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IBEW Takes on Big Guns at Texas
Utility and Wins 254 to 218

December 20, 2006

It looked another case of corporate greed at workers’ expense when nonunion TXU, Texas’ largest power company, led by one of the highest paid utility executives in the U.S., announced in June that the jobs of hundreds employees—from linemen to clerks—would be subcontracted, reducing holidays, vacations, sick days and overtime pay, while jeopardizing service for households and big industries alike.

TXU workers, however, refused to be helpless victims.  With  strong support from the IBEW, they stood up to the big guns, stopped the utility’s subcontracting plans at the state’s public service commission and then, on December 18, voted 254 to 218 to be represented by IBEW.

An organizing campaign began after Larry Hayes, a TXU crew foreman in Killeen, Texas, angered by TXU’s sub-contracting plan with InfrastruX, a subsidiary of Tenaska Power Fund, contacted the International Office and asked for help. Seventh District International Vice President Jonathan Gardner and International Reps. Tim Bowden, Fernando Huerta and George Crawford met with Hayes and helped develop a strategy to stop the company’s plans.  Initiating a letter-writing campaign to the state’s public utility commission, they enlisted the support of state representatives. Their actions helped spur the intervention of the Texas Electrical Industrial Commission, a coalition of large electrical users concerned about how subcontracting would affect essential services. A steering committee of cities served by TXU also formed in opposition to the utility’s plan.

The public utility commission halted the outsourcing, gaining respect for the IBEW from employees across TXU’s 52 service centers.

On October 4, IBEW petitioned for a representation election.  TXU’s attorneys managed to win a delay, arguing that the election should be between InfrastruX and IBEW.

IBEW attorneys defeated TXU’s objection and an election was scheduled for Dec. 19, but the delay had given the utility time to hire the Burke Group, a long-standing firm of professional union-busters.

International reps. and members of Dallas Local 69, led by Business Manager Bobby Reed traveled from 12 to 14 hours across the state and held meetings with employees three-nights-a-week to beat back the Burke Group’s lies and TXU’s threats. The utility’s employees deserve great credit, says Bowden. “It took a lot of guts for them to stand out there with their necks out to get cards signed.  They did a marvelous job.”

TXU told workers at one service center that they would lose $2 per hour and their tool allowance if the union won, says Bowden.  “I had 150 folks on my e-mail distribution list,” he said. “We kept pumping out accurate information, telling folks that the company couldn’t legally carry out their threats.”

With many workers in their late 40’s, readying for retirement, TXU’s subcontracting plan was particularly unsettling, says Bowden.  “No one expected us to win this election after TXU was given time to mount their counter-attack, but we stayed busy and the workers stayed focused.”