Read our editorial on the significance of strikes here.
More than 1,600 linemen and call center workers represented by IBEW Local 614 returned to work July 8 after winning a tentative agreement with PECO, Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas utility, ending the first strike in the company’s 145-year history.
The walkout began at 12:01 a.m. on July 4 after months of stalled contract negotiations. The union accused PECO of bargaining in bad faith.
A central issue of the strike was PECO’s final wage proposal, which offered smaller raises to call center workers—98% of whom, according to the union, are women.
“We will not accept a contract that undercuts the women of our union,” said Local 614 President and Business Manager Larry Anastasi.
Local 614 leadership said the deal secured all major bargaining demands, including significant wage increases, cash-balance pension plans for all members, and full retirement medical coverage. Among other concessions, call center workers would receive a 3% raise each year for the duration of the five-year contract, while linemen and gas technicians would receive a 4% increase each year and a 4.5% raise in the final year.
PECO reported $278 million in profit in the first quarter of 2026. Its parent company, Exelon, paid CEO Calvin G. Butler Jr. more than $24 million in total compensation in 2025, according to company records.
The three-day strike coincided with severe storms that knocked out power across the region, forcing PECO to bring in out-of-state crews to scab as thousands of customers waited for power to be restored.
The Fourth of July weekend also marked the fourth consecutive day above 100 degrees, placing heavy strain on the grid. PECO serves more than 1.7 million electric customers and 553,000 natural gas customers.
“Our three-day strike showed just how much PECO needs Local 614,” Anastasi said. “Without our labor, expertise, and experience, PECO saw widespread outages that they were slow to address. We are not easily replaced.”
During the strike, PECO disabled its online outage map, claiming it was necessary to “protect” the scabs after union members picketed restoration sites. The company also hired outside security, saying it was needed to ensure safe access to work sites.
The union reported multiple company attacks against picketers. At PECO’s Oregon Avenue facility, a security guard allegedly shoved a striking worker to the ground. At the Berwyn Yard in Tredyffrin Township, two union members were reportedly struck by vehicles, including one by a PECO truck.
Image: IBEW Local 614 workers on strike. Credit: IBEW Local 614.
The Worker is an entirely volunteer-run revolutionary newspaper free from and radically antagonistic to corporate influence. We rely on the support of our readers to sustain our editorial line in service of the working class and the reconstitution of its party, the Communist Party. Make a one-time or recurring donation to our newspaper today:
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
