Magazine Issue: Fall 2015

Legislation reduces methane emissions The UWUA sponsored and led the effort to enact the nation’s first comprehensive legislation to reduce methane emissions from the gas transportation and delivery system by systematically reducing the incidence of leaks. Senate Bill 1371, by Senator Mark Leno, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in September 2014 and became one of the Governor’s showpieces when he attended the Climate…

In order to best represent its members, the UWUA is always looking to maximize the power and potential of its officers and staff. The appointment of National Executive Board member Dan Hurley to the position of Region I senior national representative and moving Bob Mahoney to director of Special Projects will do just that — position the UWUA to take advantage of opportunities in the…

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 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.…

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…

Local 1-2 Hilda Alvarez John Anderson Fred Bohnett Thomas W. Brown Barry Buzzurro Frank Caira Edgardo N. Carballo John Christy Joseph Corbisiero Mario Delano Sal DiMauro Carmelita Fox James Guiliano Raymond Hannon George Montgomery Fernando Ortiz Shelly Pernick Paul Serva Reginald Sintyago Craig Smith Justin Sutton Gloria Teel Wilmer Torres Frank Triolo Dominick Turitto Local…

Murphy Ball is the new Region III Human Rights Committee representative. A member of Ohio Local 270, he has worked for FirstEnergy, previously the Cleveland Light and Illuminating Company, for 34 years. “In light of all the things going on in the country, it’s good that we have the Human Rights Committee,” he says. “I’m at the end of my career and I want to do…

Chris Ericksen Vice President Local 270 With the campaign process in full swing, there are two issues that rise to the top of my list: skyrocketing college tuition, and the need for all people to earn a living wage. As a parent, I am concerned that my son and daughter may enter adulthood with sizeable college debt. As…

On May 12, 2011, as Rick Bonnett stood in line to cast his vote to join the UWUA, he reflected on how difficult the journey had been. In his 19 years, Rick, an instruments and controls technician at Entergy’s Palisades Nuclear Plant, had seen much, and been through more — from working with his original employer, Consumers Energy, to working under a contract management company called Nuclear Management Company, to…

In August, Caucus Chair, Local 601 Executive Secretary Valerie King, and Co-Chair, Local 1-2 Shop Steward Ursula Grant, attended the 39th United Auto Workers Union Women’s Conference at the Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center in Black Lake, MI. It was an engaging, influential, and motivating week of learning, and sisterhood! Action Plan/Next Steps “The conference provided an encouraging, insightful environment for women and men to become aware of…

Employer aggression towards employees is certainly nothing new. Corporations exist for one thing and one thing only, profit. But in a true democracy, those we elect to public office have a duty to represent the citizens who elect them. As we all know, that is not what is happening now. Corporate America has hijacked our democracy and is using government as…

Recognizing the importance of safety and skills training for UWUA members, the National UWUA and American Water Works have entered into a 5-year agreement that will allow the UWUA Power for America Training Trust Fund (P4A) to provide training opportunities for UWUA members across AWW’s water and wastewater operations. “P4A is excited to work with AWW to develop and provide training opportunities,” says UWUA Executive Vice…

More than 1,200 UWUA members working for American Electric Power in Ohio and West Virginia recently won a three-year agreement that includes significant improvements and raises the bar for future negotiations. Up until this round of bargaining, the company always came to the negotiating table at the end of each contract with a “best and…

The release of the final rule on the Clean Power Plan (CPP) by the Environmental Protection Agency on August 3 was undoubtedly one the most impactful events to affect utility workers longterm. The CPP mandates carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction standards for the states and applies to all existing power plants. If not for the intervention of the UWUA at the highest levels of government before the issuance of…

With the holidays upon us, now is a good time to reflect on why we get to enjoy the benefits we have today. How is it that we are able to have paid time off to be with family and friends? What brought us paid holidays, vacations, sick days, retirement, and even weekends? Workers joining together, forming unions and…