Pennsylvania's Public Utility Commission on Thursday
cleared the way for a look into whether Verizon is properly maintaining its
plants, lines, and facilities throughout the state.
In October, one of two unions now striking Verizon asked
the commission to investigate what it described as hazardous conditions -
broken poles, sagging cables, and ungrounded cables.
Verizon objected, writing that the Communications Workers
of America "should not be permitted to commandeer the Commission's
enforcement authority to . . . put regulatory pressure . . . as a labor
negotiation strategy."
On Thursday, the strike against Verizon was nine days
old.
The CWA had wanted the PUC's Bureau of Investigation and
Enforcement to conduct the investigation, inspecting Verizon's physical
facilities and records and presenting the findings to the commission for its
ruling.
Thursday's decision changes the CWA's request for an
investigation into a complaint, meaning that the union and other interested
groups, such as AARP and Pennsylvania Working Families, and Verizon would
present evidence to Administrative Law Judge Joel H. Cheskis.
Cheskis, who has scheduled a prehearing conference on May
26, will present his findings and recommendations for actions to the PUC.
Commissioners Gladys M. Brown, the chair; John F.
Coleman; and Robert F. Powelson voted to switch the request for investigation
to a complaint.
Commissioners Andrew G. Place and Pamela A. Witmer, who
is leaving the commission at the end of the month to work for a utility company,
disagreed. They said Cheskis instead should decide whether an investigation is
warranted and move forward from there.
"We think this entire episode was intended to be a
distraction. CWA's complaints are baseless and we'll respond accordingly,"
Verizon spokesman Richard Young said.
Scott Rubin, the lawyer who represented CWA before the
PUC, said, "This is not some bargaining tactic. There are serious safety
problems."
Source: Philly.com
No comments:
Post a Comment