I am writing you in regards to the Puerto Rico Storm Restoration trip being planned by Duke Energy this coming January. I gave the company an official correspondence today explaining that Local 682 DOES NOT recommend its members participate in the trip at this time! There are far too many questions not being answered regarding hours of labor, general working conditions, and ground rules for what an employee can do on their own time while there. Management informed the System Committee last week on the same day it was communicated to the ops centers what the general plan was, however the communication coming back to us from the field about what the answers are to all the questions you as well as the Committee have asked have been inconsistent at best. The System Committee is working together on this issue as we speak and hope to have better answers for everyone out there in the near future, but for now I cannot in good conscience ask anyone to make a decision as large as this one without having all the facts in front of them in order to make an informed decision.
I have attached the actual letter I sent to this article if anyone is interested in reading it.
Update:
12/22/17
It is being communicated today by management that Duke is offering a new schedule of 7- 16hr days a week for the Puerto Rico storm trip at the double time rate of pay for all hours worked. There are still other questions to be answered but there is now an MOU on the table that will capture all of this in writing and is expected to be finished sometime next week. I will post it here on the website when it is complete so everyone will have all the details in order to make their final decision about whether or not to go. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.
