Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Great job on the recent storms that have blown through our territory. Your quick response and expertise made the company look much better than they were. Please continue to watch over each other, we have had some profoundly serious situations that could have been much worse. We must go home better than we came in. With the holidays coming very quickly please take time to be thankful for the things in your life your blessed with. Life goes by very quickly so take the time to be thankful. Please continue to do your daily Covid check-ins as this could help our members stay safe.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving. -Bill Maloney
PSEG - Recent service anniversaries, Jim Cacciotti - 30 years, Josh Moore - 12 years and Dave Yonkers - 5 years.
The membership continues to be concerned with the company announcement of plans to sell all of its Fossil Generation fleet which encompasses units in NY (BEC), CT (BPH5), MD (KEC) and NJ plants Sewaren (7), Linden, Bergen and their peaking units. It is unknown if it will be a package deal for the entire fleet or if they will sell off particular locations. The concern for the membership is job stability, benefit retention (health care & pensions) and who the potential owner may be, a traditional utility or an investment firm. The sale would affect 29 LU97 members at the BEC.
The company is moving to a strictly pipes and wires totally regulated business model and exiting the wholesale generation market (and earnings volatility), much like NIMO did before they became NGrid. They are going green with continued ownership of their Nuclear operations, (Salem & Hope Creek) with NJ subsidized zero emissions credits to keep them competitive. They are also looking to get into off shore wind turbine generation, which is also heavily subsidized.
We have entered the final year of our CBA which expires on October 31, 2021. With the sale looming and our CBA expiring in 2021 there is some hope the company will extend our contract prior to the sale and provide a smoother transition to the new owners or operating company. They had offered an extension to the NJ plants earlier in the year for that very reason. The sale is supposed to be finalized by the end of 2021. -James Cacciotti
Recent events in which field personnel have come into contact with energized equipment should remind us all that being focused on your tasks at hand are imperative for a safe work environment. Our current national issues with the election and Covid weigh heavily on everyone's minds. Make sure you start your workday with a clear mind and good attitude. If you are unsure of something, stop and ask for advice. Communication is key. Work Safe! -Bill Vincent
The Eastern Division staff is involved with the company on many issues that concern all of us today. In addition to working the day-to-day emergent issues, processing grievances, and the never ending changes in Covid protocols and the concerns that arise from them we also have the following items; In Gas and Service the company has several initiatives starting up as well as the ongoing initiatives that will have a substantial impact in our workforce, in Design the company is reorganizing work processes, they’re looking at changes in the way clerical operates as well. These and all the many other things going on daily can occupy our minds causing distractions. With all the changes we’re currently involved with its easy to become distracted from why we’re all here, to earn a good living for you as a member and your families.
The company is starting a new initiative they’re calling a ‘safety reflection’, it’s an attempt to change the culture of National Grid. The Local is supporting this endeavor, we do and always have been focused on the safety of our membership. Unions were built in part by the lack of safety and dangerous positions company’s regularly put their workers in. We will be watching the results of this new direction closely to ensure they are practicing what they preach. Help us by being open with the company, letting them know what the issues are as you see them in the field and let us know when things don’t go in the way this new initiative dictates. The Goal of all this is, as always, to ensure our members go home better than they came to work.
Steve Givney
IBEW Local 97
Assistant Business Manager East
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