April 1, 2008 - Workers at Granite Ridge Energy in Londonderry, New Hampshire have ratified their first union contract, a three-year deal with substantial wage increases for most workers. The power plant workers voted to join IBEW Local 1837 on August 4, 2006. The represented workers include all maintenance and operating personnel at the plant.

“Our new members at Granite Ridge have shown tremendous determination in staying together through this long process, resulting in good language for the contract,” said IBEW Assistant Business Manager Tom Ryan. “I’m also pleased that we’ve been able to establish classifications for each job with a corresponding wage rate. Within each classification, we’ve established a progression schedule from entry level to top pay with a corresponding increase at each step.”

IBEW Local 1837 will pursue an appeal of the March 20th National Labor Relations Board decision that rejected the bid of PSNH Working Foremen in Hooksett, Milford and Derry to join the Union. The Working Foremen work shoulder-to-shoulder with our represented Lineworkers and perform nearly identical work for the Line Department.

The Union has studied the Regional Director's decision finding that the Working Foremen are not employees, and have no right to organize or to be represented by a union. We feel there are some serious errors in that decision, and have instructed our counsel to appeal the decision. That appeal will be a request for the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. to carefully review the Regional Director's decision, and to reverse it if they agree that it is incorrect.

The National Labor Relations Board has rejected the bid of Working Foremen in the Line Department of PSNH to join IBEW Local 1837. The Working Foremen work shoulder-to-shoulder with our represented Lineworkers and perform nearly identical work for the Line Department.

In a ruling dated March 20, 2008, the NLRB's Regional Director disagreed with the Union and agreed with Public Service Company of New Hampshire, finding that the Working Foremen - Line were statutory supervisors. Under the terms of the National Labor Relations Act, workers determined to be supervisors are not eligible to join a labor union and are not protected by the National Labor Relations Act. Working Foremen - Line in the Hooksett, Milford and Derry Area Work Centers had petitioned to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 in December of last year. Their petition was challenged by PSNH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Connecticut-based Northeast Utilities.

The Current is distributed quarterly by IBEW 1837 stewards at worksites. You can also download the most recent edition here. Highlights include:

PSNH Fights Bid of Working Foremen to Join IBEW 1837

Members Ratify 5-Year Deal at FPL Energy Maine

WGME Unfair Labor Practice Trial Set for March 4th

Tentative agreement has been reached at Granite Ridge Energy in Londonderry, NH, for a first contract between IBEW 1837 and NAES (North American Energy Services). Following a union election and months of negotiation, the parties today (March 18, 2008) reached tentative agreement on a three-year contract package. The package will be voted on by eligible employees at Granite Ridge on Monday, March 24 between 4:00 and 9:00pm at the Plumbers and Pipefitters union hall in Hooksett.