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| Union Leaders at the New Inter-Union Gas and Electric Employee Coalition April 6, 2002 |
| The Inter-Union Coalition of Gas and Electric Utility Employees April 8, 2002 The First Summit The First Inter-Union Coalition Summit of NiSource Employees from the various Local Unions that negotiate with NiSource met in Cleveland Ohio on April 6, 2002. Participants traveled there all the way from the eastern seaboard to the Midwest heartland. This group creates the largest Union Coalition in the gas and electric business east of the Rocky Mountains and covers 30 percent of the U.S. population. The footprint of this new organization runs from the Gulf of Mexico and reaches all the way to the coast of Maine. The coalition has high expectations to become a dynamic player in customer service, costs and public safety in the gas and electric utility industry. The coalition is committed to enlist the support and training of activists to address events and issues throughout this region. The use of new technology will allow the group will develop an information depository for use by all coalition members. The information will be used to capture, coordinate, and respond to unsafe practices, degradation of service, and any wasteful gas and electric utility practices in this significant geographical area. The coalition was created and poised to address the changing attitude about the delivery of life�s essential needs in the delivery of gas and electricity. This first and historic summit also gave the participants the opportunity to share information on their experience with NiSource and the integrity of the NiSource culture. Is Columbia Gas wasting 90k per day? Sources in the coalition have stated that Columbia Gas is wasting $90, 000 per day on unnecessary security guards as the company continues negotiations with Columbia Gas employees represented by PACE. This certainly is consistent with the NiSource view of seeing their own employees as enemies. The coalition views such spending serves no benefit to the consumers and shareholders. |