President Obama Delivers Remarks From NJ, Promises Federal Resources To Get Lights On

By on October 31, 2012  News
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President Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spoke at a press conference in New Jersey earlier this afternoon.

One subject the president touched on in his remarks, which may be of particular interest to our readers in neighboring areas who are still without electricity, was his pledge of continued federal support for local governments and utilities in the region trying to restore electrical service.

Obama stated that the aid could even take the form of “military cargo planes” to “move people and assets” from as far away as California to aid the blacked-out residents of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

Dollar Democracy: ConEd donates 250K to pro-Cuomo lobbying group

By on July 13, 2012  Featured story, News, Politics
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Filthy lucre (Image source: 401(K) 2012 via Flickr).

Could 250 grand stand in the way of an end to the ConEd lockout?

Last night the Wall Street Journal’s Jacob Gershman and Anjali Athavaley reported that Consolidated Edison has gifted $250,000 to The Committee To Save New York, a pro-Governor Andrew Cuomo lobbying group that’s come under recent scrutiny regarding a $2 million donation it received from gambling interests. Continue reading »

Gentile Stands In Solidarity With ConEd Workers, Commends Speaker Quinn For Demanding Solution, End To Lockout

By on July 12, 2012  News, Politics
Jul 122012
 

Image of Con Edison building courtesy of Stig Nygaard.

The following is a press release from the office of City Councilman Vincent Gentile:

COUNCILMAN GENTILE STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH UWUA LOCAL 1-2; COMMENDS SPEAKER QUINN FOR DEMANDING CONED FIND SOLUTION TO LABOR DISPUTE

BAY RIDGE– Struggling with its first work stoppage in nearly three decades, while desperately trying to keep the electricity grid running during a July heat wave, ConEd has deployed 5,000 of its managers to stand in for the nearly 8,500 unionized workers who were dismissed on July 1 after contract talks broke down.

At least three managers have already been seriously injured trying to do the work of regular field workers while services such as meter readings and customer service walk-in centers have almost all been completely shut down.

Earlier today, Speaker Christine C. Quinn released a letter calling on ConEd to resume negotiations with UWUA Local 1-2 without the lockout. The letter urges ConEd to place the protection of New Yorkers as its highest priority and resolve the dispute without further delay.

“Let me be clear. Your actions do not have my support,” Speaker Quinn writes Continue reading »