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 IBEW LOCAL 164 - A HISTORY
IBEW LOCAL 164 - A HISTORY
The IBEW has a long, rich history of involvement in the growth of northern New Jersey. Much of what we all enjoy on a daily basis would
not have been possible if it weren't for the time, talent and dedication of our fellow members... past and present!
With great pride, we invite you to take a look back over the last 100+ years of IBEW Local 164 History. And by the way ... If you have any
photographs or memories you'd like to share with us, please contact:
Please Use the Tabs Below to Navigate Through the Last 100 Years of IBEW Local 164 History.
Enjoy the Trip!
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1901 - IBEW Local 164 formed to serve electricians in Hudson County. The Local was formed about 10 years after the IBEW national Union was created in St. Louis in 1891. The Seventh National Convention is held in St. Louis.
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1913 - IBEW Local 164 continues to grow and offices are located in Jersey City … nationally, there are about 23,500 union members.
1917 - The 14th National Convention is held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The United States enters World War 1. Demand for trained electrical workers increases substantially in conjunction with the war efforts.
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1920 - Construction of the Holland Tunnel begins - Local 164 members play a major part in bringing the tunnel to completion.
1924 - The Holland Tunnel is completed, becoming the world's first ventilated highway tunnel.
1927 - Work begins on the George Washington Bridge, with Local 164 members involved in the overall construction process.
1928 - Local 164 absorbs Local 578 in Bergen County - the Local now serves both Hudson and Bergen counties.
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1931 - The George Washington Bridge is completed - it is the longest suspension bridge in the world, twice as long as the next largest one ever built!
1933 - Nationally, the country is in the midst of the Great Depression. Franklin Roosevelt takes office and immediately begins "New Deal" legislation to launch the country on the road to recovery. One of the New Deal programs involving Local 164 members? The original Jersey City Medical Center.
1934 - Work begins on the Lincoln Tunnel, again drawing on the expertise of Local 164 members to aide in its construction.
1937 - The first tube of the Lincoln Tunnel is opened … it is the first major tunnel project in the country to be completed without a single fatality!
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1941- United States enters WWII. Locally, members of the 164 become involved in projects supporting the war effort, such as the Curtis-Wright manufacturing plant in Woodbridge and the forerunner of the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne. Nationally the IBEW, NECA and the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship establish the first National Apprenticeship Standards for the Electrical Construction industry.
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1950's -With World War II over, work switches to peacetime expansion, and Members of Local 164 are put to work! New bores are constructed for the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, and work begins on the nation's newest innovations - mega-malls, including the Garden State Plaza and Bergen Malls.
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1960's - Work along the Hudson River continues to transform the New Jersey Waterfront. Elizabeth and Bayonne become major ports of entry for shipments to and from Europe. High rises appear all along the riverfront … all built with Local 164 hands!
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1972 - Ground breaks for Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands area near East Rutherford, NJ. Local 164 members help turn a swampland into what is now considered to be one of the greatest sports and entertainment complexes in the world.
1975 - IBEW Local 164 creates the Telecom Division.
1970's - IBEW members construct the electroplating facility at the Ford Motor Plant in Mahwah. Ongoing work is performed throughout the remainder of the century on the Hudson River crossings into New York City.
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1981 - Work completed on the Meadowlands Sports Complex, including the racetrack and what is now Continental Arena. In addition, Local 164's growth demands more space than can be accommodated in Jersey City, and the union offices move to Kansas Street in Hackensack NJ
1980's - major projects include the enclosure of the Garden State and Bergen malls … construction of the Riverside Mall … and the re-electrification of the Erie/Lackawanna Railroad
1987 - The JATC begins telecommunications training, in conjunction with its move from space adjacent to Union Hall into 3 classrooms in the Kansas Street offices.
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1990's - This decade saw Local 164 moving from a focus on manufacturing to service oriented projects. These include construction of trading floors at 101 Hudson and the Pershing Building in Jersey City … modernization of the Jersey City Medical Center (originally built in the 1930's as part of FDR's National Recovery Projects) … and the construction of the Federal Reserve Bank off Route 17 near Wood-ridge.
1995 - Members of Local 164's Telecommunications Division install fiber-optics for the monorail at Newark Airport.
1998 - Local 164 and the JATC jointly purchase a facility at 65 Century Avenue in Paramus to house union offices and the training facility.
1999 - IBEW Local 52 is absorbed into Local 164 … Local 164 now represents members in Essex County, in addition to Hudson and Bergen Counties.
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2001 - Local 164 celebrates its 100th anniversary.
2002 - Local 164 and the Joint Boards acquire their current offices at 205 Robin Road, directly behind the Century Avenue facility, which is taken over in its entirety by the JATC.
2000's - Telecommunication Division members complete work on converting the old Macy's store at 65 Halsey Street in Jersey City into a centralized exchange for internet traffic in the New York metropolitan area.
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