Inside IBEW 1837

June 13, 2017 - Members of IBEW Local #1837 employed by Eversource NH in the Utility Group have narrowly voted to ratify a new, 3-year contract agreement. Although the Union has a policy against publicly disclosing the exact voting tally, IBEW Local #1837 officials described the outcome as “extremely close.”

June 23, 2017 - IBEW Local #1837 has elected new union officers. Dick Rogers has been elected to a third 3-year term as Business Manager and Financial Secretary of the Local Union. Michelle Crocker was elected as President, succeeding Bill Tarallo who did not run for re-election. 

June 29, 2017 - Voting in locations throughout the Central Maine Power Company coverage area, IBEW 1837 members have approved a contract extension that guarantees them annual 3% wage increases while continuing all the terms and conditions of their current collective bargaining agreement.

There will be no changes in the contract whatsoever including the medical plans, medical caps, and retirement plans. The extended contract runs through April 30, 2021.

September 29, 2017 - IBEW members working at Granite Ridge Energy in Londonderry, New Hampshire have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement to take them through the next three years. It’s the second contract for the union local with Calpine Corporation, a Houston-based generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal resources with more than 80 power plants.

October 12, 2017 - After waiting for more than three years to find out who will take ownership of the electric generation assets of Eversource NH (formerly PSNH), IBEW 1837 members and New Hampshire ratepayers finally have their answer. The winning bidders of an auction were announced on October 12 in an Eversource filing with the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC).

January 23, 2018 - IBEW Local #1837 Business Manager has appointed Anthony “Tony” Sapienza to be the next Assistant Business Manager from New Hampshire, effective June 1, 2018. Brother Sapienza will be succeeding longtime Assistant Business Manager Tom Ryan, who plans to retire on that date.

February 28, 2018 - IBEW Local #1837 members at Brookfield Renewable’s hydroelectric assets in Maine have ratified a new, 5-year contract. Members will see a 12.75% increase in wages over the term of the agreement while maintaining their level of benefits.

“This is a good contract,” said IBEW 1837 Business Manager Dick Rogers. “The members will receive a wage increase similar to or even a little better than workers at other Brookfield hydro assets.”

In addition, minimum call-outs for members were increased to 4 hours for regular call-outs to 6 hours on holidays.

Last week, union members in the largest bargaining unit at the New Hampshire Electric Co-op voted 79 – 1 to reject the company’s contract offer and authorize the IBEW Negotiating Team to call for a strike at the utility. Members in the smaller Warehouse bargaining unit also voted unanimously to reject the contract and authorize a strike. Union and Company negotiators met this morning but NHEC representatives refused to back off their demand that that they have the unilateral right to modify or eliminate 401(k) or pension plans without first negotiating with the Union.

IBEW Local 1837 is on strike at the New Hampshire Electric Co-op (NHEC). The Company is attacking our retirement plans and the right to bargain over possible changes to them.

We have begun collecting gift cards for our members for Hannaford Supermarkets and Mobil or Irving Gas (the most common stations in NHEC territory). Gift cards can be mailed to: IBEW Local #1837 (NHEC Strike Support), 680 Central Avenue, Suite 202, Dover, NH 03820.

May 15, 2018 - More than 100 Union workers and members of the community are expected to gather together in Plymouth on Wednesday, May 16 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for a Community Rally to show support for the striking workers of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative. The rally was set to take place outside the headquarters of the Co-op at 579 Tenney Mountain Highway in Plymouth.

May 17, 2018 - International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union #1837 members at the New Hampshire Electric Co-op voted this morning to ratify a new 3 1/2 -year contract agreement and end their 10-day strike. The contract includes wage adjustments for some classifications, annual wage increases for all bargaining unit members and improvements in the retirement plans for union employees.

May 31, 2018 - IBEW 1837 members working for Unitil in New Hampshire have ratified new 5-year contract agreements that provide wage increases and other improvements in benefits.

A total of 38 members of IBEW Local 1837 work at two New Hampshire locations of Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. (UES): “Capital” in Concord and “Seacoast” in Kensington. They work as Lineworkers, Meter Mechanics, and some as Support Personnel. A second, smaller bargaining unit of five Electric System Operators work at Unitil Service Corporation's Centralized Electric Dispatch (CED) in Portsmouth.

August 28, 2018 - IBEW Local 1837 members employed by the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) are entitled to unemployment benefits for the time that they were on strike this May. That decision from the New Hampshire Employment Security Appeal Tribunal was handed down on Friday afternoon, August 24.

September 4, 2018 - Meetings for members of IBEW Local #1837 resume this week after the usual summer break (except for Unit 6, Portland, which resumes in October). IBEW 1837 members are welcome at any unit meeting to discuss issues affecting their jobs and their union. There are also discussions about current events that affect working people and their unions.