I’d like to take a minute and tell you about a man I never got the pleasure to meet: a Vietnam War hero, a fellow union brother, and a man who left behind an enormous legacy for all veterans. His name is Michael “Mick” Yauger. We can never fill his shoes, but we must try.…
We can’t fight tomorrow’s battles with today’s resources. As we move forward, our focus remains on grassroots efforts — the foundation for building back our union stronger. This begins with advocating to grow our union through collaboration on all levels — nationally, locally, and regionally. Our formula for success is an all-hands-on deck, boots-on-the-ground approach.…
As of the end of October, there had already been more than 545 mass shootings this year—an unacceptable and unconscionable number. And that’s on top of countless gang shootings. As your human rights chair, ordinary citizen, and father, I am deeply concerned for the broad and deep impact of lives cut short, particularly those that…
Fabio Erickson Gomes Pires, a member of Local 369 residing in Brockton, MA, died at age 31 on October 17. He worked as an underground operating mechanic for Eversource. On July 12, Pires was conducting routine maintenance in an electric vault in Boston when an equipment malfunction caused an explosion. Pires suffered severe burns and…
Sean Toolan is a member of Local 365 in Hewlett, New York, where he works for Liberty Utilities’ water division. He’s also a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He wore both hats when he spoke at the Region I conference in September and delivered a powerful testimony to the work that he and other…
Earlier in the fall, Local 648 and American Water held a fundraiser for Camp Freedom, an adventure camp for disabled veterans, first responders and Gold Star families. The 1,800-acre camp is located in Northeast Pennsylvania, near where Local 648 members live and work. It provides hunting, shooting sports, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, and other year-round…
In the first half of this year, 22 people died in trench-related accidents in the U.S., far exceeding the 15 trench-related fatalities for all of 2021, according to government data. This increase prompted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to announce tougher trench-safety rule enforcement. The deaths also drew attention to an innovative program…
UWUA Local 1-2 in New York City is playing a leading role in an initiative to turn the city’s largest fossil fuel power plant, the Ravenswood Generating Station, into a new renewable energy hub. If approved by regulators, the project — called Renewable Ravenswood — will help New York achieve climate targets to source 70…
An arbitrator recently ruled that AEP’s action to transfer employees represented by another union from one plant to another plant to perform UWUA members’ work violated Local 492’s contractual rights. UWUA Local 492 represents 110 workers at the AEP Kentucky Power Company Mitchell Plant in West Virginia. AEP also operates the Cook Coal Terminal (CCT)…
Local 335 is once again partnering with Missouri-American Water and the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to build a new resource for the community. This time it’s a two-story, accessible archery range in Florissant, Missouri’s Sunset Park. It will cost $20,000 to build and is scheduled to open this coming spring. This is the third project in…
UWUA members take pride in the services we provide to our customers: clean water, reliable power, heat when it’s cold, cool when it’s hot. But we give in so many other ways, too. As 2022 comes to a close, The Utility Worker shines a spotlight on how members are making a difference in their communities.…
Local 582 recently settled a new four-year agreement with the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power, a community-owned electric company in Michigan. The contract is notable because it is the first negotiated since the city closed its coal-powered generation plant in 2020. Beau Ryther, the local’s president for 12 years, says that pay was…
Gas workers in Kentucky and Georgia will soon begin negotiating their first contracts, following votes for UWUA representation. Both are seeking higher pay and the stability and security of a union contract. Delta Gas, Kentucky The Kentucky workers are employed by Delta Gas, a division of Pittsburgh, PA, based Peoples Gas. A second, smaller unit…
John Cuccaro, Local 423 “I’m most proud that my UWUA job has enabled me to provide a comfortable life for my family, including wages and benefits that supported putting three children through college.” Kristin Fallon, Local 393 “My UWUA benefits and wages have enabled me to provide a great life for myself…
Janine Quinn is a fixer…and a breaker. She’s a fixer in her job as Shop Mechanic I (SM I) at Missouri American Water, the highest level of the trade. She works on anything in the water plant that needs maintenance, repair, or replacement, and deals with electrical control systems, power panels, pipe-fitting, instrumentation, pumps and…
A new training program developed and run by Local 18007 is turning seasonal workers into full-time workers at Chicago’s Peoples Gas. The company has about 150 seasonal workers who work full-time hours but only 10 months a year so are not classified as full-time employees. While they are members of Local 18007, they miss out…
One year after voting for UWUA representation, customer service workers at Elizabethtown Gas unanimously agreed to ratify their first UWUA contract. The 60 members work in the company’s call, payment and billing centers and are members of Local 601 in northern New Jersey. UWUA Local 424 represents Elizabethtown’s field gas workers. The four-year agreement went…
We gathered recently to reflect on this past year, and two themes kept coming up. The first was gratitude. We’re all so very thankful for the incredible work accomplished by our union’s local leaders, National representatives and staff over the past year. The second is the undercurrent of excitement in the air about organized labor.…
This year the UWUA launched a scholarship program which supports children of UWUA members as they pursue trade school or college opportunities. The scholarship is open to any graduating high school senior who is the child of an active UWUA member. One $2,000 scholarship was granted in each of the union’s five regions. The program…
The UWUA wishes all our retirees health and happiness during your “golden years.” Enjoy it — you’ve earned it! Local 1-2 Richard Benitez June Bennett Juli Brown Joy Cutie Mauro Faiella Michael Ferrigno Dennis Fox Richard Galderisi Willam Garcia Paul Gorman Angela Jeter Peter King Noell Lopez Donald Luft Charles Meek Mark Myers Ching-Ho…