The Formation Of Local Union 666

Local Union 666 was chartered on May 28, 1910. At that time, the International had 400 local unions with a membership of 7,250. As of January 2007, Local Union 666 had approximately 1,300 members.

The first meeting of Local Union 666 was held at Spark’s Hall, located at 712 East Broad Street. Meetings were held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The first officers were F.A. Fry, President; E.W. Lipscomb, Financial Secretary; and P.P. Pollard, Recording Secretary.

The few electricians belonging to Local Union 666 faced a difficult struggle until January 1919. At the end of 1918, the wage scale for Journeymen Wiremen was $0.75 per hour. The Local decided to request an increase to $1.00 per hour, but the contractors refused. This refusal resulted in a strike that was called on January 3, 1919. One contractor paid the new scale for one day, but pressure was placed on him, and he told his employees that he wanted to pay the increase but could not.

On January 24, 1919, the men who were on strike organized Union Electric Company. During that time, a fire occurred at the News Leader Plant, the area newspaper. Union Electric was successful in obtaining the job for the striking electricians. Employees of Union Electric agreed to contribute 25% of their wages back into the company to help finance the business. As of January 24, 1919, Union Electric Company had a total capital of $1,158.20. Through June 1919, the company had conducted $17,000.00 in business and had paid out $7,000.00 in labor costs. Of the 85 men affected by the strike, only nine crossed the picket line.

In July 1919, Mr. Eugene Francis Griffin, one of the union members who was on strike, purchased Union Electric Company and paid dollar for dollar for the outstanding stock that had been purchased by union employees. From June 1919 until 1932, Union Electric Company was the only organized contractor in Richmond, with the exception of Brother L.R. Warinner, who operated a small shop employing only his brother.

In early 1932, the twelve largest shops in Richmond joined with I.B.E.W. Organizer Brother Gordon M. Freeman (Past International President) to organize Richmond. Much of the credit for this effort went to Brother Eugene Francis Griffin, Sr., of Union Electric Company, and Mr. Thomas Wilson Wilmer of Chewning & Wilmer, Inc.

Union Electric Company remained in business until the mid-1980s, when it was sold and later closed.