KY American Water and union still negotiating contract, workers say. Here’s the latest
Members of a union that represents Kentucky American Water employees told the Lexington council Tuesday the two sides have still not come to an agreement on a new contract.
“Any push we’ve made for wage increases shouldn’t fall on rate payers — those rate payers are me, my family, my aunts, my uncles,” said Erik Mosby, a member of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, SEIU 32BJ, during a Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council work session.
The National Conference of Firemen & Oilers had filed a notice to strike Friday but delayed the strike after the two sides came to a tentative agreement. Friday evening, the 68-member union declined to ratify the new contract.
Mosby and other water company employees said the two sides met Monday and Tuesday and have not yet inked an agreement.
The union and Kentucky American Water have been negotiating for four months after the contract expired on Nov. 1. Tensions came to a head last week when the union filed four complaints with the National Labor Relations Board alleging unfair labor practices, including trying to go around the union to negotiate directly with employees.
Kentucky American Water officials have said those complaints were without merit.
“The company is confident that the NLRB will find, as we have, that the charges made are without merit,” said Susan Lancho, a spokeswoman for the water company.
Water company employees told the council Tuesday KY American Water employees have provided high-quality service, working throughout the pandemic. While profits and dividends for American Water, Kentucky American Water’s parent company, have grown substantially over the past five years, wages have not, they said.
“The company is so desperate to bully us into accepting their proposals, we believe they have violated the law. They’ve refused to bargain in good faith,” said Mosby.
