For press inquiries, please reach out to Communications Director Erin Bzymek at ebzymek@uwua.net or 202-702-9655.
SPEAKING OUT Tuesday, Nov. 6 is Election Day. As a utility worker, what issues will decide who you vote for? John Lorenzo, Local 164 “As a working class man in my late 30’s, what is important to me is: 1) more funding for education, that’s vital; 2) investment in infrastructure; 3) more union jobs; and…
VOTE! – Your Future Depends on It Tuesday, November 6, 2018 — Mid-Term Elections An ever-changing world It has long been said that the only constant in life is change. In the case of American politics and how government affects the lives of working people, that has perhaps never been more true than right now. …
CA Locals Win Historic SoCal Gas Contract Victory The 3,800 UWUA members in CA Locals 132, 483, and 522 won an historic victory when they reached a new three-year contract extension agreement with SoCal Gas. Across-the-board wage increases totaling 9.54%, with no givebacks, tops the list of gains. Industry under attack Most importantly, the agreement…
Organizing Win at Hawaii Water – Contract Bargaining Set to Begin The UWUA is proud to welcome into its ranks Hawaii Water workers, the newest bargaining unit to join the National Union. Their journey into the union in many ways was a textbook case of how the positive experience utility workers have as UWUA members can…
Supreme Court Bows Down to Right-Wing – Janus Decision Will Not Stop Us! On June 27, the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 that ruled a public employee cannot be required to pay dues or fees for the representation the union provides related to collective bargaining and other representational activities.…
Local 537 Secures Contract with American Water Under a long-standing agreement by the parties, the National UWUA and other unions negotiate most benefits with American Water as part of a National Benefits Agreement. Negotiations for wages, hours, and working conditions are done separately by local unions. Local 537 members in Brownsville, PA, ratified a new…
American Water Benefits Agreement Inked More than 3,000 members of the UWUA and eight other unions ratified a National Benefits Agreement with American Water on July 31. It includes improvements to healthcare, retirement, and other benefits for nearly 70 bargaining units in 15 states across the U.S. The national agreement is negotiated by a coalition…
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE If Not Us, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When? As Utility Workers, we face life-threatening situations on the job every day. Hurricanes, fires, mudslides, explosions, you name it we deal with it. That’s why we focus on securing collective bargaining agreements that protect us from the dangers of our work. And that’s…
Labor Rights are Human Rights April 4, 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While it is well known that Dr. King’s assassination took place in Memphis, most Americans are not aware of the fact that he went to Memphis in support of striking sanitation workers. The…
Our Toolbox for Contract Negotiations Works! Union representation and strong UWUA contracts are what separates us from workers who have no voice and very few rights at work. With our contract, we cannot be fired at the whim of management, and our wages, benefits, working conditions, and more, are all protected. This gives us peace…