Union Protests Entergy Lockout at State House

Union members and politicians are rallying today on the State House steps, urging Entergy to offer better health care options and ensure safe working conditions at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station.

According to a UWUA Local 369 spokesman, the scheduling of today's rally is ironic because of today's Supreme Court decision to uphold the . Krista Robinson of O'Neill and Associates, the publicity firm representing the union said:

It’s ironic that on a historical day when the Supreme Court has ruled to uphold healthcare, this Louisiana based company is set to rip healthcare benefits away from workers. Entergy has set a Saturday midnight deadline for UWUA Local 369 healthcare benefits to expire. This will dramatically impact workers, like Kenny Johnson who will be speaking today about how he and his fmaily had rush to get an organ transplant done before the Saturday deadline not knowing if he will be able ot afford follow-up visits and care. There is a direct tie in to what is happening at the local level with corporations using healthcare as a bargaining chip against its workers.

Union officials have been tweeting updates from the rally. Senate President Therese Murray, state Treasurer Steve Grossman, state representatives Tom Calter, D-Kingston; Marty Walsh, D-Dorchester; Mark Cusack, D-Braintree; Nick Collins, D-Boston; and state Senator Dan Wolf, D-Harwich, joined UWUA members and labor leaders today.