WASHINGTON, DC (OCTOBER 25, 2022) – The Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), AFL-CIO today announced that 70 people who work for Liberty Utility out of Columbus, GA and Gainesville, GA voted to unionize and become members of the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO. The newly formed local union will represent those who work in the field and call centers in the gas industry.
“This is our second organizing victory in the South over the past few months, which is an especially challenging part of the country to win union campaigns,” said UWUA President James Slevin. “We welcome this group to the UWUA and look forward to representing them as they work to bargain their first contract.”
Liberty Utility workers who reached out to UWUA to organize cited concerns about workplace practices, on-call policies and low wages in comparison to the company’s wage rates across the country. Workers also indicated concerns about the safety culture within the two Atlanta area work site locations which they hope to address during the inaugural contract bargaining.
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Chartered in 1945, the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), AFL-CIO represents 45,000 active members employed in America’s utility sectors including the electric, gas, water, and related professional and service industries. James Slevin is UWUA’s National President. For more information visit https://uwua.net.