Business Manager Tony Sapienza
P: (603) 743-1652
June 5, 2013 - Customer Service Representatives at the Central Maine Power Company Call Center in Augusta voted today to decide if they wanted to be represented by IBEW Local #1837 for collective bargaining. In a secret ballot election administered by the National Labor Relations Board, a majority of the 42 employees on the eligible voter list voted in favor of the Union.
April 26, 2013 - Fiber Microwave Technicians at Central Maine Power voted 5 - 1 to join IBEW Local Union #1837. With the union win in the NLRB secret ballot, these six workers will become part of the largest existing bargaining unit at CMP along with hundreds of other IBEW members.
"We're very pleased with the election outcome," Fiber Microwave Tech Bob Craig said. "We were strong for the union from the start, and despite numerous anti-union meetings, we became stronger."
Featuring these headline stories and more:
IBEW 1837 Members Ratify Contract at NH Electric Co-op and Avoid Strike
Unitil Electric System Operators Vote to Join IBEW Local 1837
New 6-Year Contract for IBEW 1837 Members at Unitil Energy Systems
Maine Public Service Meter Representatives Ratify 1st Contract
Labor 2012: Another Important Election for Union Members
Union’s AMI Arbitration “Victory” at CMP Was a No -Win Case for IBEW 1837
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Bangor Hydro System Operators Win IBEW Vote
NU Call Center Workers Look to Join IBEW 1837
Maine Public Service Meter Reps “Sign Up” for IBEW
Unitil and NHEC Contract Negotiations
IBEW 1837 Retirees Wanted for Rapid Response Team
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.
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Finally, A Contract for IBEW 1837 Members at WGME-TV
Mark Easter from PSNH Receives IBEW Lifesaving Award
Some CMP Customers Opt-Out of Smart Meters to Save Jobs
N.H. and Maine Legislative Attacks on Workers Continue
Irene Storm Restoration Prompts Member Grievances at PSNH
March 13, 2013 - More than 150 Customer Service Representatives at the Northeast Utilities Manchester, New Hampshire "Customer Experience Center" will vote next month on whether they will be represented by IBEW Local 1837 for collective bargaining. Company representatives have already started their campaign against their workers forming a Union.
February 18, 2013 - The Family Medical Leave Act, most often known by the initials "FMLA," has been protecting the job security of workers facing a serious health concern of their own or the health condition of their spouse, parent or child for nearly 20 years, yet many workers know very little about it. You can download the employee book prepared by the Department of Labor if you click here or on the booklet at left.
February 15, 2013 - Pole-setting work being performed by a non-union outside contractor may return to members of IBEW Local 1837 employed at Central Maine Power as the result of an ongoing pilot program spearheaded by the Union. A pair of two-person IBEW-represented crews are already getting the job done effectively and efficiently in what looks like a win-win proposition for both the Union and the Company.
January 22, 2013 - IBEW 1837 Business Manager Dick Rogers and Assistant Business Manager Bill Dunn joined spokespeople and executives from Maine's electric utility and generation industry for a special orientation session of the Maine Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology at the Statehouse in Augusta. Representatives of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, the Maine Public Advocate'soffice and ISO New England also spoke or made presentations.
December 21, 2012 - All terms of the current NextEra collective bargaining agreement have been extended one year to February 28, 2014 as a result of today's ratification vote by IBEW 1837 members employed by the Company. In addition, effective February 25, 2013, all employees will receive a 4% general wage increase while employees in the Production Specialist and Senior Production Tech A classifications will receive an additional 1.5% equity pay increase.
December 6, 2012 - Recently organized workers at Unitil's Centralized Electric Dispatch (CED) in Portsmouth will be receiving back pay as the result of unfair labor practice charges filed by IBEW Local 1837, and a settlement agreement between the National Labor Relations Board, Unitil Service Corporation and the Union.
November 21, 2012 - Following up on a series of organizing victories in New Hampshire and Maine, IBEW 1837's membership development efforts have also paid off in Presque Isle. A majority of the Customer Service Representatives at Maine Public Service (MPS) have signed union authorization cards indicating that they want IBEW Local 1837 to represent them for the purpose of collective bargaining.
November 21, 2012 - System Operators at Bangor Hydro Electric (BHE) have ratified their first contract agreement with the Company. These highly-skilled workers are often referred to as “Dispatchers.”
November 2, 2012 - IBEW Local 1837 and Central Maine Power Company have signed a settlement agreement that essentially resolves all remaining issues resulting from the 2010 AMI Transition Agreement and a subsequent arbitration decision in favor of the union. Automated Metering Infrastructure (or "AMI") is the system that supports the so-called "Smart Meters" which can be read remotely and are now being used by the majority of CMP's customers.
October 24, 2012 - The last two years have seen exhausting battles in Concord and Augusta against so-called “Right to Work” bills and other anti-worker initiatives. It is only because of the sustained, excellent work of labor activists and allies in both states that we were able to minimize the damage against working people and their unions.
October 5, 2012 - IBEW Local 1837 members at the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative have ratified a new 5 1/2- year contract agreement that provides wage increases and preserves a defined benefit pension plan for current and new employees. The ratification vote prevented a looming strike at the utility that serves some 83,000 homes and business across 115 towns and cities.
September 24, 2012 - Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $3.4 million to students of working families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education. Over 2,200 families have benefited from their commitment to higher education. The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation.
The 2013 Scholarship application is now available.
September 6, 2012 - The Electric System Operators at Unitil Service Corporation's Centralized Electric Dispatch (CED) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire have voted to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 for collective bargaining. A majority of the workers had indicated their interest in joining the IBEW by signing union authorization cards in July.
September 5, 2012 - Local unit meetings for IBEW 1837 members have resumed in both states after a brief summer hiatus. Members had voted in late spring or early summer to temporarily suspend their meetings during the traditional summer vacation months.
August 17, 2012 - After only two bargaining sessions, Union and Company Negotiating Teams have inked a tentative agreement on a first contract for the recently-organized Meter Representatives at Maine Public Service Company (MPS).
August 2, 2012 - A majority of the Electric System Operators at Unitil Service Corp., Inc. in Portsmouth, New Hampshire have decided that they would like to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 for collective bargaining.
The System Operators indicated their interest in union representation by signing authorization cards that were submitted to the National Labor Relations Board. As a result of the Union's petition and the Company's refusal to voluntarily recognize the Union, the NLRB has scheduled a secret ballot election on Wednesday, September 5 in Portsmouth.
July 5, 2012 - IBEW Local 1837 member Aaron Gilman has been a mechanic at Maine's Bangor Hydro Electric for the last six years. This November, he hopes to add "State Representative" to his résumé after being recruited to campaign for the Maine House of Representatives.
Maine's 12th House District includes Gilman's hometown of Enfield as well as Edinburg, Howland, Lincoln, Maxfield and Plantation of Seboeis, plus part of the unorganized territory of North Penobscot. He'll be running on the Democratic Party line against the incumbent, Republican Party candidate Jeffery Gifford.
June 5, 2012 - Members of IBEW Local 1837 have ratified a new contract with Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. (UES) in New Hampshire. The six-year agreement includes a 3% wage increase each year and wage adjustments in the first and second years for the majority of job classifications.
“I appreciate all of the hard work our negotiating team put into preparing for bargaining and seeing the process through to its conclusion,” IBEW 1837 Assistant Business Manager Tom Ryan said.
April 24, 2012 - The Meter Representatives at Maine Public Service Company have unanimously decided that they would like to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 for collective bargaining.
April 11, 2012 - The NH Senate voted today to table repeat so-called "Right to Work" legislation, acknowledging the legislation would fail but leaving the door open for anti-worker/anti-union House Speaker William O’Brien.
Following the vote, New Hampshire workers, labor leaders and community allies expressed hope that the Senate would take a similar approach to additional anti-worker bills from the House and move on to more important issues.
March 29, 2012 – In a secret ballot election last night administered by the National Labor Relations Board in Bangor, the System Operators at Bangor Hydro Electric voted 8 – 0 to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 for collective bargaining. These highly-skilled workers are often referred to as “Dispatchers.”
March 28, 2012 UPDATE - NH House Bill 1238 has been tabled by a 304-19 vote today by the New Hampshire House of Representatives. IBEW 1837 thanks everyone for their support!
March 26, 2012 - This Wednesday, March 28, the New Hampshire House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill that may be devastating to many members of IBEW 1837 and to the union itself.
February 17, 2012 - The System Operators at Bangor Hydro Electric Company have unanimously decided that they would like to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 for collective bargaining. These highly-skilled workers are also commonly known as “Dispatchers.”
All of the System Operators at BHE indicated their interest in union representation by signing authorization cards which were subsequently submitted to the National Labor Relations Board. The Union has requested that the Company voluntarily recognize the new bargaining unit and commence negotiations as soon as possible.
Customer Service Representatives at the Northeast Utilities Manchester Call Center are making a bid to join IBEW Local 1837, but Company representatives are pulling out the stops to try to thwart the campaign. More than 150 employees at the Center take customer calls for PSNH, Connecticut Light and Power and Western Massachusetts Electric, answering calls about billing and service for the electric utilities owned by N.U.
February 7, 2012 - IBEW Local 1837 is in complete agreement with PSNH in their opposition to House Bill 1238, a bill that could affect 186 jobs for our members at generation facilities owned by the Company. These are good-paying union jobs, and many other non-union positions could also be impacted. As PSNH indicates in their flier distributed to employees . . .
January 23, 2012 - It’s a new year, but the same old story when it comes to an endless stream of union-busting legislation in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Lawmakers on the House Labor Committee listened to testimony from union members and their allies in opposition to several bills during public hearings on Wednesday, January 19, 2012. One of the bills would outlaw automatic dues deduction for union members and another would eliminate collective bargaining for all public sector workers – a bill even more extreme than what was rammed through in Wisconsin.
October 21, 2011 - IBEW 1837 members at WGME-TV, channel 13 in Portland have approved a new, 3-year contract after a long and contentious struggle with parent company Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. of Maryland. That struggle led to a national AFL-CIO boycott and the decision by Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates not to advertise on the station during the 2010 primary campaign.
The Current is generally mailed to the home addresses of IBEW 1837 members. This "Extra Edition" was only distributed at worksites. You can also download this edition here. Highlights include:
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Summer Break Doesn't Mean End of Struggles at State Houses
IBEW 1837 Elects Officers, E-Board Reps. and Delegates
New Contract for CMP Technical Administrative Unit
Labor's Day Event Schedule for New Hampshire and Maine
he Current is mailed to the home addresses of IBEW 1837 members. You can also download this edition here. Highlights include:
Featuring these headline stories and more:
OSHA Issues Fines and Citations at Maine Public Service
IBEW 1837 Members Push Back Against Anti-Union Legislation
Talks Underway for "CMP 47" Second Contract
IBEW 1837 Mounts Defense of Members in Arbitration Cases
Contract Ratifications at Granite Ridge and NHEC Warehouse
September 28, 2011 - In a ceremony attended by many of his co-workers at PSNH as well as company supervisors and officials from IBEW 1837, Mark Easter received the highest award his union offers: The IBEW Lifesaving Award. Brother Easter, an IBEW 1837 member since 1999, is a System Machinist in PSNH’s Generation Division working at the Hooksett Line Area Work Center.
July 8, 2011 - IBEW Local 1837 members working at Central Maine Power Company in the Technical and Administrative Bargaining Unit have ratified a new contract, their second since joining the union. After six weeks of negotiations, the membership followed the recommendation of their IBEW Negotiating Committee and approved the Company's offer. The final tally of votes was 85% to accept and 15% to reject and authorize a strike.
June 17, 2011 - Union officers and representatives including President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Business Manager, Executive Board Representatives for each of the 11 units, and delegates to the IBEW International Convention were elected this month. Ballots were counted this morning at our Manchester, Maine office.
Dick Rogers was elected to his first term as Financial Secretary and Business Manager of the Local.
May 11, 2011 - Local 1837 members at the Granite Ridge power plant near Londonderry ratified their second contract agreement on last month, giving them a more than 9 percent wage increase over the life of the three-year deal (3 ½%, 3%, 3%), streamlined grievance and arbitration procedures, an extra paid holiday, and an increase in the call-out premium with less than 24 hours notice.
April 12, 2011 - Members of IBEW Local 1837 have been playing an active role in worker efforts to push back against union-busting legislation both Maine and New Hampshire. At rallies, vigils, in testimony at public hearings and in meetings with legislative representatives, Brothers and Sisters in our Local have been speaking out against efforts to weaken all unions and to even to strip some public sector workers of their rights to collectively bargain.
March 25, 2011 - Four Warehouse Workers at the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) ratified their first contract on Friday, March 25. It took almost nine months and 25 negotiating sessions to reach this important milestone.
The term of the contract is through September 2012. IBEW 1837 will be negotiating both the Warehouse Workers’ and the larger NHEC bargaining unit future agreements at the same time.
February 17, 2011 - WGME-TV, Channel 13 in Portland is one of almost five dozen stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting that have been placed on the nationwide AFL-CIO boycott list because of a labor dispute here in Maine. The station unilaterally implemented portions of a contract offer one year ago on February 17, 2010, despite the opposition of the workers and their Union.
January 18, 2011 - An attractive package of incentives at Central Maine Power Company has led to the early retirement from the Company of four Chief Stewards and the Treasurer of IBEW Local 1837. Chief Stewards Dale Blethen, Rodney Curtis, Gilbert Guevin, Barry Ripley and Treasurer Donald Leighton retired from CMP in January.
“I could go on and on about what these brothers have done for Local 1837,” said Assistant Business Manager Bill Dunn. “They have been great activists for us and tireless fighters for the union movement. It will be a big hole to fill.”
January 29, 2011 - The collective bargaining rights of IBEW 1837 members and all union members in Maine and New Hampshire are being threatened by so-called “Right-to-Work” legislation being considered in Augusta and Concord. They’re often called “Right-to-Work (For Less)” laws because workers in 22 states that already have them tend to get paid less money and have worse benefits.
December 5, 2010 - With the impending layoff of dozens of CMP meter readers and the imminent early retirement of an unknown number of CMP workers age 55 and older, IBEW members met in Gardiner to discuss the impact on the Union and the Company in the weeks and months ahead.
October 21, 2010 - Northeast Utilities, the owner ofPublic Service Company of New Hampshire, will purchase NStar for $4.17 Billion in a deal that both companies describe as a “merger.” If approved by federal and state regulators as well as shareholders, the new company will be New England’s largest utility with a total of 3.5 million electric and gas customers in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The merged company will have a total enterprise value of $17.5 Billion, according to a joint statement.
October 15, 2010 - Months of uncertainty for more than 125 members of IBEW Local #1837 followed the February 2010 final approval from the Maine Public Utilities Commission that gave Central Maine Power the green light to move forward with their Automated Metering Infrastructure project. Once the AMI was complete and CMP’s residential and business customers had so-called “Smart Meters” installed, the positions of Revenue Data Readers and other workers in the Revenue Service department were slated for elimination.
October 14, 2010 - Workers at Granite Ridge Energy in Londonderry, New Hampshire are preparing to negotiate the successor agreement to their first union contract. The power plant workers voted to join IBEW Local #1837 on August 4, 2006, though it took until March of 2008 to complete negotiations on the first contract. The represented workers include all 20 maintenance and operating personnel at the plant. Their first contract runs through March 26, 2011.
October 8, 2010 - When a Maine union local with more than 1,000 members endorses a candidate for Governor, it’s a pretty big deal. It’s an even bigger deal when it’s a union local that rarely makes endorsements.
At the meeting of our IBEW 1837 Executive Board in Manchester on August 20, our elected unit representatives voted overwhelmingly to endorse Libby Mitchell for Governor. The decision was made largely because of Mitchell’s support for workers throughout Maine, but in particular, her support for members of our own union.
August 19, 2010 - As a great summer in New Hampshire and Maine draws to a close, most of the Units in our Local Union are gearing up to resume regular monthly meetings in September. The only exception is Unit 6, Portland, which will resume monthly meetings in October.
Meetings for members of Unit 3, Laconia, are moving to a new date and location. The Opeechee Park Clubhouse is no longer available. Meetings for Unit 3 will now be held at the Laconia Elks Lodge at 17 Sugarbush Lane in Gilford on the third Thursday each month at 5:15 p.m..