June 25, 2026
Molly McVety/PhillyVoice
Hundreds of members of IBEW Local 614 showed up in Washington Square Park on Thursday to announce that they will strike on July 4 if a new contract is not reached.
Around 1,600 PECO mechanics, line workers, customer service representatives and technicians will go on strike starting July 4 if a contract agreement is not reached in time, the union said Thursday. It would mark the first work stoppage in the energy company’s 145-year history.
Hundreds of members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 614 gathered in Washington Square Park in Old City on Thursday morning to reassert their calls for higher wages, improved retirement benefits and better healthcare options.
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Larry Anastasi, president of IBEW Local 614, said union leadership understands the impacts the strike could have on customers, but that they had exhausted alternative options, claiming PECO and its parent company, Exelon, have not negotiated in good faith.
“We did not come to this decision lightly,” he said. “... We understand the strategy of Exelon. … [They] have decided that they want us to go on strike. They never intended to bargain. They forced our hand because they think that this will divide us.”
Negotiations have been going on for six months, with both sides filing unfair labor practice complaints against the other during that time. Employees have been working without a contract since their five-year deal expired at the end of March. A strike was authorized last month.
“[PECO has] not negotiated with us at all and that is a conscious decision,” Anastasi said. “We’ve had every offer rejected for wages and benefits.”
Nicole LeVine, senior vice president and COO for PECO, pushed back against the claim that the company has not shown up to negotiations and called the union’s behavior at the bargaining table “absolutely despicable,” alleging "racist and threatening" comments. She also said that the two have reached tentative agreements on some items but would not disclose specifics.
“The fact of the matter is, we really want to close out this contract in a fair and equitable way for our employees and for our customers,” she said. “The union refuses to make themselves available again until July 2…I would love to start meeting tomorrow.”
Melissa McCleery, a spokesperson with the union, refuted claims that insensitive remarks were made during negotiations.
"PECO’s characterizations are a blatant distortion to distract from the fact that the company is not serious about reaching an agreement and giving its workforce and the public much-needed stability," she said in a statement. "A strike is coming and PECO should be focused on negotiating, not hurling accusations."
Per their current contract, employees are required to provide at least seven-day notice to PECO before going on strike. LeVine said a contingency plan is already in place in the case of a walkout and that ratepayers would not feel tangible impacts.
"We have outside resources we're going to be using and our customers should not expect to see any difference in service for a work stoppage," she said.
Jimmy McGill, a PECO lineman of 35 years and associate business manager with the union, said the holiday weekend was intentionally chosen as a way to demonstrate the high-impact work the employees do.
"There's a lot going on in the city on July 4th, obviously," he said. "It should bring a lot of attention to the area and hopefully pressure the company to come to terms and actually negotiate."
Union members have said they are specifically looking to end PECO’s tiered retirement benefit system, which has left employees hired after 2021 without a pension and others with reduced pensions.
“Since Exelon was formed 25 years ago, they have done nothing more than decimate the benefits of the workers,” McGill said. “My own retirement benefits have been slashed multiple times and taken from me.”
Employees are also looking to see a meaningful increase to their salaries that reflects the sometimes dangerous work they do. PECO said linemen on average made around $243,000 in 2025, including overtime. The package that PECO is offering includes annual increases that amount to around a 20% hike for field employees over the life of a five-year contract, LeVine said.
The next bargaining session between PECO and IBEW is scheduled for July 2. Their last meeting was June 19.
“Our employees just do a tremendous job and have really hard jobs and I think that the package that we’re proposing represents that we think that they’re very highly skilled and valued,” she said. “We’re looking forward to closing on this deal. … I just need the union to agree to start meeting with us more frequently.”
