Contact:
Hailey Allen
Jobs to Move America
(205) 844-7021 | hallen@jobstomoveamerica.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Community Coalition Releases Report on Neptune Technology Group, Calls for Community Benefits Agreement
TALLASSEE, Ala., September 15, 2025 – A newly released report from Jobs to Move America (JMA) reveals troubling findings about workplace practices and environmental impacts at Neptune Technology Group, a major manufacturer of smart water meters based in Tallassee, Alabama. Citing 55- to 75-hour workweeks, wage disparities, unfair treatment reported by workers, questionable waste disposal practices and more, Good Neighbors Alabama (GNA), a coalition of community, advocacy and labor organizations, is calling on Neptune to begin negotiating a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) that would ensure the public monies the company receives are matched by fair treatment for its workers and neighbors.
Neptune plays a key role in helping cities across North America conserve water and modernize infrastructure. But according to the report, the benefits it creates for distant communities often come at a high cost to its own workforce and hometown.
“We believe in good jobs, safe workplaces, and clean communities, and this report shows that Neptune has a long way to go in meeting that standard,” said Luis Robledo at Jobs to Move America. “Our coalition isn’t just calling out problems. We’re inviting Neptune to be part of the solution by negotiating an agreement that protects workers, promotes racial and gender equity, and the local environment, and ensures real accountability to the people of Tallassee.”
The report, based on a two-year mixed-methods research study, includes interviews with workers, a survey representing nearly a quarter of Neptune’s production workforce, and analysis of public labor and environmental records. Key findings include:
- 55- to 75-hour workweeks. Some workers described stretches of 21 work days straight without a day off. Some also described a pattern of long hours, including some reporting 55- to 75-hour workweeks, that leaves little time for family, rest, or other responsibilities.
- Flat wage growth for long-tenured workers. The majority of production workers reported sharp gains their first few years, but by ten years some reported earnings that are mostly flat.
- Unfair treatment. Workers reported favoritism, inconsistent discipline, and reported experiencing of racial and sexual discrimination. Reports of unfair treatment were systemic and the majority of workers surveyed reported being impacted.
- Significant wage disparities driven primarily by occupational segregation rather than direct pay differences by race or gender. Among the workers surveyed, women – regardless of race – reported earning $5.91 less per hour than white men surveyed, on average. Black men surveyed reported earning $6.59 less per hour than white men surveyed. Access to higher-wage positions among those surveyed was not equal.
- Serious injuries on the job. More than two-thirds (78.46%) of workers reported having witnessed or experienced at least one serious injury on the job.
- Neptune’s industrial waste disposal practices. Two landfills where Neptune sends its waste—Emelle and Stone’s Throw—have been the focus of environmental justice investigations and litigation.
“We believe companies can be good neighbors – but that starts with listening to the community and taking action,” said Adam Keller, a spokesperson for Good Neighbors Alabama. “We are calling on Neptune to sit down with us, in good faith, and negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement that protects workers, supports families, and ensures a safer future for everyone in Tallassee.”
Good Neighbors Alabama has formally invited Neptune Technology Group to begin negotiations toward a CBA that would address wage equity, working conditions, training and promotion access, and environmental safeguards. The coalition has successfully helped negotiate similar agreements in Alabama and across the country. JMA and Good Neighbors Alabama have requested that Neptune meet with the coalition to discuss a negotiation timetable within 48 hours of receiving the report.
About Good Neighbors Alabama
Good Neighbors Alabama is a coalition of Alabama-based community leaders, workers, and organizations committed to building safer, more equitable workplaces and communities across the state.
About Jobs to Move America
Jobs to Move America is a strategic policy center that works to transform public spending and corporate behavior using a comprehensive approach that is rooted in racial and economic justice and community organizing. We seek to advance a fair and prosperous economy with good jobs and healthier communities for all.