International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 494

What International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 494 does

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 494 is a nonprofit labor union headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, representing electrical workers across six southeastern Wisconsin counties (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan). Chartered on May 11, 1911, with roots going back to a 12-member Local Union 2 founded in 1892, IBEW Local 494 operates a book-signing referral system across its Milwaukee and Kettle Moraine dispatch offices that dispatches journeymen, residential wiremen, and construction technicians (C-Techs) to signatory contractors via in-person sign-up and a 7:30 AM job-bid cadence. The union serves over 100 electrical contractors in the region and has progressively diversified into adjacent organizing categories, including hospitality workers at Colectivo Coffee and political campaign staff under the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

The union's service portfolio spans job referral, apprenticeship training through the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) North Campus in Wauwatosa and South Campus in Greenfield, continuing education, collective bargaining, licensing support with Wisconsin DSPS, drug testing coordination, and benefits administration through the NECA-IBEW Health and Welfare Trust and multiple pension plans (E.C.I., NEBF, and I.B.E.W.). Revenue is generated primarily through member dues ($25 monthly base + $15 monthly working dues, with a $10 initiation fee for new members) and transaction-based contractor manpower request fees; benefit and pension funds are administered in partnership with NECA but flow through separate trust structures.

Governance follows a democratic union model with elected officers led by Business Manager John Jacobs (appointed 2023), an Executive Board, and a Kettle Moraine Unit leadership team. The union operates four physical locations: headquarters in Milwaukee, a regional office in Fond du Lac, two training campuses, and a benefit fund operations office in Decatur. Notable historical milestones include the 1950s membership peak of approximately 5,200, the merger of Local Unions 620 and 680 extending jurisdiction into Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties, the 2013 National Education and Training Award for the Milwaukee JATC, and a 2016 ribbon-cutting for the IBEW Local 494 Historical Museum.

Name

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 494

Legal name

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 494

Website

https://ibew494.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

IBEW Local Union 494 is a Milwaukee-based labor union representing electrical workers across six southeastern Wisconsin counties, providing job referral, apprenticeship training, collective bargaining, and benefits administration in partnership with NECA for over 100 signatory contractors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Member Dues - Political and Campaign Workers: Monthly dues of $25 plus $15 in working dues for members working under Political and Campaign Workers contracts, with automatic check deduction for ongoing membership.
2. Member Dues - Colectivo Union Members: Monthly dues of $25 plus $15 in working dues for Colectivo Coffee workers, with one-time $10 initiation fee for new members.
3. Contractor Manpower Services: Contractors request workers through Manpower Request Forms to fill job calls for Journeymen, Residential Wiremen, and C-Techs. Workers are dispatched to contractor job sites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IBEW Local 494 is a labor union that represents electrical workers (journeymen, apprentices, residential wiremen, sound & communication technicians) across six southeastern Wisconsin counties. Its fundamental services include job placement through a book-signing referral system, multi-track apprenticeship and continuing education training, collective bargaining for wages and benefits, and administration of NECA-IBEW health/welfare and pension plans. The union also staffs signatory electrical contractors with licensed union labor via manpower request processing.

Product overview

IBEW Local 494 is a labor union providing services to electrical professionals, not a technology product company. The organization offers a unified membership platform powered by UnionActive software that encompasses member management (contracts, wages, dues), job referral services, training programs (apprenticeship, CW/CE, sound & communication, residential), and benefits administration (health/welfare, pension). The portfolio consists of interconnected member-facing services rather than discrete technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Job Referral Services Employment placement system connecting dues-paying IBEW 494 members with signatory electrical contractors across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan counties. Members sign the book in person to bid on open job calls for Journeymen, Residential Wiremen, and C-Techs, with up to three preferences per member and a 7:30 AM bid deadline the following business day.
• Inside Electrical Apprenticeship Training Program Multi-year registered apprenticeship producing Wisconsin-licensed Journeyman Inside Wiremen, administered by the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) at the North Campus (Wauwatosa) and South Campus (Greenfield) and delivered through the Milwaukee Electrical Trades Institute (METI).
• CW/CE Training Programs (Milwaukee and Kettle Moraine) Construction Wireman / Construction Electrician continuing-education advancement program delivered at both the Milwaukee and Kettle Moraine divisions, with documented advancement procedures progressing apprentices and CW/CEs toward journeyman-level classifications.
• Sound & Communication Training Program Apprenticeship and advancement pathway for sound and communication technicians, including Tech Trainee advancement procedures, preparing members for low-voltage and audio/video/data infrastructure installation work.
• Residential Training Program (RCW) Residential Construction Wireman apprenticeship with documented advancement procedure (RCW Advancement) producing residential-trained electricians for signatory contractor residential job calls.
• NECA-IBEW Health and Welfare Benefits Health insurance and welfare benefits administration delivered in partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) through the NECA-IBEW Welfare Trust Fund, providing coverage to IBEW 494 members and their families.
• Pension Administration Services Administration of multiple defined-benefit pension plans on behalf of IBEW 494 members, including the E.C.I. Pension Agreement, the NEBF (National Electrical Benefit Fund) Pension Plan, and the I.B.E.W. Pension Plan, each with member-facing FAQ resources.
• Collective Bargaining - Political and Campaign Workers Collective bargaining representation and union membership for political campaign staff organized under the BA classification through the Wisconsin Democratic Party (WisDems) union membership program, with monthly dues of $25 plus $15 working dues automatically deducted from paychecks.
• Collective Bargaining - Colectivo Coffee Workers Collective bargaining representation and union membership for Colectivo Coffee Roasters workers in Milwaukee and Madison locations, structured as BA-class membership with monthly dues of $25 plus $15 working dues and a $10 one-time initiation fee.

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 and minor.

• NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNECA-IBEW Health and Welfare and NECA-IBEW Welfare Trust Fund partnership providing health insurance, pension, and welfare benefits to members. Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) operated collaboratively with contractors.
• Milwaukee Area Labor Council (MALC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsorship of annual Laborfest celebration at Summerfest grounds. Union participates in MALC's Labor Day parade and sock drive initiatives.
• Teamsters Local 344minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Labor Day events where Teamsters Local 344 provides Entenmann's donuts for the Colectivo Coffee station.
• Colectivo Coffee RoasterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerColectivo workers organized under IBEW Local 494. Union-made coffee donated for Labor Day events. Members work in Milwaukee and Madison area locations.
• Wisconsin Democratic Party (WisDems)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPolitical and Campaign Workers organized under BA membership classification. Union provides representation for campaign staff and political workers.
• Wisconsin DSPS (Department of Safety and Professional Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensing partnership for Registered Electrician, Journeyman, and Master Electrician licenses. Union facilitates application process and provides CEU courses through METI.
• METI (Milwaukee Electrical Trades Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInside Electrical Apprenticeship training provider. Operates METI website for apprenticeship applications and course enrollment.
• JATC (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative training committee with Equal representation from Local 494 and electrical contractors. Operates North Campus (Wauwatosa) and South Campus (Greenfield) training facilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IBEW Local 134: Large IBEW local union in Chicago representing electrical workers in northern Illinois. Closely comparable as another IBEW local providing apprenticeship training, job referral services, and collective bargaining for inside wiremen and residential electricians in an adjacent Midwestern market.
• IBEW Local 3: Largest IBEW local union representing electrical workers in New York City and surrounding areas. Comparable as a major IBEW local with extensive apprenticeship programs, job referral services, and contractor signatory networks serving a dense metropolitan construction market.
• IBEW Local 1: IBEW local in St. Louis representing electrical workers across Missouri and Illinois. Directly comparable as a fellow IBEW local providing union electrician referral, NECA-IBEW apprenticeship training, and benefit administration in a similar Midwestern industrial market.

Broad incumbents

• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA): National trade association representing electrical contractors and the management counterpart in IBEW-NECA collective bargaining and joint apprenticeship programs. Directly comparable as Local 494's primary counterparty in training, benefits, and labor relations.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): International union federation of which Local 494 is an autonomous local chapter. Provides the parent brand, charter, and broader coordination across 800+ U.S. and Canadian IBEW locals, making it the natural organizational peer.
• Electrical Training Alliance: National joint training program between IBEW and NECA that coordinates apprenticeship curricula across all participating locals including Local 494. Directly comparable as the standardized training infrastructure underpinning Local 494's apprenticeship programs.

Regional players

• Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council: Regional umbrella council for building trades unions in southeastern Wisconsin, including IBEW Local 494. Comparable as a coordinating body for collective bargaining, political advocacy, and apprenticeship coordination in Local 494's exact geography.
• Plumbers Local 75: United Association (UA) plumbers and pipefitters local serving southeastern Wisconsin. Adjacent building trades union in Local 494's geographic footprint with similar structure (apprenticeship, referral, NECA-style partnership) and overlapping contractor relationships.

Emerging players

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National trade association representing merit shop (open shop) construction contractors. Serves as the principal alternative to unionized electrical contracting, competing for the same skilled electrician labor pool through non-union apprenticeship programs in Wisconsin and nationwide.

Others

• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC): National trade association for open shop electrical contractors and electrical training through IEC apprentice programs. Competes directly with IBEW-NECA JATC programs like Local 494's METI-administered apprenticeship as a non-union alternative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ibewlocal494
• Facebookfacebook.com/IBEW494
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibewlocal494
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-brotherhood-of-electrical-workers-local-494-milwaukee-wi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 494