Business Manager Tony Sapienza
April 20, 2022 - IBEW Local Union #1837 members at the electric utility serving a large swath of northern and eastern Maine have approved a two-year contract extension offer with pay increases for all classifications and no change in their health insurance premiums or other benefits for the term of the extension.
On the campaign trail and throughout his presidency, Joe Biden has promised to be the most pro-union, pro-worker president in history. As President Biden celebrates his first year in office, his actions are matching his words.
“President Biden has taken significant and historic steps to promote, protect, and enhance the rights of working people, including IBEW members,” President Stephenson said in a statement citing a long list of first-year accomplishments:
March 4, 2022 - Kitty Kilroy has been appointed as a new Business Representative for IBEW Local #1837. Sister Kilroy will have many responsibilities including staffing our Dover, New Hampshire office, following the retirement of Sue Ekola, our secretary for the past 24 years.
“I’m proud to work for the union. I’ve always been honored to be asked to represent people and proud that people have faith in me,” Kilroy said. “I look forward to putting our members first and helping them fight the good fight.”
IBEW 1837 has joined Brookfield Renewables and the Kennebec River Alliance in a bid to prevent the removal of dams on the Kennebec River where our members work generating electricity. A proposal to amend Maine’s Kennebec River Management Plan and remove at least two and eventually as many as four dams has been withdrawn. That apparent victory for dam supporters was just one step in a complicated and hard to follow licensing process.
Central Maine Power Members Ratify 4-Year Contract
Inside Summer 2022 issue of The Current:
Contracts Ratified for Versant Power, WGME-TV, WABI-TV, and Sea-3
Kitty Kilroy Appointed IBEW 1837 Business Representative and Sue Ekola Retires
Quick Notes and Announcements
Friends, I’m excited to announce to everyone that as much as I love retirement, I’ve decided to get involved with something else I care deeply about: Central Maine Power, Versant Power (Bangor Hydro), their employees and the Maine ratepayers, not necessarily in that order.
After Contentious Negotiations
December 9, 2021- Members of IBEW Local #1837 at WGME-TV 13 in Portland have approved a new 3-year contract agreement with substantial raises in 2022 for all members in all job classifications, ranging from 5.2% up to 49.9%. Most members will see a wage increase of at least 7% in 2022, followed by an additional 5% over the next two years. The contract vote took place on Wednesday, December 8, in a church basement near the Portland studios of the CBS affiliate.
Scranton Local 81 Business Manager Mike McDermott met President Biden when he visited the city in October.
President Biden appeared at the Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton on October 20 to promote his domestic agenda and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that will be created to rebuild the nation’s degraded infrastructure.
There to meet him backstage was Scranton Local 81 Business Manager Mike McDermott.
After nearly five years without a confirmed leader, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is headed by worker safety advocate Doug Parker.
IBEW members like this employee of the Army Corps of Engineers will benefit from pro-worker nominees on the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Continuing a trend of filling labor-related posts with experienced pro-worker nominees, President Biden has selected Susan Tsui Grundmann and Kurt Rumsfeld for seats on the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Union Celebrates Successful Organizing Drives
Contract Agreements and Extensions
Brookfield Reorganization and Black Bear Hydro Purchase
AMR Agreement for Affected Meter Readers at PSNH
Proposals Subcommittee Starts Review for CMP Negotiations
Click here for full issue.
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Gubernatorial Contests are Top Labor Concern
Union Continues to Demonstrate Benefits
Members Elect Local Union Leaders
New Contract Agreements Reached
PSNH Changes Will Affect Some Members
Click here for full issue..
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Featuring these headline stories and more:
CMP: Members Receive Lifesaving Awards After Rescue (page 1)
Eversource: Generation Assets Auction Moves Forward (page 2)
IBEW 1837: Protect Yourself: Disciplinary Interviews (page 3)
Eversource: Field Tech Negotiations Continue (page 4)
IBEW: Convention in St. Louis (page 4)
IBEW 1837: Members in NH Help Asplundh Organizing (page 5)
Sea-3: Members Ratify Two-Year Contract (page 6)
NHEC: Members Excel at NEPPA Lineworkers Rodeo (page 6)
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Emera: Seeking PUC Approval of Sale to Calgary’s Enmax (pg. 1)
CMP: 100+ New IBEW Members w/ New Staffing Agreement (pg. 1)
IBEW 1837: Spring 2019 Steward Trainings Held (pg. 2)
Eversource: NE Apprentice Line Training Program (pg. 3)
WGME, CMP, Eversource, NHEC, Littleton: Quick Notes (pg. 4-5)
Emera & CMP: Distracted Driving Concerns (pg. 6-7)
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Emera: Contract Extension Ratified if ENMAX Sale Approved (pg. 1) Emera: Arbitration Victory for Unjust Termination (pg. 1) Broadcasting: WABI Contract & WGME Agreements (pg. 2) CMP: In Memorium: Lineworkers Henderson & Grant (pg. 4) Unitil, CMP & NHEC: October & November Storm Photos (p. 5) IBEW 1837: Business Manager’s Year-End Letter (pg. 8)
Featuring these headline stories and more:
Eversource: New Owners Set to Acquire Generation Assets (page 1)
New Contracts Ratified at Eversource, CMP, Granite Ridge & WABI-TV (page 1 - 3)
IBEW 1837: New Union Officers Elected (page 4)
Eversource: Bill Tarallo Retires After 50 Years at Company (page 4)
IBEW 1837: Members in NH Help Defeat "Right to Work" (page 6)
IBEW 1837: Members Help Restore Power in ME, NH & FL! (page 6)
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The Current Newsletter
Featuring these headline stories and more:
NHEC: Strike Victory and New Contract Ratified (pg.1-2)
Brookfield: Member Returns From Layoff with Gratitude (pg. 1 & 6)
NextEra: Contract Extension Ratified (pg. 2)
Sea-3, Unitil, WGME: Contracts Ratified (pg. 3)
IBEW 1837: Leadership Changes/New NH Asst. Bus. Mgr. (pg. 4)
Quick Notes: Stewards Depart, Kilroy New Recording Sec’y. (pg. 4)
IBEW 1837: Weingarten Labor Rights (pg. 5)
Click here for full issue.
The Current Newsletter
September 24, 2021 - The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the relocation, postponement or cancellation of some meetings. Please contact your steward, the union office, or log on to www.ibew1837.org before driving.
IBEW 1837 has moved some meetings online via Zoom for Units that have lost their meeting locations or have chosen not to meet in person. Union staff is available to meet on an as-needed basis where meetings are cancelled.
Each year, the Union Plus Scholarship program offers college scholarship money to union members and their dependents. Applications for the 2008 program are now available and the deadline to apply is January 31.
The legislature convened on July 19 to consider vetoes including LD 1708.
July 19, 2021 - The Maine House of Representatives failed to override the veto by Governor Janet Mills of a consumer-owned utility bill 68- 65, far short of the necessary 2/3 margin. That means that voters will not see a referendum question creating Pine Tree Power on the ballot this fall. If approved by voters, Pine Tree Power would have replaced Central Maine Power and Versant Power with a consumer-owned utility. The bill’s proponents pledged to collect enough signatures to place the question before voters in November 2022.
Hundreds of Union members turned out to line the streets outside the NH Sportsplex in Bedford the morning of the final House vote.
June 4, 2021 - In a tremendous victory for working people and their unions in the Granite State, the New Hampshire House of Representatives soundly defeated “Right to Work” legislation on Thursday, June 3, by a vote of 199-175. That was followed by a 197-178 vote to indefinitely postpone the bill, effectively killing it until at least 2023.
June 4, 2021 - In a tremendous victory for working people and their unions in the Granite State, the New Hampshire House of Representatives soundly defeated “Right to Work” legislation on Thursday, June 3, by a vote of 199-175. That was followed by a 197-178 vote to indefinitely postpone the bill, effectively killing it until at least 2023.
May 15, 2021 - The following members of IBEW Local #1837 have been nominated and selected to serve as delegates to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker's 40th International Convention in Chicago: IBEW 1837 Business Manager Tony Sapienza, IBEW 1837 President Michelle Crocker, IBEW 1837 Organizer/Business Representative Matt Beck, IBEW 1837 Vice President Bob Mc Neff, Kitty Kilroy, and Bill Tarallo. Since the number of nominees was equal to the number of delegates for our Local, there will not be an election held for those seats.
May 5, 2021 - IBEW members working at Central Maine Power voted to approve a new collective bargaining agreement with guaranteed wage increases and annual bonus payments, and without significant concessions of any kind. Voting took place at 15 different locations throughout the state on Wednesday, May 5th. The contract takes effect immediately and runs through April 30, 2025.
March 25, 2021 - At a hearing of the New Hampshire House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee, the overwhelming majority of people testified in opposition to the so-called “Right to Work” bill. Elected union leaders were joined by rank-and-file union members in urging committee members to vote “Inexpedient to Legislate” on the union-busting bill, SB 61. Similar bills have been considered dozens of times in the State Legislature and have always failed to become law.
March 16, 2021 - A proposal to amend the state’s Kennebec River Management Plan would remove at least two and eventually as many as four dams where IBEW 1837 members work generating electricity. The dams are owned by Brookfield Renewable Partners.
March 10, 2021 - Workers at Central Maine Power Company (CMP) are angry and disappointed by the decision of company officials to give an unusually low 1.4% annual bonus to their non-management employees. At the same time, CMP managers will receive a bonus payout of 8 – 9% of their annual pay.
February 9, 2021 - Anti-union politicians in Concord and out-of-state special interest groups are back at it again. They’re trying to cut wages and benefits for union members by supporting more deceptively titled “Right to Work” legislation, Senate Bill 61.
February 8, 2021 - A union organizing campaign by registered nurses at Maine’s largest hospital has captured the attention of union members and hospital patients throughout Northern New England. It also has earned a rare public endorsement from IBEW Local Union #1837.
May 15, 2021 - The following members of IBEW Local #1837 have been nominated and selected to serve as delegates to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker's 40th International Convention in Chicago: IBEW 1837 Business Manager Tony Sapienza, IBEW 1837 President Michelle Crocker, IBEW 1837 Organizer/Business Representative Matt Beck, IBEW 1837 Vice President Bob Mc Neff, Kitty Kilroy, and Bill Tarallo.
Turnout was high throughout the state for the contract vote. Ballots were tallied at the Manchester, Maine office of IBEW 1837.
March 16, 2021 - A proposal to amend the state’s Kennebec River Management Plan would remove at least two and eventually as many as four dams where IBEW 1837 members work generating electricity. The dams are owned by Brookfield Renewable Partners.
March 10, 2021 - Workers at Central Maine Power Company (CMP) are angry and disappointed by the decision of company officials to give an unusually low 1.4% annual bonus to their non-management employees. At the same time, CMP managers will receive a bonus payout of 8 – 9% of their annual pay.
February 9, 2021 - Anti-union politicians in Concord and out-of-state special interest groups are back at it again. They’re trying to cut wages and benefits for union members by supporting more deceptively titled “Right to Work” legislation, Senate Bill 61.
February 8, 2021 - A union organizing campaign by registered nurses at Maine’s largest hospital has captured the attention of union members and hospital patients throughout Northern New England. It also has earned a rare public endorsement from IBEW Local Union #1837.
Tony Sapienza took over as the Business Manager/Financial Secretary with the retirement of Dick Rogers, effective October 1, 2020. He was unopposed in the Union election held this summer. Brother Sapienza had served as Assistant Business Manager for New Hampshire the previous two years. He realizes that taking over from Dick Rogers will be a tough act to follow.
“Dick left some big shoes to fill and I’m glad that he has offered to continue to work with us and provide advice when we need it,” Sapienza said. “I’m grateful for the mentoring and confidence he has provided me.
October 6, 2020 - The Eversource NH contract has been ratified by a razor thin majority of Union members at the Company. It is the policy of IBEW Local 1837 to not release the ballot totals but turnout was strong among union members at New Hampshire's largest electric utility.
October 28, 2020 - Members of IBEW 1837 are required to adhere to safety measures that our represented companies have put in place to protect their employees during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although the safety protocols including mandatory use of face masks vary from one employer to the next, and not all of our members support them or believe that they are necessary or effective, they must be followed nonetheless.
December 30, 2020 - At least one good thing has come out of a very bad year: Workers at the Kittery Water District have overwhelmingly ratified their first contract with IBEW Local #1837. The 15 workers at the water utility include office staff, filtration plant workers, laborers, meter readers, service technicians and others.
November 10, 2020 - The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the relocation, postponement or cancellation of some meetings.
The long-term and likely permanent closure of Schiller Station in Portsmouth in June not only marked the end of 70 years generating electricity for the Granite State, it was also the end of the bargaining unit that played a pivotal role in the history of IBEW Local #1837.
Tony Sapienza took over as the Business Manager/Financial Secretary with the retirement of Dick Rogers, effective October 1,
2020. He was unopposed in the Union election held this summer. Brother Sapienza had served as Assistant Business Manager for New
Hampshire the previous two years. He realizes that taking over from Dick Rogers will be a tough act to follow.