Wiring a Better Future: How Hard Work Lifted John Martin to New Heights

By Robert Fulton

For the past 19 years, IBEW Local 11 has been more than a career path for one dedicated member: It has been a lifeline.

“It was the best decision of my life,” said John Martin about joining IBEW Local 11.

Since joining Local 11 nearly 20 years ago, Martin has gone from a troubled past to become the General Superintendent for CSI Electrical Contractors, overseeing hundreds of workers and tens of millions of dollars in projects. He hopes his story inspires others.

Martin grew up in Torrance. First was the foster system, then the juvenile justice system, then more than 11 years in prison. Gangs, drugs and “making horrible decisions,” Martin shared.

“I had to fight that fight, not to be a statistic and beat the odds,” he said. Despite the obstacles, he found a way out of the cycle of hardship and into a life of purpose.

A turning point for Martin came, naturally, on a jobsite. His stepfather got him a non-union job working concrete. At a jobsite, Martin observed electricians and decided to pursue an education in the trade. He enrolled in Long Beach City College’s electrical program.

Initially working on non-union jobs, Martin was soon organized into IBEW 11. He liked the sound of good pay, benefits, a pension and a brotherhood.

“It was just very enticing to have that,” Martin said.

Martin entered Local 11 as an apprentice with three years of experience. Since joining IBEW Local 11, his career has flourished. Starting as an apprentice with CSI Electrical Contractors, Martin has steadily climbed the ranks: journeyman, foreman, general foreman, site superintendent, and now General Superintendent. Today, he oversees four superintendents, 265 electricians and mulit-million dollar projects. His projects include the Intuit Dome, UC Irvine Hospital, the Burbank Airport expansion and the Colburn School of Performing Arts.

“Altogether, it’s just been the best decision that I could have made,” Martin said. “Just the knowledge that the union provides with our electrical field, it’s second to none. You feel confident going into any job due to the training, the capacity of the work that we do, how we’re always engaged to the newest stuff, the best projects, the landmarks that we do, it’s just training that you can’t get nowhere else.”

With a union paycheck and benefits, Martin’s wife was able to quit her job and return to school full-time to become a registered nurse. The couple purchased a home in Hacienda Heights, where they’re raising their four children.

“My kids see how successful I became and now that drives them to not settle,” Martin said. “They’ve seen what mom and dad have done, so they know that hard work pays.”

Considering his past, Martin struggled to find his place in the workforce. He soon learned that what you do on the job matters most to the union.

“Out here, it’s performance-based,” he said. “If you do a good job, you work hard, you show up every day, you can live a long time in this union. They give you all the right tools; they teach you. It’s just been a great journey. It’s been something great for my family.

“If you wanted to work, and you worked hard and you showed up every day, you were employed, you were good,” Martin added.

Martin has a clear message for those struggling to right past wrongs and find direction in their lives.

“They have a chance to make it right, that they’re not bound by tattoos and records,” Martin said. “They’re bound by performance and grit and how hard you work and work well with others, and how you carry yourself.”

“If I can change one person’s mind to say, ‘Hey, you can do it. Don’t let your record or your tattoos be your handicap,’ that would be the best thing for my life.