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BM Pat Lavin at a recent protest

IBEW Hits California Airwaves to Support Gov. Gray Davis May 8, 2001

In the hills above Southern California's Serrano substation-a vital link in the West Coast's electricity grid-stands Local 47 Business Manager Patrick Lavin.

The stakes of California's energy crisis are unbelievably high, he tells the television audience in commercials airing across the state this week and next week.

Lavin and IBEWs locals 47 and 1245 are among a large coalition of California groups urging the state Legislature to approve the deal Gov. Gray Davis and Southern California Edison announced a month ago to purchase SCE's transmission lines and other fixes designed to end the state's utility crisis.

Between PG&E and Southern California Edison, Edison is the only one of the state's two largest utilities that has not declared bankruptcy.  The groups are worried that if the state does not take positive action to restore the utilities to financial health, SCE could go the route of PG&E, whose uncertain future is in the hands of a federal bankruptcy judge.

"If Edison goes into bankruptcy, I think this will have a negative impact on our workforce," Lavin said.  "Bankruptcy will cost everyone out here money-the customers, the workers, the state.  Everyone." 

California's dire energy predicament has prompted IBEW locals to join with the Consumers Coalition of California, the California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Small Business Roundtable, California Professional Firefighters, California Association of School Business Officials, National Coalition of Hispanic Organizations, California Labor Federation, California Taxpayers Association and Southern California Edison for the radio and television ad campaign.  The broad-based group is called the Coalition for a Secure Energy Future.

The ads advocate prompt adoption and implementation of Gov. Davis' plan, which must be approved by the California Legislature and the state Public Utilities Commission by August 15 or the deal with Southern California Edison dies.

"We have until August or it is likely Southern California Edison will follow PG&E's lead into bankruptcy," Lavin said. "This is the only deal on the table and whether it's this deal or some a variation of it, now is the time for the state, the legislature and all those concerned to get on with the process and find a solution.  Our members are concerned for their jobs and have good reason to be."