NYT/AP: Union: LA Cut Corners With Utility Wages (link to power failure)

[DeepModem Mom]

Union: L.A. Cut Corners With Utility Wages
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 13, 2005
Filed at 7:10 p.m. ET


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Workers who accidentally triggered a massive lunchtime blackout were upgrading the city power system during peak daytime hours because the city was ''cutting corners'' and reluctant to pay higher wages at night, a union official claimed Tuesday.

City officials denied the allegation, and one City Council member questioned whether the outage was an intentional move by the union to pressure the city in an ongoing contract dispute.

Almost 2 million people, from downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley, lost power Monday for as long as 2 1/2 hours. Traffic lights were out, elevators stopped, police were alert but said terrorism was not suspected.

The shutdown came after a Department of Water and Power crew incorrectly cut several control lines at a receiving station in the Toluca Lake area of the San Fernando Valley.

Ron Deaton, the utility's general manager, said it was an honest mistake by technicians....


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-LA-Power-Outage.html