Commending Lonnie Stephenson on His Retirement As International President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. NORCROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an electrician and proud union member to congratulate Lonnie Stephenson, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) International President, on his retirement and commend him on his lifelong leadership advocating for workers.

The son of two factory workers from Illinois, Lonnie chose to join an apprenticeship program with Rock Island Local 145. Starting his career as an electrician in 1975, he had a front row seat to the challenges facing workers in the industrial Midwest. Through his advocacy for hardworking people, Lonnie's leadership potential was quickly recognized, and he rose through the ranks of the local's leadership, winning election as vice president in 1984 and serving as president and assistant business manager before taking over as business manager in 1991.

In 2002, Lonnie was appointed international representative assigned to the Sixth District, and in 2010 he became Sixth District International Vice President. During his tenure, Lonnie led the fight against the passage of right-to-work laws across the Midwest, making sure workers' voices were heard.

In 2015, Lonnie was elected international president of the IBEW. He led the union through unprecedented challenges, including a Supreme Court imposed right-to-work laws on the entire public sector workforce in 2018. And in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered construction sites, offices, factories, schools, and more. Despite it all, IBEW continued to grow steadily under Lonnie's outstanding leadership.

As Lonnie steps down, the IBEW counts more ``A'' members than at any time in its history. The IBEW Strong Program has established a membership that looks more and more like the communities its members serve. He built the closest and most productive relationship between a union and the White House in more than half a century. And he worked alongside congressional leadership to pass and then implement laws to improve worker safety, increase wages, create millions of jobs and make more things here in America.

After nearly 50 years, Lonnie Stephenson leaves a stronger, more diverse, more powerful, and more optimistic IBEW. I wish him the best as he begins this new chapter.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source