IBEW Local 153

What IBEW Local 153 does

IBEW Local 153 is a regional labor union local affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the AFL-CIO, representing electrical workers in the Michiana area of northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Headquartered at 56475 Peppermint Road in South Bend, Indiana, the union provides collective bargaining representation, job placement through a book-signing referral system, a five-year registered apprenticeship program via the SBJATC 153 joint training committee, retirement benefits administered through Empower, healthcare access through a Marathon Health clinic, member discount programs, and political advocacy through the Committee on Political Education (COPE). Its core constituents are journeymen electricians, apprentices, and aspiring electricians, with a secondary stakeholder base of residential, commercial, industrial, and low-voltage electrical contractors who access unionized labor through the referral system.

The union's technology stack is built on three external platforms: UnionActive powers the public website and member management system, Working Systems handles online dues payment and job bidding/book signing, and Empower administers the Michiana Area Electrical Workers' Money Purchase Plan. Operations are supported by a staff of 11-50 employees across three South Bend facilities (the main union hall, the SBJATC 153 apprenticeship training facility, and the Marathon Health clinic location). Multiple member committees — including Executive Board, Women's Committee, H.E.L.P. 153, RENEW, EIA, Exam Board, and Retiree activities — provide member engagement and governance.

Revenue is generated exclusively through recurring monthly member dues, which are not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market model is community-led: the union recruits through apprenticeship applications (jatc153.com), monthly Journeyman Applicants Open House events, contractor outreach via a contractor portal, and political mobilization through COPE. As a mutual-benefit membership organization under U.S. labor law, Local 153 is democratically governed by its members and operates with autonomous local jurisdiction while drawing on IBEW international standards and Northern Indiana NECA collective bargaining agreements.

Name

IBEW Local 153

Legal name

IBEW Local 153

Website

https://www.ibew153.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IBEW Local 153 is a regional IBEW-affiliated labor union local in South Bend, Indiana, representing electrical workers in the Michiana area through collective bargaining, job referral, apprenticeship training, and member benefits including retirement and healthcare.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: IBEW Local 153 generates revenue through monthly membership dues paid by union members. Members can pay dues online through the Working Systems portal. The union provides job referral services, training, retirement benefits administration, and other member services in exchange for dues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IBEW Local 153 is a labor union local that represents electrical workers in the Michiana area (northern Indiana/southern Michigan), providing collective bargaining representation, job referral services through a book-signing system, a five-year registered apprenticeship training program (SBJATC 153), retirement benefits administration via Empower, healthcare access through Marathon Health clinic, member discounts, and political advocacy through COPE. The union is funded by recurring monthly member dues and operates as a mutual benefit membership organization under IBEW international affiliation.

Product overview

IBEW Local 153 is a labor union local representing electrical workers in the Michiana area (Northern Indiana/Southern Michigan). The organization operates a unified member services platform built on the UnionActive CMS, which integrates several core offerings: a member portal and job referral system (including book signing, job calls, and online bidding via Working Systems), the SBJATC 153 registered electrical apprenticeship program, online dues payment, the Empower retirement plan portal, the Marathon Health Clinic, member discount programs, and political advocacy services including COPE. These services are delivered through the union hall (56475 Peppermint Road, South Bend, IN), a mobile-responsive website, and a mobile app.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SBJATC 153: Apprenticeship program for electrical workers operated by the local union
• SBVJATC 153

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBEW Local 153 is a local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the largest electrical union in North America. The parent organization provides support, standards, and collective bargaining resources. IBEW is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
• Northern Indiana NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNECA is the trade association for electrical contractors. Local 153 works with the Northern Indiana NECA chapter for collective bargaining agreements and contractor partnerships.
• National AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFL-CIO is the largest federation of unions in the United States. IBEW is affiliated through the AFL-CIO, providing political advocacy and labor movement support.
• Powering MichianaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional industry initiative for electrical industry promotion and workforce development in the Michiana area.
• SBJATC 153 (South Bend Valley Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJoint apprenticeship and training committee providing the five-year registered electrical apprenticeship program. Located at 56365 Peppermint Rd, South Bend, IN.
• EmpowercoreOthersEmpower administers the Michiana Area Electrical Workers' Money Purchase Plan (annuity/retirement benefits). Previously administered by Merrill Lynch, transitioned to Empower.
• Marathon HealthminorOthersMarathon Health clinic provides healthcare services to union members and families at 3371 W Cleveland Road, Suite 120, South Bend, IN 46628. Phone: 574-218-6700.
• UnionActivecoreTechnology or IntegrationUnionActive provides the website platform and member management software for IBEW Local 153's website (ibew153.com). Powers member login, content management, event calendars, and member communications.
• Notre Dame Federal Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount partner offering financial services discounts to IBEW Local 153 members.
• AT&TminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount partner offering telecommunications discounts to IBEW Local 153 members.
• Union PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnion Plus program offers discounts and benefits to AFL-CIO union members including IBEW Local 153 members.
• Kroc CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount partner offering fitness and recreation facility access to IBEW Local 153 members.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IBEW Local 134 (Chicago): A larger IBEW local chapter serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Operates the same mix of job referral, apprenticeship training, collective bargaining, and member benefits services, making it the closest structural peer to Local 153 within the same IBEW international.
• IBEW Local 1 (St. Louis): IBEW local chapter in St. Louis providing the same union-representation and apprenticeship services for inside wiremen, residential, and low-voltage electricians. Comparable in mandate, member-benefit offering, and NECA partnership structure to Local 153.
• IBEW Local 3 (New York City): The largest IBEW local in the U.S., representing electrical workers across NYC and surrounding counties. Operates identical core functions — job calls, apprenticeship, health/welfare benefits, and political advocacy — at much greater scale.
• IBEW Local 46 (Seattle/Puget Sound): IBEW local serving the Seattle/Puget Sound region. Provides apprenticeship through the Puget Sound JATC, job referral, and member benefit administration — a direct functional mirror of Local 153's service stack in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): The international parent union that Local 153 is affiliated with. Sets collective bargaining standards, provides political advocacy infrastructure, and supports locals through training and organizing resources — the institutional incumbent of the space Local 153 operates in.
• International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE): Major AFL-CIO building trades union representing heavy-equipment operators and related crafts. Comparable in structure (locals, apprenticeship/JATCs, collective bargaining with contractor associations, benefit administration) but covering a different skilled trade.
• United Association of Union Plumbers, Pipefitters, Welders & Service Techs (UA): A large AFL-CIO building trades union that mirrors the IBEW local-chapter and JATC apprenticeship model for plumbing/pipefitting. Direct structural parallel in how locals deliver training, referrals, and benefits — relevant for benchmarking Local 153's operations.
• AFL-CIO: The largest federation of U.S. labor unions and IBEW's national umbrella. Provides political advocacy (COPE), member benefits (Union Plus), and labor movement coordination that Local 153 leverages — comparable as the broader institutional ecosystem.

Others

• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) — Northern Indiana Chapter: The contractor counterpart organization that Local 153 negotiates collective bargaining agreements with. Not a peer in the labor sense, but a tightly linked ecosystem participant on the demand side of Local 153's job-call marketplace.
• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC): The leading trade association for open-shop (non-union) electrical contractors. Operates apprenticeship programs competing directly with IBEW JATCs and represents the principal non-union alternative that Local 153 competes against for contractor sign-ups.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=0IbbCEDAIGQ
• Xx.com/ibew153referral
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/electrical-workers-local-153

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 153