Consumers Energy Workforce Reductions resulted in a total of 72 members being laid off to the street.

 

Citing Michigan’s poor economy and declining work load in its gas business, Consumers Energy reduced its workforce in Gas Distribution and Service, as well as the pilot Joint Underground Construction Group. The reductions in Gas Distribution and Service were spread across the state affecting 18 headquarters, while the application of rights under Article VII, Section 17 of the Working Agreement resulted in several additional headquarters being affected. The reduction included 30 positions in Gas Distribution and 45 positions in Gas Service. After the reduction and application of rights under Article VII, Section 17, a total of 25 regular and 11 probationary employees were laid off to the street, for a total of 36 employees.

 

In addition to the reductions in Gas Distribution and Service, the two remaining members of the Joint Underground Construction Group will also be laid off.   In December of 2009, 34 members of the Underground Construction Group had been laid off due to lack of work; the additional reduction will bring the total to 36. Per the pilot agreement, the members of the Joint Underground Construction Group do not have placement rights under Article VII, Section 17 of the Working Agreement. The directional boring work that the remaining members of the Joint Underground Construction were performing will be assigned to Gas Distribution in both the Lansing and Kalamazoo Headquarters.

 

The MSUWC wishes its displaced union members the best and hopes that as the weather improves and the workload increases, there will be an opportunity to recall every member.