Thread: ‘No Red Tape’? New Jersey Turns Away Non-union Relief Crews

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‘No Red Tape’? New Jersey Turns Away Non-union Relief Crews

Posted on November 2, 2012

How desperate is hurricane-ravaged New Jersey? Not desperate enough to suspend a union monopoly that keeps the state in the bottom ten states for economic competitiveness (and #48 for business friendliness). Relief crews from Alabama who were specifically called to New Jersey found themselves diverted to Long Island, NY after they arrived because they use non-union labor. Alabama is a right-to-work state.

WAFF-TV of Hunstville, AL reports:

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….

Understandably, Moore said they’re frustrated being told “thanks, but no thanks.”

With so much at stake–and lives still in danger–it would seem logical to tell special interests to step aside.

On Wednesday, while visiting cleanup efforts in New Jersey in the company of Gov. Chris Christie, President Barack Obama vowed: “We are not going to tolerate red tape, we are not going to tolerate bureaucracy.”

WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL
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Read more: ‘No Red Tape’? New Jersey Turns Away Non-union Relief Crews | Conservative Byte

As a New Jersey resident, I feel that this was a horrible thing to do in an emergency situation. The people who are in need would not care if you were in a union or not and they need help. WE ARE ALL AMERICAN! You don't need a union card to be an American! Shame on those in charge that is all I have to say about this story. A heartfelt THANK YOU! to the crews that wanted to help but were turned away. I hope they do not hate New Jersey now.

Maybe this story needs to be spread around to everyone in New Jersey.....I am sure the proud city of New Jersey is very proud of their Governor Mr. Christie and his hard work....After all he is acting so non partisan in this matter, don't ya think!!!! Maybe their not as hard up as they appear to be in the media. I mean after all, if they are as bad as they appear to be, would they be turning American non union workers away from helping...with a "no thanks"!!!!!.....Now the other thought that came to mind is, are all those union workers legal American citizens or illegals, or just good dues paying union members!!!!

There is such little common sense anymore because of politics. Help is help and a big thank you to those who tried but were denied.

I'm sure you've seen the damage Hurricane Sandy inflicted on New Jersey and the northeast -- homes destroyed, gas and food shortages, millions of citizens without power.

While visiting cleanup efforts with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie this week, Barack Obama declared "We are not going to tolerate red tape. We are not going to tolerate bureaucracy."

Apparently, Barack Obama's words do not apply to Big Labor.

You see, according to recent news reports, volunteer electrical workers from Alabama were turned away from New Jersey because they dared to exercise their rights under Alabama's Right to Work law to remain free from forced unionism.

This is outrageous to say the least.

Even in a crisis such as this, Big Labor's top priority remains expanding its forced-dues power over workers.

The good news is, Governor Christie has the authority to guarantee all contractors and workers -- both union and non-union alike -- are allowed to work on public construction projects by rejecting so-called "Project Labor Agreements."

"Project Labor Agreements" discriminate against non-union contractors and workers by forbidding them from bidding or working on public projects.

And in state-after-state where Big Labor wields this power, "Project Labor Agreements" don't do anything to ensure construction projects are finished more quickly or efficiently.

In fact, the reverse is true, as costs skyrocket and quality of service declines.

On Friday morning Governor Christie told the leaders of the state's three main electric utilities to work harder and faster to get power restored to New Jersey's citizens.

"Whatever playbooks they had were to be thrown out because we're never faced anything like this before," Governor Christie demanded.

If Governor Christie is serious about speeding up the recovery process, then he should do his part by including so-called Project Labor Agreements as part of his demands.

Governor Christie can restrict the use of "Project Labor Agreements" for rebuilding immediately with an Executive Order.

Just three years ago Chris Christie made a campaign promise to end Project Labor Agreements if he was elected Governor.

What better time than now for Governor Christie to deliver on that promise?

Please take a moment and email Governor Christie's office and urge him to reject all "Project Labor Agreements" for rebuilding efforts in New Jersey.

You can contact Governor Christie by clicking here.

Choose "Labor" from the drop down box and select "Continue."

Let him know the people of New Jersey deserve better than to have their rebuilding efforts hampered by Big Labor's petty demands.

And since Governor Christie has plans to run for national office in the future -- you can be sure he'll be paying attention to your concerns.

So please take a moment to email Governor Christie and ask him to reject "Project Labor Agreements" for all rebuilding efforts in New Jersey.

Thank you for all that you do.

Sincerely,

Mark Mix






Union Red Tape in N.J. Causes Alabama Recovery Crew to Head Home

By Matt Egan
Published November 02, 2012
FOXBusiness

• 
  Reuters

Despite devastation and millions of power outages in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, a utility crew from Alabama said it has been unable to help a ravaged New Jersey shore town due to a union dispute.

Officials from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers presented Alabama-based Decatur Utilities with documents that “required our folks to affiliate with the union,” Ray Hardin, general manager of Decatur, told FOX Business on Friday. “That was something that we could not agree to. It was our understanding and still is that it was a requirement for us to work in that area.”

Hardin said most of his six-man, four-vehicle crew was stuck in Virginia on Thursday instead of helping the N.J. shore town of Seaside Heights recover due to the bureaucratic tie-up. Eventually his crew ended up heading back home to Alabama because of the disagreement.

“We chose we could not agree to those documents and began looking for other areas that could use our assistance without those conditions,” Hardin said.

Ed Hill, international president of the IBEW, said in an emailed statement: "It is the policy of this union and the companies we represent to welcome assistance during major natural disasters -- regardless of union status."

Decatur said in a separate statement following Hardin's comments that its crews were held in place in Virginia pending clarification of documents received from the IBEW that "implied a requirement of our employees to agree to union affiliation while working in the" New York and N.J. areas.

Decatur said that as it waited for clarification, "we became aware that Seaside Heights had received the assistance they needed from other sources. To be clear, at no time were our crews 'turned away' from the utility in Seaside Heights."

Decatur said it tried to contact other areas that needed help, but "based on the uncertainty of union requirements that we could not agree to and the uncertainty of whether a resolution could be reached, we ultimately" decided to return the crew to Alabama.

"There have been reports that a nonunion crew was turned away from work in New Jersey," Hill said. "At this stage, it is not clear who is alleged to have turned the crew away and the company that employs the affected workers has denied the claim."

Earlier reports indicated two other Alabama utilities -- Huntsville Utilities and Joe Wheeler Cooperative -- were turned away from New Jersey due to union discrimination. However, those utilities have since denied those reports.
"It is unfortunate that at a time when skilled line workers are working around the clock to help devastated communities, sketchy reports should cast a pall over these efforts," Hill said. "The real story is that our members and others are working side by side to help people in New Jersey and all affected states get their power back and recover from the effects of the storm."

Hill said his union will continue to work with "anyone who shares our commitment to safety and service to ensure relief for the people of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast."
New Jersey, which is the home of many powerful unions, has been ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, especially Jersey Shore communities like Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant.
As of 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, an estimated 1.7 million New Jersey residents were without power, down from 1.8 million earlier in the day. Another 1.5 million in New York are believed to be without power.

PSE&G has said all customers are expected to have their power services restored within the next seven to ten days.


Read more: Union Red Tape in N.J. Causes Alabama Recovery Crew to Head Home | Fox Business