Following months of investigations and weeks preparing for trial, Unfair Labor Practice charges filed against Central Maine Power Company (CMP) by IBEW Local 1837 were settled just days before the trial was set to begin.

Immediately after the Union was certified to represent them, the Company announced that members of a unit of 47 employees would not be eligible for merit increases, for the all-employee incentive bonus, and certain other programs. Believing the changes to be illegal unilateral changes to mandatory subjects of bargaining, IBEW had attempted to convince CMP to withdraw the letter. When the Union was unable to persuade the Company to change their position, charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Field Technicians and Field Technician Specialists at Public Service Company of New Hampshire are awaiting a decision from the National Labor Relations Board to determine if they can have a statewide bargaining unit as IBEW Local 1837 has proposed. The NLRB held a hearing in Boston on May 15 and 16 to determine the scope of the proposed bargaining unit for the "Writers" at PSNH.

At the hearing, an attorney for PSNH argued that the employees cited in the Representation Petition should be split into more than a dozen different bargaining units across the state. IBEW feels strongly that the composition of the bargaining unit should be statewide for the benefit of our new members. Our attorney and various witnesses presented a clear case for the NLRB Regional Director to consider.

Gov. Bill Richardson and IBEW Asst. Business Manager Tom Ryan discuss PSNH Writers.New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, while campaigning in New Hampshire for the Democratic Presidential nomination, expressed concern to PSNH representatives about their anti-union tactics against IBEW 1837's drive to organize "Writers" at the company. Field Technicians and Field Technician Specialists (also known as "Writers") have recently been subjected to mandatory anti-union meetings at company facilities. These mandatory meetings could soon be outlawed under HB 254, now being considered by the New Hampshire Legislature.

Gov. Richardson was in Portsmouth touring Public Service of New Hampshire's Schiller plant on Sunday, May 6. The power plant, which recently converted one of its coal-fired boilers to wood chips, is seen by the former Energy Secretary as a model for helping to cut our reliance on fossil fuels while safeguarding the environment. While he was "impressed by the plant," Richardson took the opportunity to support the efforts of the Writers to join IBEW Local 1837.

New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson addressing the NH AFL-CIO Convention.IBEW Local 1837 members in the Granite State were represented by seven delegates at the 50th Constitutional Convention of the New Hampshire AFL-CIO in North Conway. The May 5 & 6 biennial gathering received numerous reports from members and considered a handful of resolutions as well as a per capita increase. But it was the presentations by most of the Democratic presidential candidates that created the greatest buzz.

New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary has always attracted a lot of attention from presidential candidates of both political parties. And Democratic candidates have always tried to put in an appearance at the AFL-CIO Convention. This year delegates got to hear from Sen. Barrack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and John Edwards via a live phone hook-up. Appearing in person were Former Senator Mike Gravel and Gov. Bill Richardson. All six vowed to sign the Employee Free Choice Act

Highlights in this issue include:

• PSNH "Writers" Look To Join IBEW 1837
• Surfing Conditions Are Great at The New IBEW 1837 Website!
• Employee Free Choice Act is a Top Priority for American Unions
• Confidential? Not! (A Look at the Potential Perils of Computer Misuse at Work)
• Verizon Proposed Sale to FairPoint Threatens Union Workers at IBEW & CWA Locals
• Porcelain Cutouts Being Replaced at Represented Companies
• Fusion or "Open Ballot" Voting Legislation Being Considered in Maine
• National Safety Council Congress and Expo Highlights Safety Concerns for IBEW 1837 Members
• Negotiations Updates for "The 47" at CMP and Granite Ridge Energy

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