Overview
- Just after midnight Saturday, roughly 1,500 members of IBEW Local 614 walked off the job after negotiations failed to produce a new contract.
- Union leaders say bargaining stretched through marathon sessions over several days and that talks have been stalled for about six months with unresolved disputes over wages, benefits and safety.
- PECO says it offered a market-competitive package that includes nearly a 20 percent wage increase over five years and that it has contingency plans to maintain service continuity.
- The union warns the strike could slow outage restoration and emergency response as the region faces extreme heat and storms, and contractors and sister utility workers have said they will not cross picket lines.
- Key issues behind the walkout include uneven retirement coverage for newer hires and health benefits, and the coming days will test whether outside crews and federal mediation can limit customer disruption.