Florida Teamsters Strike Atlanta Gas Light

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Parent Company of Florida City Gas Refuses to Bargain in Good Faith

MIAMI, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighty workers at Florida City Gas walked off their jobs today in protest of the parent company's refusal to bargain in good faith. Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) is demanding outrageous concessions that would outsource union jobs and virtually eliminate seniority at the Florida-based subsidiary.

Florida City Gas employs members from both Local 385 in Brevard County and Local 769 in Dade County. The bargaining unit has existed for over 35 years through multiple changes in ownership. The workers are meter readers and technicians, journeyman plumbers and utility technicians.

AGL, which expanded into Southeast Florida November 2004 when it acquired former parent company NUI Corporation, declined to negotiate with the union this week, claiming their team had schedule conflicts.

"We worked into the night trying to get these guys to the table," said
Mike Scott, President of Local 769 in Miami, Florida. "But we were told that their principals couldn't make it because one was going to a golf tournament and the other was fishing. They obviously don't care about the fate of these workers and their families." <snip>

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/04-07-2005/0003339081&EDATE=

[struggle4progress]

1. Gas company protest slows U.S. 1 traffic

By J.D. GALLOP
FLORIDA TODAY

About 35 protesters waved signs outside of Florida City Gas in Rockledge today, nearly a week after negotiations broke down between the company and its employees, officials on both sides said.

The protesters, members of Teamsters Local 385, started the strike today outside of the natural gas company's location on the 4180 block of U.S. 1.

Motorists slowed down and looked on, including some who honked horns and waved at the employees.

"The company wants to outsource jobs, they want to take employees who've been here 20 or more years and outsource jobs to non-union bidders. These are skilled and licensed technicians who work with gas and you need experienced professionals to deal with that," said Clay Jeffries, a spokesman for the 7,200-member union. <snip>

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050407/BREAKINGNEWS/50407006

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2. Jesus, how many strikes are going on in the country now