IBEW 280

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Welcome to IBEW Local 280.

In our continuing effort to leverage the most efficient means of communicating with our members, contractors, industry leaders and the general public, we are working to provide you with timely and relevant information on our website.

Local 280 is comprised of over 1,200 loyal men and women in the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon. Our jurisdiction includes six counties in the valley: Linn, Benton, Lane, Marion, Polk, & Yamhill and across the Cascades into Deschutes, Jefferson, & Crook counties. Our classifications include inside, commercial, industrial, residential, and limited energy work. We have over 140 active signatory contractors who have committed to providing good wages, working conditions, and benefits to their employees.

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Connecting with Habitat
By Steve Lathrop
Albany Democrat-Herald -- June 12, 2009

Staying with what he knows helped Al Lochner throughout his professional life. And he hasn’t seen any need to switch that approach when it comes to volunteering.

Lochner, now retired, spent 38 years getting paid for his expert electrical skills. Now he applies that knowledge to six Albany Habitat for Humanity houses.

“I like to stay with what I kind of know,” said Lochner, who has volunteered with Habitat for four years.

It’s been a no-pressure outlet.

“Everyone is good to work with. Time isn’t a concern and I’ve developed a basic idea of what I’m doing over the years,” he said, laughing. “It’s interesting to play around when you aren’t on a clock.”

He’s currently working on the latest Habitat house at 1641 Howard Drive N.E.. His approach is to be on hand at the start of construction to get wiring roughed in and then return at various times to finish. Often he works alone, but he is a team player as well.

“Roughing things in is the major project and the toughest one. It takes more than one person,” he said.

His expertise helps in such situations. On this project, for instance, he has worked with three apprentice electricians.

“I don’t know that I’m very good at it, but I get to do some teaching and they get some practical experience,” Lochner said.

Raised in Sheridan, Lochner, 65, moved to Albany in 1965. He started out working in mills but was fascinated by electrical work.

“Mill work wasn’t much fun so I apprenticed as an electrician and it took off for me,” he said.

He finds working with Habitat crews rewarding.

“There are a lot of good things about this kind of work,” he said. “It’s really nice to be able to meet the people who are moving in the house you’ve helped put up.”

Lochner said he has been impressed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ involvement. He said the union coordinates most of the work and donates a trailer full of equipment to each project. IBEW and the National Electrical Contractors Association have a national agreement with Habitat.

Overall he usually spends about three or four days on a project. Most recently he put in plugs and switches and will return again when the appliances arrive.

Lochner figures when the time comes he will move on to the next Habitat project.

“I don’t see myself not helping out on the next one. It’s this or golf, and when I golf it’s just hit the ball and go see if I can find it,” he said. “With this I have a basic idea what I’m doing.”