Workers in Oklahoma, West Virginia Gain a Voice

Omaha Steve is a proud AFSCME member

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/04/15/workers-in-oklahoma-west-virginia-gain-a-voice/

Workers in Oklahoma, West Virginia Gain a Voice

by James Parks, Apr 15, 2007

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.


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

“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… 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.

FULL story at link.