by James Parks, Apr 15, 2007

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) is joined by some of the state workers who will be included in the “meet and consult” pilot program that he announced April 11.

Polls show that, given the opportunity to join a union, most U.S. workers would do so. Throughout Oklahoma, nearly 1,000 public employees have joined AFSCME since 2004, after the union movement successfully campaigned for passage of a measure granting collective bargaining rights to municipal employees.

This week, AFSCME WORKS Online Xtras reports that a solid majority of the city workers in Edmond demonstrated their determination to join AFSCME by filing cards signed through the majority verification process with the Oklahoma Public Employees Relations Board (PERB). The board will count the cards later this month and certify the union if it has majority support.

Under the majority verification process, an employer agrees to recognize a union if a majority of employees sign union authorization cards. Current labor law allows an employer to demand that employees go through a National Labor Relations Board election process. The NLRB process gives the employer the opportunity to pressure and harass employees into renouncing their decision to form a union. Under the Employee Free Choice Act, workers would have a choice: They could opt for an NLRB election or for the majority verification process.

“We decided to unionize to improve city jobs and services,” says Edmond Central Communications employee John Avera.

We look forward to having a seat at the table as we make important decisions about our town’s future… [and] working with city management as we make Edmond a safer, healthier and all-around better place to call home.

Meanwhile, some 5,000 employees in three West Virginia state agencies gained a direct line of communication with management to improve working conditions as well as the services they provide.

Under a two-year pilot project to begin this month, employee representatives of certain divisions within the state’s Administration, Transportation, and Military Affairs and Public Safety departments will regularly “meet and consult” with agency heads to address issues such as staff shortages and efficiency in delivering services, wages and benefits. The workers are represented by AFSCME, the Communications Workers of America and the Mine Workers.

Gaining access to management on work-related issues is a key win for the workers because West Virginia does not permit formal collective bargaining for public employees.

During an April 11 press conference in Charleston, Jeffrey Atkins, a Division of Highways equipment operator and a member of AFSCME Local 3248, said:

West Virginia taxpayers expect safe roads, scenic drives and hassle-free commutes. No one knows how to meet these expectations better than highway employees—and [these] reforms will help us do it with maximum efficiency for taxpayers.

Specifically, employees will elect representatives from each division of the participating departments to sit on the “meet and consult” committee. The committee will make recommendations to cabinet secretaries, who will evaluate the ideas and pass them on to Gov. Joe Manchin (D).

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article | Comments (0)