Why Is There a Union? Imagine that you were fired because the boss didn’t like your looks. Or because you refused to work a job you felt was unsafe. Imagine being demoted or laid off, while someone with less training and fewer years on the job got promoted because they’re a friend of the boss. Before the Union it was the boss’s way or the highway. You worked when the boss told you to, and got paid what the boss wanted to pay. If you were off sick, or got hurt while working, you could lose your pay … even your job. Things are Different Today because employees just like you insisted on equal treatment, better wages, and benefits like sick leave, vacation pay, and health insurance. Speaking up individually, employees could be ignored by the boss. But when employees united to speak with a single voice, things began to change. Local 1245 Gives You a Voice. We bring that strength of unity to the bargaining table to settle disputes and negotiate improvements. As a member of IBEW Local 1245 you are entitled by law to the wages, benefits and job protections in the union contract. The boss can’t arbitrarily take them away. But Bosses Sometimes Bend the Rules. And they’re always looking for ways to cut their costs. That’s why the union’s job is never done. You need the union, and the union needs you. By learning about your rights in the workplace—and how to stand up for them—you help keep the union strong and your job secure.