Inside IBEW 1837

June 10, 2013 – Members of IBEW Local #1837 in both Utility and Generation at Public Service Company of New Hampshire have approved a new 4-year contract agreement with the Company. The contract calls for an 11¼% (3, 2.75, 2.5 & 3%) wage increase over the term of the agreement with cash bonuses for the workers in each of the first two years.

“While it certainly wasn’t everything we wanted, the Committee worked hard to get the best deal possible,” said IBEW 1837 Business Manager Dick Rogers.

July 12, 2013 - IBEW Local 1837 members at Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC have approved a new 5-year contract that includes wage increases in each year alongside a gradually-increasing cap on the medical insurance contribution rate for employees. The ratification vote took place at the company’s headquarters in Milford, Maine.

The agreement also includes an increase in the Company’s 401(k) contribution, and an increase in the annual boot allowance and the addition of an annual allowance toward a work Carhartt jacket or work bibs.

July 31, 2013 - Customer Service Representatives at the Northeast Utilities Call Center have lost their bid to join the Union by a 55 - 93 vote.  A secret ballot election was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board after a long, contentious campaign marred by unfair labor practice charges against the Company.

In spite of Company threats, interrogations, and creating the impression that employees were under surveillance as a result of their support for the Union, nearly 40% of the Customer Service Representatives voted to be represented by IBEW Local #1837.

August 8, 2013 - The Electric System Operators at Unitil Service Corporation's Centralized Electric Dispatch (CED) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement.

A majority of the workers had voted last September to be represented by IBEW Local #1837 in a secret ballot election administered by the National Labor Relations Board.

October 2, 2013 – IBEW members at Maine Public Service (MPS) have ratified a new contract with an average wage increase of 8.8% over two years. The agreement also includes improvements in overtime, call-out, standby, and system emergency pay as well as a number of other improvements. The contract is an addendum to the collective bargaining agreement the Union already has with Bangor Hydro (BHE), also owned by Emera, Inc.

The contract represents the integration of the agreements at the two companies.

October 8, 2013 - IBEW Local 1837 is mourning the loss of our friend and union brother Kris Jacobson who passed away on Sunday after being hospitalized for some time.

October 30, 2013 - Union members at Littleton Water and Light (LWL) have ratified a new 5-year contract a full two months before the expiration of their current collective bargaining agreement.

The successor agreement takes effect on January 1, 2014 and runs through December 31, 2018 with 2.8% wage increases in each year of the contract.

November 26, 2013 - The Building Mechanics and Attendant at Public Service Company of New Hampshire have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement and have officially become members of IBEW Local Union #1837. The contract vote was held this morning at the PSNH garage facility in Manchester.

November 27, 2013 - IBEW members working for NextEra Energy Resources at their Maine fossil plants have ratified a one-year contract extension. The collective bargaining agreement will run through February 28, 2015

February 10, 2014 - Customer Service Representatives at the Central Maine Power Call Center in Augusta have ratified their first union contract with the Company. An overwhelming majority of the 46 CSR’s voted late last week to accept the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between IBEW Local 1837 and CMP. The workers had voted to organize a union this past June.

IBEW members will perform pole-setting in some areas under the agreement.

February 24, 2014 - Fiber Microwave Technicians at Central Maine Power have ratified their first union contract. These six workers are now part of the largest existing bargaining unit at CMP along with hundreds of other IBEW members. The Fiber Microwave Technicians voted to have union representation in a National Labor Relations Board election last May.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re better off,” said Phil Fessenden, one of the Fiber Microwave Techs. “It was an avenue to better our position at CMP and ensure a more productive future for our department.”

March 24, 2014 - IBEW 1837 members in the Central Maine Power Administrative and Technical bargaining unit have ratified a new 4-year contract agreement. This group of 42 workers had been working without a contract since July 1, 2013.

Although the contract was ratified, nearly all of the workers expressed disappointment and frustration in the final deal. Those feelings were echoed by union officials.

Left to right: IBEW negotiators Joe Gilmore, Scott Kirby and Tom Ryan

March 26, 2014 - IBEW 1837 members at Granite Ridge Energy in Londonderry, New Hampshire have approved a new 3-year contract that maintains their current benefits package and increases their wages by more than 8½% over the term of the agreement.