For press inquiries, please reach out to Communications Director Erin Bzymek at ebzymek@uwua.net or 202-702-9655.
The UWUA Human Rights Committee was formed in 1971, after a series of meetings with the National Executive Board members because of a lack of diversity within union leadership and representation, especially among Black and other minorities in the union and the workplace. In 1971, the utility industry ranked last in employment of workers of…
Young Workers We created the Young Workers Initiative Committee (YWIC) to engage and activate our younger members. YWIC members have opportunities to participate in every level and every day of the convention. This is of primary import to the future of our union and the future of the labor movement in our country. Women’s Caucus…
Earlier this year, the newly seated Young Workers Initiative Committee (YWIC) held its first face-to-face meeting in Atlanta, GA. UWUA President Langford and Vice President VanSlooten participated in the meetings. Langford introduced the committee to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Vice President Tefere Gebre, and Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler. For many on the committee, this was truly…
The attacks on workers’ rights in the United States were brought to unimaginable levels as a result of the 2010 mid-term elections, which gave complete control to Republican anti-union legislators and governors in a number of states including Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Resembling a state of emergency, the legislative priority for these, and other…
The first annual conference of the Mayor’s Council on Pipeline Safety featured UWUA Senior National Representative Bernie LaBelle and Regulatory Affairs Director Carl Wood. Held May 14-15 in Philadelphia, the conference brought together elected leaders and policymakers from all around the country to discuss how to prevent gas explosions and cut methane emissions. Mayors organize…
UWUA National and local union leaders gathered May 12 in Columbus, Ohio to make plans for negotiations with electric utility giant American Electric Power at multiple locations during 2015. The UWUA represents over 1,000 utility workers in eight AEP bargaining units across Ohio and West Virginia, plus an additional 200 employees at Ohio Valley Electric…
It is no secret that the energy industry is undergoing a significant transition with respect to how electricity is generated and how the consumption of electricity is managed. Utilities are spending billions of dollars in capital investment in natural gas powered generating facilities and billions more in developing wind and solar generation. Meanwhile, energy consumption…
Corporate greed at Aqua America – one of the largest for-profit water utilities in the U.S. – has come under increasing scrutiny by the UWUA, especially concerning special retirement benefits bestowed on top executives even while management has slashed pension benefits for hourly workers. The UWUA called out management’s hypocrisy on the issue at Aqua’s…
Rick Passarelli, business manager, Local 18007, joined Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald, Peoples Gas President John Kleczynski, and Chancellor Cheryl Hyman of City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) in January, to announce a five-year extension of the Utility Workers Military Assistance Program (UMAP), which will train an additional 250 veterans.…
Members of UWUA System Local 102, Branch 180 have ratified a new union contract with FirstEnergy’s Penelec subsidiary in central Pennsylvania. The contract was approved by 57% of members after the company came up with improvements to a contract offer previously rejected by the Branch 180 members, who work from Penelec worksites in Altoona, Shippensburg,…