SEARCH
6,000 Child Care Workers Join AFSCME—and Other Wins |
|
Child care workers have one of the most difficult—and important—jobs. But most are paid low wages with few benefits. In Iowa, some 6,000 registered child care providers are improving their voice on the job by winning representation with AFSCME, the nation’s largest and fastest growing public service employees’ union.
The workers joined AFSCME by signing authorization cards, and the Iowa Mediation Service dismissed a number of challenges to the election Feb. 16. Democratic card-check procedures are the most effective way to determine the wishes of a majority of employees. Under card-check procedures, employers are only allowed to recognize a union if the majority of employees has signed valid written forms authorizing union representation. Any employee who does not sign an authorization form is presumed not to support union representation.
The workers who are employed by the state first had to win the right to union representation. On Jan. 16, Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) signed an executive order permitting them to organize and negotiate for better wages, benefits and improvements in Iowa’s child care system.
Until recently, most workers who wanted to join a union went through a cumbersome National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election process, a system that offered employers many opportunities to harass, intimidate and otherwise discourage employees from joining a union. While an “election” sounds democratic, the way the NLRB process is structured, it isn’t—especially not for workers.
AFSCME’s Public Affairs Department also reports the following, available in AFSCME’s Public Employee Xtra, the union’s daily online news site, which highlights organizing wins in:
New York City, where more than 1,000 employees of Lifespire Inc., a human-services agency, won card-check recognition with CSEA Local 1000. This is the union’s largest-ever private-sector organizing achievement. After verifying more than 700 signatures, an arbitrator declared CSEA the employees’ union. Bargaining for a first contract is set to begin in 30 days.
North Dakota, where workers have no bargaining rights, some 90 corrections officers from the state’s maximum and minimum prisons in Bismarck joined Council 59—and the numbers continue to grow with additional sign-ups. The union established a new statewide local, N.D. Corrections United/AFSCME Local 2857, for the members. Organizing also continues at two other prisons—a medium-security institution in Jamestown and a youth facility in Mandan.
Illinois, where 56 employees of Heartland Human Services, a private facility for the mentally and developmentally disabled in Effingham, voted to join Council 31. Also voting for Council 31 representation were 66 professional and non-professional employees of the DeKalb County Health Department and 30 state employees in two different units.
Ohio, where 85 Mason City School District custodians and groundskeepers voted to join OAPSE Local 4.
Iowa, where some 40 county courthouse clerical and administrative employees voted to join Council 61.
Massachusetts, where 18 public library employees of the town of Cheshire joined the ranks of Council 93.
Pennsylvania, where Council 13 added 30 food service workers in the Sharon School District via card check; contract talks already are underway.
No Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
