For press inquiries, please reach out to Communications Director Erin Bzymek at ebzymek@uwua.net or 202-702-9655.
An important message from UWUA officers and the Veterans Committee When Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15, under the leadership of its Veterans Committee, the UWUA took swift action to support the hundreds of union members who are U.S. military veterans, active-duty troops, and Afghan allies. On August 17, the UWUA Director of…
The National Women’s Caucus Committee members are working on initiatives that center around the training and development of women throughout the UWUA. Our committee members’ strength and fortitude is now pouring into our workplaces as we mentor other women and guide the next generation to navigate the world around them and lead the way to…
People are sick, in the hospital, and dying from COVID-19. Yet, we still have members who can take the vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones but refuse to. The vaccines have been tested and proven to be effective. To date, the FDA has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use. I encourage those who…
Joe Mazzoni, who retired in 2020, recently passed away. Joe was a 30+ year member of Pennsylvania Local 164. He began his union career as a Steward for the outside commercial group. He was then elected Chief Steward and helped negotiate Local 164’s current contract with the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. He will be…
Local 1-2 safety icon Billy Bleichner is retiring on October 1 with almost 50 years of service. He was a full-time Senior Safety Inspector taking care of Con Ed’s electrical division in the Bronx and Westchester, New York. He is pictured here with Jim Slevin, who was president of the local at that time. “There’s…
Each year, two UWUA members’ children are awarded college scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). This year’s UWUA National Merit Scholarship winners are Cass Dobrowolski, child of Michigan Local 223’s Daniel Dobrowolski, and Liam Ouderkirk, child of New York Local 1-2’s John Ouderkirk. Children of UWUA members are also eligible to apply for…
The UWUA National Safety Committee regularly conducts detailed reviews of incidents that result in injury or death with the goal of correcting mistakes to prevent future mishaps union-wide. The review typically includes: an incident summary, containment of damage, causes, and corrective actions. Below is an example of such a review. Fall from Pole Incident Summary:…
The attacks on our country on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 were certainly some of our deadliest hours. With 2,996 casualties, they exceeded those of Pearl Harbor and comprise the deadliest terrorist attack in world history. The tragedies that occurred in Shanksville, PA, the Pentagon and the World Trade Center changed our lives forever. It was…
Earlier this spring, as the three U.S. COVID-19 vaccines were becoming readily available, many of us thought we saw light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. As vaccination rates rose, we saw infection rates decrease and many thought that we were heading for a summer that would allow us to return to some form…
As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our Utility Workers Union of America, I am both honored and privileged, as your National Secretary Treasurer, to assist in providing historical data for these anniversary editions of The Utility Worker. Our 2021 second quarter magazine titled “Making History, Moving Forward” covered the years 1933-1955. It identified many…