When Utility Worker Union of America members joined together in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for their first constitutional convention on April 6, 1946, they made history. Like the founding fathers of the United States, their goal was to form a more perfect union and hammer out a constitution to do so. Generations of utility workers have lived…
Our work with the veterans community continues to get more exciting. I’m pleased to share a few new milestones we’ve achieved over the past several months. The first of which has broad benefits for employers seeking to benefit from veterans’ unparalleled skills and life experiences. Making military experience count Repeatedly, I’ve seen veterans and servicemembers…
The community is a key source of power. Building strong unions is contingent on developing relationships within the communities where we live. So, what is the messaging? What does a union building campaign look like? Where do you begin? At the core is the union. Then, it’s connecting with, and meeting people where they are,…
Members of the UWUA National Safety Committee come from all five regions, with safety representatives in each region for the electric, gas and water industries. National Safety Committee meeting agenda items include sharing incidents and best practices. The following is an example of the impact the Safety Committee has when working together. Changes can happen…
Reform candidates supported by UWUA won election to the board of directors of Highland County Water by huge margins at the company’s April 8, 2021, annual meeting. The winning candidates join three other directors elected with UWUA support last year, resulting in a solid 5-2 majority on the southern Ohio water utility’s seven-member board. The…
Voting rights are at the core of any true democracy. As trade unionists we live by democracy. Whether voting for by-laws or in elections for union officers or shop stewards, the will of the membership reigns supreme. And yet, unions, which are centered in, and central to democracy, have been under attack by politicians since…
The COVID-19 pandemic has, in addition to costing the United States over 580,000 deaths, significantly impacted our daily lives and changed the way we do many things either temporarily or permanently. These changes have certainly included union activities. We have had to adjust how we handle our monthly union meetings, officer elections, contract negotiations and…
On April 6, 1946, members of the Utility Workers Union of America gathered for their first Constitutional Convention and voted to adopt the UWUA Constitution. Ever since that day, the UWUA has lived by this constitution, which has served members, their families, communities and the country well for 75 years. It is as valuable today…
P4A’s training capabilities are growing with the addition of a renewables training center in Michigan. Site renovations began in May. The new, standalone facility will have seven classrooms and a large bay to host a wind nacelle to be used for wind turbine training. The wind nacelle sits at the top of the tower and…
P4A was excited to have Local G-555 and Dominion Energy join the training trust fund in the fall of 2020. Since then, Local G-555 was able to secure additional funding to train more of its members. “Securing the Power 4 America Training Trust here in Ohio at Local G-555 is an essential step in creating…
While the COVID-19 pandemic impacted everyone, it especially hit the military community hard. According to the COVID-19 Military Support Initiative, weekly polls and town hall discussions show that more veterans are struggling financially. Seven percent of veteran families sought emergency food assistance in the last six months and 6 percent were unable to make payments…
The national shift away from coal as a primary source of electricity generation has accelerated over the last decade, too often leaving coal workers and their families behind while unraveling the social fabric of their communities. These workers, and the communities they call home, have powered the nation for generations; they deserve a fighting chance…
Stepping up to the challenge of bringing new members into the union in the pandemic, the UWUA National Organizing Department held its first virtual organizing training workshop earlier this year. Participants included volunteer regional organizers: Region 5, Lita Jimenez, trustee/steward, Local 132; Region 4, Michael Mullins, organizing director, Local 223; Region 3, Jason Wensel, Local…
As we mark our 75th anniversary, I think it is important to go right to our beginnings, not just to celebrate our founders, but to learn from them as well. In the beginning was the UWUA Constitution. It is our union’s bible. The preamble is as relevant today as it was when first written in…