IUE-CWA Wastewater Treatment Workers Are Taking No 💩 In Bargaining

Wastewater treatment workers are ready for a fair contract.

Wastewater treatment workers, represented by IUE-CWA Local 81201 in Lynn, Mass., hosted a rally on Tuesday outside the Lynn Wastewater Treatment Plant in preparation for bargaining. Wastewater treatment in Lynn is contracted to Veolia Water North America. Workers filter and clean approximately 15 million gallons of water daily from multiple localities before it is redirected to the ocean.

The members hosted their rally to demonstrate not only their internal solidarity but also the solidarity of their community. Other union members from IUE-CWA Local 81201, IBEW, and several Laborers’ Union locals showed up in support, as well as members of the North Shore Labor Council, Lynn United for Change, family, and friends.

IUE-CWA Local 81201 Chief Steward and Lynn City Councilmember Fred Hogan commented, “We wanted to show how tight-knit this community is and that we are committed to bargaining in good faith. We have a lot of new members, and they are looking for tangible benefits. We intend to give it to them.”

High on the list of concerns from affected members is the lack of sick days. Workers currently receive only six days of sick leave and are seeking a minimum of ten. “Our guys work in maintenance and operations,” said Hogan. “We do electrical, repairs, and, in some cases, work directly with waste. Getting sick is part of the job, but we don’t get compensated for it past a certain point.” Other concerns include wages, which haven’t kept pace with inflation, and winning additional time off.

Bargaining began yesterday, and their current contract will expire on April 30.

 
IUE-CWA Local 81201 members and supporters rallied in front of the Lynn Wastewater Treatment Plant in Lynn, Mass.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.