For press inquiries, please reach out to Communications Director Erin Bzymek at ebzymek@uwua.net or 202-702-9655.
Members of Local 304 ratified a new agreement on March 1, bringing increased wages, time off protections, and more to 160 members at Monongahela Power’s Harrison Plant. The facility is a coal-fired generation plant in West Virginia owned by First Energy that provides power to large parts of West Virginia and western Maryland. The unit…
I recently traveled to the West Coast to attend our Region V conference in Redondo Beach, CA. For those who participated, this gathering signaled a step forward in our return to normalcy.
America’s utilities are on high alert due to an elevated threat of cyberattacks. Hacking, ransomware, and data breaches have been longstanding concerns, but rising tensions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February have moved cybersecurity to the top of the agenda for electricity, gas, and water operations. The Biden administration has warned U.S. companies…
For three mornings last November, members of Local 116 gathered to watch the Power for America (P4A) virtual training sessions. Local 116 President Jason Fabynick recounted, “We wanted to be able to have discussions about what we were seeing and learning.” Matt Compton, the local’s vice president and a veteran, arranged for the meetings at…
By Jim Harrison, UWUA Director of Renewable Energies As U.S. automakers go all-in on electric vehicle manufacturing, the industry is at a turning point. Making electric vehicles (EVs) affordable and accessible for all classes of consumers is predicated on those consumers being able to charge their vehicles quickly and economically. Auto manufacturers, utility companies, state…
This article is a reminder that it is that time of year to review our year-end financial records and execute our compliance requirements. We have seen a large number of retirements in our ranks and many younger members are getting involved in their local leadership. This new energy is encouraging and exciting and will require…
There is no worker more vital and connected to our everyday lives than the utility worker. And there is no union that has, since its inception over 75 years ago, been more able to enhance the livelihoods of these unsung heroes known as utility workers than the UWUA. On March 1, I’ll be retiring from…
On January 15, The Philadelphia Inquirer published this opinion piece by Local 686 President Keith Holmes. Philadelphia is not the first city to undertake such an effort to eliminate natural gas or prevent new natural gas hookups. In 2021, efforts were made by cities and states around the country to attempt to ban new gas…
Numerous factors are driving utilities to focus on lowering their carbon output and examine the ways they generate and deliver power. At the same time, they’re re-examining their business models in the wake of significant competition from non-utility power producers, particularly of renewables. A 2021 report by Hitachi found 88% of all utility-scale wind and…