OTEC Publishes Q&A amid ongoing linemen strike, including pay, benefits, and full union proposal details

By on Tuesday, September 1st, 2026 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories

BAKER CITY – On Friday, August 28, the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative published an online Q&A titled “From the Source, Answers for OTEC’s member-owners.” This Q&A provides detailed information from OTEC on the ongoing IBEW Local-125 Union strike, including reasons and context for the strike, wages and benefits of OTEC’s linemen, status of negotiations, information on the most recent contract proposal, and information on the ongoing Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) charges, among other information.

This Q&A is being actively updated with new information and sections as the situation continues to develop. The most up to date Q&A in full, as of the time of writing, is as follows:

What should member-owners know about electric service and OTEC office access during the strike?  

Operational Information Verified 8/24/26

OTEC continues to serve its communities and member-owners during the strike. OTEC’s contingency plan is in place, with safety and outage response as our first priorities. Offices are open on their usual schedules, other than closing for lunch from 11 a.m. to noon. Staff are handling payments, new service requests and billing questions. Some non-emergency work may take longer.

To report an outage: 1-866-430-4265. For regular business: 541-523-3616.

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What reasons has IBEW Local 125 given for the strike?

Union representatives have publicly cited the unfair labor practice (ULP) charges they filed, employee discipline and pay.

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What is the status of the ULP charges?

ULP stands for unfair labor practice. IBEW Local 125 has filed two ULP charges with a regional office of the National Labor Relations Board. A filed charge is an allegation, not a finding. As of August 28, 2026, the NLRB has made no determination in either case. OTEC disputes the allegations and will address them through the NLRB process. 

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What are OTEC’s current wages and benefits for journeyman linemen?

OTEC’s IBEW journeyman linemen currently earn $63.24 to $73.35 an hour in base wages – $131,539 to $152,568 a year in base pay before overtime, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. OTEC pays 85 percent of healthcare premiums. The current benefits package also includes either an enhanced 401(k) with a 12 percent OTEC contribution or a defined-benefit retirement plan, plus 21 days of paid time off for new employees, increasing with seniority to 36 days.

For context, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a May 2025 national 90th-percentile annual wage of $128,690 for the broader occupation of electrical power-line installers and repairers. OTEC’s current journeyman base-wage range, annualized on a 2,080-hour year, starts above that figure. The BLS category includes all experience levels, and this comparison does not adjust for regional cost of living. 

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What is OTEC’s most recent proposal?

On August 18, 2026, OTEC made the following offer. As of August 28, 2026, it remains OTEC’s most recent proposal. It includes wage increases compounding to more than 14 percent over the three-year term, plus increased retirement contributions. The terms presented to IBEW Local 125: 

  • Year 1: 5 percent wage increase, effective the first pay period after ratification 
  • Year 2: 4 percent wage increase, effective April 1, 2027 
  • Year 3: 4.5 percent wage increase, effective April 1, 2028 
  • Enhanced 401(k) contribution: 12 percent in Year 1, increasing to 13 percent on April 1, 2027, and 14 percent on April 1, 2028 

After the first increase, the journeyman lineman base-wage range would annualize to $138,116 to $160,196 before overtime, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. 

The parties are scheduled to meet on August 31, 2026. OTEC remains available to bargain with IBEW Local 125.

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How is overtime paid for OTEC’s represented lineworkers?

The wage ranges previously listed provide base wages. Per the contract, OTEC pays its represented employees two times their hourly rate for any hours worked outside of their normal shift – not only during storm response. Because overtime varies by year, storm activity and individual, OTEC publishes base ranges: the Cooperative guarantees those figures.

When does OTEC meet with IBEW Local 125 next?

On August 31, 2026, OTEC and IBEW Local 125 are scheduled to meet again. OTEC continues to believe bargaining is best done at the table.

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What types of work do OTEC’s represented employees perform?

OTEC has 37 represented positions in line work, member service, warehousing, metering, system operations and dispatch.

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Why doesn’t OTEC discuss individual personnel matters with third parties?

OTEC does not discuss individual employees, grievances or personnel matters with third parties to respect employee privacy and the processes available to address those matters.

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How can member-owners contact OTEC with questions about billing or outages?

For billing and account questions, call 541-523-3616. To report an outage, call 1-866-430-4265.

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As of the time of writing, Elkhorn Media Group has reached out to IBEW Local-125 representatives for official comment on OTEC’s recent Q&A information. 

For the current web version of the Q&A, visit: https://www.otec.coop/answers

Elkhorn Media Group