JCP&L offers to resume contract negotiations
Utility says it has been responsible for progress, questions union's "commitment.
"http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/nj/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1110017071224430.xml
By ANTHONY SALAMONE, The Express-Times, Saturday, March 05, 2005
After a week of cooling off, Jersey Central Power & Light Co. said Friday it would restart negotiations in the 12-week strike involving its 1,350 union workers.
But the talks won't resume for another 11 days.
Meanwhile, contract talks are set to begin Tuesday between Metropolitan Edison Co. and a union representing its employees. The current labor pact between the utility and its workers expires April 30. FirstEnergy Corp of Akron, Ohio, owns both Met-Ed and JCP&L.
JCP&L issued a news release Friday saying it has offered to meet again with IBEW System Council U-3 the week of March 14.
Later, company spokesman Scott Surgeoner said talks would resume Wednesday, March 16, at the office of federal mediator Jon Numair in Iselin, N.J. Talks in recent weeks have included both Numair and a state mediator, Wellington Davis.
"The movement that's been made so far on the issues has really come from the company." Surgeoner said. "We provided two contracts that (the union) voted down. We extended the contract three times in 2004.
"And we just really feel that negotiation is a two-way street."
Surgeoner added that the company wants the union to bring "a level of commitment" and "some movement" that would result in a meaningful resolution.
The union questioned the company's claims.
Spokesman Jack Moriarty said the union has offered "numerous proposals," which the company has rejected. He said the company has proposed a solution to a key issue of contention: the on-call emergency issue.
"Bottom line, the union will meet anytime, anyplace," Moriarty said.
Most of the 1,350 union workers rejected the company's "one-time" updated contract offer Feb. 19. No talks took place this week.
Besides the work rules such as the call-out issue, the strike focused on disagreements about health insurance costs to be borne by employees, though the company and union had reached a tentative agreement earlier on that issue.
IBEW System Council U-3 has put out an appeal seeking public assistance.
"After almost three months without a paycheck, many members of our union are really suffering," according to a notice on the union's Web site. "If every visitor to this Web site would help with even a small donation it would go a long way toward helping some people in need."
The Web site address is www.ibew1298.org.
Workers have been denied unemployment compensation, though they have appealed.
John Korp of NORWESCAP Inc., a Phillipsburg-based agency that supplies energy assistance, said this week workers would be ineligible for energy assistance because of the strike. But he added that no one had sought help.
Many JCP&L workers have taken jobs out of the area.
Meanwhile, members of IBEW Local 777 of Middletown, Pa., the union which represents some 540 Met-Ed workers, face an expiration date of April 30 regarding their labor contract.
Mike Gabner, business manager and financial secretary with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 777, said the last pact was in 2000 -- when GPU Inc. owned JCP& L and Met-Ed. FirstEnergy requested a two-year extension.
Gabner, who is based in Middletown, Pa., was concerned, given the situation with JCP& L, but said he was also cautious.
"I will wait to see (the company's) agenda Tuesday, and we'll pretty much know where we're going," he said.
Met-Ed has more than 500,000 customers in 14 counties, including Northampton, Bucks and Monroe.
JCP&L sells electricity to 108,000 customers in Warren and Hunterdon counties. Its territory extends into 13 counties with approximately 1 million customers.
The JCP&L strike began Dec. 8, after several months of negotiation failed to reach an agreement. The contract expired Oct. 31.
IBEW System Council U-3 comprises five locals, including Phillipsburg-based Local 327, which represents about 300 workers. Anthony Salamone can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at tsalamone@express-times.com.
http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/nj/index.ssf?/base/news-7/11098443372
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment