The National Safety Committee attended two conferences this fall and came away with important information to share. In October, I represented the UWUA at the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Safety Congress & Expo. The NSC is an organization focused on eliminating the leading causes of preventable workplace injury and death. The NSC recently launched an…
When Joe Biden ran for President he said that if elected he would be the most pro-union President in history. It’s now been nearly 3 years since he took office, so we have a pretty good idea as to whether that statement is true or not. On day one of his presidency, January 20, 2021,…
When negotiating contracts, members at Local 69 were accustomed to sometimes contentious face offs with their two employers, Dominion Energy and Berkshire Hathaway. After Dominion sold its West Virginia natural gas operations to Hope Gas in late 2022 and the local’s collective bargaining agreement covering 265 employees came up for renewal in 2023, Local 69…
Local 108 and Anderson, IN Patience paid off for 58 members of Local 108 who run Anderson’s water and wastewater systems. UWUA was the last of the city’s municipal unions to reach agreement on a contract renewal; the prior agreement expired December 31, 2021. Ryan Green, who stepped down as local president this fall, said,…
Shelley Kolonics grew up thinking her father was working for a good company with a strong union. Little did she know she would one day join him. Andy Kolonics, president of Local 511 at California American Water, never thought that would happen either. He has been with the company for 40 years in many different…
UWUA was well-represented at the 2023 Inter-Union Gas Conference (IUGC) held October 23-26 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Our union sent 64 delegates from 20 locals to this forum for gas workers to share ideas and information and participate in workshops on safety; service; clerical; distribution; and transmission, storage and field operations. This year’s theme, Natural…
As we gathered to reflect on 2023, we found ourselves discussing several remarkable instances of workers standing up for themselves, whether to organize or secure better pay and conditions through collective bargaining. We witnessed a profound resurgence in the United States labor movement. Workers are not just standing up but standing tall, with unions taking…
UWUA National Vice President Craig Pinkham recently traveled with a diverse labor delegation to see two European projects focused on hydrogen as an energy source: an electrolyzer in Spain and a U.K. experiment in residential use of hydrogen. The tour was an opportunity to see how hydrogen might evolve in the United States under the…
After a year-long competition, the Biden Administration announced seven regional hydrogen hubs that will receive $7 billion in federal investment. These projects will spearhead development of clean hydrogen as an energy source and contribute to the national goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program, known as H2Hubs,…
Hoisting and rigging represent some of the most perilous tasks performed by UWUA members, whether they are involved in gas, electric, or water-related work. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t mandate riggers to be certified, they do need to be qualified. Local 423, which represents 250 workers at New Jersey American Water,…
Power generation workers at Seminole Electric’s Palatka, Florida, coal-fired plant reached a new agreement in October that contains record wage increases. The contract for the 80 members of Local 551 had expired at the end of June, but the committee kept negotiating until members got what they wanted in pay and healthcare. A new three-year…
Sandy Null, Local 132 “I’d like to see more opportunities for locals to network with each other. Our locals should get to know each other better, especially among the various sectors. We have so many common challenges, especially those of us who work in natural gas, and could benefit from getting together and sharing strategies.…
Municipal workers who tend to the town of East Longmeadow’s roads, water, sewerage and buildings recently ratified their first contract as UWUA members. They had negotiated their prior collective bargaining agreement as members of an independent union before voting in late 2020 to affiliate with the UWUA. There are 28 members working for the town…
Workers at Delta Gas in Kentucky had big reasons to celebrate following the October 17 ratification of their very first UWUA contract. Effective November 1, base wages rose anywhere from 5% to 45%, with over half of the unit seeing a bump of at least 15% on the contract’s first day. The unit’s 97 workers…
Gary Daniel Powell, a field metering service representative/first responder at Dominion Gas, died on August 17 in an auto accident while on his way home to Canton, Ohio, after responding to an after-hours emergency order. The 51-year old was a 17-year member of Local G-555, where he was admired for his leadership and kindness. Powell…
Local 1-2 William J. Conway Local 101 David D. Boldt Patrick D. Bryson Michael Coale Linda M. Sinicki Local 102 Robert Bowen Local 106 Gary Armour Gregory R. Schaeffer Local 123 Jerry Ledesma James Parker Local 175 Joseph Avigliano Francesco Cammalleri Joseph Caramanno Salvatore Rotondo Massimo Spano Local 223 Andrew J. Alarie Andrew V. Antrassian…
As I ponder the circumstances and situations unfolding in our world today, I can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. The events that grip our attention, the conflicts that rage, the injustices that persist—they all seem like a replay of situations and circumstances from the past. When I was a young boy growing…
Motivation for women comes in many different forms. For myself, I find it very beneficial to network with other women. I have always been on the shy side, especially in large crowds. Being appointed to Local 132 Women’s Caucus and the National UWUA Women’s Caucus has opened many doors for me by giving me opportunities…
Customer service workers at Liberty Gas in Georgia ratified their first UWUA contract at the end of September, bringing to a close a process that began in fall 2022 when they, along with their colleagues in Liberty’s field operations, voted to become UWUA members. Field workers wrapped up their agreement in July. The company’s 10…
As a veteran and union member, I am proud of the time that I gave to our country. I continue to actively work to ensure those who have served are given opportunities. Veterans, thank you for your service to this country and for keeping myself and others safe. We recognize and honor our veterans every…
A union cannot exist without “U-N-I.” A union is only successful and strong with the support and solidarity of the masses. The corporate bosses will always be multimillionaires who will stand in opposition to workers’ attempts to receive fair compensation. They fail to recognize that union employees are the hardest working parts of the machine…