Our IBEW Local 400 History
On November 14, 1917, Local Union 400 was chartered in Asbury Park, New Jersey to charter members: Albert Anderson, David H. O'Rielly, Rutherford B. Brown, Charles S. Ferris, Frank O. Brice, George N. DeWitt, Raymond C. Hendrickson, Beverly Cord, Judson Mulford, Russell Holbrook, Elisha Newman, John H. Bind, August Stettre, Lawrence Brice and Joseph Y. Jones.
The local grew in its early years and by the mid-twenties there were about one hundred members. Post Great Depression the Local flourished with the construction of the areas many military installments, in preparation for WWII. On July 1, 1969, The International merged Local 400 & Local 516. The merger also included the acquisition of territory from Atlantic City, Trenton and Perth Amboy, which increased the jurisdiction to all of Monmouth & Ocean County. From the end of the war through the 1970’s we contributed a labor workforce to the growing industrial and manufacturing market in Monmouth and Ocean County. Projects such as Brockway Glass, Nestles, Toms River Chemical, 3M, Bell Labs and the country’s oldest operating Nuclear Power Plant, Oyster Creek.
Since the 1970’s we have grown and adapted to our jurisdiction’s needs, helping to create the landscape we associate with Monmouth and Ocean County today. Structures and projects such as Hospitals, Industrial and Corporate Parks, Schools, College Campuses, Marinas, E-Z Pass, Residential Hi-Rises, Shopping Malls, Outlet Centers, Great Adventure and some of NJ’s largest Solar Farms. This all the while continuing to support and maintain our territory’s electrical infrastructure and generation stations.
On October 1, 1983 Local 400 merged one more time with Local 730 from Newark. This increased Local 400’s Sign Division jurisdiction to all of Northern New Jersey.
As the electrical industry continues to change, Local 400 prepares for our industry’s future as we look towards technology growth and means of alternative energy.
Read the letter written by Brother & Former President Ernest Knierim on the early history of LU 400 and his initiation into the Local.
Read the letter written by Brother & Former President Ernest Knierim on receiving his 60 Year Pin.
Press Release of Meeting Activities from 1979
Read the letter written by retired JCP&L member Robert Stier about his connection to Local 400
