Comp Time Proposals Bad for Workers
Several bills in Congress threaten to weaken the overtime protections that most of us currently take for granted under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA). Several proposals sponsored and supported by Republican legislators aim to give companies more flexibility on whether they have to pay time and a half after forty hours.
So far both the subcommittee and the full committee have voted along straight party lines - Republicans for, Democrats against. Because Republicans have a majority in Congress now, we need to convince some Republicans to vote against these bills when they go to the full... Read More
NH Sends "Right To Work For Less" Down To Defeat!
A tremendous effort by union members and supporters to educate legislators about the value of unions and the anti-union nature of the so-called "right to work" bill paid off when the legislature voted against the bill. Below is a listing by county of each legislator, and how they voted.
 



County
District
Representative
RightWrong
Party




Belknap
29
Ahern, Omer
Wrong
Republican


Belknap
29
Laflam, Robert
Not Voting
Republican


Belknap
29
Wendelboe, Fran
Wrong
Republican


Belknap
30
Dewhirst, Glenn
Wrong
Republican


Belknap
30
Fitzgerald, James
Right
Republican


Belknap
30... Read More
Union Busting at CMP
Company moves workers - declares new location NON-UNION!
Apparently slithering through one legal loophole after another, CMP has announced its decision to merge the non-union Lewiston Phone Center with the Union Fairfield Credit Center to a new location in Augusta and to declare the resulting department non-union.
The move is currently scheduled to take effect November 13. Union members and officials are continuing to work against the loopholes and allow the Fairfield workers to maintain their union status. In the meantime, please read the following
Open Letter from the Union Workers at the... Read More
IBEW Supports Sept 11 Victims
Remember the Dead
Support the Living

The IBEW mourns the loss of all those killed in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Our Brotherhood suffered its own losses that tragic day. The most recent report puts the toll at 20 members killed in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. To the best of our knowledge, 16 of those members were from Local 3 and 4 were from Local 1212. We are relieved to report that no Washington, D.C., area locals seemed to have lost any members in the attack on the Pentagon. We will publish further information as it is... Read More
PSN Milford Meter Votes to Join IBEW 1837
In a two to one vote September 14, Meter Readers in the PSNH Milford facility voted to join IBEW Local 1837. Prior to the vote, Milford was the only location in the company where Meter Readers were not represented by a union.
Following final approval of the vote by the National Labor Relations Board, the Meter Readers will be covered by the same contract that covers other IBEW 1837 workers in the company. They will be their own bargaining unit for purposes of job postings.
Maine Legislature to Consider Lineworker Safety Act
The parents of Brent Churchill, a member of this local who died tragically while restoring electrical power after a storm in 1999, have worked with their local legislator, Representative Walter Gooley of Farmington, to propose legislation they hope will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The draft of the language for the bill (LD 869) became public on Wednesday, February 14.
Some of the provisions in the bill are similar to conditions IBEW Local 1837 negotiated Central Maine Power following Brent's death. This bill, however, would cover all lineworkers in Maine, not just those... Read More
Maine Members Testify At Lineworker Safety Hearing
Thirteen members and one family member attended the legislative hearing on March 8, 2001 at the Maine State Capitol. Seven of them gave oral and written testimony in support of the bill. Below is testimony from some of them.
Jane Allen
Dale Blethen
Joan Blethen
Bob Dodge
Dana Hayes
Bob Reed
Jane Allen's Testimony
Senator Ferguson, Representative Savage, Honorable Committee Member:
My name is Jane Allen and I am a resident of West Gardiner. I am here to speak in support of LD 0869 and to urge you to pass the "Lineworker Safety Act."
I am employed as a dispatcher for Central Maine Power... Read More
Press Release Concerning The Purchase of CMP Energy East
For Immediate Release:
Utility deregulation continued to unfold this morning with the surprise announcement of the purchase of CMP by Energy East. Union workers have known that the current maneuvering of forces in the newly deregulated industry meant this could happen, but this particular deal was as much a surprise to the union as to the general public.
The IBEW 1837 contract for union workers will remain in force until May 1, 2000. But from union members' point of view this will add considerable stress to their lives until things are settled. The deal could close just as the contract... Read More
IBEW Members Picket CMP Annual Meeting
Rainy weather and short notice wasn't enough to stop twenty-plus IBEW members from turning out to picket the CMP annual meeting on May 21. Although the circumstances could have caused these workers to blame each other for their situation, they decided to band together and point their fingers at the company who is pulling the strings.
According to Bob Ward of Local 104, "We wanted to bring our situation to the attention of the stockholders – to have our side heard."
The situation Ward is referring to has apparently been brewing for some time. Ward explains that CMP Group, through it's... Read More
IBEW Members Picket CMP Annual Meeting
Rainy weather and short notice wasn't enough to stop twenty-plus IBEW members from turning out to picket the CMP annual meeting on May 21. Although the circumstances could have caused these workers to blame each other for their situation, they decided to band together and point their fingers at the company who is pulling the strings.
According to Bob Ward of Local 104, "We wanted to bring our situation to the attention of the stockholders – to have our side heard."
The situation Ward is referring to has apparently been brewing for some time. Ward explains that CMP Group, through it's... Read More