

https://ibew1186.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IBEW Local 1186 is a nonprofit labor union chartered in 1940 that represents journey electricians and telecommunication workers across Hawaii through collective bargaining, training, and member services from offices on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: IBEW 1186 generates revenue through membership dues paid by represented workers. The union provides collective bargaining, representation, training (through HETF - Hawaii Electrical Training Fund), and member benefits in exchange for dues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IBEW Local 1186 is a Hawaii-based labor union local that represents electrical and telecommunication workers through collective bargaining agreements with signatory contractors. In exchange for membership dues, the union provides wage and benefits negotiation, workplace representation, access to apprenticeship and journeyman training via the Hawaii Electrical Training Fund (HETF), member benefits programs, scholarships, retiree support through HERA, and political advocacy for working families. The union operates a member portal and a wages and benefits comparison tool to support member engagement and recruitment.

Product overview

IBEW 1186 is a labor union (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1186) representing electrical and telecommunications workers across Hawaii. The union operates as a single-purpose membership organization rather than a technology product company. Its primary offerings include union membership services, a member portal for account management, and a wage comparison tool for members to evaluate their compensation against union standards. The union also provides training through the Hawaii Electrical Training Fund (HETF), compliance services, and coordinates member activities through various units (Unit 1 for cable/telecom, Unit 2).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBEW Local 1186 Member Portal Secure online portal for IBEW 1186 union members to log in, access their accounts, manage their membership, reset passwords, and opt in to text message communications. Designed for current union members in Hawaii.
• Wages & Benefits Comparison Tool Online tool enabling current and prospective members to compare their existing compensation (hourly wage, healthcare, pension, vacation, holidays, sick days, 401(k) match, training contributions, and annual bonus) against IBEW 1186's compensation packages for electricians and telecommunication workers. Targeted at Hawaii electrical and telecom workers evaluating union membership.
• IBEW 1186 Union Membership Core union membership service providing collective bargaining representation, workplace grievance handling, wage and benefits negotiation, access to the Hawaii Electrical Training Fund (HETF) for apprenticeship and journeyman training, member benefits programs, scholarships, political advocacy, and retiree support via HERA. Available to electrical and telecommunication workers in Hawaii who work for or join signatory contractors.
• HETF Apprenticeship Training Program (Hawaii Electrical Training Fund) Apprenticeship and ongoing electrical training program delivered through the Hawaii Electrical Training Fund (HETF) for IBEW 1186 members, supporting career progression from apprentice to journey electrician. Open to union members and apprentices entering the electrical trade in Hawaii.
• IBEW 1186 Compliance Department Services Labor compliance services offered by IBEW 1186's compliance department for signatory contractors and members, handling regulatory adherence, prevailing wage, and labor standards issues on electrical and telecommunication construction projects in Hawaii.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hawaii Building & Construction Trades CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023IBEW 1186 coordinates with the Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council on joint initiatives, including sponsoring events like the Dita Holifield's All-American Rodeo in 2022, representing the broader labor movement in Hawaii.
• Union PlusminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2023Union Plus is a benefit program available to union members that provides discounts, contests, and member benefits. IBEW 1186 shares information about Union Plus programs, such as the 'Unions Power America' contest offering prizes up to $40,000.
• CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and TrainingminorOthers · 1 January 2022CPWR conducts research on construction safety and industry issues. IBEW 1186 participates in CPWR surveys, such as a workplace bullying and harassment survey distributed to members in 2022.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IBEW Local 46: IBEW local serving the Puget Sound region of Washington state. Represents inside wiremen, telecom workers, and signatory contractors in a similar residential/commercial construction mix as IBEW 1186 in Hawaii.
• United Association Local 675 (Hawaii): Represents plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC workers in Hawaii. Operates under the same multi-island Hawaii construction labor model as IBEW 1186 with overlapping signatory contractor relationships and parallel apprenticeship training funds.
• IBEW Local 1245: One of the largest IBEW locals in the western US, representing utility, construction, and telecommunications workers across northern California and Nevada. Most structurally comparable IBEW local in size, craft mix, and multi-trade membership.
• IBEW Local 332: IBEW local serving San Jose and Silicon Valley. Represents electrical and telecom workers under a similar inside-construction and signatory-contractor model; comparable in craft scope and member engagement approach.
• IBEW Local 11: Large IBEW local serving Los Angeles and surrounding counties. Comparable craft mix (inside construction, sound, telecom) and multi-employer signatory contractor model; useful as a peer benchmark for membership scale and service breadth.
• Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council: The coordinating body for Hawaii's construction trade unions. IBEW 1186 is a member and coordinates with this council on joint initiatives, political endorsements, and broader labor movement activities across the islands.
• Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters: Represents carpenters and related trades in Hawaii under the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Comparable in scale, geographic confinement to Hawaii, multi-island operations, and apprenticeship-driven craft representation.

Broad incumbents

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): The international parent union that charters IBEW Local 1186. Operates broadly across North America, providing the brand, organizing infrastructure, and national bargaining framework that the local leverages in Hawaii.
• Hawaii State AFL-CIO: The state labor federation coordinating affiliated unions in Hawaii. IBEW 1186 participates in this broader labor body for political advocacy and cross-union coordination, making it a parent-federation peer in the same Hawaiian labor ecosystem.

Others

• Hawaii Electrical Training Fund (HETF): The apprenticeship and training arm affiliated with IBEW 1186. While not a peer union itself, it operates as an adjacent ecosystem entity that channels new electricians into the local's membership pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/ibew.hawaii
• Facebookfacebook.com/ibew.hawaii
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/9401539
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibew-1186

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 1186