July 7, 2010

Workers, Retirees & Community Leaders to Challenge 
NV Energy at PUC Meeting
Group to protest recent service cuts and corporate compensation practices

RENO, NV – Employees and retirees of NV Energy will be joined by community leaders in challenging NV Energy’s recent service cuts during tomorrow’s Public Utilities Commission of Nevada hearing scheduled to take place in Reno. The group will also contest NV Energy’s decision to award exorbitant pay increases to the company’s top executives while cutting service.

While the PUCN hearing is set to consider NV Energy’s request for a short-term reduction in electric rates, the company is already planning a rate increase of 4.5% for electricity customers and a 3.0% increase for natural gas users effective January 1, 2011.

“Although we support the proposed – albeit short-term – rate reduction, the real issue is what NV Energy is doing with customers’ money,” said IBEW Local 1245 Business Representative Randy Osborn. “NV Energy executives are showering themselves with excessive bonuses and CEO Michael Yackira is making $4.5 million in compensation all while closing almost all local customer service offices, reducing its workforce and, in some cases, moving crews far from the local communities they are supposed to serve.”

NV Energy reported $180 million in profits in 2009 and also received $134 million in federal bailout money. Despite its healthy finances, NV Energy has insisted on cutting service for customers and reneging on promised benefits for retirees.

Examples of NV Energy’s disregard for customers include:

* In the past two years, NV Energy has reduced its unionized workforce – the workers providing service on the frontlines – by about 100 people, leaving customers at a grave disadvantage.

* In early 2010, the company transferred an electric crew from Yerington to Carson City, leaving the Yerington area vulnerable to longer waits for help in the event of an emergency. Tragically, one member of the crew was killed and two were injured while commuting to Carson last month when another vehicle crossed the centerline on Highway 50 and crashed into their pickup.

Among those expected to speak at the PUCN hearing is Rev. Neal Anderson.

“Unfortunately, NV Energy seems to have lost sight of what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen,” said Rev. Anderson. “NV Energy is betraying the people of Nevada by proposing rate cuts only to plan for increases soon after and by arbitrarily stripping away benefits that were promised to employees and retirees.”

WHO:


NV Energy workers, retirees and community leaders



WHAT:


Challenge of NV Energy service cuts, compensation practices during Public Utilities Commission of Nevada hearing



WHERE:


Reno-Sparks Convention Center


4590 South Virginia St.


Reno, NV



WHEN:


Thursday, July 8


6pm

The “Shame on NV Energy” campaign launched by this same group has garnered nearly one thousand online petition signatures and has over 6,000 supporters on Facebook.com/ShameOnNVEnergy.



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The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 has represented workers at NV Energy since 1945. Overall, the union represents roughly 20,000 energy workers in Nevada and California.