External Troubleman vacancies have been reposted for bid. MA 26-0080 was created to return them to Article 5, Section 2N (2). All other provisions of the CBA apply. The February T&D Helper class has hit the field, and another class is posted with an anticipated hire date of July 20th. The electrician class started on April 13th with another expected in late summer or early fall. Vacancies in Electrical Test, Meter Technician, and Field Meter Technicians have also been posted or listed externally. The postings are good to see but have a way to go to catch up to fill vacated positions.
The T&D Bargaining Unit Trainer canvass has been completed for additional members to assist with the remaining classes of 2026. There is support from each region and RTC. The BU LTN Trainer was not filled and at the time of writing I had not heard of a plan to address it. I have inquired multiple times to move the Electrician apprentice timeline to match the 2025 updated T&D timeline, however, I have not received notification that an agreement will be reached.
The company has declared Journeyman Lineman – Trainee vacancies and about seven transfers have been accepted. Hopefully we will continue to see vacancies created to allow for additional transfers.
The T&D refresher has started in respective regions and seems to be progressing. There were and still are a lot of questions and concerns with the refresher, but I believe most have recognized the tasks are manageable.
Day one of 25HBG-006 Arbitration was held on April 22nd, and day two on May 11th. We hope to have an arbitration award by mid-summer. The team did a great job of providing information and supporting the grievance.
The ORC Team has been focused on the backlog and attempting to move along some new complaints that have been received. Please remember to log off at the end of each shift or workday. The ORC Team can confirm through the mom log if an employee logged off or not and it will help determine the result of a settlement, or no foul. You can verify your availability by calling ARCOS. The fastest way to a favorable settlement is to be sure you are logged off and available when you are finished with work for the day.
In early May, Hamilton Insurance and Benefit Architects presented medical, dental, and other benefits to a team of BU and management folks. This is very preliminary and costs and other information have not been disclosed at this time. We are actively looking for options to improve our overall package.
I joined BU and management folks from the power plant side who provided information and career paths to students at Columbia Montour Vo Tech. The plant and BU team did a great job of promoting their Company, trades, and Local 1600 with detailed information, power points, and a Q&A session. It was refreshing to see the partnership between their company and the Local. I appreciate the invite and look forward to additional visits. Columbia Montour Vo Tech Alumni, PCO, and Local 1600 member Marty George represented well!
On May 30th, I joined IBEW Local 614 in Plymouth Meeting during their strike authorization vote. Some of the problems they are facing are similar to what we are dealing with. Their vote response was an impressive 94% in favor of the authorization. It was great to witness their solidarity. They appreciated the support from Local 1600, and I wish them well during this difficult time and hope to see them reach their goals.
The NSUJL Rodeo will be held at City View Park in Hazleton on June 27th. Come out and support our rodeo team if you can. The rodeo has grown; in addition to the competition, multiple food trucks and vendors will be present.
The gofundme link for the Lipinski’s remains open. Many thanks to our members and coworkers who supported them. I would also like to recognize and thank the following locals who shared the fundraiser with their members and provided support – IBEW Local 1319, 2100, 1249, 210, 10, and BUW 310.
We are two months closer to negotiations. Hopefully everyone has been preparing and planning to support the negotiating team so we can gain a fair and deserving contract. Continue to support other work groups and learn what is important to them so we can all move forward together. The 2027 contract will be our nearest and strongest opportunity for improvements and gains.
Thank you to all who have served or have someone in their family serving in the armed forces. Memorial Day has passed, but we can always take a minute to remember and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom.
