Jan 20, 2023
By Robert Adams
Boston is finally gaining ground on the racial and gender wage gaps that have held back too many families for far too long. What might surprise many Bostonians is that a relentless building boom in Boston and ongoing labor shortages have set the table for an unprecedented opportunity for women and people of color to join the middle class through their local electrical workers’ union.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) are seizing the moment through Empower DEI, an innovative new program that’s become a national model for diversifying the skilled trades. The project engages metro Boston’s diverse communities through community outreach, targeted marketing, creative partnerships, and a commitment to learning from workers. Industry leaders, contractors and new Empower DEI graduates recently convened in a first-ever summit.
