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Organizing Roundup
Maplewood Municipal Workers
Nothing like a shake-up at the top to make employees realize how much they need a union voice. Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, reported on Aug. 7 that municipal workers in Maplewood, N.J., voted 50-6 in a mail-ballot election to bring a unit of 75 into CWA.
The workers began talking union in April after the city hired a new township administrator, said Local 1031 Organizer Kelly Carruolo. The local, which had just concluded negotiating a contract for Maplewood library employees, got a lead from library Steward Susan Murphy.
“The workers were concerned about maintaining their current level of benefits — some had as many as 90 sick days — and they wanted consistency in their work environment. They realized they needed a voice,” said Carruolo.
Carruolo said the organizing committee ran a positive, issue-oriented campaign that was for the most part unopposed by management.
“This is our first municipal government unit; we’re traditionally a higher education local,” Carroulo said. “We represent the support staff of nine state colleges and 10 municipal libraries.”
Local 1031 Staff Representative Kathy Hernandez-Barnett, with support of local President Ron Palazzo, also worked on the campaign.
Burlington Supervisors
A unit of 14 supervisors in Burlington Township, N.J., voted 8-0 to join CWA Local 1040.
Supervisors in all city departments — water, public works, road maintenance and others — realized that non-supervisory employees represented by an independent union got the lion’s share of increases in wages and benefits.
“They don’t have a contract,” Local 1040 Organizer Connie English said. “They get what’s left over.”
One of the supervisors, Mark Staravoj, had previously been represented by CWA. He contacted Local 1040, headed by President Carolyn Wade.
“We met with Mark and a couple of other people, they went back and got the cards signed and we filed a petition,” English said. “Management never fought us. They’re calling us to start bargaining.”
Rio Rancho Roundup
The Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety Association has voted to affiliate with the New Mexico Coalition of Public Safety Officers/CWA Local 7911. The association, in this fast-growing suburb of Albuquerque, represents 108 police officers, firefighters and dispatchers.
“The association joined because they want CWA’s negotiating expertise, which was demonstrated in the Bernalillo County deputy negotiations two years ago when deputies received a 18 percent wage increase,” Local 7911 President Mike Williams said.
Nothing like a shake-up at the top to make employees realize how much they need a union voice. Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, reported on Aug. 7 that municipal workers in Maplewood, N.J., voted 50-6 in a mail-ballot election to bring a unit of 75 into CWA.
The workers began talking union in April after the city hired a new township administrator, said Local 1031 Organizer Kelly Carruolo. The local, which had just concluded negotiating a contract for Maplewood library employees, got a lead from library Steward Susan Murphy.
“The workers were concerned about maintaining their current level of benefits — some had as many as 90 sick days — and they wanted consistency in their work environment. They realized they needed a voice,” said Carruolo.
Carruolo said the organizing committee ran a positive, issue-oriented campaign that was for the most part unopposed by management.
“This is our first municipal government unit; we’re traditionally a higher education local,” Carroulo said. “We represent the support staff of nine state colleges and 10 municipal libraries.”
Local 1031 Staff Representative Kathy Hernandez-Barnett, with support of local President Ron Palazzo, also worked on the campaign.
Burlington Supervisors
A unit of 14 supervisors in Burlington Township, N.J., voted 8-0 to join CWA Local 1040.
Supervisors in all city departments — water, public works, road maintenance and others — realized that non-supervisory employees represented by an independent union got the lion’s share of increases in wages and benefits.
“They don’t have a contract,” Local 1040 Organizer Connie English said. “They get what’s left over.”
One of the supervisors, Mark Staravoj, had previously been represented by CWA. He contacted Local 1040, headed by President Carolyn Wade.
“We met with Mark and a couple of other people, they went back and got the cards signed and we filed a petition,” English said. “Management never fought us. They’re calling us to start bargaining.”
Rio Rancho Roundup
The Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety Association has voted to affiliate with the New Mexico Coalition of Public Safety Officers/CWA Local 7911. The association, in this fast-growing suburb of Albuquerque, represents 108 police officers, firefighters and dispatchers.
“The association joined because they want CWA’s negotiating expertise, which was demonstrated in the Bernalillo County deputy negotiations two years ago when deputies received a 18 percent wage increase,” Local 7911 President Mike Williams said.