UPDATE: The membership overwhelming approved this agreement, by a margin of 72% to 28%.
After protracted and highly contentious negotiations, the IBEW local 125 members who are employed at Pacific Power in Northern Oregon and Southeastern Washington have reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility company.
The TA includes an 8.5% wage increase over four years, and maintains the current 22% co-pay on health care premiums for three years, with a cap on the company’s cost. The Local 125 bargaining committee is recommending a “Yes” vote, and members will vote on Dec. 14.
Local 125 represents 320 linemen, meter readers, substation wiremen and others at Pacific Power. The union has been bargaining with the employer for over a year. The company’s previous offer contained an increase to the workers’ share of the health care costs, and was overwhelmingly rejected by the members. In early September, the members voted to authorize the union bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary, and have engaged in several rounds of informational picketing outside the company’s Portland headquarters.
According to Northwest Labor Press:
Local 125’s most recent contract with Pacificorp, which ran through Jan. 25, contained raises of just 1 percent—lower than inflation. The one before that terminated workers’ pension plan and substituted a 401(k).
“We’re not wanting to have anything further taken away,” said Local 125 Business Manager Travis Eri.