The National Labor Relations Board has rejected the bid of Working Foremen in the Line Department of PSNH to join IBEW Local 1837. The Working Foremen work shoulder-to-shoulder with our represented Lineworkers and perform nearly identical work for the Line Department.

The Current is distributed quarterly by IBEW 1837 stewards at worksites. You can also download the most recent edition here. Highlights include:

   PSNH Fights Bid of Working Foremen to Join IBEW 1837

   Members Ratify 5-Year Deal at FPL Energy Maine

    WGME Unfair Labor Practice Trial Set for March 4th

Tentative agreement has been reached at Granite Ridge Energy in Londonderry, NH, for a first contract between IBEW 1837 and NAES (North American Energy Services). Following a union election and months of negotiation, the parties today (March 18, 2008) reached tentative agreement on a three-year contract package. The package will be voted on by eligible employees at Granite Ridge on Monday, March 24 between 4:00 and 9:00pm at the Plumbers and Pipefitters union hall in Hooksett.

What can seven members at a unit meeting do? (Besides come up with good ideas about things to put on a union t-shirt). They can VOTE. Unit members may want to make a motion to recommend something to the executive board. Unit members get to nominate people for elected union positions. Most actions of the Executive Board aren’t final unless the members vote to approve them. BUT……..The IBEW Constitution defines a quorum for union meetings as seven members. So if there aren’t seven members present there isn’t a quorum and we can discuss anything we want to but we won’t get to vote.

IBEW Local 1837 members are teaming up with our brothers and sisters from other AFL-CIO unions to fight for a brighter future for workers across the United States. Now is a great time to make your union voice heard loud and clear as we prepare to elect a new President as well as other representatives at the federal, state and local level. In fact, Maine and New Hampshire have been identified as two of the six “battleground states” with competitive races that could impact the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.