PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PECO workers could soon be on strike. Their contract expires at midnight, and union officials said they have not seen an offer they are willing to take.
Lawrence Anastasi is the president of IBEW Local 614, which represents PECO electrical workers. He said if there isn’t movement at the bargaining table, the union could strike. The union wants pay increases, better health care and some opportunities for retirement.
“PECO is putting in for another rate increase, because 50% profits isn't enough. They need more,” Anastasi said, referring to an average increase of up to 12.5% for customers that PECO has asked the state to approve.
Nicole LeVine is the chief operating officer and senior vice president at PECO.
“Our rates are to make sure that we can provide reliable service to our customers. Ninety percent of what we receive goes right back into our infrastructure, and that includes paying for the wages and benefits for employees."
LeVine said the company is prepared in case of a strike.
“The customers shouldn't expect to see anything different. The customer service will continue. The customer should not see any impact to their reliability or service,” LeVine said.
The union said that’s because PECO is paying millions to keep non-union workers on standby.
At the bargaining table, the union said they aren’t getting answers to their questions.
“They have not engaged in good faith bargaining, that they have not responded to appropriately to our request for information,” said Union attorney Stuart Davidson. “We have come to the table frequently, bargaining with ourselves because we get no answers from them. Makes it hard to find a deal if there's only one party.”
PECO said they are negotiating in good faith.
“PECO and IBEW Local 614 are currently negotiating terms of a new contract for about 1,500 represented employees across a range of positions at PECO. Our employees are the backbone of our business, and we recognize the talents and value they bring to the company,” PECO said in a statement.
“PECO continues to offer competitive wages and benefits that compare favorably with industry peers across the region, along with robust training programs that support effective performance and reinforce safety as a top priority.”
In 2025, the average PECO lineman salary was $243,569, including overtime. PECO said that’s “well above industry benchmarks.”
“Out of respect for our employees and the negotiation process, we will not discuss specific issues further or negotiate this matter publicly at this time. We can confirm that we’ve provided a competitive offer to our employees,” PECO said.
