Salvatore “Sam” J. Chilia is International Secretary-Treasurer of the 725,000-member International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), a union he has served since 1967.
From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Chilia served as International Vice President of the IBEW’s Fourth District, representing the union’s members in Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Mr. Chilia began his decades-long IBEW career in 1967 when he was initiated into Cleveland Local 38. He worked as a journeyman wireman electrician for many years while becoming active in the local. He was elected to Local 38’s examining board in 1977, its executive board in 1980 before being named its president in 1989.
After serving as chairman of the Local 38 pension and benefit funds, Mr. Chilia served as business manager for 10 years, beginning in 1997. In that role, his focus was on negotiating project labor agreements, including those covering construction of the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians stadiums as well as the renowned Cleveland Clinic. Mr. Chilia’s more than 40-year legacy with the IBEW includes instituting his local’s 401(k) plan, as well as full retirement at age 55.
An active member of Ohio’s labor movement, Mr. Chilia served as vice president of the state’s AFL-CIO. He is a past board member of the Cleveland Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program and served as both treasurer and board member of the city’s Building and Construction Trades Council.
Mr. Chilia has a long family history of work with the IBEW. His mother is an IBEW retiree and he has two sons in the union.