NEW HAVEN, CT — Regional Water Authority employees picketed outside the utility's headquarters at 90 Sargent Drive in New Haven on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 22, demanding a new labor contract. The roughly 126 members of United Steelworkers Local 12160 have worked without a contract since April. Union president Wanda Howard said the authority has been pushing disputes toward arbitration. The authority says hearings are scheduled to begin in December.
What the Union Is Demanding
The New Haven Independent reported that union members work as field crews and control room operators, as well as in water treatment, customer service, and clerical roles. Howard listed mandatory overtime, high health care premiums, low raises, assignments to non-union employees, and the authority's refusal to negotiate over artificial intelligence among the unresolved issues. She said the authority has begun implementing some changes while bargaining remains unfinished.
A distribution worker with nearly 50 years at the authority said the union wants higher wages, an end to overtime requirements, and no increase in health care costs. He said talks have been short and unproductive, and the company has responded to single issues by pointing to arbitration.
What the Authority Says About Talks and Arbitration
RWA spokesperson Kevin Watsey said in a written statement to the New Haven Independent that the authority remains committed to an agreement fair to employees and customers. The authority said it has taken part in numerous bargaining sessions since February, including mediation conducted by a state mediator, but substantial disagreements over important matters have not been settled.
Watsey said state law permits arbitration to settle the disputed matters and bars a work stoppage. He said hearings are scheduled to begin in December and service will continue without interruption. The statement left unaddressed the union's claims about health benefit changes and bargaining over artificial intelligence.