PECO, Union Face Looming July 4 Strike Deadline

For the first time in PECO’s history, there will be a union strike if a labor deal is not soon reached.

During a press conference at Washington Square Park in Philadelphia last Thursday, IBEW Local 614 president Larry Anastasi announced that if the two sides could not come to an agreement before the 12:01 a.m. July 4th deadline, the workers will go on strike. 

Speaking at the event in front of more than 300 IBEW Local 614 union members, Anastasi emphasized that this was a decision they had to make because “(PECO) forced our hand because they think this will divide us.” 

The union workers plan to walk off the job on July 4th, the 250th anniversary of the country. 

The potential strike comes after a vote on May 30 by more than 1,000 workers to authorize a work stoppage if needed. 

Members of IBEW Local 614 have been working without a contract since April 1. 

The union, which according to CBS News has 1,600 workers, covers jobs anywhere from linemen like McGill, to mechanics and call center workers.

In a previous statement, Anastasi mentioned how the strike is about fairness and that they have “exhausted every avenue to reach a deal.” 

When it comes to a new contract, the union is proposing multiple changes including “a commonsense retirement benefit system for all members, a meaningful wage increase, and improvements to healthcare,” the union leader said. 

There are multiple reasons why the union believes they have leverage in contract negotiations. 

One of those points is PECO’s profit. For the first quarter of 2026, the company earned a profit of $278 million, a $13 million increase from the first quarter of 2025 according to Exelon’s (the parent company of PECO) own earnings report. 

IBEW Local 614 recently ran its own polling that in their view helps support their argument. Over 78% of voters support the union in their search for a better contract. 

The union claims that their members are paid up to 30% less than their counterparts. 

The press conference also saw other local labor members and leaders give speeches. 

Jimmy McGill, who is an aerial lineman with the company as well as the IBEW Local 614 assistant business manager, gave a speech that many of his fellow members cheered for. 

While mentioning Exelon, McGill said “Since Exelon was formed 25 years ago, they have done nothing more than decimate the benefits of the workers.” 

Rosslyn Wuchinich, who is the president of UNITE HERE Local 274, a labor union which represents “over 4,000 private sector hotel and food service workers” according to their website, said something that was repeated multiple times throughout the press conference by the different members speaking: “When we strike, we win.” 

In a statement after IBEW 614’s press conference, PECO Chief Operating Officer Nicole LeVine said customers, communities, and partners can be “ assured that we have comprehensive plans in place to maintain service continuity under any circumstance.” 

PECO and the union have another round of negotiations scheduled for July 2, and Levine said that PECO has presented a proposal that included a “nearly 20 percent increase in wages over five years, and enhanced retirement and medical benefits that support our employees while maintaining affordability for customers.” 

In response to what the plan is in case the strike goes into effect, LeVine mentioned in an interview that PECO is an “emergency response company.

“What we do is build contingencies for emergencies,” she said, noting a potential work stoppage is among those emergencies. 

LeVine said that customers shouldn’t expect any interruption of service and that PECO will continue to respond to gas and electric emergencies.