In the middle of a punishing heat wave, PECO is facing an unprecedented labor stoppage. As WHYY News reported, 1,600 unionized employees are on strike for the first time in the utility's 145-year history.
What happened?
The strike started just after midnight Saturday when bargaining between PECO and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 614 broke down, the outlet said. According to WHYY News, the union represents line crews, workers who respond to gas-smell complaints, technicians, call center employees, and office support staff.
PECO spokesperson Greg T. Smore told the outlet that the company's offer includes "nearly a 20 percent wage increase over five years" along with improved retirement and medical benefits. Union leaders countered that the package still falls short of industry standards and does not do enough to protect newer workers, according to WHYY News.
Union spokesperson Melissa McCleery told the publication that PECO employees earn about 30% less than comparable utility workers nearby. WHYY News also reported that the union wants pension and health coverage for about 600 employees hired after 2021.
On the picket line, linesman Joseph Vassallo described the uncertainty facing newer employees.
"It's hard for me to sell the younger guys on what they're going to be getting coming in here when I don't even know myself," Vassallo explained to WHYY News.
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Why does it matter?
PECO's reach is wide-ranging. The utility supplies electricity to 1.7 million accounts in Philadelphia and nearby Pennsylvania suburbs and provides gas service to roughly 550,000 suburban customers. If the labor dispute drags on, families could feel the strain at a particularly difficult time as they try to stay safe and manage cooling costs during extreme heat.
Workers say the strike is also about the future of local jobs. Joy Rodriguez, a specialized consultant in PECO customer care, emphasized to WHYY that retention is a focus.
"We want to continue to bring the jobs to the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding counties that we service," Rodriguez asserted to the outlet.
The union is also pointing to PECO's finances. McCleery said money from the company's recent rate increase is "not going to workers," while WHYY News reported that PECO earned $814 million in 2025 and Exelon CEO Calvin Butler received $24.6 million in total compensation last year.
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What's being done?
Negotiations are still underway as workers continue picketing at PECO facilities. Smore told WHYY News that the company was "extremely disappointed" by the strike, while union leaders argued that PECO waited until late in the bargaining process to make meaningful moves on key issues.
Support from other labor groups is also growing. WHYY News reported that IBEW locals in multiple states have told members not to take PECO callouts or side jobs, and that United Association Local 855 is honoring the picket line as well.
IBEW Local 614 President and Business Manager Larry Anastasi called for safe conditions after the union said three picketers were attacked in different incidents, according to WHYY News.
"Our members are exercising their legal right to peacefully picket," he said to the outlet. PECO denied the accusations to WHYY News.
Whatever the case, Anastasi expects workers to continue undeterred.
"Our members are exercising their legal right to peacefully picket, and that is exactly what we expect them to continue doing," Anastasi told WHYY News.
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