Inside IBEW 1837

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever be sitting in a union meeting”. This sentiment has been echoed by several workers in a group of non-union workers at CMP who have been so frustrated by changes made since Energy East took over their company that they are now actively seeking to join the union.

The new overtime rules in the Fair Labor Standards Act, pushed by the Bush Administration under the guise of "updating", took effect August 23 after lengthy and repeated efforts to amend or defeat them were thwarted by the Bush administration. For an analysis of the situation and the new rules, visit the Economic Policy Institute overtime page.

For the third time since transferring payroll responsibility from CMP Augusta to the Energy East facility at Pineland, CMP will be notifying a large number of employees that their paychecks were miscalculated. While some will learn that the company owes them a refund, most who recieve letters will be notified that they owe the company money.

IBEW 1837 is advising ALL members who work at CMP to check your pay stubs carefully each week to be sure that your pay is calculated correctly, and that the right amount is deducted for your 401(k).

In a two to one vote September 14, Meter Readers in the PSNH Milford facility voted to join IBEW Local 1837. Prior to the vote, Milford was the only location in the company where Meter Readers were not represented by a union.

Following final approval of the vote by the National Labor Relations Board, the Meter Readers will be covered by the same contract that covers other IBEW 1837 workers in the company. They will be their own bargaining unit for purposes of job postings.

Thirteen members and one family member attended the legislative hearing on March 8, 2001 at the Maine State Capitol. Seven of them gave oral and written testimony in support of the bill. Below is testimony from some of them.

Jane Allen

Dale Blethen

Joan Blethen

Bob Dodge

Dana Hayes

Bob Reed

Jane Allen's Testimony

Senator Ferguson, Representative Savage, Honorable Committee Member:

Tony Sapienza took over as the Business Manager/Financial Secretary with the retirement of Dick Rogers, effective October 1,

2020. He was unopposed in the Union election held this summer. Brother Sapienza had served as Assistant Business Manager for New

Hampshire the previous two years. He realizes that taking over from Dick Rogers will be a tough act to follow.