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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 25, 2009 – The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ (IBEW) Code of Excellence is yielding desirable results at the new Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. – which is five months ahead of schedule and significantly under budget. The new code, which was implemented by Local 164, based in Paramus, N.J., was developed in collaboration with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) to define overall expectations for skilled electricians, telecommunications workers, shop stewards and those in supervisory/management roles.
 
“At the core of this program is the ‘8 for 8’ theme, meaning eight hours of solid, productive work for eight hours of hard-earned pay by the most highly trained electricians and telecom technicians,” said Richard Dressel, IBEW Local 164 business manager. “Similar to a corporate best practices program, the IBEW Code of Excellence defines Local 164’s guiding principles and has been proven – on one of New Jersey’s most high-profile and the NFL’s most expensive jobs – to facilitate a desirable outcome in the most efficient and effective manner.”
 
Targeted for completion in April 2010, the $1.5 billion, 2.1 million-square-foot Meadowlands Stadium features the latest in electronics, including high-tech scoreboards, video screens and overhead lights that change color based on which team is playing home. Hidden within the stadium structure are miles of conduit and wire installed by Local 164 which converge at nine substations and more than 37,000 circuit breakers.
 
According to Dressel, the IBEW Code of Excellence was instituted at Meadowlands Stadium during the earliest stages of planning and construction. Local 164’s Ray Manfred was appointed shop steward and charged with the task of providing an in-depth orientation program to the more than 500 electricians and telecom workers who have worked at the site to date.
 
“At the core of this renewed pride in – and ownership of – one’s work is education,” said Manfred, who has been with Local 164 for 24 years and has spearheaded a comprehensive Code of Excellence marketing and communications effort that incorporates literature, posters and educational materials, including films, verbal instruction and a pledge taken by each member. “This commitment to the highest quality, coupled with a steadfast work ethic, widens the quality gap between union and non-union labor even more.”
 
According to Manfred, the code also enhances project-related relationships. Not only do the guidelines promote a sense of teamwork and respect among electricians and telecom workers, it also strengthens the bond with general contractors, building owners and developers, end-users and the surrounding community-at-large.
 
While the Code of Excellence serves as a benchmark, Local 164 is extending these philosophies even further. For example, the local instituted a Drug-Free Workplace Program last year as part of the code’s commitment to promote alcohol- and drug-free projects. The program includes mandatory substance abuse testing that involves a random sampling of the entire membership and travelers from other jurisdictions.
 
“Quality assurance and service excellence now extend beyond corporate America into the construction trade arena,” said Dressel. “As skilled trade unions seek new ways to enhance the quality of their product and become more competitive, upholding a best practices program like the IBEW Code of Excellence should be as routine as putting your shoes on each day.”
 
Dedicated to providing members with integral services that elevate electrical and telecommunications expertise to an even higher standard, IBEW Local 164 electricians are active throughout Bergen, Hudson and Essex counties while telecommunications workers are contracted throughout the state. Nationally recognized and fully certified educational programs are offered at the IBEW Local 164 Training Academy, a 40,000-square-foot facility in Paramus featuring classrooms, hands-on simulation laboratories and the latest technology. ###
           
 
About IBEW Local 164
 
The IBEW Code of Excellence is promoting more efficient, effective work practices while instilling a sense of union pride at Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Pictured is Local 164 journeyperson Tom Klingen, of Ringwood, N.J., who is among more than 500 electricians and telecommunications workers installing hundreds of miles of wire and conduit at the 2.1 million-square-foot stadium, slated for completion in April 2010.