Addressed to System Council-U7 IBEW members:

On February 16th, System Council-U7 met with the Company to discuss their overall financial and operational condition. At that time, NYSEG informed the Union that they planned to close the Kirkwood Call Center and reduce the remaining workforce by 25%. The Council immediately entered discussions with the Company to try to prevent this action and to minimize the impact on our members. On February 25th, the Union and the Company reached a Memorandum of Agreement that will be voted on by the full membership March 16th, 2010. The memorandum includes an early retirement package, a provision for a Single Worker Unit in line and the ability to keep the Call Center open. Dates for explanation meetings will be posted on the bulletin boards, on the Meeting Dates page of this website and through our Members Only email newsletter as soon as they are scheduled.

Explanation Meeting Dates, Times and Locations now posted on the Meeting Dates Page

We are Local 83

Of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. With approximately 1,500 members across New York State, we represent the best, most skilled and hardest working utility and energy workers in the region We consist of 8 units across the Empire State with members who work at New York State Electric and Gas, AES Cayuga and Westover, Delaware Electric, Otsego Electric, Oneida Madison, Steuben Rural Electric, and Deposit Telephone. We are more than just a union; we are community volunteers that care about our neighbors and the communities we serve. We believe that nothing is more important than working safe, and ensuring that our members make it home to their families at the end of the day. That is one of our highest values. We brave the elements, through snow, ice and thunderstorms, floods and hurricanes, to keep the gas and the electric on.

We lend our labor to benefit those who need us most. We believe that improvement and maintenance to the infrastructure of the energy delivery system not only protects good paying jobs, but also protects the environment and provides safe and reliable service to the consumer. We take pride in our work, and we always are willing to lend a hand to a good cause of charity. We are Local 83 of the IBEW, New York’s best utility and energy delivery union.