IBEW Local 103 has become one of the largest, fastest-growing, and most diverse construction unions and has been paving the way for clean energy infrastructure in Massachusetts

Washington (March 5, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, announced that his State of the Union guest will be Lou Antonellis, business manager of IBEW Local 103. Throughout his career, Antonellis has fought for good-paying jobs, quality health care, and secure benefits for union members and their families. At IBEW Local 103, he has helped position Massachusetts to be at the forefront of creating green union jobs and transitioning to sustainable practices in the construction sector.

IBEW Local 103 recently invested $10 million in renovating its training center to prepare the workforce for wind, solar, electric vehicle (EV), and other clean energy technologies. The union has also led on major climate projects, such as constructing a 91,000-square-foot addition to the Harvard Kennedy School in 2017 to improve the building’s energy efficiency. Additionally, IBEW Local 103 has led the way in building EV infrastructure, including charging stations, across Massachusetts. With IBEW Local 103’s commitment to social and economic justice, clean energy, and the rights of workers, Antonellis and IBEW Local 103 continue to build a better, brighter future for all workers and their families.

“If we are going to secure a livable future, we need to have good-paying union jobs and worker justice at the center of our clean energy revolution,” said Senator Markey. “Lou Antonellis and IBEW Local 103 not only talk the talk, but they walk the walk in helping to create a clean energy economy built by and for union workers and families. President Biden and Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act to create union jobs through incentives for using American content and paying prevailing wages and hiring registered apprentices, and under Lou’s leadership, IBEW is helping make those goals a reality. IBEW is the heart of the labor movement in Massachusetts and around the country, and I am proud to have Lou Antonellis join me at the State of the Union.”

“I am honored to join Senator Markey at the State of the Union address, especially as the most pro-union President in U.S. history, Joe Biden, with the support of leaders like Senator Markey, continues to advance a vision for the future of our nation that includes countless opportunities for great careers in the construction industry and specifically in the green energy sector,” said Antonellis. “It’s an honor to represent not just our thousands of members, but also workers who aspire to become union members as our country increasingly goes electric.”

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