IBEW System Council U-3 Pans JCP&L Service During Strike; Thousands Affected

Union pans pickets' emergency site protest

By SARA LEITCH, The Express-Times

Saturday, January 08, 2005

WHITE TWP. -- A group of striking electrical workers picketed a work site where out-of-state crews were repairing downed power lines Friday, to the dismay of their union's leadership.

"We do not picket where emergency work is being done," said Jack Moriarty, a spokesman for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Systems Council U-3, which includes about 300 workers of Phillipsburg-based IBEW Local 327. "The issues are with the company, and they're legitimate issues. But we do not want to add to the burden of electrical customers."

The local's president was asking the workers to disperse, he said.

Seven union workers at Jersey Central Power & Light Co. were picketing Friday afternoon at the intersection of Route 519 and Brass Castle Road, while out-of-state crews worked nearby to fix wires that fell after Thursday's ice storm.

The flashing red light that usually hangs at the intersection was gone and a tangle of wires lay along Route 519 south of the intersection, which was closed to traffic.

"We should be the ones doing the work, not these scabs," said Lance Vannatta of Harmony Township. "We want to go back to work, but we want a fair contract."

JCP& L, the state's second-largest electric utility, serves about 108,000 customers in Warren and Hunterdon counties. Workers have been on strike since Dec. 8 over health insurance costs and work rules. Talks between the company and the union are scheduled to resume Wednesday.

About 3,000 JCP& L customers were without power on Friday afternoon, out of a total of 24,000 affected by the storm, spokesman Ron Morano said. He said the company hoped to have service restored by Friday night.

"We have support here from out of state assisting during the strike," he said. "The personnel who are performing this job have line experience and are trained to work safely."

Meanwhile, one JCP& L union employee lamented the poor response to restore service to her home in Monroe County.

Lois Buckman, a technician and 18-year employee with JCP& L and a Metropolitan Edison Co. customer, said it took workers almost two days to restore her power about 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Met-Ed and JCP& L are owned by FirstEnergy Corp. of Akron, Ohio.

Scott Surgeoner, another company spokesman, said he couldn't comment about a specific customer's complaint. But in general, he said the company places priority on restoring service to public facilities, including hospitals, then addresses residential customers' service.

Surgeoner said that as of Friday evening about 10,000 customers remained without service in Northampton, Monroe and Pike counties.

"Hopefully, she did report the outage on the 800 number," Surgeoner said.

Buckman, who lives in Ross Township, said she did call the utility's emergency number, and she also notified the state Public Utility Commission and elected officials.

She said the company doesn't understand that the people answering the emergency number aren't properly trained in dispatching crews and knowing the area.

She said the strike has left many workers upset and bitter, but she stressed workers love their jobs and want to return to them.

"We need the public to back us," she said.

Reporter Sara Leitch can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by e-mail at sleitch@express-times.com. Express-Times reporter Anthony Salamone contributed to this report.









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