A union representing more than 400 employees of United Illuminating has filed a motion to intervene as a party plaintiff in the electric utility’s appeal of a recent rate decision by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURA).
UI, in September, filed a lawsuit against PURA that says the company “cannot maintain – let alone expand and improve” its services based on the rates PURA set.
In August, PURA approved an increase of $16.8 million to UI’s base distribution revenue requirement, about 87% less than UI’s request of a $131 million increase. Also, it disallowed numerous capital expenditures along with operating and maintenance expenses.
On Monday, the Utility Workers Union of America Local 470-1 (UWUA) filed a motion to intervene in New Britain Superior Court, which would allow the union to be added to the lawsuit.
Third-parties can be allowed to enter existing lawsuits if they have a personal stake in the outcome.
According to the union’s memorandum in support of its motion to intervene, PURA’s decision disallowed employee incentive compensation, full-time equivalent compensation, employee travel, education and training expenses, and other employee benefits.
The union says those disallowances violate a state law that requires rates to be “sufficient, but no more than sufficient, to allow public service companies to cover their operating costs including, but not limited to, appropriate staffing levels.”
The union says its members will be “directly and substantially” affected by PURA’s decision and the outcome of the appeal.
“Without UWUA’s participation as a party plaintiff, the rights of UWUA members are at risk of impairment and will be adversely affected,” the motion states.
UWUA represents UI lineworkers, customer service representatives, billing support analysts, dispatch agents, and maintenance, service and billing employees.
The motion was filed on behalf of the union by Jennifer Morgan, a partner with the law firm Murtha Cullina.
Sarah Wall Fliotsos, a spokesperson for UI, issued the following statement:
“UI welcomes the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA)’s motion to participate in the company’s appeal of PURA’s punitive and unjust August decision in its rate case. As we have warned for months, PURA’s decision exacts material harm on UI’s front-line workers by disallowing costs related to their education and training, incentive compensation, and other hard-earned benefits. We agree with the UWUA that more than 400 union workers at UI are ‘directly and substantially’ affected by the rate case decision, and we look forward to continuing to demonstrate the merits of our appeal and the clear and compelling calls for relief from the courts.”
