Posted on 11/02/2012 7:02:20 PM PDT by Ron C.
Despite devastation and millions of power outages in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, a utility crew from Alabama said it has been unable to help a ravaged New Jersey shore town due to a union dispute.
Officials from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers presented Alabama-based Decatur Utilities with documents that “required our folks to affiliate with the union,” Ray Hardin, general manager of Decatur, told FOX Business on Friday. “That was something that we could not agree to. It was our understanding and still is that it was a requirement for us to work in that area.”
Hardin said most of his six-man, four-vehicle crew was stuck in Virginia on Thursday instead of helping the N.J. shore town of Seaside Heights recover due to the bureaucratic tie-up. Eventually his crew ended up heading back home to Alabama because of the disagreement.
“We chose we could not agree to those documents and began looking for other areas that could use our assistance without those conditions,” Hardin said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
Earlier reports indicated two other Alabama utilities -- Huntsville Utilities and Joe Wheeler Cooperative -- were turned away from New Jersey due to union discrimination. However, those utilities have since denied those reports.
Of course they'll lie and deny - but you KNOW they were lying!!
Let the union workers freeze in the dark. Screw them.
I passed 4 Huntsville Utility trucks in Maryland on my way home from work last night. I was wondering how they were received up there.
It’s not the union workers who will suffer. It’s all those people who need their electric turned on fast who are suffering. In addition, if they discourage people from other states to come in there to do repairs like electric, roofing, carpentry, cement, asphalt, plumbing, beach restorations, etc. on private and government properties, they will take forever to repair the damages! The workforce of the area needs to increase big time and fast to handle this mess.
I knew the union thugs there were going to screw up the restoration of those communities. What a nightmare! The work ethic and the caring for others - service - is bs in unions. Woe to NJ and NY!!!! They are about to discover the reality of liberalism.
I'll bet they were welcomed - and didn't see union thugs out trying to sign them up!
Of course they’ll lie and deny - but you KNOW they were lying!!
Why would the untilities that were turned away, lie and deny? That doesn’t make sense to me.
I know everyone in NY/NJ aren’t liberal loons and didn’t ask for Sandy but got it anyway. Unfortunately, the majority in these states have made their bed with democrats/unions/libs/etc. and will have to lie in it. The chickens are coming home to roost for everyone in these areas whether they want it or deserve it. I just feel bad for the people who are stuck there and can’t get out or for those who are trying to stay and help others and turn things around.
Down with the union things!
Ahhhhhh.....New Jersey Democrats.....They don’t just look the gift horse in the mouth, they shoot it, too.
April 25, 2011, Alabama got smashed by those tornadoes that clobbered Tuscaloosa and Bham, and an area one mile from my home. Crews from many states came here to Alabama to help put all the lines back up. Our folks went to repay the kindness shown by others. If these communists fools are going to let their people freeze because of stupid unions, then come home guys. You did the right thing by going. The Good Lord will reward you for your kindness, even tho fools refused it.
You betcha - they looked the gift-horse in the mouth and shot it! Then denied that they did!
I know the Public Communications Director for Huntsville Utilities. I actually asked him about that tonight.
He said that Huntsville Utilities was nat asked to sign any union papers. He did say that FEMA regulations required them to have a contract with the NEw York power company so that accurate re-inbursment can be made. Union vs non -union pat scale. But they were NOT asked down at the line man level.
The Decatur crew was asked to affiliate with the union before they went in.They would not, so they started looking around for other places to help out. Apparently, there was a lot of paper work and red tape i Jersey, and the other places were getting the crews needed, so they decided to come back.
They were not “turned away”, but the unions were trying to force the issue.
Thanks Ron C.
Weather forecast is for temperatures to drop to the 30’s in New York by Tuesday. Definitely NOT a time to be turning away qualified repair crews. Despicable to do so.
you think Bloomberg is going to allow non union workers in?.....
its such a horrible statement on our country....
But didn’t Obama say to “cut through the red tape”?
Who has more to say in NJ, the Governor the president or the unions?
They were turning off onto 495 headed toward Baltimore, which is the way you go to NY/NJ around here.
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