Non-Union Electrical Workers Being Turned Away From Hurricane Relief Efforts In New Jersey
Power has been out in parts of New York and New Jersey for a week now, and the latest news report indicate that it could be out for another ten days. Things have gotten so bad that in New York City citizens have taken to dumpster diving for food.
So, when qualified electrical workers from around the nation offer to come to these communities and help get the power back on, what’s the top priority? Actually getting the power back on or making sure that everyone is paying proper homage to organized labor?
In New Jersey, it’s apparently the latter:
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY (WAFF) – The hurricane-ravaged east coast has been receiving north Alabama help, but crews from Huntsville Utilities learned they’ll be doing work in Long Island, New York instead of in New Jersey.
Crews from Huntsville, as well as Decatur Utilities and Joe Wheeler out of Trinity headed up there this week, but Derrick Moore, one of the Decatur workers, said they were told by crews in New Jersey that they can’t do any work there since they’re not union employees.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Maybe this is why union membership nationally is in decline.
Tags: hurricane sandy, organized labor, unions
