UPDATED April 26, 2022
On April 15, 2022, IBEW Locals 1245 and 47 came to terms on a tentative agreement with Western Line Chapter of NECA on the California Outside Line Construction Agreement.
The current agreement expires on May 31, and we are pleased to announce that, after several rounds of negotiations, we’ve secured a new tentative agreement that contains some significant enhancements to the total compensation packages.
The Tentative Agreement includes notable increases to wages and total compensation for the Journeyman classifications (intended to bring parity for Journeyman classifications across the state), with a total compensation package of 25.87% over five years, an average of 5.17% a year. All other classifications would receive a total compensation package of 16.76% over the term of this agreement, with an average annual wage increase of 3.35% a year.
This Tentative Agreement represents the largest total package increase to this agreement ever bargained, and, if approved by the members, will be the largest compensation package for construction agreements in the country.
Any classification that is paid at the same wage rate as a Journeyman Lineman or above will receive the following:
- June 1, 2022: Wages: 7.00%; NEAP: $0.35
- June 1, 2023: Wages: 4.50%; NEAP: $0.50; HRA: $0.10
- June 1, 2024: Wages: 4.25%; NEAP: $0.50; HRA: $0.10
- June 1, 2025: Wages: 3.00%; NEAP: $0.50; HRA: $0.10
- June 1, 2026: Wages: 3.00%; NEAP: $0.50; HRA: $0.10
This five-year agreement would bring the Journeyman Lineman rate to $74.43 an hour, NEAP to $14.33, and HRA to $1.40 an hour through the term of this agreement. Apprentice rates will continue to adjust to the current step percentages of the journeyman lineman.
All other classifications will receive:
- June 1, 2022: Wages: 4.00%; NEAP: $0.35
- June 1, 2023: Wages: 3.50%; HRA: $0.10
- June 1, 2024: Wages: 3.00%; HRA: $0.10
- June 1, 2025: Wages: 2.25%; HRA: $0.10
- June 1, 2026: Wages: 2.00%; HRA: $0.10
In addition to the wage increases, the tentative agreement also contains the following changes:
- Clean up and clarification language for 3.5 EPR reporting, 4.11 Lineco and HRA, 4.12 NEAP
- Modification to 4.1, adding additional 15-minute break periods at 4-hour increments after the initial 8 hours.
- 4(a) Change the two (2) hour notice to a six (6) hour notice before the scheduled workday.
- Renew several Letters of Understandings (LOU)
- Category 1 Substance Abuse Testing language. Tied to Safety Red Book violations and preventable incidents.
- Modify 6.21 to include the use of Safety Wallet track training from employer to employer
- Modify 3.9 addresses not returning PPE that was issued and ability to recover cost. (FR Clothing not included)
- Extend all the current addendums through the term of the agreement.
- Modify Article VI, Section 6.9(e) as follows: The parties to this Agreement encourage all Employers to employ at least 1 (one) Cal-Nevada JATC Line Apprentice on every crew when practical.
The parties agreed to meet, discuss and address three additional items at a future date — helicopter work and insurance policies with Lineco; a statewide traffic control agreement; and a pilot program for journeyman training.
Ballots were mailed out with the list of all the changes, modifications and enhancements on Monday April 25, and will be counted on May 23 at 1 pm. Ballots must be received by 10am that morning to be counted.