Peco workers plan strike for July 4th
IBEW local 614 represents roughly 1,500 Peco workers who have agreed to strike if their union calls for it.
Peco workers plan to walk off the job on the Fourth of July if they don’t have a contract by then, their union announced Thursday.
IBEW local 614, which represents roughly 1,500 Peco employees including gas and electric field workers and call center staff, has been negotiating for a new contract for months. They include employees who work to restore electricity during power outages.
The workers voted to authorize a strike at the end of May if their union called for it, with over 1,000 participating in the vote. It would be the first worker strike in the company’s history.
“We’ve exhausted every avenue to reach a deal,” IBEW Local 614 president Larry Anastasi said in a statement Tuesday. “If Peco won’t invest in the workers who keep the lights on, we’ve got no choice but to stand together and demand the respect we’ve earned.”
Under its most recent contract, the union is required to provide Peco with at least seven days’ notice before going out on strike. A large crowd gathered at Washington Square Park Thursday morning for the union’s strike date announcement, including leaders of other area unions.
Peco spokesperson Candice Womer said in a statement on Thursday morning ahead of the strike date announcement that the company is committed to negotiating in good faith for an agreement that “is fair to our employees, while supporting the long-term needs of our customers and the communities we serve.”
“We have presented a strong, market-competitive compensation and benefits package,” said Womer. She noted that Peco has “comprehensive plans in place to maintain service continuity under any circumstance.”
» READ MORE: These Peco employees do dangerous work at all hours. Their union is pushing for a better retirement package.
The workers’ most recent five-year contract expired on March 31 and negotiations, which started in January, have led to some tentative agreements, Peco has said. But sticking points have emerged around wages and benefits, the union says.
The next bargaining session is scheduled to take place July 2, Womer said. She noted that the company would like to conduct that session sooner.
This is a developing story.
