Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative (ELEC) provides a steady flow of work and other financial benefits for Local 825 members.

Developing work opportunities

By promoting new construction projects with union contractors and pursuing previously underserved areas of construction, ELEC helps to expand work opportunities.

ELEC’s staff partners with business and professional organizations and advocate for policies, legislation and regulations favorable to our industry. Our efforts have helped initiate major bridge-building projects, win approval for pipeline construction and authorize large-scale urban redevelopment programs.

Currently we are fighting for a bipartisan solution to replenish the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), which finances major infrastructure construction projects that we count on to keep our members working.

Advocacy

ELEC staff is engaged in economic, regulatory and legislative advocacy in Trenton, Albany and Washington DC. Additional efforts are expended in locally, attending meetings with mayors, town councils, municipal groups, chambers of commerce, developers, legislators, economic development and trade groups to identify project opportunities and support policies and legislation that benefit the construction trades.

Other efforts on behalf of members

Marketing

ELEC promotes the unique value delivered by Operating Engineers of Local 825. This is communicated through marketing programs consisting of public relations, advertising and events.

Credentialed workforce

Licensing and Security Clearances
ELEC reimburses Local 825 members who work for participating employers for the total cost of operator licenses and security credentials. This also allows us to promise immediate availability of a fully credentialed workforce and gives them an advantage over non-credentialed workers.

Security Clearances
Following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, new security clearances were required for workers who are stationed at bridges, tunnels and ports. These new credentials added significant expenses for workers, so many didn’t apply unless they were hired.  However, because the clearances take time, employers had to wait, delaying their schedules.

ELEC understood that Operating Engineers who were cleared in advance would be attractive to employers wanting to avoid downtime.  So the Reimbursement Program was initiated and ELEC advertises that Local 825 Operating Engineers as “ready to work, day one!”