The 28 employees of North Canton Water, who until now had been members of an independent union, voted unanimously to join UWUA on August 19, 2010. They are now Local 605.

“We’re a small group,” says Tad G. Martinez IV, a five year member of the water crew and Local 605’s president. “We didn’t have the experience UWUA has with negotiations. Our current contract is up August 1, 2011, and we wanted someone who knew what they were doing. Everyone really liked UWUA.” “As part of the North Canton Water Development, they are city employees,” explains UWUA Organizer Larry Kelley.

“They were tired of going to the table and being told what they could and could not have. They also wanted a grievance procedure. They contacted (recently deceased Senior National Representative) Bob Chet and me, and we went out and met with them; they were very interested in what we had to offer, filled out paperwork.”

“They were an independent union that had no resources for any grievances, arbitrations, that were looking to affiliate with a national union,” says National Representative Robert Fronek, who followed through on initial discussions the workers had with Chet.

Another important issue Martinez wants to address in the new contract is seniority. “It affects callouts for overtime. Right now, it’s pretty much an unwritten rule, but we need something in writing.”

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