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A group of recently organized Seaward Corporation employees gathered for a photo after they were sworn into IBEW Local 104, Boston, Massachusetts.

Success at Seaward Corp.
IBEW Organizes Quanta Services Inc. Subsidiary

Approximately 64 workers employed by outside line contractor Seaward Corporationa New England-based subsidiary of Quanta Services Inc.recently gained union representation following a successful organizing drive by IBEW Local 104, Boston, Massachusetts. Seaward Corporation, based in Kittery, Maine, provides electric utility transmission and distribution services within the Quanta umbrella and operates in southern Maine and New Hampshire.

Quanta Services Inc. provides specialized contractor services within the electric utility, telecommunications, broadband cable and gas pipeline industries. Quanta has more than 13,000 employees. It owns subsidiaries in every U.S. state and in Canada and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

The IBEW represents employees at numerous Quanta Services subsidiaries located across the United States, and organizing efforts are ongoing at others. Thanks to the high caliber manpower and training programs the IBEW offers, the union has gained important ground in organizing this vital industry.

Seaward signed a letter of assent with IBEW Local 104 following a three-year organizing campaign, said IBEW Second District Outside Organizer Jeff Place, who helped coordinate the drive.

The new IBEW members at Seaward Corp. work in high-line maintenance and construction as linemen, apprentice linemen, groundmen and equipment operators. Local 104 enrolled approximately 18 Seaward employees into an area IBEW apprenticeship program, the North East Joint Apprenticeship Training program known as NEAT, said Local 104 Business Manager Robert E. Ward.

"The IBEW has developed a good working relationship with Quanta Services based on the quality of the union work force," said IBEW International Representative Rick Ellis, Construction Organizing Department, who worked closely with the Second District and Quanta on the Seaward organizing campaign. The Second District and Local 104 "have done a fine job getting the new Seaward employees tested and trained," Ellis said.

Quanta Services Inc. executives have praised the highly skilled IBEW union work force and the excellent training programs offered through the IBEW. Seaward Corporation "revenues have quadrupled since Seaward became signatory to the IBEW," said John Wilson, Quanta president of Electric Power and Gas. "Past customers that would not allow Seaward to work on their property have contacted the company and asked them to become partners once again."

ORGANIZINGWIRE

September 2003 IBEW Journal