Category: Magazine

For press inquiries, please reach out to Communications Director Erin Bzymek at ebzymek@uwua.net or 202-702-9655.

UMAP Gas Bootcamp Means Jobs for National Guard and Vets

Based on the highly successful Utility Workers Military Assistance Program (UMAP) in Chicago between Local 18007 and Peoples Gas, the Michigan State Utility Workers Council (MSUWC) and Consumers Energy will pilot a gas bootcamp for current Michigan National Guard service men and women, as well as post 9/11 honorably discharged veterans. The idea for the program came to MSUWC President Pat Dillon and Power for America (P4A) Executive Director Jon Harmon after attending the 2015 UWUA National Convention and…

Secretary-Treasurer’s Report, Winter 2016

  Welcome to 2016, a new year with new opportunities. At the Utility Workers Union of America’s 30th convention, we independently passed a number of resolutions that will guide our organization through the next four years. All of these resolutions can be found on our app – available for free from the app store on your smart phone…

Repair America, Now!

It’s becoming more and more critical to invest in the physical and human infrastructure necessary to maintain reliable services to keep the nation strong. “If we want to be a first class nation, if we want to be a world leader, then we better put our money into re-building our water, gas, and electricity infrastructure,”…

Executive Vice President’s Report, Winter 2016

In this issue of The Utility Worker, we highlight our Power for America Training Trust’s continued growth. We are expanding our successful Utility Workers Military Assistance Program for veterans to include the National Guard. We are constructing our second building on the Potterville, Michigan campus to allow us to train welders. We are adding new class-…

National Vice President’s Report, Fall 2016

Throughout this election year, we were listening to many messages from many different candidates from several different political parties. Through all of those messages, Donald Trump emerged as the victor, in what could be called the most contentious election in our lifetime. With all of the accusations (some true, some false) that were traded back…

Looking Forward… MSUWC Wins First UWUA Contract Covering Renewables

With the strong push for more environmentally friendly energy sources, such as clean coal, solar, and wind, the topic of new energy technologies was more than a side note during the 2010 contract negotiations between the Michigan State Utility Workers Council (MSUWC) and their largest employer, Consumers Energy. At the time, Consumers Energy’s existing coal-fired baseload generating fleet — averaging 50 years of age — was the oldest in the country and…

CA Local 132 Internal Organizing Campaign Adds Members, Strengthens Union

Over the last several months, by deploying their shop stewards throughout their 20,000 square mile service territory, over 200 workers have signed union cards and now enjoy the full benefits of being UWUA members. This increase to their membership not only strengthens the local, but the new stylistic approach to organizing is better educating newer members of the importance of unionism. In addition to signing up current SoCalGas employees,…

Secretary-Treasurer’s Report, Fall 2015

As we enter this holiday season, it is important to review this past year’s events and look forward to next year’s opportunities. 2015 was a year of transition for our National Union. As an organization, we held our 30th National Convention in July in which we elected our National Officers and Executive Board Members. As importantly, we reviewed our National Constitution…

Local 409 Grows with Gas!!

Local 409 Secretary Nyle Vinciquarra has accepted the challenge to grow the local in the gas distribution industry by moving with the work and sharing his union skills with new local members. When his NJ employer, J.F. Kiely, expanded to PA, Nyle agreed to move and help get things up and running. New PA members are now enjoying the benefits of their first UWUA contract. “There’s plenty of work in Pennsylvania.…

President’s Message, Fall 2015

There is a focus on energy now that is greater than at any time in history. Evidence of this is everywhere. You cannot turn on the TV or open a newspaper without seeing news coverage of energy related electric, gas, and water utilities. That puts the UWUA and our members in a good place. It’s up to each and every…