FirstEnergy Corp. has earned the second annual Edwin D. Hill award in recognition of its partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to advocate for state energy policy initiatives. The company was recognized by the IBEW and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) for efforts to ensure Ohio customers would continue to have access to clean, reliable, and affordable 24x7 power sources for years to come.
In addition to FirstEnergy, IBEW Fourth District Locals 245 and 1413 were recognized through the award for their collaboration on these efforts. The award was presented to FirstEnergy and local union leadership at the 2020 National Labor and Management Public Affairs Committee (LAMPAC) meeting in Washington, D.C., this week.
"This recognition is a testament that we are all united in the same goal of advancing the economic vitality of the communities we serve by ensuring a strong, vibrant electric power industry," said Michael J. Dowling, FirstEnergy's senior vice president of external affairs. "We are proud to partner with our peers in the labor community, specifically our local IBEWs, to address critical public policy issues that help ensure grid reliability and job security."
Under the leadership of former IBEW International President Edwin D. Hill, the IBEW and the EEI came together in 2008 to create the LAMPAC. This organization fosters collaboration and partnership among energy company executives and IBEW leaders to address the nation's energy challenges, and to achieve the common goals of running a well-managed, efficient business with a safe and highly skilled workforce.
"IBEW locals 245 and 1413 and FirstEnergy together worked tirelessly to not only save Ohio jobs, but also make sure that FirstEnergy can continue to provide customers with clean, reliable, and affordable energy," said Tom Kuhn, president of the EEI. "It is an outstanding achievement and those being honored are very deserving of this distinguished Edwin D. Hill award."
"This is just another example of the value of a strong labor-management relationship that promotes clean energy and jobs," said IBEW International President Lonnie Stephenson. "I commend the IBEW's Fourth District, Locals 245 and 1413 for working with our partners at FirstEnergy to successfully keep carbon-free generation power plants in Ohio up and running."
