At a rally in Hartford, union workers for Connecticut Light and Power warned that the company is inadequately staffed and could have trouble repairing the damage from future storms.
The New Haven Register reports that union leaders say they are prepared to strike in two weeks unless the company hires more people.
In a statement, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal backed the workers from the state’s largest utility company. He said the company has 397 linemen and fewer than it had on staff last October.
“CL&P workers deserve a fair deal, with fair wages and benefits, and Connecticut consumers deserve fair rates, with assurance that their service will be reliable and responsive,” Blumenthal said. “Just last year, inadequate staffing contributed to lengthy delays in restoring electricity to countless homes, businesses, schools, and potential services.”
Connecticut Light and Power said the union is being disingenuous with the facts.
"The union is using the media to distort the facts," said spokeswoman Tricia Taskey-Modifica told the Connecticut Post. "We have the number of linemen we need for the work we have. In the event of a storm, we get help from outside."
The utility company serves 1.2 million customers in 149 municipalities throughout the state.
