On March 20, 1958, workers at the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority—known today as ALCOSAN—voted unanimously to unionize, forming UWUA Local 433 and securing a voice on the job that would shape generations of utility workers in western Pennsylvania.
Among those casting a “yes” vote was Bernie Mackowiak, then 28 years old and just eight years into his career as a maintenance mechanic. Mackowiak started at ALCOSAN in 1950, earning $250 a month with no health care, and no union representation. “That first contract changed everything,” he later recalled, bringing higher wages and health benefits that reflected the essential nature of the work. 
The vote came at a pivotal moment in Pittsburgh’s history. In the years following the passage of Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Act in 1937, regional leaders launched the “Pittsburgh Renaissance,” a broad effort to address pollution, flooding, and aging infrastructure. The creation of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority in 1946 and the construction of a massive regional wastewater treatment system were central to that vision.
As the treatment plant came online in 1958, ALCOSAN workers understood that building a cleaner, healthier region required not just modern infrastructure, but skilled, respected workers. Local 433 ensured that the people operating and maintaining the system had the protections and dignity they deserved.
Mackowiak went on to work at ALCOSAN for 43 years, retiring in 1993. Now 95, he and fellow retiree James Fairley are helping preserve Local 433’s early history by sharing documents and images with The Utility Worker.
In 1962, ALCOSAN employed 230 workers and drew visitors from around the world to study its operations. Today, the authority employs more than 400 workers—and Local 433 remains a testament to the lasting power of unity on the job.
On this day in labor history, we honor the workers who made that choice in 1958 and the generations who continue to carry it forward.