Most of us have probably heard about the big "gas scare" in New York City yesterday. But closer to home there is a another type of stench brewing and it's no laughing matter. It involves a local energy utility putting corporate profits ahead of the safety of our community and the livelihood of its workers.
The Office and Professional Employees Union (OPEIU Local 2) has sent out a notice to inform their members of some very unsettling news:
The Washington Light and Gas Company is "probing the possible outsourcing 160 customer service jobs, including the critical jobs of taking calls on gas leaks and emergency services".
"95% of the workers who perform these jobs are people of color with nearly 80% of them women, in many cases single mothers supporting families."
This isn't the first time Washington Gas has gone down the "outsourcing road". Back in 2004, they outsourced 28 gas inspectors.
The result?
An explosion that the OPEIU says "could have been avoided with an adequete number of inspectors".
As if all this wasn't enough, Washington Gas has had the audacity to propose rate increases for residents in the District, Maryland, and Virginia. I guess CEO James DeGraffenreidt Jr., who has taken in over $4 million in compensation in recent years, just couldn't afford to take a pay cut.
So if this whole situation SMELLS BAD to you, I suggest a couple ways in which you can help.
You can send a message to Washington Gas telling them NOT to outsource these workers.You can also sign OPEIU Local 2's petition telling Washington Gas to put the interests of the community ahead of corporate profits.
We also need to be contacting media outlets to cover this issue.
Washington Gas needs to be embarrassed publicly.
When I lived in N. Springfield, near Lake Accotink, I was amazed to learn about the enormous underground storage facility that Washington Gas has there. A Washington Gas employee told me that they store propane underground there as a backup supply to augment the natural gas system. He said that the man-made cavern is so big that when they constructed it back in the early 60's, they drove lots of dump trucks around inside it.
If there were to be a disaster involving Washington Gas, N. Virginia would be as likely a spot as any in the area.
one slight difference though!
an bad cable tv hookup can't blow up friggin house...
What happens in an emergency? What if you have someone calling for who English is not their primary language? This is a public utility and these are public safety issues. The question here should not be just dollars.