Hurricane Sandy Relief volunteers from Alabama told to join Union

[FSUZeta]

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/1998...sandy-recovery

[Munchkin03]

This would be terrible if it were true:

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/11/...denies_cl.html

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201..._non-unio.html

[FSUZeta]

an update from CBSAtlanta:

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/1998...sandy-recovery

[AnchorAlumna]

Although 3 of these crews are from Alabama, they are from different utilities and were not there all together. Apparently different crews had different encounters, and one of them was told they needed to temporarily affiliate in with the union in order to work.

After all, many utilities assisted in Alabama during last year's tornado aftermath and the hurricanes that ravage the coast from time to time. We certainly want to return the favor!

But with nowhere to work, and with shelter, food, and gasoline in short supply, one crew elected to return home.

I imagine we'll hear more about this in the next day or two.

[pbear19]

Excerpt from the story posted by FSUZeta, emphasis mine:

Bottom line, it appears now that Decatur Utilities wrongly assumed they would have to agree to the union contract before traveling to New Jersey to help with recovery efforts. The IBEW said in times of crisis, help is welcomed from union and non-union utility workers.

Hardin said as they waited for confirmation on the documents, crews received word that Seaside Heights had received the assistance they needed from other sources.

"At this stage, it is not clear who is alleged to have turned the crew away and the company that employs the affected workers has denied the claim," said IBEW President Ed Hill in a statement. "IBEW local leaders in New Jersey have reiterated what has been the long standing record of our union – in times of crisis all help is welcome and we pull together with everyone to meet the needs of the public. We have communicated this to the office of New Jersey Governor Christie as well."

[naraht]

I've been having problems getting the graphics from greekchat to work on my machine. So with the width I've got, the title of this thread got split into thirds. The last line was what I originally thought this thread was about: "Alabama told to join Union". My first thought was it took armed invasion 150 years ago to get that to happen, why should now be any different?

[AnchorAlum]

Utility workers from Florida today produced paperwork from the IBEW locals showing that they DID have to join to work in the area. Effective dates would have been from October 29th through November 29th.

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlum

Utility workers from Florida today produced paperwork from the IBEW locals showing that they DID have to join to work in the area. Effective dates would have been from October 29th through November 29th.

GOOD. Glad to show how volunteer help is being treated in a time when they need help so desperately. This is the kind of crap that makes people distrust unions, and with good reason. For all the good they can do, they lose sight of what is right.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlum

Utility workers from Florida today produced paperwork from the IBEW locals showing that they DID have to join to work in the area. Effective dates would have been from October 29th through November 29th.

I see you can pick and choose quotes, but the article also says

"Late Friday at a press conference, Hardin said the documents actually came from Electric Cities of Alabama, a coalition of the state's municipally owned utilities.

Bottom line, it appears now that Decatur Utilities wrongly assumed they would have to agree to the union contract before traveling to New Jersey to help with recovery efforts. The IBEW said in times of crisis, help is welcomed from union and non-union utility workers."

The whole thing sounds like a lot of confusion on both sides. When I parse the whole thing, I think this is what happened: the municipal utility company told the volunteer crew that they needed union clearance, and the union said that they actually don't.

I don't think it's that hard to imagine that, in a time of unprecedented disaster like this, there is a lot of confusion, and you shouldn't attribute to malice what can be attributed to stupidity. It's not easy to manage huge numbers of work crews...just like Red Cross doesn't want donations of supplies.

[PiKA2001]

Here's a new story about non union help being turned away.


http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...ewmode=default

Mike James, an independent trucker, said he and three other truckers were told to haul a load of transformers to the city to replace equipment anticipated to be lost in the storm.

James, two men from Holly and a Flint man arrived in the city Tuesday night and slept in their trucks before attempting to deliver the 144 transformers to emergency workers.


When they arrived Wednesday, they were turned away by Con Edison employees because they were not union workers.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Here's a new story about non union help being turned away.


http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...ewmode=default

Really? A "newspaper" that calls the utility Con Edison is a credible source? Quoting one random guy who hauled transformers, but can't tell you where the transformers came from?

I'm pretty disgusted that so many people are using Hurricane Sandy as an excuse to smear unions. Who do you think the first responders are?

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Really? A "newspaper" that calls the utility Con Edison is a credible source? Quoting one random guy who hauled transformers, but can't tell you where the transformers came from?

I'm pretty disgusted that so many people are using Hurricane Sandy as an excuse to smear unions. Who do you think the first responders are?

And the corollary -- what is it about unions in general that make these stories so credible?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DGTess

And the corollary -- what is it about unions in general that make these stories so credible?

I guess the only connection I can think of is that you were taught by public school teachers and yet lack critical reading ability.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I guess the only connection I can think of is that you were taught by public school teachers and yet lack critical reading ability.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Really? A "newspaper" that calls the utility Con Edison is a credible source? Quoting one random guy who hauled transformers, but can't tell you where the transformers came from?

I'm pretty disgusted that so many people are using Hurricane Sandy as an excuse to smear unions. Who do you think the first responders are?

Lol. Chill out and wipe the foam off of your mouth, I just posted the article since its relevant to this thread but since we're here let me ask you why the paper loses credibility because of using "Con Edison"? I googled it and it looks like the company that supplies power to that region is named.....Con Edison.

Also, it's not rare for truckers not to know who owns or is buying the cargo they haul especially independent or contract drivers. Most drivers don't even load the trucks, just get the manifest or B/L then take off.