Welcome to IBEW 1837

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1837 is proud to represent approximately 1,600 working men and women all over Maine and New Hampshire. Most of our members work at electric utilities or broadcasting stations throughout the two states. We work at companies such as Central Maine Power, Eversource in New Hampshire, and WGME-TV 13, just to name a few! IBEW Union Local 1837 maintains two offices to better serve our members—one in Manchester, Maine and the other in Manchester, New Hampshire. The office in Maine includes a separate building with a conference room and meeting area for union programs and training sessions.

1837 Members Take Top Spots at Rodeo
They don’t climb for crowds or spotlight. There are no grandstands or a roaring stadium. Just a field lined with rows of utility poles. Fellow lineworkers and families stand behind a rope as the sound of gaffs cut into wood. At the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kansas, lineworkers climb for pride, for the trade, and for each other.
It’s where skill, training, and years of mentorship are tested in a matter of seconds.
It was on that open field, beneath a bright blue Midwestern sky in October, that Eversource New Hampshire Troubleshooter and IBEW Local 1837 member Bob Michaud... Read More
End of an Era for WGME’s Operating Technicians
October 2025 marked the end of an era at WGME-TV (CBS 13) in Portland as the station’s long-time Operating Technicians saw their master control operations transferred from local control to a regional Media Operations Center (MOC).
For decades, these skilled technicians have been the heartbeat of the station, ensuring that every broadcast ran smoothly and every signal made it to air without interruption.
Operating Technicians have always been behind the scenes, monitoring live feeds, routing signals, switching programming, and keeping the station on the air through storms, breaking news, and... Read More
Platner Campaign Staff Unionizes with IBEW Local 1837
The campaign staff of U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner officially unionized with IBEW Local 1837 in mid-February by signing a collective bargaining agreement at the Local 1837 union hall in Manchester.
After voluntarily recognizing the staff union late last year, Platner and his campaign team moved quickly to the bargaining table. Negotiations between management and the union, which can sometimes take months or longer, were completed in just a few hours. The agreement was ratified by the staff and guarantees livable, competitive wages and high-quality health insurance for the campaign... Read More
IBEW Founders’ Scholarship Available
The IBEW Founders’ Scholarship honors the dedicated wiremen and linemen who founded the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Each year, the officers of the IBEW offer scholarships to working members on a competitive basis. 
The scholarship is intended to support members’ personal development while helping to steward the electrical industry envisioned by our founders. 
All IBEW members who have been in continuous good standing for four years preceding May 1 of the scholarship year in which they plan to apply are eligible. The award is for $200 per semester credit... Read More
Support the “No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act”
The IBEW is calling on all members to urge Congress to support H.R. 5475, the No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act — legislation that would make tax relief on overtime fair for every working person, including IBEW 1837 members.
The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," signed into law in July 2025, created a new federal tax deduction for overtime pay.  Under this law, most workers can deduct up to $12,500 (individual) or $25,000 (joint) of overtime income from federal taxes between 2025 and 2028.  However, this tax break only applies to overtime pay required under the Fair Labor Standards... Read More
Maine AFL-CIO Releases 2025 Working Families Legislative Scorecard
The Maine AFL-CIO has published its 2025 Working Families Legislative Scorecard, which is an essential resource that shows how Maine’s state legislators voted on key labor issues.

The scorecard highlights scored bills that impact working people in Maine. 
There’s now an interactive online version where you can enter your address and see how your specific legislators performed. 
Union members and retirees across Maine are beginning to receive printed versions in the mail. 

Your vote, your advocacy, and your voice all matter — and knowing how your legislators act on labor... Read More
Unit Meetings Return for Fall 2025

Unit meetings for IBEW Local 1837 have returned after they were suspended for the summer months.  You can find a printable flier here.
Below is each unit’s regular meeting pattern.
Unit 1 (Dover, NH)

Meetings suspended until October 2025
Regular Schedule: Fourth Tuesday of the month at 5:00 p.m.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
Location: Comfort Inn - 10 Hotel Drive, Dover, NH 03820

Unit 2 (Manchester General/Hooksett, NH)

Meetings suspended until September 2025
Regular Schedule: Second Tuesday of the month at 5:15 p.m.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 9, 2025,... Read More
Strong IBEW 1837 Showing at Summer Institute
Nine members of IBEW Local 1837, representing Central Maine Power (CMP), Versant, Unitil, New Hampshire Electric Co-op, and Eversource, spent two days sharpening their skills and building solidarity at the Maine AFL-CIO Labor Summer Institute in Orono on August 13–14, 2025. They were joined by longtime IBEW 1837 members, State Representative Matt Beck of South Portland, and Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney. 
Hosted at the University of Maine’s Wells Conference Center in partnership with the UMaine Bureau of Labor Education, this year’s Institute focused on shop stewards -... Read More
Eversource NH Operators Picket for Contract
 
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1837 held an informational picket outside Eversource headquarters on Wednesday, August 13. The demonstration drew attention to stalled negotiations for a first contract covering System Operators in the Electrical System Control Center and the System Operations Center.
These operators, who oversee the transmission and distribution electric grids across Eversource’s New Hampshire service territory, voted to join IBEW in late 2023. After lengthy hearings, the National Labor Relations Board confirmed their eligibility for... Read More
IBEW Sounds Alarm on 'Big Ugly Bill'
The IBEW is sounding the alarm on President Trump’s recently signed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that it poses a serious threat to working families across the country. In a letter to local unions, International President Kenneth W. Cooper called the legislation “irresponsible,” citing tax cuts for the wealthy, health care rollbacks, and the elimination of clean energy job incentives that have fueled significant IBEW job growth in recent years. Despite the bill’s name, Cooper made clear: “This new law will directly impact IBEW members and their families.”
Among the most damaging... Read More