Dan Luevano

Ries Electric Keenesburg, Colorado Electrical Workers

Dan Luevano

Dan Luevano worked for 10 years as an electrician for Ries Electric in Keenesburg, Colo. Dan and his co-workers worked on both residential and commercial projects.

Dan had worked without a raise for six years. But Dan was concerned about more than increased pay—he wanted the company to maintain a quality staff. He saw the value of the union apprentice training program and knew that union electricians had better pay and benefits. Mostly Dan wanted the company to succeed and thought that having a unionized workforce was the best way to achieve that.

Dan and his co-workers tried to form their union in 2005.  Management tried to keep workers from talking to each other about the union and threatened them with layoffs if they voted to have a union. When his manager called him in to interrogate him about his union support, Dan explained why he thought the union could help the company. According to Dan, his manager yelled at him and threatened to fire everyone. He told Dan he had five days to decide what he was going to do. When Dan said he intended to vote for the union, he was fired.

To protest Dan’s firing, Dan’s co-workers went on strike. Dan won reinstatement to his job, but the company continued to threaten and coerce workers about the union. It held meetings to convince them to not support the union, and wouldn’t even let Dan in the room.  

Two months later, the workers had their election, but the vote was tied—under National Labor Relations Board rules, the union must win by a majority. Dan and his co-workers did not gain the right to be represented by the union. Not getting enough work from the company, Dan left and now works as a union electrician. He says his life is a lot less stressful and that he enjoys going to work every day.