Despite COVID19 complicating the process, ComEd has promoted twenty-six IBEW 15 members to the Lead Crew Leader position in Distribution Underground and Overhead in 2020.
The promotions go back to a pilot program, Composite Work Teams, in Northern Region that began in 2011 and included Overhead and Underground Lead Crew Leaders. The title had been originally created as part of reorganizing the Overhead Transmission work group with a negotiated agreement in 2010.
The Underground Lead Crew Leader was made part of Promotional Series I in the 2012 Underground Reorganization Agreement. While the pilot ran, the company evaluated and re-evaluated the merits of permanently establishing the position in other locations.
Ultimately persuasive discussions led to eight Underground Lead Crew Leader promotions at seven locations in March 2019, after IBEW 15 Commercial Physical Business Representatives and ComEd Distribution Operations Vice-Presidents agreed to the bidding and interview process. The Northern Region Pilot Program UG LCLs remained in their positions and locations.
Successful negotiations between IBEW 15 Representatives and ComEd Distribution Vice-Presidents to establish the Overhead Distribution Lead Crew Leader (OHD LCL) title concluded in February 2020; starting an eighteen month initial staffing phase. Per the Agreement; the Northern Region pilot ended with LCLs staying in place. Any OHD LCL openings during the eighteen-month phase will be filled by temporarily upgrading the senior Crew Leader at the affected location.
Representatives worked with Distribution Managers through pandemic problems to schedule the bidding and interview process while taking precautions to minimize the spread of COVID19. Five more IBEW 15 members promoted to UG Lead Crew Leader in March 2020.
ComEd has promoted twenty IBEW 15 members to the Lead Crew Leader position in Overhead Distribution in October 2020. There are now twenty-four Lead Crew Leader positions in twenty Overhead Distribution reporting locations across the system.
In October, IBEW 15 Representatives negotiated with Transmission & Substation Managers to establish the Lead Crew Leader in Substation Construction. Five positions across the system have been posted. IBEW 15 Representatives have been working with the company to schedule the bidding and interview process while taking precautions as the pandemic worsens. The goal is to complete the bidding and interview process and to promote employees in February 2021.
The Lead Crew Leader position takes advantage of our members’ experience to support supervisors and crews to safely and efficiently perform work. Skills include leadership, technical filed expertise, effective communication and computer aptitude.
Per Article III, Section 7 of our contract, the factors to be considered for promotions are ability and seniority. Employees’ ability for the Lead Crew Leader classification is considered through interviews and assessments. Where the ability of the employees under consideration is substantially equal, the employee highest on the applicable seniority list will be the one promoted. If the senior employee is not selected, the Company will inform the employee of the reason why they were not promoted and furnish to the Union the names of employees not promoted in accordance with seniority.