FORM 8-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report: February 21, 1997
PECO ENERGY COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
PENNSYLVANIA 1-1401 23-0970240
(State or other (SEC (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of file number) Identification
incorporation) Number)
230l Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(215) 841-4000
Item 5. Other Events
As previously reported, on March 7, 1995, a New Jersey local of the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO, (IBEW) filed two
petitions with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold certification
elections to determine whether a group of production and maintenance employees
from two of the Company's fossil-fuel generating stations, Eddystone Generating
Station (Eddystone) and Cromby Generating Station (Cromby), want the IBEW to
serve as their collective bargaining representative on the terms and conditions
of their employment. The petitions sought to establish separate bargaining units
for 229 employees from Eddystone and 74 employees from Cromby. The petitions
covered craft and technical employees, including operators, but excluded office
clerical, professional, supervisory and management employees.
In addition, as previously reported, on March 22, 1995, the Utility
Workers of America, AFL-CIO, (UWUA) filed a petition with the NLRB to hold a
certification election to determine whether certain production and maintenance
employees from the Company's nuclear plants, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station
and Limerick Generating Station, as well as the maintenance employees
headquartered in the Company's Chesterbrook facility, want the UWUA to serve as
their collective bargaining representative. The UWUA petition sought to
establish a bargaining unit of approximately 840 employees composed of all
maintenance employees and all control room operators, auxiliary operators,
instrumental and control technicians, health physics technicians, chemistry
technicians, material handlers and technicians, and radioactive waste
technicians. The petition excluded security guards, clerical and supervisory
employees.
With respect to all of the petitions, the Company had taken the position that
the only appropriate bargaining unit is the same system-wide unit that was
certified by the NLRB for an election held in 1993, and that it would oppose any
attempt by outside interests to organize its employees.
On March 23, 1995, the NLRB issued an order consolidating for hearing the IBEW
and UWUA petitions (PECO I). From April through September,1995, hearings were
conducted regarding the appropriateness of the petitioned units and the
eligibility of employees within those units to vote.
On October 2, 1995, ten days after the record in the PECO I proceedings
discussed above was closed, the UWUA filed another petition seeking
certification of a bargaining unit consisting of all production and maintenance
employees of the Consumer Energy Services Group--the Company's customer service
business unit (PECO II). The Company's efforts to combine PECO II with PECO I
were rejected by the NLRB.
On February 14, 1997, the NLRB issued its decision in PECO I, ruling that a
union representation election does not require all hourly employees within PECO
Energy to vote as one unit. On the petitions filed by the IBEW, the NLRB ruled
that while Eddystone and Cromby would not be appropriate bargaining units, the
Company's Power Generation Group (PGG), which encompasses employees not only at
Eddystone and Cromby but also eight smaller fossil-fuel plants located in the
City of Philadelphia and its suburbs, the Conowingo Hydroelectric Station and
Muddy Run Pumped Storage Project, would be an appropriate bargaining unit. The
NLRB ruled similarly that a separate bargaining unit comprised of the Company's
Nuclear Generating Group (NGG) (since renamed "PECO Nuclear") would be
appropriate.
These separate elections will be held, by secret ballot, on dates still to be
determined. The NLRB ordered the UWUA/PECO Nuclear election be held within
30-days of its order; the Regional Director, whose office will be overseeing
this election, has indicated that it will request from the NLRB an extension of
this 30-day time period. The IBEW/PGG petitions were remanded back to the
Regional Director to determine whether the IBEW has the requisite 30 percent
showing of support within the PGG bargaining unit.
In 1993, Company employees rejected representation by the IBEW and the
Independent Group Association in company-wide elections.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
PECO ENERGY COMPANY
\s\ J. B. Mitchell
Vice President - Finance
and Treasurer
February 21, 1997