Labor News

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 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.

March 28, 2014 - Union and Company representatives have prepared a modified 3-year contract extension that will be presented next week to IBEW members in the large production bargaining unit at CMP.

IBEW members at CMP are receiving a summary of the agreement terms and relevant documents to consider prior to a ratification vote.

April 7, 2014 - Negotiators for IBEW Local Union #1837 and Central Maine Power are prepared to begin negotiations next week on a successor contract agreement for the large production bargaining unit. The current agreement runs through the end of this month.

Union members rejected the Company’s offer of a modified 3-year contract extension last week.

 The Union Negotiating Team and Company representatives will begin contract talks on Tuesday, April 15. Five sessions between the two sides had previously been scheduled.

October 22, 2014 - Re-election campaigns for the Governors of New Hampshire and Maine have been getting plenty of attention from members of IBEW Local #1837 and other pro-worker groups. New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan has been a consistent union ally while Maine Governor Paul LePage has supported union-busting “Right to Work” legislation. Both are seeking their second terms on Tuesday, November 4.

November 1, 2014 - Although IBEW Local #1837 does not represent these workers, we are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in their struggle for a fair contract.