FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jeanne K. Clark
April
23, 1998 412/421-6072
Pittsburgh, April 23 – Allegheny
Energy, Inc. (NYSE: AYE) this week expanded their campaign to pressure the
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to support the proposed
competition-killing merger of AYE with Duquesne Light (DQE) by shamelessly
preying on workers’ fears through company-supported full-page newspaper ads and
a demonstration on the steps of the State Capitol.
“We totally share the workers’ concerns about job
loss, said David Hughes, Executive Director of Citizen Power. “And that is one major reason to oppose
this merger. While the company is
practicing scare tactics in the media with one hand, they are planning the job
cuts with the other.
“Pittsburghers are very familiar with this
practice. We’ve watched larger
out-of-state companies swallow up local industry, crushing jobs and hope in the
process. Just today, Mellon Bank is
fighting a merger with Bank of New York because the loss of jobs and corporate
headquarters would cripple our region’s economy. It would kill jobs, and destroy local philanthropy and leadership.
“Yet Allegheny – another out-of-state company –
persists in shamelessly preying on workers’ fears. They are now claiming the merger will protect jobs, even though
they said they would cut jobs when they announced the proposed merger in
April 1997.
“Allegheny and Duquesne have consistently refused to
deal honestly with the public, hiding behind their paid ads and slick
campaigns. They have refused to engage
in public debates, appear on talk shows and defend their position
publicly. And this week’s full page
newspaper ads and demonstration are more of the same – the corporate bosses
paying the freight and manipulating the issue, hiding behind the workers they
victimized with their scare tactics.
“The choice is clear. On April 30, the PUC can listen to the voice of the people and
protect jobs, competition and our wallets by denying the merger and the
Companies’ outrageous demands for consumer-paid bailouts. Or they can fall for the
corporate-controlled public relations charade and ship our jobs and our money
out of state,” continued Hughes.
“We urge all Western Pennsylvania citizens to stand
up to the corporate charade and call the PUC (1-888-782-3228), Governor Ridge
(1-800-932-0784) and their own legislators and demand fair play for both
workers and electric consumers,” concluded Hughes.
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