Solidarity means unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest. Feeling solidarity is important for establishing a sense of belonging, comradery and compassion. Have you felt solidarity with your family, a team, or perhaps your union brothers and sisters? I recently attended the Coalition of Labor Union Women’s (CLUW)…
Argelia Alvarado Gonzales, Local 132 “So much of the technology we have today has made our work easier and safer, and it’s allowed us to assist customers more quickly and more accurately. But some of the artificial intelligence that we’re beginning to see appears to threaten some of our jobs. While AI can be programmed…
UWUA awarded the 2024 scholarships this summer to five regional winners. Each recipient received $2,000 toward continuing their education. Region I Tyler Usler, a graduate of Exeter West Greenwich High School, played varsity hockey and graduated with honors. He is pursuing studies in electrical engineering at the Community College of Rhode Island. Tyler is the…
The electrical grid of the United States is one of the most complex systems in the world, powered by thousands of generators and spanning over 600,000 miles of transmission lines. Within this vast network, tens of thousands of substations ensure the efficient and reliable delivery of electricity. In this edition of “How It’s Done,” four…
As working families across the country watch the daily ebb and flow of political news — who’s up, who’s down, who said what, and who wore what — it’s easy to feel confused and think the train has come off the rails. But the headlines and cable news stories aren’t the reality of workday politics.…
In 1998, Local 107 lost Paul Luna in a workplace accident. The next year, coworkers launched the Luna Open golf outing to support his wife and children. It quickly became an annual tradition. In 2007, tragedy struck again with the passing of Jamie Rus, another Local 107 member, leaving behind his wife Chris and three…
Voting is a powerful tool to influence and shape our communities, workplaces, and industries. For those in the utility industry, voting is essential. The decisions we make in the voting booth impact our families, our communities and our energy future. Those who we elect influence industry regulations, funding, job security, and the future of our…
The UWUA has witnessed many shifts in the energy sector, but DTE Energy’s recent decision to establish a state-of-the-art battery storage facility at the former Trenton Channel Power Plant site marks a significant milestone. This iconic plant, which operated along the Detroit River since 1924, symbolized local power generation and economic stability until its closure…
On June 7, members of the UWUA’s committees gathered in Pittsburgh for a National Committee Conference. It was the first time in my memory that our union convened a conference solely focused on the work of our committees, offering a valuable opportunity to meet face-to-face, reconnect, refine purposes, and plan for the future. The…
Chatbots, virtual reality training, and robotic ‘dogs’ patrolling substations — these are just a few examples of the artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that UWUA members are encountering in their workplaces. Whether we’re ready or not, AI is rapidly transforming our jobs, our workplaces, and the skills needed to succeed. The adoption of AI is accelerating…
Representatives from 21 UWUA water locals convened in Pittsburgh on June 6 to address key issues impacting members working in the water industry. This gathering marked the first post-COVID meeting of our union’s water locals and the first time all water locals, not just those representing members at American Water, came together to exchange insights,…
Local 1-2 reached a new four-year agreement on June 21 that brings substantial wage increases and an accelerated wage progression schedule for the local’s 8,000 members who provide electric, gas and steam services to 10 million residents in New York City and Westchester County. Local 1-2 represents the full spectrum of occupations at Con Edison,…
The spokes of a wheel connect the hub to the rim, supporting the wheel’s structure and distributing weight. They also maintain stability and absorb force. The Human Rights Committee sees itself as the hub, aiming to support our union’s various committees through advocacy, training and support in human rights and discrimination matters. Mother Teresa said,…
The UWUA’s Utility Workers Military Assistance Program (UMAP) is earning well-deserved recognition as a key partner in the Task Force Movement (TFM), a national veterans’ employment initiative launched by President Biden in April 2022. Originally created to address the nationwide shortage of long-distance truck drivers, TFM has since expanded to other industries to both address…
Project 2025 is a 920-page document offering a wide range of policy recommendations, including several bad ideas about unions and rolling back workplace protections that you should know about. The policy recommendations, put forward by mostly high-ranking former Trump administration officials, offer a look at the administration’s early priorities if President Trump were to be…
We’re more than halfway through 2024 and what a year it’s been! Artificial intelligence and its implications have been an undercurrent in the conversations we’ve been having with members over the past few years. In response to your concerns about how AI may or may not impact UWUA members’ work, we take a deep dive…
Local 1-2 Salvatore Alaimo Philip Andujar Robert Annunziata Ameer Baksh Christopher Bishun Richard Buckley David Campbell Daryl Carr Helen Casey Thomas Ciminello Michael Clay Paul Danza Trent Davidson Ralph Davis Richard Disbrow Jose Dumas Brendan Feeley Nancy Fines Thomas Fitzgibbon Daniel Floody Frank Garzino George Georgiu George Gorman David Griffin Jorge Gualotuna Jose Guardarrama Ramphal…
Union safety committees play a crucial role in safeguarding the well-being of workers in various industries. For UWUA locals, an active and effective safety committee is not just a beneficial asset but a fundamental necessity. There are several key benefits: Promotes a Culture of Safety: An active safety committee ensures that safety becomes an integral…