Inside IBEW 1837

September 21, 2020 - IBEW 1837 members at Granite Ridge have approved a 3-year contract extension with raises in each year and without any concessions.

Members voted on Friday, September 18th to approve the contract extension offer. That offer was the result of several phone conversations between IBEW 1837 Assistant Business Manager Tony Sapienza and Calpine North Central Regional Operations Vice President Chris Jones. Mr. Jones  insisted this was the Company’s best offer at this time.

October 1, 2020 - After a career that started as a Summer Helper at Central Maine Power in 1979 and ended with a 9-year stint as Business Manager and Financial Secretary for IBEW 1837, Dick Rogers has retired. IBEW 1837 Assistant Business Manager Tony Sapienza will assume the Local Union’s top job.

“We work for the members,” Rogers said.  “I always kept that in my mind. A number of people don’t realize the time that goes into doing this job, the time and the commitment. It is a 24/7 job because we have shift workers. I tried to return all calls and be a straight shooter.”

October 6, 2020 - The Eversource NH contract has been ratified by a razor thin majority of Union members at the Company. It is the policy of IBEW Local 1837 to not release the ballot totals but turnout was strong among union members at New Hampshire's largest electric utility.

October 28, 2020 - Members of IBEW 1837 are required to adhere to safety measures that our represented companies have put in place to protect their employees during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although the safety protocols including mandatory use of face masks vary from one employer to the next, and not all of our members support them or believe that they are necessary or effective, they must be followed nonetheless.

December 30, 2020 - At least one good thing has come out of a very bad year: Workers at the Kittery Water District have overwhelmingly ratified their first contract with IBEW Local #1837. The 15 workers at the water utility include office staff, filtration plant workers, laborers, meter readers, service technicians and others.

February 8, 2021 - A union organizing campaign by registered nurses at Maine’s largest hospital has captured the attention of union members and hospital patients throughout Northern New England. It also has earned a rare public endorsement from IBEW Local Union #1837.

February 9, 2021 - Anti-union politicians in Concord and out-of-state special interest groups are back at it again. They’re trying to cut wages and benefits for union members by supporting more deceptively titled “Right to Work” legislation, Senate Bill 61.

March 10, 2021 - Workers at Central Maine Power Company (CMP) are angry and disappointed by the decision of company officials to give an unusually low 1.4% annual bonus to their non-management employees. At the same time, CMP managers will receive a bonus payout of 8 – 9% of their annual pay.

March 16, 2021 - A proposal to amend the state’s Kennebec River Management Plan would remove at least two and eventually as many as four dams where IBEW 1837 members work generating electricity. The dams are owned by Brookfield Renewable Partners.

Turnout was high throughout the state for the contract vote. Ballots were tallied at the Manchester, Maine office of IBEW 1837.

May 15, 2021 - The following members of IBEW Local #1837 have been nominated and selected to serve as delegates to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker's 40th International Convention in Chicago:  IBEW 1837 Business Manager Tony Sapienza, IBEW 1837 President Michelle Crocker, IBEW 1837 Organizer/Business Representative Matt Beck, IBEW 1837 Vice President Bob Mc Neff, Kitty Kilroy, and Bill Tarallo.

June 4, 2021 - In a tremendous victory for working people and their unions in the Granite State, the New Hampshire House of Representatives soundly defeated “Right to Work” legislation on Thursday,  June 3, by a vote of 199-175. That was followed by a 197-178 vote to indefinitely postpone the bill, effectively killing it until at least 2023.

August 8, 2008 - IBEW 1837 member Rob Lang was enjoying a summer Sunday afternoon in mid-July when two young children who lived next door came running up to his New Durham home. They told him their dad was hurt. Hurt bad. They needed his help.

August 25, 2008 - Every year on the first Saturday in June, Darrell Buzzell and his wife Carole help lead people down the Kennebec River while raising money for disabled children and adults to attend summer camp here in Maine. “Twelve years ago, Carole and I started kayaking the Kennebec with a handful of friends to raise money for Pine Tree Society,” said Darrell. “Little did we know that twelve years later we would have over 200 boaters including people with disabilities.”