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Organizing Roundup
Victories Elsewhere:
Valley Oak Children’s Services, Chico, Calif. A lack of respect and threats that they were all “at-will” employees led workers at Valley Oak Children’s Services to vote 15-10 to join CWA Local 9414. Inside organizers Melody Proebstel and Becky Wood led a quick grassroots campaign, writing and distributing their own material to counter management’s anti-union propaganda. “They did almost all of it themselves,” said local President Mitch Crooks. The child care and nutrition workers approached Crooks about three months ago after a referral by workers at Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that assists victims of domestic violence. Two dozen Catalyst employees recently joined the local and are now in bargaining. “Local 9414 does it again!” said Virginia Rodriquez-Jones, administrative assistant to District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler, praising Crooks’ effort on the workers’ behalf.
Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, Mass. A majority of customer service reps and data entry clerks at the (Worcester, Mass.) Telegram & Gazette held solid for The Newspaper Guild-CWA, despite the fact that one projected “yes” voter had left the paper and another was on vacation. Fourteen card signers among 22 eligibles in the circulation department endured captive audience meetings prior to casting their votes, said Eric Geist, administrative assistant to TNG-CWA President Linda Foley. The final tally in this National Labor Relations Board election was 13-8 for the union. TNG-CWA Local 41, of Providence, R.I., also won an election in March for outside circulation personnel and represents the editorial department of the paper, owned by The New York Times Co. Temporary Organizer Tom Thibeault, local Administrative Officer Tim Schick and TNG-CWA International Representative Leo Ducharme worked on the drive.
AT&T Broadband, Springfield, Mo. A last-minute, weekend round of visits to workers’ homes assured a 36-35 victory for CWA in a representation election at AT&T Broadband in Springfield, Mo. CWA Local 6312, under leadership from President Tim Schieffer and Secretary-Treasurer Pat Dodd, worked closely with a strong inside committee to win this unit of 74 outside technicians, said CWA District 6 Organizing Coordinator Sandy Rusher. There were no challenged ballots. Assisted by CWA Representatives Bill Wildoner and Phil Ferrill, local members Jim Miller, Dwaine Dunn, Dan Rice, Larry Harris, Mike Kelso and Marcell Wheeler also played key roles.
Lutheran Nursing Home, West Trenton, N.J. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses at the Lutheran Nursing Home voted 11-10 to join CWA Local 1034, West Trenton, N.J. The 28-member unit followed the lead of service and technical staff at the Home, who already belonged to the local. Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, said Local 1034 organizer Sherry Adams led the campaign, assisted by organizer Sandy Weaver and local President Carla Katz.
Advanced Home Care, Buffalo, N.Y. Pharmacy technicians at Advanced Home Care voted 14-11 to join CWA Local 1122 in Buffalo, N.Y., with four challenged ballots. But, says District 1 Organizing Coordinator Jeff Lacher, “We’re confident of a win because three of the challenges are “yes” votes which were left off the excelsior list but were active in the campaign.” Lacher credited local organizers John Mudie and Kevin Suttner for leading the campaign for this 28-member unit.
AT&T Broadband, Gallup, N.M. After waiting 16 days for a ballot count because of a dispute over who belonged in the bargaining unit, AT&T Broadband workers in Gallup, N.M., got a pleasant surprise: They actually had two more “yes” votes than they had expected. Out of 10 votes cast, 8 went for CWA. The election was held April 11 under terms of the neutrality and consent election agreement CWA negotiated with AT&T. CWA’s position on the disputed bargaining unit was upheld in a hearing conducted by a “third party neutral.” Five inside committee members “made all the difference” in the campaign, said Kevin Mulligan, District 7 organizing coordinator. The workers were assisted by Sandy Sandoval, CWA organizer for the state of New Mexico.