Maritime Electric activates contingency plan as union votes to strike


CBC
Thu, July 6, 2023 

Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1928 voted 89 per cent in favour of a strike mandate after rejecting Maritime Electric's latest contract offer. (Kirk Pennell/CBC - image credit)

The 140 members of a union that represents Maritime Electric workers are now in a legal position to strike.

Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1928 voted 89 per cent in favour of a strike mandate after rejecting the P.E.I. utility company's latest contract offer.

Both parties had been negotiating a new collective agreement for the past six months.

Business manager Jim Sponagle said Thursday a strike would send more than half of the company's workers to the picket line, including line technicians, meter readers and customer service reps.

He said he's still hopeful it won't come to that.

"Do we want to go on strike? No, certainly not. But will we go on strike? Well, if we can't make make good headway from where we are today, it could happen," Sponagle said.

"The union is optimistic that the employer will reach out and get back to the table and get back to bargaining, so we minimize the impact to Maritime Electric employees, to Prince Edward Islanders. Again, this is a position that nobody wants to be in, but here we are. So we're looking to get back to the table."

Sponagle said wages are the sticking point that ultimately lead to the impasse, particularly as Islanders continue to experience high inflation.

Jason Roberts, president and CEO of Maritime Electric released a statement Thursday saying the company is open to further discussions with the union.

Power crews working on Sherwood Rd. in Charlottetown in the days after post-tropical storm Fiona.

Power crews working on Sherwood Rd. in Charlottetown in the days after post-tropical storm Fiona. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)

Roberts said the company feels it has presented its IBEW-represented employees with a "fair and reasonable offer that balances the interests of employees, our customers and the company."

He said Maritime Electric has activated its operational contingency plans in the event of a work disruption and that it continues to focus on operating its electrical system safely across the province for customers.

Maritime Electric says it currently has 219 full-time employees.