Maybe I read the article wrong. Looks as if it did happen.
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/11/huntsville_utilities_denies_cl.html
I’ve been doing some more reading and apparently FEMA may have turned some workers away because their companies wouldn’t abide by FEMA regulations. I’m still looking for verification on that. But as for the IBEW keeping workers out it looks like it’s not true. There are non-union and union workers working side by side right now trying to restore power.