Will HVPA be better for Central Hudson workers?

Yes. Currently, everything the Central Hudson workers need, from wages to equipment, has to go through highly politicized rate cases that pit workers against ratepayers. With no shareholders to answer to, HVPA can prioritize alleviating this tension by investing in the needs of the workers while keeping rates as low as possible. To ensure this happens, the bill puts the Business Representative of the Central Hudson union on the Board of Trustees, and the union gets to appoint two people in the Governing Board of the community oversight body, known as the Observatory. Presently, the workers don’t have a representation on Central Hudson’s board.

Additionally, the hiring of short-term contractors to avoid union rates will be prohibited. And HVPA requires the strong labor standards for businesses it contracts with, and for any buildout of generation assets it may pursue.