U.S. & World

Con Ed Tries To Stave Off Strike By Utility Crews

NEW YORK (AP) ― Con Edison was in all-day talks Saturday to stave off a possible strike by thousands of employees.

Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2 said its 9,000 members might walk off the job at midnight if negotiations don't result in a better contract offer.

Those employees form the backbone of Con Edison's operation, and include a majority of the workers who maintain the utility's gas, electric and steam delivery systems.

The negotiations were taking place at a hotel in East Rutherford, N.J. A union spokesman said the two sides remained far apart on several fronts Saturday afternoon.

"They're at the table, and they're trying to resolve a myriad of issues," said Local 1-2 spokesman Joe Flaherty.

Con Ed said it is prepared to keep things running if a strike happens and said customers won't see a service disruption. The workers generally aren't involved in power generation, but non-emergency repairs and meter reading could be delayed, said Con Ed spokesman Michael Clendenin.

"We remain hopeful that there will be a settlement that is fair and equitable for our employees," he said.

While the union's membership has authorized a strike if a deal isn't reached, Flaherty said a walkout will not be automatic if the midnight deadline comes without a deal.

"If the parties are close ... they would probably continue talking," he said. "If not, there are a number of possibilities."

Negotiations between the union and the utility have gone down to the last minute several times before. The last time it led to a strike was in 1983.

(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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