Newsday: LIPA commission must guarantee protections for union workers
The Legislative Commission on the Future of the Long Island Power Authority still has important work to do, but thus far has failed to address the myriad career issues impacting the thousands of hardworking men and women who literally keep the lights on for the rest of us. The final recommendations and draft bill the commission sends to the New York State Legislature will guide its decisions, and have a significant impact not just on the future of LIPA, but the future of our region.
The mission of transforming LIPA into a fully public utility might appear noble at first. But the commission was formed to deliver a predetermined outcome, regardless of the best interests of the workforce or the ratepayers. Its purpose is to chart a course to becoming “fully public,” which is by no means inherently noble.