Contract grid-lock
ALL THE players in a major contract battle between a New York union and an infrastructure company owned by a private-equity firm are being asked to appear before the City Council this month.
The United States Infrastructure Corp. — better known as USIC — has been invited to testify Dec. 12 before the Council’s Civil Service and Labor Committee, along with Communications Workers of America Local 1101, Con Edison and National Grid.
CWA Local 1101, which ran a successful organizing drive of USIC’s 180 New York employees last year, is looking for progress on stalled contract talks.
USIC, which employs an additional 7,300 workers nationwide, to date has not entertained union demands for higher wages, more paid time off and other benefits in New York.
According to a letter sent to USIC CEO Rob Tullman from 33 Council members, two important things are at stake: public safety, and the quality of life of USIC workers.
“These (workers) identify underground gas, electric and telecommunications lines in advance of construction in order to prevent dangerous explosions and the interruption of critical services,” the Council letter said.
“We have a responsibility to put an end to abusive employment practices, to keep both the workers and the general public safe, and to ensure that city contractors are using city funds to create good-paying jobs that can support a family,” the letter said.
The invitation to testify was also sent to Con Ed and National Grid — utilities that rely on USIC employees to mark dangerous gas and electrical lines underground.
“With insufficient wages, little paid time off, and erratic, unpredictable schedules while on call, it is clear these technicians are working under conditions that put themselves and their fellow New Yorkers at risk,” the Council’s letter said.
If no progress is made in the CWA contract talks, the Council said, it was willing to introduce legislation that would force USIC’s hand — at least locally.
The Council threatened to: l Ban the practice of on-call scheduling, which forces workers to be on standby on weekends and days off — but for no extra compensation. l Add underground location and utility damage prevention workers to the city’s prevailing wage law, which could bring USIC’s average hourly pay of $15 into line with that earned by other utility workers, in some cases closer to $40. workforce,” National Grid said l Force Con Ed and National A Con Ed spokesman said the Grid to police all subcontractors company received a request to attend to make sure they follow proper the hearing but hadn’t worker safety procedures. decided if it would.
USIC didn’t return phone USIC, which posted $1.4 billion calls or an email requesting in revenue last year, was purchased comment. National Grid said its in 2010 for $740 million highest priority is public and by Leonard Green, a Los Angeles-based worker safety, but didn’t comment private-equity firm. on the Dec. 12 hearing. Leonard Green is now in the
“We hold our contractors process of selling USIC to a fully accountable and closely Swiss private-equity firm known monitor their work on and as Parnters Group for a reported around our gas system . . . . We $2 billion. have no involvement in any contract Bob Master, of CWA District negotiations between USIC 1, said USIC should be and unions that represents its “ashamed” of its substandard treatment of its workers.
“It’s time the USIC executives in Indianapolis got the message that in New York, we treat workers with respect, and they must negotiate a fair contract immediately,” he said.
USIC Matt Hennessy, an underground utility locator for 17 years who turned 64 Sunday, said he earns $25 an hour, which makes him one of the highestpaid utility locators in New York.
“The young guys coming on now are lucky to make $15,” he said.
In fact, until recently, USIC paid its hires $12 an hour. Workers get 80 hours of paid time off a year — that includes the five sick says mandated by state law, according to CWA Local 1101. Those 80 hours must cover illnesses and vacations, Hennessy said.
Workers are also mandated to be on call on days off without extra compensation, and when an emergency call comes in they must respond within two hours, Hennessy said.
“We’re at-will employees, almost like contracted workers, so we can be fired anytime,” he said.