For press inquiries, please reach out to Communications Director Erin Bzymek at ebzymek@uwua.net or 202-702-9655.
In response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police, the resulting protests and the national discussion on race, the UWUA hosted two virtual Townhall meetings. Entitled, “A Conversation on Solidarity, Equality and Justice,” race and racism were discussed by a panel that included UWUA President James Slevin, representatives from the…
Recent natural and manmade disasters have revealed the important work UWUA members play in delivering water, gas and electricity to millions of Americans across the country. COVID-19 has only magnified that. California is at the top of the list of states responding to multiple disasters all at once. Without the hard work and dedication of…
In a first-of-its-kind decision on the East Coast, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey recently blocked legislation that would have prohibited the use of natural gas in new construction and renovations in Brookline, a town bordering Boston. Working with its extensive political network in the state, the UWUA challenged the gas ban and Healey overturned it…
When Columbia Gas took responsibility for the 2018 Merrimack Valley gas explosions in Massachusetts, killing one person, injuring dozens of others and destroying or damaging hundreds of structures, it was ordered to pay a $53 million federal fine, a state penalty of $56 million, and lost its permission to operate in the state. Forced to…
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Power for America (P4A) was getting ready to ramp up training for current and potential UWUA members. State stay-at-home orders forced all in-person trainings to be suspended. As the pandemic continued, P4A looked for new ways to re-start trainings for members. Pictured left – The 24th graduating class of the…
Michigan State Rep. Mari Manoogian was one of 17 “rising stars” who gave the keynote address on the second day of the August Democratic National Convention. Mari is the daughter of George Manoogian, who retired in 2016 as the UWUA chief of staff with more than 50 years as a UWUA member. “When the auto…
Water workers employed by American Water at the Fort Leonard Wood Army base in central Missouri voted overwhelmingly by mail on August 31 to join the UWUA. They become the first U.S. military service group to organize with the union. “We’re excited to be a part of the union brotherhood,” says Brett Brown, a plant…
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a complaint against the illegal bargaining tactics of Highland County Water management during negotiations with UWUA Local 477-W for a new contract. The NLRB complaint upholds charges filed by the UWUA that the company has illegally frustrated negotiations by refusing to provide bargaining information. A hearing has…
During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump promised that if he was elected he would be a champion for workers. This promise led many union members to support President Trump, including many UWUA members. After nearly four years in office we now have a record to judge whether President Trump has kept his promise. From the…
On a recent trip to Oregon in support of Local 609 members fighting for a fair contract there, I experienced first-hand the wildfires laying waste to the West Coast. Our members in California and Oregon have described what it’s like to survive and combat the fires, some with families even needing to be evacuated. I…