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Strike a possibility for Con Ed union

By Matthew Sweeney | msweeney@am-ny.com

7:03 PM EDT, June 29, 2008

Some city officials are crossing their fingers for Con Edison to reach a contract agreement this week with its union employees, because the thought of the utility handling a blackout with two-thirds of its workforce off the job sends shivers down their spines.

"I think the only prudent thing to do is stock up on essentials," said Councilman Eric Gioia (D- Sunnyside), who has locked horns with the utility since a blackout in 2006 left parts of western Queens powerless for nine days. "The idea of them running the power grid is pretty scary."

Con Ed and the Utility Workers Union Local 1-2 reset their deadline for an agreement to midnight on Tuesday. Although the union members have already authorized a strike, officials can continue talks past the deadline, officials said.

Meanwhile, the city's Office of Emergency Management was preparing.

"OEM monitors the city's electrical system 24 hours a day and we have robust plans in place and teams on standby to respond to any disruptions to the system," said Chris Gilbride, a department spokesman.

That could include gauging the scope of a blackout, and assisting Con Ed with generators, opening cooling stations, or handing out water.

Con Ed said that about half of its managers and supervisors came up through the ranks and will be able to handle any emergency if the 9,000 union workers go on strike. But many city residents, having lived through blackouts in 2003 and 2006, said they had low expectations.

"Both my daughters have asthma and it would be pretty bad for them," said Jennifer Villa, 28, of the Lower East Side. "I'd hope the managers would be able to handle it, but I doubt it."

Wages are one of several issues the two sides have been unable to agree upon. Late last week, Con Ed offered a 4 percent raise over the next three years. Some additional pay increases required approval by employees' supervisors.

"We continue to be hopeful that we will reach a fair and equitable agreement," said Michael Clendenin, a Con Ed spokesman. "In the event that that does not happen, we are prepared for that was well."

The union has rejected the offer as an insult and accused the utility of negotiating in bad faith. Union spokesman Joe Flaherty could not be reached for comment.

"The negotiations are a joke," said Assemb. Michael Gianaris (D- Astoria). "I understand the need for cost-cutting but the problem is that Con Ed has no credibility to make that case."

Gianaris cited the 24 percent pay increase that Con Ed chief executive Kevin Burke received in 2007, bringing his salary to $5.5 million, including a bonus for good performance.

The last Con Ed employee strike, in 1983, lasted for nine weeks.

"It's a good time to go out and get bottled water and non perishable food and an old fashioned telephone," Gioia said. "Even without a strike, when it's hot out, you've got to prepare for Con Ed not to be able to keep the power on."

Talks are expected to resume Tuesday.

Kathleen Bulson contributed to this story.