Safety Concerns Spark Successful Drives

What do incarcerated felons and theater patrons have in common? If angry and out of control, both can pose a serious threat to the safety of workers. In fact, the need for enforceable, contractual safety measures played a major role in motivating 117 theater ushers in New Jersey and more than 170 corrections employees in New Mexico to choose CWA.

In Santa Fe, N.M., corrections officers at an adult detention center and life skills workers at a juvenile facility started to organize a year ago. They had once been county employees, then their work was privatized and then the county took them back. It seemed no one wanted to take responsibility for the dangerous work or the safety of employees.

"Safety is one of the biggest issues in staffing," said Staff Representative Rex Kendall of Local 7911, National Coalition of Public Safety Officers-CWA. "They're supposed to have one officer for every five prisoners. Last night they had two people watching 100."

The county also made all of the corrections workers start over as probationary employees for their first year and harassed one of their leaders because he spoke in favor of having a union. A vote by 34 workers who had completed probation — 32 for CWA and two against — carried the entire unit in a state Public Employee Relations Commission election. All workers will become eligible for representation when their probationary period ends in the near future.

In Newark, N.J., ushers and assistant ushers at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center also feared for their safety. With alcohol being served and minimal security, ushers on several occasions found themselves confronting threats of violence from angry patrons who refused to leave the theater when asked, said Local 1037 Organizer Anne Luck. She and Local Organizer Mark Lender and staff and volunteers from the local helped the ushers build a strong inside committee and support for a cardcheck campaign.

They were supported by the stagehands and musicians at the center who already belonged to unions. The need for better wages and respect on the job and the desire to improve their health benefits also played a role in the campaign.

Lender, Luck and Local 1037 President Hetty Rosenstein met with Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, who persuaded the Center to accept the results of a cardcheck rather than demanding an election. The State Board of Mediation verified majority union support on Nov. 8.

Organizing committee members Cynthia Green, Carol Webb, Christine Bradshaw and Johnnie Paige have already been elected to the workers' bargaining committee. Luck said the cardcheck agreement calls for bargaining to begin within two weeks.

In another recent organizing drive, Cingular Wireless retail workers in Kansas won CWA recognition through majority cardcheck, making representation 100 percent for Cingular sales units in District 6. District Organizing Coordinator Tom Newport credited the work of Local 6327 2nd Vice President Anetra Session for leading the drive.