Categorized | Business, Energy, Featured

Hawaiian Electric reaches tentative settlement with labor union

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Photography and story by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

Hawaiian Electric Company (HEI) and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric Company (MECO) and Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO), and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 1260, have reached a tentative settlement for their labor contract.

The IBEW employees had been working via an extension to their contract, which expired Oct. 31, until negotiations stalled resulting in a strike Friday, March 4.

IBEW union workers began walking a picket line fronting HELCO offices on Kilauea Avenue in Hilo Monday morning (March 7). According to site captain Bully Kelii workers also picketed the HELCO baseyard on Kanoelehua Avenue in East Hawaii.

The strike will not be called off until the negotiated contract agreement is ratified by the union membership. Union officials are hopeful the vote could come before the end of the week.

On learning of the settlement Monday evening, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said, “I appreciate the efforts by the two sides to reach an agreement and want to encourage a speedy ratification vote by the union members.”

The IBEW represents approximately 1,280 workers (54% of all employees) for the three companies, which provide electric service for Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and the Big Island.

Oahu storm-related outages restored

MEDIA RELEASE

(HONOLULU) – Hawaiian Electric management employees have restored power to almost all customers who lost power due to severe weather that hit early Friday morning.

Hawaiian Electric is requesting that any customer who is still without power should call Hawaiian Electric’s trouble line at 548-7961.

Hawaiian Electric management employees and contractors are continuing to work on replacing storm-damaged utility poles. Motorists are advised that from Monday, March 7 through Wednesday, March 9, the right lane of Fort Weaver Road going toward Ewa Beach will be blocked from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Two lanes into Ewa Beach will remain open but motorists should be prepared for delays.

Hawaiian Electric management employees are also currently working on restoring power to 25 customers in Manoa who lost power as the result of an automobile accident early Monday morning.

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