Members of UWUA Local 393 working in the Suffolk County Water Authority’s (SCWA) water quality laboratory ratified a new eight-year collective bargaining agreement in December that recognizes the specialized nature of their work and makes meaningful progress on pay equity and long-term stability.
The agreement covers 31 laboratory professionals — including chemists, bacteriologists, and laboratory technicians — whose work is essential to protecting public health and ensuring the safety of Long Island’s drinking water. The lab contract follows the eight-year agreement won by Local 393’s 350 field employees in June 2025, providing continuity and labor stability across the authority.
Local 393 President Barbara Yatauro said the union made a deliberate effort to fully include laboratory workers throughout the 2025 bargaining process, even though their contract was negotiated after the larger unit. Lab members participated in meetings and discussions from the outset, reinforcing unity and ensuring their priorities were represented at the table.
Laboratory employees received the same general wage increases as the larger unit — 4% in years one and two, followed by 3% in years three through six—but the agreement also includes targeted “inequity adjustments” to address longstanding pay disparities within the lab. Chemists, who make up roughly 25 percent of the lab workforce, received a $1,900 base pay increase, while other laboratory employees received a $250 adjustment added directly to their base wages.
In addition, the contract establishes two new laboratory titles, creating four higher-paying positions and expanding opportunities for advancement while strengthening retention.
“Our laboratory employees perform highly technical work that directly protects the drinking water supply,” Yatauro said. “This agreement recognizes their value, addresses inequities, and provides the long-term security our members deserve.”
Yatauro noted that laboratory work in the public sector is often undercompensated relative to the education, training, and responsibility required. While lab wages are generally competitive with similar public-sector laboratories, they can lag behind other skilled classifications within the authority. The union focused on correcting those gaps while maintaining overall unit equity.
The agreement was ratified in mid-December, allowing Local 393 to begin the new year with labor peace and a clear path forward. With both major contracts now settled, the local is positioned to focus on contract enforcement, member engagement, and continued advocacy for the skilled professionals who safeguard Suffolk County’s water supply every day.