RICK DIEGEL

1943- 

Rick Diegel accomplished great things as a legendary union organizer, political activist, and mentor in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 

An Air Force Vietnam veteran, Diegel returned home to become a journeyman electrician with IBEW 278 in Corpus Christi. He quickly rose to the position of Business Manager. When the union’s membership doubled, he caught the attention of national IBEW leaders, who appointed him National Political Director (and eventually Legislative Director) of the union from 1983 until his retirement in 2007. 

Diegel emphasized the importance of political success in promoting better working conditions. He served three terms as Mayor Pro Tempore in the City of Ingleside. That experience further ignited his passion for persuading union members to run for political office. In Washington, D.C., he turned the IBEW Political Action Committee into the largest of its era. 

In matters of public policy and politics, Diegel was widely respected in the halls of Congress, helping IBEW punch well above its weight, whatever the political weather. A congressional resolution honoring Diegel's  service states, “Rick became a major figure in the modern labor movement and helped lead the transformation of the IBEW into the 21st century.” 

For decades, Diegel was the essential contact if someone at the Texas AFL-CIO wanted to know what was really going on in our federal government. His takes were unvarnished, reliable, and always cast in the best interests of working people. Diegel left Texas for much of his career, but Texas never left him.