PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PECO workers took a first step Saturday night towards a potential strike as 94% of voting members sided in favor of a strike authorization amid ongoing contract negotiations with the utility giant.
IBEW Local 614 said over 1,000 members voted on the strike authorization Saturday.
Workers who maintain PECO's electrical and natural gas system have been without a contract since April 1 and said they've seen little progress in negotiations since January.
Larry Anastasi, the president and business manager of the union, rallied Saturday in Plymouth Meeting with local elected officials and over a hundred workers.
“What they’ll remember is that we stood together. The best relationships are not built with money,” Anastasi said.
“They’re formed when you show up when people need you. We always show up when PECO needs us, and they’re not showing up for our workers.”
Workers are fighting for better wages, retirement, and health benefits. Joy Rodriguez is a customer service representative with PECO and a business agent with Local 614.
“Whether it’s today, tomorrow, a month from now, or longer, my colleagues and I will be here fighting for what we deserve until the company comes to the table and agrees to treat us fairly moving forward,” Rodriguez said.
A strike by PECO workers would be the first in the company's history.
A PECO spokesperson told KYW Newsradio that the company is prepared should a work stoppage happen, and customers do not need to worry about any service interruptions.
