What local 291 does

IBEW Local 291 is a labor union local established in 1902 and headquartered at 225 N 16th St, Suite 110 in Boise, Idaho. It is a chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which has roughly 750,000 members across the US and Canada, and operates as Idaho's largest trade union with over 2,000 members serving the Treasure Valley region. The local organizes electrical workers, negotiates collective bargaining agreements through a joint Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) with NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association), and dispatches members to signatory contractors via a seniority-based out-of-work book system. Additional offices include meeting locations in Meridian and Garden City for 2026 union meetings.

The local's core offerings are union membership (collective bargaining representation, Cigna healthcare with Saint Alphonsus in-network access reinstated March 1, 2024, retirement benefits, and OSHA-governed safety standards) and four registered apprenticeship programs: Inside Wireman/Electrician (4-year, administered by SW Idaho Electrical JATC), Substation Tech and High Voltage Line Construction (administered by MSLCAT), and Voice/Data/Video Construction (3-year). Supporting services include a job dispatch portal, a Caspio-hosted wage comparison calculator, the RENEW young-worker engagement program, and a Women's Committee. Journeyman Wireman wages start at $45.33/hour base, reaching $65.33/hour with incentives on the META KND data center project; apprentices and entry classifications receive a $1.00 dues discount effective July 1, 2024.

The business model is membership-dues-driven under a recurring subscription structure, classified by member tier (Journeyman, Apprentice, CW, CE). Revenue is supplemented by working dues on dispatched hours and joint apprenticeship training committee funding. The go-to-market is dual-sided: members are recruited via apprenticeships, direct-to-consumer "Join Local 291" pathways, and NLRQ/NLRB workplace organizing, while labor is delivered to NECA contractors through exclusive union dispatch — anchoring Local 291 to flagship projects including Micron's $200 billion Idaho expansion under a Project Labor Agreement and META's hyperscale data center construction.

Name

local 291

Legal name

IBEW Local 291

Website

https://ibew291.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Idaho's largest trade union with 2,000+ members, IBEW Local 291 represents Treasure Valley electrical workers since 1902, providing collective bargaining, NECA contractor dispatch, four registered apprenticeship programs, and Cigna healthcare benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Union Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Contractor Compliance & Classification (IC vs Employee) (BPACAGAA)

Keywords

• Electrical trade union
• Apprenticeship training programs
• Union job dispatch
• Collective bargaining services
• Electrical worker organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: IBEW Local 291 generates revenue through membership dues. Members pay dues which are calculated based on their classification (Journeyman, Apprentice, CW, CE). Dues amounts were updated effective July 1, 2024, with apprentices/CW/CE classifications paying $1.00 less.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IBEW Local 291 is a labor union representing over 2,000 electrical workers in Idaho's Treasure Valley. The union delivers collective bargaining representation, dispatches members to jobs with NECA contractors through a seniority-based book system, and operates four registered apprenticeship programs covering Inside Wireman, Substation Technician, High Voltage Line Construction, and Voice/Data/Video installation work.

Product overview

IBEW Local 291 is Idaho's largest trade union with over 2,000 members, providing union membership services and apprenticeship training programs for electrical workers. The organization offers four distinct apprenticeship programs: Inside Wireman/Electrician (4 years, SW Idaho Electrical JATC), Substation Tech, High Voltage Line Construction (MSLCAT), and Voice/Data/Video (3 years). Core services include union membership with collective bargaining representation, job dispatch services connecting members with employers, the RENEW program for young worker engagement, and a wage comparison tool. The organization operates primarily in Idaho, serving the Treasure Valley area since 1902.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Union Membership Union membership for electrical workers in Idaho, providing collective bargaining representation, job security through the dispatch system, fair wages, comprehensive family healthcare, retirement security, and legal representation. Members are classified as Journeyman Wireman, Apprentice, CW (Communications Worker), or CE (Category E).
• Inside Wireman/Electrician Apprenticeship A 4-year registered apprenticeship program that combines on-the-job experience with classroom instruction to train individuals as licensed electricians, covering electrical theory, wiring, safety standards, and troubleshooting techniques. Administered by the Southwest Idaho Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), a joint IBEW-NECA body.
• Substation Technician Apprenticeship Earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship training program that prepares IBEW members as Substation Journeymen for NECA contractors, focusing on building, maintaining, and monitoring substation equipment. Includes nationwide travel requirements. Administered by MSLCAT.
• High Voltage Line Construction Apprenticeship A 4-year specialized training program preparing individuals for careers in building, maintaining, and repairing high-voltage electrical transmission and distribution lines. Administered by Mountain States Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training (MSLCAT).
• Voice/Data/Video Construction Apprenticeship A 3-year apprenticeship program for low-voltage data systems covering installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of fiber optics, network cables, security alarms, audio-visual equipment, and fire alarms. Administered by SW Idaho Electrical JATC.
• Dispatch Services Job dispatching service connecting qualified union members with electrical construction job opportunities. Includes job postings, bidding systems, and referral management for Inside Construction, Outside Construction, and Voice/Data/Video work, with workers dispatched to NECA contractors based on book seniority.
• RENEW Program Reach out and Engage Next-gen Electrical Workers (RENEW) initiative focused on inspiring the next generation of IBEW workers to become active in their local union through education, networking, and participation in programs strengthening the labor movement. Targets members 35 and under.

Quantifiable outcome

• Journeyman Wireman wages starting at $45.33/hour base rate, up to $65.33/hour with incentives on major projects like META
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.

• CignacoreOthers · 1 March 2024Cigna provides health insurance coverage for IBEW Local 291 members. Following negotiations, Saint Alphonsus hospitals were reinstated as in-network providers effective March 1, 2024. The union actively negotiated to restore healthcare access for members and their families.
• NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNECA is the primary partner for IBEW Local 291. The union has a joint labor-management relationship with NECA contractors, operating under collective bargaining agreements. The LMCC (Labor-Management Cooperation Committee) includes NECA representatives Eli Dorsey, Duane O'Reilly, and Andy Sellers working alongside IBEW representatives. NECA contractors are the primary employers dispatching IBEW members.
• SW Idaho Electrical JATCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthwest Idaho Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee manages the Inside Wireman and Voice/Data/Video apprenticeship programs. This joint IBEW-NECA committee provides structured training combining on-the-job experience with classroom instruction for electrical apprentices.
• MSLCAT (Mountain States Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSLCAT provides the Substation Tech Apprenticeship and High Voltage Line Construction Apprenticeship programs. The program trains IBEW members for NECA contractors in specialized outside electrical construction work including substations and high-voltage transmission lines.
• Saint AlphonsusmajorOthersSaint Alphonsus hospitals and medical facilities in Boise, Nampa, Ontario, and Baker City are in-network healthcare providers for IBEW Local 291 members covered under Cigna insurance plans. The union successfully negotiated multi-year agreement reinstating in-network status.
• Micron TechnologyflagshipOthersMicron Technology is a major employer for IBEW Local 291 members through Project Labor Agreements (PLA) at their Boise facilities. The union has multiple active job calls for the Micron PLA project with wages of $45.33/hour plus $20/hour travel pay and $170/day travel stipends. Micron announced a $200 billion investment in Idaho expansion.
• METAflagshipOthersMETA (operating as KND) has a significant construction project in the area with a special MOU with Local 291. VECA Electric is the contractor on the META KND 3&5 project with wages of $65.33/hour plus incentive program and OT premium pay. Working 6-10s schedule.
• IBEW InternationalflagshipOthersLocal 291 is a local union of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which has 750,000 members across the US and Canada. Formed in 1891, IBEW is the oldest, largest, and most professional electrical union in the world. The international organization provides support, resources, and governance for local unions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters: Regional council of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters covering Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Comparable building trades union structure with apprenticeship training and dispatch, though in a different craft.
• International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE): National union for heavy equipment operators, also active in construction trades. Comparable structure (collective bargaining, apprenticeship pipelines, regional Locals), and competes for the same overall construction labor pool.
• International Association of Sheet Metal Workers (SMART): National building trades union with overlapping apprenticeship, dispatch, and NECA-style labor-management structure. Comparable scale and craft-union operating model though different trade focus.

Direct peers

• IBEW Local 134 (Chicago, IL): One of the largest IBEW locals in the U.S. with a comparable mix of inside wireman dispatch, multi-program apprenticeships, and large-scale commercial/industrial project work. Useful benchmark for scaled union operations.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): Parent organization of Local 291, founded 1891, with 750,000 members across the U.S. and Canada. Operates as the national umbrella for all IBEW local unions and provides governance, training resources, and portability that Local 291 directly leverages.
• IBEW Local 124 (Kansas City, MO): Mid-size IBEW local with similar mix of inside construction, NECA dispatch, and apprenticeship programs. Direct structural peer in operating model and member scale range.
• IBEW Local 48 (Portland, OR): Adjacent Pacific Northwest IBEW local with similar inside construction focus, NECA contractor relationships, and member scale. Comparable in mission, training programs, and dispatch mechanics.
• IBEW Local 46 (Seattle, WA): Pacific Northwest IBEW local covering inside wireman and limited energy work. Comparable structure (collective bargaining with NECA, dispatch system, apprenticeship pipelines) and overlapping regional labor mobility with Local 291.

Others

• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA): Employer-side counterpart to IBEW Locals; NECA contractors are the exclusive hiring channel for Local 291 dispatch. Operates the joint apprenticeship programs (SW Idaho JATC, MSLCAT) with Local 291, making it the most strategically intertwined organization in the Local's ecosystem.

Regional players

• United Association Local 296 (Plumbers & Pipefitters, Boise ID): Other major building trades union operating in the same Treasure Valley labor market. Comparable membership-based collective bargaining model, though representing a different craft (plumbing/pipefitting rather than electrical).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fibewlu291
• Facebookfacebook.com/IBEWLocal291
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibew291
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibewlocal291

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 local 291