IBEW Local 48:

Keeping Portland 'wired'

In a lighthearted effort to increase union “brand awareness,” International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48 is renting a pair of billboards and giving out bumper stickers with the slogan “Keep Portland Wired.”

The motto is a spinoff of “Keep Portland Weird” — a popular bumper sticker that celebrates Portland’s quirkiness. Some people may think Portlanders keep wired enough as it is, considering how much coffee they consume. But that ambiguity is eliminated by the IBEW name and logo next to the slogan. Union electricians have been keeping Portland “wired” for nearly 100 years.

The idea was generated by an apprentice member working on a Habitat for Humanity volunteer project. Local 48 Business Manager Clif Davis heard it, liked it, and ran with it.

The billboards are visible to eastbound traffic on Sandy Boulevard at NE 96th Avenue, and to westbound traffic on I-84 near the Troutdale exit.