Daniel F. Hurley issues statement regarding work on power restoration

BRAINTREE, MA, ISSUED NOVEMBER 2, 2011?€¦Responding to several negative reports aired on radio and television about the workers restoring electrical power, the head of a 3300 member utility workers?€™ union assured customers that the workers in the field and in our call centers are working as quickly as possible.

Daniel F. Hurley, President of the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 369, reacted to several television and radio interviews challenging the workers restoring electric power. UWUA Local 369 provides skilled workers to National Grid and NSTAR in this area.

?€?Most customers have greeted our crews with thanks and have provided food and water as our workers battle what seem to be endless outages, and we appreciate this courtesy.

However, there are a few who suggest that work is not progressing as well as it should be and who have taken to the TV and radio with incorrect facts or assertions blaming the workers,?€? said Hurley. ?€?The fact is that the restoration of power is a complicated, time-consuming effort, which must be undertaken with regard for the safety of the public, but also for the employees who are working with high-voltage power. Having their own homes to manage, the men and women of Local 369 fully recognize the inconvenience caused by power outages, and those who are in the field and answering calls at our Call Centers are doing everything that they can to restore the power as quickly and safely as possible.?€?

Hurley praised the utility workers, adding, ?€?their dedication and supreme effort should be recognized.?€?

He continued, ?€?As far as we know, all available utility workers are being fully utilized and have been working around the clock. Most of these workers have left homes and families, who are also without power, to restore power to the customers of the utility companies.?€?

Hurley noted, ?€?Local 369 is always ready to provide information to those who do not have the facts about the ways our workers respond. The members of Local 369 are also committed to continuous improvement for storm responses. At this moment, however, the members of Local 369 remain properly focused on the safe and expeditious restoration of power to customers.?€?

About UWUA Local 369
UWUA Local 369 represents 3300 union energy professionals, keeping the cities and towns in Eastern and Central Massachusetts, as well as the Cape and Islands, powered with natural gas, electric and nuclear energy. The union represents workers at NSTAR, Constellation, National Grid, Entergy, Exelon, New England Gas, Distrigas, ElecComm, Hingham Municipal Lighting, GenOn and Covanta. Members fill a wide range of positions including transmission and distribution, meter reading, engineering and work control functions, mechanics, fossil generation, nuclear power reactor operators, scientists and chemists, computer engineers and technicians, laboratory instrument control, radiation protection technicians, technical specialists, instructors, nuclear maintenance mechanics, utility construction workers, communication workers, and other specialty classifications. The Utility Workers Union of America Local 369 maintains offices at 120 Baystate Drive, Braintree, MA 02184 and 24 Sandwich Road, Wareham, MA 02571 For additional information, please call 781-848-3740 or e-mail info@uwua369.org.