FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rebecca Band, IBEW 1245
(510) 326 0897 RGB1@IBEW1245.com
VACAVILLE, CA — As the union representing thousands of workers employed by PG&E and its contractors, IBEW 1245 strongly supports the establishment of a special fund to provide critical assistance for the individuals who have been impacted and displaced by the wildfires.
IBEW 1245 clearly articulated the union’s position in a May 15, 2019 filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court overseeing the PG&E bankruptcy case, stating, “By most accounts, the reorganization process may take years and require coordinated action by a number of authorities including the California legislature, CPUC, and this Court. The victims affected by recent fires cannot wait for these processes to align and will benefit greatly from immediate access to assistance.”
IBEW 1245 has supported the fire victims since these cases were filed, and it will continue to do so in the future.
“PG&E’s proposed wildfire victim assistance fund would go a long way towards helping thousands of displaced families who are still struggling to get back on their feet in the wake of recent wildfires,” said IBEW 1245 Business Manager Tom Dalzell. “In light of last week’s announcement by CalFire, which officially declared PG&E equipment to be the cause of the devastating 2018 Camp Fire, a fund for the victims is more sorely needed than ever before. While we understand that the creation of this type of program during bankruptcy is not typical, we support PG&E’s well-intentioned effort to assist the fire victims – including the 90 members of IBEW 1245 who lost their homes in the Camp Fire.”
The union’s full court filing can be found at https://restructuring.primeclerk.com/pge/Home-DownloadPDF?id1=MTc5OTM4&id2=0. The Court is currently scheduled to rule on this matter this Wednesday.
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IBEW 1245 represents more than 20,000 workers in utility and related fields, including 12,000 front line workers employed by PG&E and thousands of additional workers employed by PG&E contractors. Learn more about the union at www.IBEW1245.com.