Traveling as an IBEW Member

This page is a general travel guide. Job calls, book status, referral rules, license requirements, re-sign windows, benefits, per diem, and dispatch procedures can change quickly. Always verify directly with IBEW Local 66 and with the destination Local before traveling, accepting a call, or spending money on fuel, lodging, or relocation.

IBEW membership gives workers access to a North American network of union halls, referral systems, benefit funds, and skilled members. When work slows at home, traveling can help a member keep working without leaving the union system.

Traveler Quick Action

1. Call Local 66 before leaving. Confirm dues status, contact information, and travel-document needs.
2. Call the destination Local directly. Confirm how to sign, what book you can sign, required documents, dispatch method, and re-sign rules.
3. Verify licensing and jobsite requirements. Ask about state licenses, OSHA, CPR/First Aid, drug testing, background checks, and project credentials.
4. Confirm the call before you roll. Verify scale, benefits, schedule, overtime, per diem, reporting location, and duration.
5. Protect your benefits. Ask about reciprocity and ERTS before working outside your home jurisdiction.
6. Keep records. Save referrals, pay stubs, dispatch paperwork, benefit statements, and correspondence.

Letter of Introduction / Travel Letter vs. Traveling Card

Simple rule: traveling for work usually requires a Letter of Introduction or travel letter. Transferring membership requires a Traveling Card and acceptance by the receiving Local.

When requesting a travel letter, be ready with your full name, card number, classification, destination Local, current contact information, and any job or project information you have.

Before You Travel

• Call IBEW Local 66 before leaving. Confirm your dues are current and ask what documents you need.
• Call the destination Local. Ask how to sign, what book you may sign, whether online sign-in is accepted, and what dispatch process applies.
• Carry a current paid-up dues receipt or valid working card, government-issued identification, and a travel letter or Letter of Introduction when required.
• Carry any required CDL and endorsements, OSHA card, first-aid/CPR or flagger certification, drug-test documentation, background-check documentation, or utility/project credential.
• Ask how jobs are posted and whether the Local uses a portal, LaborPower, Union Worx, phone job line, day book, email, fax, or in-person dispatch.
• Confirm scale, benefits, overtime, per diem, duration, report location, license requirements, and short-call rules before accepting a call.
• Ask about reciprocity and ERTS before working outside your home jurisdiction.

Signing the Books in Other Locals

Book rules are not universal. Some Locals require in-person sign-in. Some permit online sign-in. Some require a paid-up dues receipt, travel letter, termination slip, state license, or original paperwork before referral.

• Book 1: generally for members of that Local who meet the Local’s referral requirements.
• Book 2: generally for IBEW members traveling from other Locals.
• Book 3 / Book 4: may apply to other applicants depending on local referral rules.
• Re-sign: required by many Locals to keep your name active on the out-of-work list. Missing the window can remove you from the list.

Track every book you sign. If you take a long call elsewhere, notify the appropriate Locals and remove yourself from books as required by their rules.

Finding Work While Staying Union

1. Use official IBEW and Local Union sources first.
2. Use traveler resources only as leads and verify information with the hall.
3. Ask current members for field knowledge, then confirm through official channels.
4. Confirm the call before you roll. Work outlook, book numbers, licensing, and per diem can change quickly.

Traveling Into Local 66

Local 66 represents outside-construction and utility workers across a broad Texas jurisdiction, including Houston, the Gulf Coast, and numerous surrounding counties or designated portions of counties. Jurisdiction varies by the type of work, employer, utility property, and project location. Contact the hall to confirm whether a particular project falls within Local 66’s jurisdiction. Current governing documents and agreements may be available through Local 66 resources.

• Current referral-office contact hours are listed as 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Confirm the hours before calling or visiting.
• You must be on the books to be called for a job offer.
• Current Local 66 members may start a Book 1 request through the Local 66 jobs page for office review.
• Current site instructions state that Book 2 and Book 3 applicants sign the books in person at the Local 66 hall.
• Current site instructions state that Book 2 applicants need a Letter of Introduction emailed or faxed to Local 66 before picking up a referral.
• Re-sign is available online only during the configured re-sign window for members already on the books.
• Available jobs may be viewed in the Member Portal, but the candidate Local 66 process does not use portal bidding in this phase; the hall continues making phone calls to active employment registrations.

Office: 4345 Allen Genoa Rd., Pasadena, TX 77504 | Phone: (713) 943-0716

Storm and Emergency Work

Storm restoration and emergency calls may involve different schedules, overtime provisions, reporting instructions, classifications, benefit arrangements, lodging, transportation, and employer-specific requirements depending on the employer and applicable agreement.

Before traveling for storm work, confirm directly with Local 66 or the dispatching Local:

• The employer and applicable collective bargaining agreement.
• Your classification and referral status.
• The hourly rate, overtime triggers, call-out provisions, and required rest periods.
• The show-up location, reporting time, expected duration, and crew assignment.
• Whether lodging, meals, transportation, per diem, or return travel are provided.
• Any required CDL, OSHA, first-aid/CPR, drug testing, background checks, and utility credentials.
• Benefit-fund contributions and reciprocity arrangements.

Under certain Local 66 utility provisions, emergency call-outs, extended consecutive hours, Sundays, and holidays may receive premium compensation. These provisions are agreement-specific and should not be treated as a universal storm rate. Obtain the applicable referral or call details from the hall before traveling.

Protecting Your Benefits

When working outside your home jurisdiction, verify benefit-fund participation, reciprocity, and ERTS preparation rather than assuming all contributions will automatically return to your home fund. Keep copies of referrals, pay stubs, dispatch paperwork, and benefit statements.

• Ask whether the funds are reciprocal with your home funds.
• Confirm whether you need to register or update information in ERTS.
• Ask who to contact if contributions do not appear correctly.
• Ask whether the agreement could affect health coverage, pension, annuity, or eligibility.

Traveler Checklist

• Destination Local Union name, phone number, and dispatch contact.
• Current paid-up dues receipt or valid working card.
• Government-issued identification.
• Travel letter or Letter of Introduction when required.
• Book eligibility, online/in-person sign-in method, and required documents.
• Current contact information for your home Local, destination Local, and emergency contact.
• CDL and endorsements, OSHA, first-aid/CPR, flagger, drug test, background check, and utility/project credential requirements when applicable.
• Dispatch time, bidding method, re-sign date, and re-sign method.
• Scale, benefits, schedule, overtime, duration, per diem, reporting location, and start date.
• Benefit-fund participation, reciprocity arrangements, and ERTS preparation when applicable.

Resources and Links

• IBEW Jobs BoardOfficial IBEW construction jobs board and project postings.
• IBEW Local Union DirectoryFind destination Local Union contact information before leaving home.
• IBEW MapReview IBEW districts and Local Union areas.
• Inside Jurisdictional MapsReview U.S. inside-construction jurisdictional maps by state.
• Pension & ReciprocityStart here when you need pension or reciprocity information.
• Local 66 jobs and book signingStart a Book 1 request or review Local 66 job-process notes in the candidate site.
• Local 66 current job callsView current calls through the Working Systems job-call portal.
• Where2BroUse as a traveler lead only; verify every detail with the destination Local.
• GoHereBroUse as a traveler lead only; verify every detail with the destination Local.
• I.B.E.W. Travelers NetworkPeer discussion can be useful, but official referral rules come from the Local Union hall.

Recursos para Viajar como Miembro del IBEW

Importante: esta página es una guía general. Los llamados de trabajo, reglas de despacho, requisitos de licencia, fechas de re-registro, beneficios, viáticos y procedimientos pueden cambiar rápidamente. Confirme directamente con Local 66 y con el Local de destino antes de viajar.

Si viaja para trabajar, manténgase dentro del sistema sindical. Llame a su Local antes de salir, confirme que sus cuotas estén al día y pida los documentos necesarios para registrarse en otro Local.

Carta de Presentación o carta de viaje y Traveling Card

Antes de viajar

• Llame a Local 66 antes de salir y confirme que sus cuotas estén al día.
• Llame directamente al Local de destino. Pregunte cómo registrarse, qué libro puede firmar y qué documentos exige.
• Lleve un recibo de cuotas vigente o una tarjeta de trabajo válida, identificación oficial y una Carta de Presentación cuando sea requerida.
• Lleve la licencia CDL y sus endosos, tarjeta OSHA, certificaciones de primeros auxilios/CPR o de abanderado, y credenciales de la empresa, utilidad o proyecto cuando correspondan.
• Confirme salario, beneficios, horario, viáticos, lugar de reporte, duración y requisitos de licencia antes de aceptar un llamado.
• Verifique la participación en los fondos, la reciprocidad y la preparación de ERTS; no suponga que todas las contribuciones regresarán automáticamente a su fondo de origen.

Firmar las listas

• Book 1 normalmente es para miembros del Local que cumplen los requisitos del Local.
• Book 2 normalmente es para miembros del IBEW que viajan de otros Locales.
• Algunos Locales requieren registrarse en persona; otros permiten registrarse en línea.
• Conozca las reglas de re-registro. Si no se re-registra a tiempo, puede ser eliminado de la lista.

Viajar a Local 66

Local 66 representa a trabajadores de construcción exterior y servicios públicos en una amplia jurisdicción de Texas, que incluye Houston, la Costa del Golfo y numerosos condados circundantes o partes designadas de condados. La jurisdicción depende del tipo de trabajo, el empleador, la propiedad de la empresa de servicios públicos y la ubicación del proyecto. Comuníquese con el hall para confirmar cada proyecto.

• El horario actual de contacto de la oficina de referencias aparece como 9:00 a.m. a 2:00 p.m., de lunes a viernes. Confírmelo antes de llamar o presentarse.
• Debe estar en las listas para recibir una llamada de oferta de trabajo.
• Los miembros actuales de Local 66 pueden iniciar una solicitud de Book 1 por medio de la página de trabajos. Las instrucciones actuales indican que los solicitantes de Book 2 y Book 3 firman en persona en el hall.
• Las instrucciones actuales indican que los solicitantes de Book 2 necesitan una Carta de Presentación enviada por correo electrónico o fax antes de recoger una referencia.
• El re-registro en línea está disponible únicamente durante la ventana configurada para miembros que ya están en las listas.
• Local 66 no está usando bidding en el portal en esta fase. El hall continuará llamando a registros activos de empleo.

Trabajo por tormentas y emergencias

La restauración por tormentas y los llamados de emergencia pueden tener horarios, reglas de tiempo extra, instrucciones de reporte, clasificaciones, beneficios, alojamiento, transporte y requisitos del empleador distintos según el empleador y el convenio aplicable.

Antes de viajar, confirme directamente con Local 66 o con el Local que despacha el trabajo:

• El empleador, el convenio colectivo aplicable, su clasificación y su situación de referencia.
• El salario por hora, las reglas de tiempo extra y call-out, los descansos requeridos, el lugar y la hora de reporte, la duración estimada y la asignación de cuadrilla.
• Si se proporcionan alojamiento, comidas, transporte, viáticos o viaje de regreso.
• Las licencias, certificaciones, pruebas y credenciales requeridas.
• Las contribuciones a los fondos de beneficios y los acuerdos de reciprocidad.

Ciertas disposiciones de servicios públicos de Local 66 contemplan compensación especial para algunos llamados de emergencia, horas consecutivas prolongadas, domingos y días festivos. Esas disposiciones dependen del convenio y no constituyen una tarifa universal para tormentas.

Recursos

• Contactar Local 66
• Firmar las listas / trabajos de Local 66
• Llamados de trabajo de Local 66
• Directorio de Locales del IBEW
• Bolsa de trabajo del IBEW

Manténgase sindicalizado. Hable con el Local, aprenda cómo firmar las listas, mantenga sus cuotas al día, proteja sus beneficios y confirme las reglas antes de viajar.