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In September of 1891, the call went out to all those newly organized locals to meet in St. Louis to pull this loose collection of locals into a national Union.  And on November 21, ten men  -  T.J. Finnell from Chicago; F.J. Heizleman from Toledo; E.C. Hartung from Indianapolis; Harry Fisher from Evansville; Henry Miller, J.T. Kelly and William Hedden from St. Louis; and J.C. Sutter, Joseph Berlovitz and James Dorsey representing locals by proxy - met at what became the First Convention Of the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.  They met for a week and developed a constitution, adopted the now-famous clenched fist holding lightning bolts as a logo.  Miller was elected first Grand President and Kelly became first Grand Secretary.

The Founders of the IBEW understood six basic principles about the construction industry that they utilized and applied to the formation of a national Union.  These principles are listed below.  Each poses questions that we must still answer today.

     1)  Construction is critically important to our national economy.
             Who will organize the supply of skilled labor?

     2)  Construction is impossible without craft, skill and knowledge.
             Who will control the supply of skilled labor?

     3)  Construction employers generally lack the will and resources to train an adequate supply of skilled labor.
             Who will train the supply of skilled labor?

      4)  Construction is a boom-and-bust industry.
              Who will maintain and refer the supply of skilled labor?

      5)  Construction employers come in many sizes.
              Who will control the small work in the jurisdiction?

      6)  Construction operates in a local market.
              Who will organize and control the local construction market?