Bargaining

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.

May 6, 2014 - Members of  IBEW 1837 in Central Maine Power Company's largest bargaining unit have ratified a new 3-year, 10-month contract agreement. Union members cast their ballots at various CMP service centers on Tuesday, May 6. A meeting of the membership was held in Gardiner on Sunday, May 4 to discuss the proposal and the Union Negotiating Team’s positive recommendation for ratification. While the Local’s policy is not to share the percentages of the results of the vote, the Negotiating Team was pleased that 92% of the membership turned out to cast their ballots.

July 17, 2014 - IBEW 1837 members at Sea-3 have ratified a new, 2-year contract with an immediate 4 ½% wage increase. Sea-3 is a propane terminal facility in Newington, New Hampshire.

Union members agreed that Operators would assume extra duties that were previously performed by managerial staff and some represented members.  Those employees no longer work at Sea-3 and were not replaced by the Company. That portion of the agreement will terminate at the end of the contract term or if new employees are hired to fill those jobs.

December 12, 2014 — A lineup of some of Portland’s most prominent musicians is holding a “Holiday FunkFest for FairPoint Strikers” on Monday, December 22, at Empire music hall. The evening will be headlined by the eight-piece band Model Airplane. Adam Waxman and Joe Farrell and special guest Kenya Hall will also perform.

The announcement of the benefit concert at Empire marks the latest surge in public support for the FairPoint strikers. Since the strike began on October 17, the workers’ relief fund has received nearly $150,000 in donations.

February 19, 2015 - BREAKING NEWS/UNION NEWS RELEASE: FairPoint Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRP); System Council T-9 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (AFL-CIO) Locals 2320, 2326, and 2327; and the Communications Workers of America (AFL-CIO) Local 1400 are pleased to announce that today they have reached tentative agreements on the terms for new collective bargaining agreements.

AUGUSTA, ME (FEBRUARY 22, 2015 UNION NEWS RELEASE)—After three days of voting, IBEW and CWA members in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have ratified tentative agreements with FairPoint Communications. The new agreements protect good jobs and ensure quality telecommunications service for New England communities.

March 25, 2015 - Members of IBEW Local Union #1837 at NextEra have ratified a new 44-month contract.  The collective bargaining agreement includes wage adjustments for some classifications, yearly wage increases for all union members, and a change to benefits. While the negotiating team struggled with the company’s offer, they felt it was the best they were going to be able to achieve.

July 16, 2015 - IBEW 1837 members at Emera ratified a new 5-year contract on July 2nd that includes wage increases in most classifications and comparatively modest increases in health insurance premiums for all members. Voter turnout was high with more than 90% of the 200 workers in the bargaining unit casting ballots in either Bangor or Presque Isle.

March 25, 2016 - An 18-month collective bargaining agreement for 20 members of IBEW 1837 working at Granite Ridge has been ratified and will go into effect on Sunday, March 27, 2016. It’s the first 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.

December 22, 2016 - Union and Company negotiators reached agreement this month on a first contract for the Eversource Field Technicians and Specialists. The agreement was ratified overwhelmingly by the Field Techs and is an addendum to the collective bargaining agreement for the Utility Group at New Hampshire’s largest electric utility.