AFSCME Members in New York Tell Con Ed to Put Safety First

by Erick Sanchez  |  July 25, 2012

Union workers and supporters protest the ongoing lockout at Con Edison. (Photo by Kevin Hanes)

Last week, AFSCME members of DC 37, DC 1707, and CSEA joined our brothers and sisters in labor in rallying against Con Edison outside the electric company’s Union Square headquarters.

Con Edison is threatening retirement security and access to health care for hard-working utility workers who serve the New York City area. Instead of negotiating, the company urges union members to adapt to its “new business model,” which limits retirement benefits and institutes caps on compensation for utility workers, despite its healthy profits.

In fact, Con Edison chose to lock out 8,500 utility workers in lieu of negotiations on July 1, posing a serious danger to public safety and jeopardizing the system that these workers maintain. With the country breaking heat records, Con Edison chooses to maximize their already large profits instead of placing residents’ safety first.

It was clear by last week’s show of solidarity that Con Edison’s attack on these workers is an attack on all public workers. Members of several public unions fired up the crowd, sending the message to Con Edison that their actions will not be tolerated. AFSCME DC 37 has been hard at work since the lockout, leafleting local residents and spreading the message on behalf of the utility workers affected by Con Edison’s reckless actions.

More information on the lockout can be found at ConEdRipOff.com.