Union members rallied outside the state Capitol on Monday morning, calling on the Connecticut Light & Power Company to increase staffing for line workers.
The call came amidst contract negotiations that officials say have broken down.
The union workers say that the number of linemen has dropped drastically through the years as salaries for top executives has skyrocketed at the same time.
In 1976, the company had one line worker for every 2,000 customers. Today, the company has one line worker for every 9,120 customers.
The workers got support from Democratic legislators, including presumptive House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams and the two retiring co-chairs of the labor committee, Sen. Edith Prague and Rep. Zeke Zalaski.
“We’re behind you,” Prague told the workers. “You stand your ground.”
Some of the state’s top union leaders, including John Olsen of the state AFL-CIO and Sal Luciano of AFSCME, Council 4, attended.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Christopher Murphy did not attend, but they sent representatives who read statements from the podium.
“While I can’t be with you in person, know this. I stand with you,” Murphy said in a speech read by an aide. “Thank you for everything you do.”
Bill Henderson, the longtime president of the Communications Workers of America, Local 1298, delivered a fiery speech in solidarity with his fellow unions member at the IBEW and other unions.
“This is a fight about corporate greed!” Henderson boomed in the portico on the north side of the Capitol. “Without electricity, nothing works.”
But CL&P defended itself in a statement.
“Like all utilities, we staff for the amount of work we have and bring in outside experienced help during storms or other emergencies,” said Tricia Taskey Modifica, a spokeswoman who recently joined the company after working as a television reporter for Channel 8 in New Haven and FOX CT in Hartford. “However, antiquated union rules prevent us from being able to schedule lineworkers when our customers need them the most and we are working to address those rules. We have made a good offer to our employees and we hope they agree; we look forward to having a new contract in place.”
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6 Responses to CL&P Workers Rally Outside State Capitol; Top Democrats Speak To The Crowd
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“We’re behind you,” Prague told the workers. “You stand your ground.”
“While I can’t be with you in person, know this: I stand with you,” Murphy said in a speech read by an aide. “Thank you for everything you do.”
CT has the 2nd-highest electricity rates in the nation (only Hawaii – understandably – is higher).
Comparing staffing rates from 1970 vs. 2012 is like comparing features and fuel economy between a 1970 car and a 2012 car. In inflation adjusted dollars, the 2012 car is cheaper, has more features and functionality, is safer and goes roughly twice as far on a gallon of gas.
The same analogy can be drawwn between jobs and work between those two eras. Technology, tools, work content, mobility, communication tools, training, work methods, distribution methods (more and more service is underground; therefore less prone to storm damage) and materials have all changed dramatically and it is unrealistic and unreasonable to assume that nothing would change in 40+ years.
Comparing staffing levels between utility companies in diferent states with proximate route densities, etc. is a simple and factual way to make valid comparisons. If CL&P claims that staffing levels are comparable to other copmpanies, that should be easy to verify. And as CL&P has pointed out, staffing should be consistant with engineered work loads – not more. If major weather events occur as they have in the past, the CL&P can bring in crews from other states as needed. The lessons learned from last year’s storms have been and are being incorporated into new recovery planning.
We don’t need to featherbed our utility workforce to prepare for worst-case scenarios that rarely occur. Put another way, we cannot afford to make our utility costs even more expensive than they already are.
Political payback is one thing we can’t afford when the state is already crippled by high costs that discourage business.
“While I can’t be with you in person, know this: I stand with you,” Murphy said in a speech read by an aide. “Thank you for everything you do.”
This is what Chris Murphy is: A reflexive apologist and advocate for organized labor who turns a blind eye to facts and data that counter claims of under-staffing.
Don’t look at the facts; don’t consider that in 40+ years, virtually everything in the world of work changes; don’t consider that outmoded and inefficient work rules impede the company from making changes that would benefit customers are reduce operating costs. No, ignore all that and simply join the choir of “we want more and you’ll pay for it.”
FACT: CT already has the 2nd-highest electricity rate in the nation and Chris Murphy wants to make it even higher! He wants us to be number one!
Elect Chris Murphy and he’ll join hands with Dick “Where’s The Camera” Blumenthal and the rest of CT’s Democrat legislators in Washington and Hartford to make your electric bill even more expensive.
Tired of paying $.165/kWh? Like to pay $.18/kWh? Wishing for $.20/kWh? Elect Chris Murphy and he’ll do his best to raise your bill – whether you want him to or not.
No more Democrats.
We can’t afford them.
Northeast Utilities – the mothership for CL&P – a public utility – is a profit leader— with a top tier rate of return for investors — pays it’s executives top dollar.. unmatched by most – and it’s sub has smaller crews and lousy tree trimming commitment along with ancient utility poles and wires and a tortoise paced replacement and service program —and did I mention we’re # 1 or close to the top tier rates for customers?? With all that in play —- they blame the unions for antequated rules for services….. yep… old union rules used to keep all that greed and monopolistic “public utility” gouging and neglect in check…. WE need more of those antequated rules…not less. Where is the DPUC — or DEEP — or SPOT or FIDO or whatever our consolidated taxpayer advocate Public Utility watchdog group is named… Why aren’t they out there like Blumenthal – asking questions and taking a stand on all this???
Sounds like Mr. Logical is delusional. I’m sure he does not work in the files like these hard working individuals. I think his name should be Mr. Illogical
Politicians fuel union rank and file and this makes news…..I think not…..
So, if 1 lineworker per 2,000 customers is good, why not push for 1 lineworker for every 1,000 cusomers? Double good.
Union math is a joke, yet Democrat politicians keep falling for it. I wonder if it’s because one of them ‘owns’ the other?