Is There Anyone Left Who Does Not Agree That United Water of New Rochelle Sucks?

Written By: Robert Cox

UnitedWater FrenchRatUnion Local 1-2 of the UWUA (Utility Workers Union of America) were picketing in front of the United Water offices on Palmer Avenue on Thursday. At issue says union officials is that all new employees hired after May 1, 2011, would have no pension and no health care when they retire.

The union sees the situation as a billion dollar French company putting the burden of healthcare onto the taxpayers in this country, taking their profits back to France and leaving Americans to take care of the mess they leave behind. United Water of Suez reported roughly $20 billion dollars in revenue last year with profits of about $817 million dollars.

There is little love for United Water in New Rochelle which is fast becoming the most reviled business in the City. Talk of the Sound has previously reported on a United Water official illegally seizing billing records from a customer, New Rochelle officials and others from surrounding communities banded together to fight a massive rate increases and fees charged for fire hydrants which were ultimately approved by the New York State Public Service Commission. Residents have been complaining for over a year about low water pressure to their homes, there have been a series of water main breaks due to aging infrastructure which has not been replaced and the New Rochelle Fire Department has been complaining about low or nonexistent water pressure at hydrants when responding to fires. This occurred in dramatic fashion at the Union Baptist blaze which destroyed the hundred year-old church and just this morning at the Huguenot Yacht Club fire where firefighters had to run a hose for over 1,000 feet down the Glen Island approach from near Weyman Avenue to get water on the fire because the hydrant closest the scene had no water pressure. Talk of the Sound later reported the connection between the Union Baptist fire and the water main breaks on Webster.

An Indiana grand jury recently indicted United Water and two managers on charges of illegally tampering with e-coli bacteria monitoring tests at a waste water treatment plant in Gary Indiana between 2003 and 2008. The company and two managers have pleaded not guilty.

UnitedWater Picket1

Closer to home, about 18 months ago, United Water of New Rochelle shut off their pumps at the California road pump station for a short time before Local 1-2 was notified and made a formal complaint to the City Manager. Water pressure in New Rochelle was decreased to a sub-standard level which United Water of New Rochelle has claimed was all the PSC recommended. After the City Manager intervened via a conference call with the Company, the pumps at the California road pump station were turned back on.

If there is a strike at the end of this month those pumps will be manned by managers.

“The new Pump station at California Road is manned by Local 1-2 members 24/7”, said Bruce Farina, Business Agent for Local 1-2 UWUA. “They are highly trained, skilled and licensed operators. Don’t believe for one second that management can handle the pump station.”

Customer service employees, meter readers and construction workers who maintain the water system/pipes will also be out on strike if a settlement agreement is not reached by the end of the month.

UnitedWater Picket2

One thought on “Is There Anyone Left Who Does Not Agree That United Water of New Rochelle Sucks?”

  1. United Water AGAIN!!!
    So ,
    Now that the union people who work for the French owned company that dosent do anything to maintaine our water system ,is not getting what they think is fair.
    How schould we fell about that!

    Well let’s talk about how they have been treating us as customers.

    Or maybe we schould talk about when the two major compinies became partners on our water supply system,
    The first thing they did was increase our rates threw the roof !

    But have they done anything to improve it ???

    When is some official dept or politician”s going to realize what the hell is going on !!!
    AND DO SOMTHING ABOUT IT?????

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