Long Island Power Authority union leaders on Friday said non-union workers have been more than welcome to help put Long Island residents back on the grid.
The union's comments came after nearly two weeks of rumors that it was keeping workers who aren't members from working on the major restoration project.
Then on Friday, a Newsday report sourced Florida Municipal Electric Association Executive Director Barry Moline, who said that he sent crews to other states after the Local 1049 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers sent his workers a contract that would make them temporary members of the union.
That "letter of assent" was dated Oct. 29, the day Hurricane Sandy first started battering Long Island, according to Newsday.
But Don Daley, business manager for local 1049, told Patch it stopped being an issue soon after the extent of the damages on Long Island became clear.
"There hasn't been a union-non-union issue here since the severity of the storm became obvious. Our only goal right now is to restore power as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible and we welcome all the assistance we can get."
Wendy Ladd, a spokeswoman for National Grid, has also said that workers were not turned away if they refused to join the union.
Instead of trashing these people who just lost their job. How about having your info correct before posting ignorant statements
As far as the unions go: You can blame them for not making enough concessions. You can blame the bakers for administering the final death blow. But you can't blame them for management's strategic incompetence, or the decision to try to run a flailing company on debt, hope, and empty calories. There's more than enough blame in this story for everyone involved to have a taste. The union members sacrificed 110 million in wages!!!! Nobody could survive on the salary they were offering!!! Another priviate disaster!!!
Grow up and read more than just a headline once in awhile or watch a 30 second spot. Hostess was in a 5 year bankruptcy that they entered in 2004 and emerged in 2009 as a private company. At the time it was the longest bankruptcy in U.S. history. They re-entered bankruptcy less than 3 years later in January 2012 so for the record they have been in bankruptcy 5.5 of their last 8 years. They union workers made contract concessions in exchange for equity during the 2004–2009 bankruptcy period, but the company closed nine of its 54 bakeries and more than 300 outlet stores. The work force declined from 32,000 to 22,000 employees. In December 2011 the company suspended payments for union pensions and had to file bankruptcy in January after they couldn't make payments on 700 million dollar loans incurred when they emerged from bankruptcy in 2009. Then the court found that Hostess executives had received raises of up to 80% the year prior. Classic "Bain Capitol Type" maneuver. Ripplewood who holds 50% stake specializes in leveraged recapitalization. They mange 10 BILLION in capitol so not exactly cash poor. A lot of money was made (and still will be during liquidation) for the select few at the cost of almost 20,000 workers. The plan was always to liquidate don't be naive.
So pleeeeease tell me where the part about sharing the blame comes in? The private investment companies bought the stock at extreme discount and went private after 5 years of bankruptcy and secured large loans and lines of credit. Then they worked on short term cash gains to include MASSSIVE raises at the risk of long term fiscal responsibility. Then they squeezed the employees in an horrible economy using them as the scapegoat for their original intent to liquidate and walk with cash made in the last 2 years with no commitment to the debts incurred. This is a very common practice just doesn't make the news unless it is an iconic brand or large institution(both of which hostess is). Don't be so naive.
The matter concerning Hostess is a management screw up. Labor gave up just about everything they could to save the company.
Walkout builds on October strike that started at Wal-Mart in LA. Happy shopping folks. GD unions again.
What's wrong with that? It is simple economics. The revenue has to come from somewhere to pay these wages. Unlike the federal government who has a printing press and has to borrow from the rest of the world in order to pay our bills, local government (thank god) does not have that unlimited ability to print and borrow.
9:02 am on Saturday, November 10, 2012 "Explain what a trade union has to do with your property tax. It is in no way funded by taxpayers. You willful ignorance is staggering." How is that ignorance? When a municipality has to "overpay" for work they need, who pays the bill? How about looking at your property tax bill??? If you want to talk about ignorance, start by looking in the mirror! I think all workers deserve a fair wage. I appreciate all the help the unions have done over the years. (I am a child of union parents.) However, I have seen first hand --companies/ municipalities have to overpay so that the union bosses get "their share."
"BCTGM members voted to strike Hostess after the company imposed cuts that included ending payments to the employees’ pension plan while executives awarded themselves massive bonuses. Among the raises was a 300 percent raise (from approximately $750,000 to $2,550,000) for the then-CEO of Hostess. At least nine other top executives of the company also received massive pay raises, including one who received a pay increase from $500,000 to $900,000 and another received one that brought his salary from $375,000 to $656,256."
LAX workers set for walkout Thanksgiving eve. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/11/16/thousands-of-lax-workers-set-for-walkout-on-thanksgiving-eve/