Mark Erlich’s powerful article, “Who Will Build the Future?”, paints a stark but honest picture of how union strength in construction has eroded and what must be done to restore it. It’s a story that should resonate deeply with every member of IBEW Local Union 424. Erlich’s message is clear: survival is no longer enough—we must transform. If IBEW 424 wants to remain relevant and powerful in Alberta’s construction sector, we must shed outdated practices, confront uncomfortable truths, and embrace a bold, organizing-first future.
In the 1970s, union construction workers represented the overwhelming majority of the workforce—80% of the industry’s activity. Today, that number has dwindled to just 30– 35%, and in Alberta, the open shop continues to gain ground with political and corporate backing. Erlich rightly identifies double-breasting, deregulation, and internal union complacency as some of the leading culprits in this decline. IBEW 424 cannot allow history to repeat itself in our jurisdiction.
One of the most critical takeaways from Erlich’s piece is the devastating cost of relying solely on “top-down” relationships with contractors. For too long, unions—including our own—have believed that lobbying signatory employers, securing project agreements, and making concessions would preserve our market share. The results have been mixed at best, and Erlich makes it plain: "concessions built into the agreements provided the attraction for the owner," but delivered no lasting union gains. As with the failed Houston pact Erlich describes, we’ve seen too many union compromises lead to jobs being awarded to nonunion contractors anyway.
The most powerful section of Erlich’s article is his call for bottom-up organizing. IBEW 424 must take this seriously. Erlich reminds us that the founders of the Carpenters union believed “every man that works with carpenters' tools must be brought into the union.” Why not adopt the same attitude toward every electrician in Alberta? We must treat nonunion electricians not as threats, but as the workforce we must organize—young, diverse, and often skeptical of a union movement that once shut them out. Erlich’s quote, “You don’t want me, you just want the work,” should haunt every union organizer who has failed to build real relationships with the unorganized.
Additionally, IBEW 424 must adopt the smart tactics Erlich highlights:
- Engage in corporate campaigns when major contractors attempt to lock us out of industrial or energy projects.
- Form community alliances, especially with newcomers, women, and Indigenous workers, who are largely absent from the trades.
Just as importantly, we must remember Erlich’s warning that the open shop is not just about wage suppression—it’s about changing the nature of construction entirely, making tradespeople into replaceable installers rather than respected craftsmen. If IBEW 424 does not assert itself as the standard-bearer of skills, safety, and solidarity, we risk becoming irrelevant in the modular, low-skill building economy that corporate interests are pushing toward.
Let’s be honest: IBEW 424 is a proud and powerful local. But the world has changed. If we do not evolve, organize, and fight—at the gates and in the boardroom—we will fade. If we do, then we won’t just be asking who will build the future—we will be the ones building it.