What is the value of a union? We, as union members, tend to think wage increases and working conditions are the only reasons for our union. We tend to forget there are many more important aspects of our union than wage increases and working conditions, such as negotiated contracts for medical benefits, paid time off,…
Much time has passed since the early days of the labor movement. As such, we can tend to take for granted, not only the labor victories of long ago, but the bloody struggles that made those victories possible. The earliest recorded strike occurred in 1768 when New York journeymen tailors protested a pending wage reduction.…
Our members are the safest, most productive, highest skilled workers in the world. And we are keeping it that way by being the go-to organization for skills and safety training in our industries. That’s why we started the Power for America Training Trust in 2009. Little did we know how successful it would be. We…
In a major organizing victory, Cleveland water workers overwhelmingly voted to join the UWUA late last year and are now preparing to negotiate their first contract as members ofLocal 270. The Cleveland workers sought out the UWUA because they were dissatisfied with the representation they were getting as members of an independent union. It was…
As a member of the National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative (NEORI), a coalition of labor, industry and the environmental community, the UWUA is supporting federal incentives for the commercial deployment of carbon capture, use and storage technology (CCUS) as an energy, economic and environmental priority for the nation. The January start-up of NRG’s Petra Nova…
We knew ‘right-to-work’ was going to pass once the new Republican Governor came into office in January,” explains Allan Bathon, president of Missouri Local 335. “We haven’t sat down with the company [American Water] to talk about it yet. Our contract expires October 2019 so we have time to prepare.” Getting active politically Meanwhile, Bathon…
Utility workers in the water and wastewater industries are responsible for delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater, and are crucial to the health and well-being of the communities they serve. Without them, the nation could not function. Water is essential for life. Yet the grade given by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)…
These are going to be tough times for working people. Regardless of your party affiliation and allegiances, state and national activity point to a rough ride for those of us who get up, go to work, put in an honest day’s work and hope to return home to our family safely. Despite the rhetoric we’ve…