COVID-19 Pandemic

Supporting our workforce, contractors, customers & community

These are indeed extraordinary times as the nation and world work to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. It has been likened to a war – a war against a pandemic.

The Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partners remind everyone that we have endured crisis in the past by working together, taking prudent steps and helping one another to move past fear and panic. We are doing everything in our capacity to work with project owners to keep our contractors and workforce safe and construction projects open. We have a robust contracting community and the highest skilled and safest workforce. Both are needed now and as we get past this crisis and rebound to build and rebuild our communities.

To that end, we have taken the following steps to support our workforce, contractors, customers and the community:

• Encouraging our workers to stay home when they are feeling ill and observing appropriate quarantine measures. IBEW and NECA have signed an emergency agreement to help our workforce through these turbulent times.
• Following all health protocols, including social distancing, to prevent the spread of the virus. This includes temporarily suspending union hall meetings, classes at the training center and other in-person meetings.  Conference calls are now a part of everyday planning.
• Adapting our health, temporary unemployment fund, welfare, disability and vacation benefits to support our workforce, ensuring they have the flexibility to take care of their families in the event projects become disrupted or they cannot go to work due to illness.
• Working with our customers and construction team members to keep projects open by staggering work schedules to create smaller sized, eight-hour, shifts to accommodate social distancing. This also helps working parents who must adapt schedules so one parent can work while the other cares for their children or elderly relatives.
• Advocating on behalf of our families by encouraging state lawmakers to devote greater resources to unemployment, child and elder care during this crisis.  
• Keeping our customers, contractors and workforce informed on this rapidly changing crisis. NECA has developed a Coronavirus Resource Center.

You too can stay informed by tapping a number of resources including:

• World Health Organization
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• Illinois Department of Health

We can and we will overcome the Covid-19 pandemic by working together and supporting one another through this crisis. Be well and stay healthy and let us know if we can be of service.