Labor prepares to urge customers not to pay gas bills if strike is called
What happened with the grocery workers in Southern California is happening again. This time it is the Gas Company, owned by energy giant, SEMPRA, that is demanding wage and benefit cuts from the 5,000 members of the Utility Workers Union (UWUA) in Southern California.
Ever since the gas pipeline disaster in San Bruno, the Utility Workers at the Gas Company have been working tirelessly to make sure we never face such an accident in California. They worked to pass a safety bill, SB 705 that is on the Governor’s desk. They have taken action before the Public Utilities Commission. They have raised safety issues directly with the Gas Company at the bargaining table.
The Gas Company continues to reject the utility workers efforts to work cooperatively to insure the safety of our communities. Instead, the Gas Company’s response is to downgrade middle-class jobs.
San Bruno homeowner and fire victim, Bill Magoolaghan, came to L.A. to stand with utility workers in front of the Gas Company on Thursday, Sept. 29. He shared his story about his tremendous loss of eight friends and neighbors as well as his home in the San Bruno explosion and fire. Magoolaghan joined utility workers to call on Governor Brown to sign SB 705 and called out SEMPRA for focusing on cutting wages and benefits instead of improving safety for customers.
See photos from the utility workers’ event here.
RADIO: Southland utility workers may strike over wage cuts, safety concerns, KPCC 89.3FM, September 30, 2011
