Statement of Solidarity with Workers Restoring Power in Tennessee from Class-conscious Workers of the Building Trades

It might seem like we are living in unprecedented times. While many of us are already aware of the contradiction between the working class—the proletariat, and the ruling class—the bourgeoisie, more and more workers are becoming conscious of it. The ICE attacks on foreign-born workers, the murders of those who protest the attacks, and the constant struggle for a livable wage in the face of inflation that makes the richest even richer, are just a few of the things that have aroused the fighting spirit of the working class.

Despite our constant struggle, when the country was hit with a devastating winter storm that left hundreds of thousands of people without power and subsequently heat, it was the workers who laced up their boots, left their families and braved the conditions to restore the power infrastructure—infrastructure that often times is neglected by the government in favor of military and law enforcement spending, entertainment districts and other costs that can be chalked up to political patronage from elected officials. The elected officials knew of the coming winter storm but failed to prepare a measured response that could ensure the safety of the people.

Perhaps the worst case of this we’ve seen recently has been from Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Nashville Electric Service (NES) President Teresa Broyles-Aplin. Over 200,000 Nashvillians have lost power because of the winter storm, while the city and utility monopoly were wholly unprepared. Despite this, thousands of union linemen from the IBEW, the largest electrical union in the country, converged on the area ready and wiling to help restore power in what is obviously an emergency situation considering reports of freezing temperatures indoors for many. But as is the case for workers in need, or in this case offering to meet the needs of other working class people, they were met with bureaucracy. The NES prioritized its relationship with its existing contractor partners over the safety of the people in Tennessee, turning away many of these linemen, and shame on them for it.

As the people of Tennessee suffered, NES not only declined ready and available help, but when word began to spread of this, they outright denied it and dismissed the workers’ accounts of offering help and being declined. Multiple local news sources have not only spoken directly to workers whose help was declined, but were also able to attain emails NES sent declining more help in this emergency, stating, “At this time, we are covered and do not require additional assistance.” In the face of this proof, union “leaders” from the SEIU and IBEW came out in support of the NES saying that no one was being turned away.

It is unfortunate that union leadership, which is supposed to represent the workers, would come out to back a utility monopoly over their own members, but we are not surprised. Many try to maintain relationships with companies even if it is at the expense of workers, all for the “good of the union.” Make no mistake, we are not anti-union, we are almost all union members from various building trades, but we are sick of these “leaders” that don’t represent or prioritize the working class. We commend all the union and non-union linemen who responded in service of the people of Tennessee. We stand with all the workers who have left their families and homes to restore power to Tennessee, and denounce the leaders that have called them liars. We stand with the organizers and activists that brave the cold to organize and expose corruption in Nashville, your love for the people is admirable and we salute you.

Signed,

Class Conscious Workers of the Building Trades,

Representing class-conscious workers across the country from:

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – IBEW

International Union of Painters & Allied Trades – IUPAT

International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transport Workers – SMART

Laborers’ International Union of North America – LiUNA

United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America – UBC

Photo: Retrieved from social media.

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