Santa Barbara County
#413 Member's Resources
A brief history of IBEW Local 413
November 1917 - Twelve electricians working in the Santa Barbara area applied for an IBEW charter. On December 1, 1917, Santa Barbara was chartered as Local Union 413 and given jurisdiction from Gaviota Pass to the Ventura County Line. Below are some important dates in the history of Local 413.
November 1926 - The first "Working Agreement" was negotiated with contractors in Santa Barbara. It established the eight hour work day, provided that contractors would be responsible for all transportation, and ensured that all overtime was paid at double the straight time rate.
April 1927 - The Santa Barbara Conty Courthouse was under construction. As a result of non-union ironworkers being paid $6 per day instead of the local scale of $9 per day, the first local prevailing wage petition was passed. It required that the local scale of each trade be paid and that all work be done by Santa Barbara's union craftsmen.
April 8, 1930 - Local 792 was chartered in Santa Maria with jurisdiction from the Gaviota Pass to the Monterey County line.
December 1935 - Local 413 began trimming the "Tree of Lights" each Christmas at Carillo and Chapala streets in Santa Barbara. With the exception of the years during World War II, Local 413 has performed this community service every year.
June 1942 - Local 792 was amalgamated into Locals 413 and 639 (San Luis Obispo). Local 639 had been chartered in Paso Robles on January 6, 1942. Local 413's jurisdiction was confined to the boundries of Santa Barbara County including the city of Santa Maria.
September 1946 - Apprentices in Santa Barbara began classroom training to augment their on-the-job training. Santa Maria apprentices did not begin classroom training until September 1959.
November 1952 - The proposed 10-year construction of UCSB began. The Cachuma Dam project and the Tecolote Tunnel were in full swing. The scale for Journeymen Wiremen was $3 per hour.
April 1958 - Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) and Point Arguello Naval Base began construction on the old Camp Cook site. The installation of tracking stations and missle sites provided jobs for many people and surrounding towns began to boom. A shortage of electricians was common for several years even though 3,000 men were employed through Local 413 for a period of time. Our membership was around 150.
July 1964 - The Naional Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Charter was established in Santa Barbara. It covered San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties as it does today.
July 1967 - Local Union 413's Pension Plan became effective. Members were credited with up to 15 years of past service credits, each credit being worth $15.00.
October 1976 - Platform Hondo was brought into Santa Barbara Channel and set in 850 feet of water, making it the world's deepest off-shore oil drilling platform. It provided employment for local men and travelers until August 1978.
July 1, 1981 - Local 2182 in Santa Maria was amalgamated into Local's 413, 639 and 40. Eighty-five Communication Technicians working for Quintron System, Inc. at VAFB became members of Local 413.
November 1981 - Members were working on Fess Parker's Red Lion Resort in Santa Barbara, POPCO refinery at Las Flores Canyon and SLC-6 at VAFB.
October 1986 - The Space Shuttle program at VAFB was shut down because of the Challenger's disasterous launch at Cape Kennedy.
1987-1988 - Due to heavy unemployment in our area, about 10% of our membership was employed at Johnston Atoll. Bechtel Corporation built a chemical weapons disposal site there called JACADS; as it was supposedly the most remote (permanently populated) place on earth.
1990 - V.A.F.B. became active in the "STAR WARS" program of former President Reagan, with several new buildings and railway test centers being built for the "MX / PEACE-KEEPER Rail Garrison System".
2006 - The (then) largest solar generating project in the Lompoc, Solvang, Buellton area is completed on the roof of IBEW LU 413.
