April 16, 2013 – Fiber Microwave Technicians at Center Maine Power Company are the latest group of workers seeking to have union representation from IBEW Local Union #1837. A secret ballot election will be held on Friday, April 26 to include these six workers in the largest existing bargaining unit at CMP.
The Fiber Microwave Techs are responsible for the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of CMP’s fiber-optic cable and microwave networks that carry both voice and data communications. They also maintain the Load Management and Energy Management Systems for the Company.
Although the Union sought to roll these technicians into the same CMP bargaining unit along as many of our other members including lineworkers, substation technicians, service workers and other job classifications, the Company sought to exclude them and claimed that they didn’t share a “sufficient community of interest” with those employees. After a hearing at the National Labor Relations Board in Boston on March 12, the NLRB Regional Director ruled in favor of the Union, allowing what is sometimes called an “Armour/Globe” election to move forward.
“We’re looking forward to the upcoming election because we’re confident that these workers will recognize that IBEW is the right choice for them,” IBEW 1837 Organizer Matt Beck said. “We know that they’ll receive a warm welcome from our many members who are already working shoulder-to-shoulder with them at CMP.”