Utilities Industry Council

PURPOSE:
We are committed to promoting constructive dialogue and action on issues of policy, practice, theory and research that lie at the intersection of the interests of labor, management, government, neutrals and scholars in the utilities industry.

Our overall focus is on workforce, organizational and regulatory challenges that face the utilities (Electric, Gas & Water) industry as a means to insure an adequate supply of energy and water resources in a reliable, secure and affordable manner over the long term for both the public and private sectors. Among some of the substantive issues to be addressed are:

(1) An examination of the current legal, political, structural and community barriers the Utilities Industry face in providing (a) low cost, (b) "clean" and environmentally sound, (c) reliable, (d) safe and (e) secure supplies of electricity, gas and water;
(2) The role labor-management relations can play in enhancing industry efficiency and productivity; and,
(3) The role of human resource management and labor-management relations in securing the safety of the network systems that transport energy resources.

LEADERSHIP:
Thomas J. Schneider, President/CEO, Restructuring Associates, Inc., Neutral Co-Chair
Jim Voye, IBEW, Labor Co-Chair

NEXT MEETING:
To be held in conjunction with the LERA 63rd Annual Meeting, January 6-9, 2011 in Denver, CO. For more information, click here.

LAST MEETING:
Saturday, January 2, 2010, 12:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m., Piedmont Room, Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA.
Co-Chairs: Thomas J. Schneider, Restructuring Associates, Inc.; and Jim Voye, International Brotherhood of Teamsters

COPY OF CHARTER:
Utilities Industry Council Charter

NOTES FROM PAST MEETINGS:
Thursday, January 3, 2008, 12:00 p.m.-1:50 p.m., Acadia I&II Room, InterContinental New Orleans.
To be held in conjunction with the LERA 60th Annual Meeting, January 3-6, 2008, in New Orleans, LA

On behalf of Lew Barr:

Tom Schneider and I presented the attached report at our Council's meeting at the LERA Annual Meeting in Chicago on January 4. We hope, you will find this information interesting and helpful.

Thanks to Tom Schneider, Dennis Dabney, Tom Croyle and the other Council members who worked on our 2006 Survey and research project.

Our 2007 project is set out on the last slide in the attachment.  The focus for 2007 will be on how utility companies are engaging their employees to become more competitive given the potential impact of the recent repeal of the Public Utility Company Holding Act.

Leading this effort will be the following Utilities Industry Council co-chairs for 2007:  Steve Rayburn, Director & Chief Negotiator of Labor Relations, Pacific Gas and Electric representing management;  Chris Johansson., Corporate Affairs Manager for the IBEW representing union; and Tom Schneider, President and CEO of Reconstructing Associates serving as our neutral representative.

Mike Langford of the UWUA and I really appreciate having had the opportunity to serve as the union and  management co-chairs of the Utilities Industry Council respectively over the last two years and look forward to supporting our new co-chairs during 2007.

Best regards,
Lew Barr

2007 Annual Meeting Presentation
2007 Presentation Notes

Thursday, August 17, 2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Illinois
Held in conjunction with the FMCS National Labor Management Conference

After the Handshake: Implementing and Sustaining Innovative Agreements on Health Care, New Technology, Job Security and Contract Administration

This workshop explored and reveals the elements needed to translate collective bargaining language that is not self-implementing--specifically health care, new technology, job security and the grievance procedure--into actions and results developed by both union and management. A strategic overview of industry challenges in the utility industry was also be provided.
Presenters:
Thomas J. Schneider, Restructuring Associates, Inc., Washington, DC
Dennis L. Dabney, DTE Energy, Detroit, MI
James C. Harrison, UWUA, Local 223, Dearborn, MI

LERA Industry Councils are supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.