Posted on 06/01/2005 9:54:23 AM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
Workers were trying to unionize, and they wore buttons showcasing their cause.
Supervisors demanded the buttons be removed, and they disciplined a half-dozen employees who didn't listen.
The workers filed a complaint with the federal government, saying their rights were being violated. Dissidents also claimed later that three ringleaders of the organizing effort were let go because of their activism.
Employees trying to unionize often face resistance -- or retribution -- from bosses.
But the employees in this instance weren't working at some factory or warehouse. They're actually employed by a union. They're organizers and clerical staff for the fast-growing Service Employees International Union Local 880. And their bosses are Local 880 leaders, who deny anything underhanded.
"Unions within unions" are increasingly common for SEIU in Illinois, and pretty common in the labor movement as a whole -- even if they're a small and sometimes controversial aspect.
Small because unions, even burgeoning ones such as SEIU, don't employ tons of people. Controversial because organizing a union's staff can, fairly or not, expose labor bosses to the same criticism they often level at outside employers about wages, hours and conditions.
'We don't bust unions'
Local 880's leaders bristle at the suggestion they've done anything "anti-union," and say there were good reasons for what's transpired. A longstanding policy barred buttons unrelated to official Local 880 campaigns, for one thing. As for the layoff and two firings, those people either weren't needed or weren't up to snuff. Others who were not active in the unionizing were let go, and some activists got promoted, officials noted.
"We're a union; we don't bust unions," said Local 880's chief, Keith Kelleher. "It's in our policies that if people want to organize a staff union, we'll remain neutral on that. So we're not doing that."
Indeed, the two sides started negotiating their first contract last week, and some of the tension has seemed to ebb.
Local 880 reversed its button policy, and its discipline -- which involved unflattering letters inserted into personnel files -- and the "unfair labor practice" complaint with the feds was withdrawn.
An SEIU spokesman, Marrianne McMullen, pointed out that no formal complaints have been filed about the three dismissals.
"I have a hard time seeing it happening frankly," she said of any retribution by Local 880.
Others in various stages of organizing
SEIU is the largest and fastest growing union in the country, partly because of chapters like Local 880. Based in the South Loop, it represents about 30,000 home-care workers in Illinois. These are people who help the disabled and elderly. Recently, another 50,000 home child-care workers voted to join.
Between 20 and 30 Local 880 staffers are working through the Chicago Newspaper Guild, which also represents newsroom staff at the Chicago Sun-Times, to gain a contract.
Workers at several other SEIU locals in Illinois also are in various stages of organizing with different unions, though dissidents and officials say all of these efforts are fairly independent of one another.
"It's so organic," said a Local 880 dissident who was one of the three to be recently let go but who did not want to be named. "It's happening without a hitch at other locals."
Unions need to be "strong inside and out" and "lead by example," the dissident said.
The newspaper guild's Gerald Minkkinen said his group already represents staffers at the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Cook County College Teachers Union. One of the guild's East Coast arms represents AFL-CIO workers, he said.
Union offices organize for many of the same reasons as others: better wages, benefits and job security.
The Local 880 dissident said improving wages and halting an exodus of organizers are among the priorities. The growth in members has led to "chronic understaffing" at Local 880, the person said.
Kelleher took issue with that, saying turnover is no worse than in years past, wages have risen, and "this really is a great place to work -- and it's good work to do."
(Note to readers: The reporter of this story is a delegate with the Chicago Newspaper Guild.)
I can believe this. This is true for almost everyone who supports unionization...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.