Earlier this year, a PG&E contract worker—one of our brothers—was shot while doing his job in Camino, CA. In a separate incident, a sister from SMUD was held against her will in a customer’s backyard.
These are not isolated incidents. That’s why IBEW 1245 is sponsoring Senate Bill 1130 this year to ensure utility workers have the same level of protection under the law as police officers and firefighters.
SB 1130 would make an assault or battery committed against a utility worker who is engaged in the performance of their duties punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year and/or by a fine not exceeding $2,000.
When SB 1330 came before its first committee at the State Capitol, IBEW 1245 members filled the room. Our sisters and brothers spoke in support, helping move the bill out of the Senate Public Safety Committee without opposition.
1245 members then stood alongside Senator Jesse Arreguín at a press conference to shine a broader light on the risks utility workers face every day on the job.
Over the past two years, there have been more than 450 reported incidents of threats or violence against utility workers across California’s major utilities. From verbal harassment to physical confrontations, these incidents have become an increasingly common part of the job, particularly during high-stress events like Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
IBEW 1245 Business Manager Bob Dean, who wrote this message to members following the Camino incident, has been working to build a coalition of partners to advance the legislation and ensure these incidents are brought into the light and met with real consequences. “The work IBEW 1245 utility workers do already carries significant risk, from high-voltage exposure to storm response in dangerous conditions,” said Bob Dean, Business Manager, IBEW Local 1245. “These frontline workers should never have to face violence from the very people they’re there to serve.”
Jill Long, a Utility Compliance Specialist with SMUD, shared her firsthand experience at both the press conference and the hearing. “In the past few years, we’ve seen a troubling rise in safety incidents involving utility workers simply doing their jobs. In the summer of 2023, I was held against my will in a customer’s backyard—it was frightening, and even after law enforcement was called, nothing was done. Across our work groups, we’re hearing more and more stories. We shouldn’t have to risk our lives to do our jobs.”
Authoring SB 1330, Senator Jesse Arreguín has worked closely with IBEW 1245 and our chief policy advocate, Hunter Stern, to advance the measure. He said at the press conference:
“Incidents of harassment and assault against utility workers create a stressful and unsafe work environment that can complicate the ability of workers to perform their duties,” said Senator Jesse Arreguín, Chair of the Public Safety Committee. “SB 1330 will provide a strong deterrent against these incidents, ensuring essential utility workers are able to do their work that is critical for the health and safety of our communities.”
Thank you to the brothers and sisters who showed up at the Capitol to advocate for this measure and make their voices heard. In attendance were Samantha Carter, Alvin Dayoan, Joshua Fernandez, Steven Marcotte, and Amelia Randolph; Shawna O’Neal and Jill Long, who also spoke at the press conference; and Keith Hutchinson and his wife. They were joined by staff members Hunter Stern, Rene Cruz Martinez, Jesse Green, Mark Rolow, and Kim Camatti.
SB 1330 was passed out of Senate Public Safety Committee and now moves forward in the legislative process. IBEW 1245 will continue advocating for its passage, keeping pressure on and ensuring member voices are heard.