Charleston – Today, representatives of the International Union Painters and Allied Trades District Council 53 joined elected officials, water utilities, community leaders, educators, and businesses representatives at the state Capitol as part of the 5th annual Imagine a Day Without Water, a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of water. Led by the Value of Water Campaign, 1,000 organizations across the country work to raise awareness about not taking water for granted and the crucial need for investment in our nation’s water systems. 

“An investment in our drinking water and wastewater systems is essential to our national health, safety, environment, and economic prosperity,” said IUPAT Business Manager Dan Poling. “Clean water is life itself.” 

In recognition of “Imagine a Day Without Water,” IUPAT held a press conference at the West Virginia State Capitol with representatives of agencies in the water and wastewater industry, along with legislators, including Kanawha Senators Glenn Jeffries and Corey Palumbo. 

Representatives of the International Union Painters and Allied Trades District Council 53 will join elected officials, water utilities, community leaders, educators, and businesses representatives at the state Capitol Wednesday as part of the 5th annual Imagine a Day Without Water, a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of water. Led by the Value of Water Campaign, 1,000 organizations across the country work to raise awareness about not taking water for granted and the crucial need for investment in our nation’s water systems. 

“As West Virginians brace for the consequences of yet another billionaire corporation taking steps to force workers to pay for years of placing profit above all else, the West Virginia AFL-CIO urges Congress to secure miners’ health care and pensions. As United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts has warned, Murray Energy’s bankruptcy declaration puts at risk pension and health care benefits for close to 100,000 miners. Congress should act quickly to ensure the pension fund’s stability. In the meantime, the West Virginia AFL-CIO stands ready to support West Virginia’s miners and retirees, who form the backbone of this great state.” 

WESTON – The International Union Painters and Allied Trades District Council 53 is hosting the 7th annual Coating & Corrosion Expo this week at the FTI Training Center in Weston to provide free training related to surface preparation and coating application. 

“Corrosion costs US households, businesses, and government agencies more than $300 billion each year” said Brian Stanley of District Council 53.  “That’s $1,100 for every man, woman and child in this country.  Corrosion results in excessive maintenance/repair/replacement, lost production/down time, product contamination and loss of product.” 

The following is a statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword and Secretary-Treasurer Andy Walters regarding House Minority Whip Mike Caputo, UMWA International District 31 Vice President emeritus and a Vice President of the West Virginia AFL-CIO:

When the West Virginia Republican Party included a hate group’s poster among their sanctioned displays at “WV GOP Day” at the Capitol last Friday -- a blatant effort to agitate and incite anger -- the only reasonable choice for the Republican House leadership was to seek to remove the offensive content before the matter escalated.  Unfortunately, they refused.