About Us Mission Aug 11, 2017 Mission The mission of this System Council shall be to further by all lawful and proper means the employment and earning opportunities of the membership of the affiliated Local Unions, and to achieve a greater degree of unity and coordinated action between the Local Unions in collective bargaining with their respective employers. Purpose Nov 13, 2015 . History of the IBEW Nov 13, 2015  In 1844 the first telegraph lines were strung.  In 1879 Edison built the first commercially successful incandescent lamp.  The electric power and light industry was firmly established with the construction of the Pearl Street generating station in New York  City in 1882.  As public demand for electricity increased, so did the need for workers in the field. Page Last Updated: Aug 11, 2017 (09:51:00)