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Florida Municipal Electric Association’s Barry Moline on reports that out-of-state workers were asked to join the union before assisting the Long Is...
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All right it might be urban legend.
For example with a -- Long Island power -- authority are like -- no can do unless you sign up and and join the union even on a temporary basis Florida isn't municipal electoral association executive directors Eric -- -- -- you would know better than anyone could in fact.
That is so because a lot of workers have talked their thoughts and noticing that there -- ready to sort of -- help and they have to.
Be part of the union in order to -- Is that true.
Well first -- let me say that our hearts go out everybody's impacted by hurricane sandy.
The what -- was.
Is that I work for a group of utilities that was called to assist.
The Long Island power authority.
And I called over to the Long Island power authority and we made arrangements to do.
The transfer of our crews but they said at the end of the call before we -- this call over to the union to get their okay.
And when I call over to the union they said well before we do that you we wanted a sign this contract.
To become you know a temporary basis -- union member that there be no work done unless -- part of the union.
Well the -- basically said that our folks who need to join a union for a period of one month and there were variety stipulations in the contract about.
The pricing and so on -- really didn't look at the details of the contract because.
We have union and nonunion utility workers in Florida so what I did was I sent about 35 union workers immediately along Ireland.
And then the nonunion folks turns -- -- sent -- to Pennsylvania.
Because they didn't have the union issues so now that actually moved to Long Island after the the issue was resolved.
So nonunion workers going into the city journal on island they'd be persona non Grata.
Well I'm not really sure exactly what was going on wasn't my job to negotiations -- in -- contract.
Yeah -- my job was to move the line workers so I didn't need to it to try to get involved there -- -- -- to Pennsylvania where wasn't you know the issue wasn't happening.
But ultimately they did or -- -- took about four days to resolve the issue and I think ultimately what happens is that is that the union guys said okay we won't.
You know make anybody join -- union.
You know what's weird about very did it it it and I'm I'm sure I hope this was an endemic and and systemic but that there are a lot of people heard it.
And I don't think they would care if to help is coming -- union worker nonunion worker.
Or even.
Unedited -- someone anyone help us so the fact that there could even have been -- -- Because you don't of the union card.
Kind that galls me and I'm sure -- these people.
Well my guess is what happened was is that the Long Island power authority has an agreement with the union that -- -- workers that come there.
Need to be paid union wages or something that -- down when -- time it was a bunch of you know that's close to forces -- as you can debt.
All bets little weasel traditional ways of handling -- are off right.
Oh absolutely so.
As a result I think you know they got called on it and they relented and rarely get our -- -- and subsequently we have about a 125.
Workers are today.
Well thanks to you that's that's thanks Houston -- a modest -- -- you.
You seem to have a very genteel polite but firm way -- enough of this Ahmanson's.
Very moment let's see how goes thank you again.
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