Janitors, science center battle over unionization (EFCA card check would end this battle)

[Omaha Steve]

Wednesday, April 08, 2009
By Ann Belser, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If the story of the janitors and groundskeepers at the Carnegie Science Center weren't true, it would seem as if the advocates of the Employee Free Choice Act were making it up.

Those 10 people work for the same employer as the 50 people who clean the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History and the Carnegie Libraries. Yet, because of a quirk of history dating to a time when the individual museums were run as if they were separate organizations, the janitorial staffs at the museums and libraries are unionized. The cleaners at the Science Center are not.

All 10 people employed to clean the Science Center have signed cards stating they want to join Service Employees International Unions Local 32 BJ, the same local that represents their colleagues at the libraries and other museums.

In response, the Carnegie Museums has called for a secret ballot election that will be supervised and held by the National Labor Relations Board on April 17.

The reason the property service workers at the Science Center want to unionize is simple: They make significantly less money than their co-workers across town.

Royben Pringle, 24, of Northview Heights, graduated from Oliver High School and has a certificate from Community College of Allegheny County in landscaping and janitorial work.

FULL story at link.

[Hello_Kitty]

1. Let me get this straight: They want to hold a secret election for 10 people

All of whom signed cards already. So I guess they plan to bring in high priced union busters to "persuade" those 10 people not to unionize. Brilliant. It would probably be cheaper to just let those workers join the union and pay them a little more but by god they can't relent one inch, can they?

[Omaha Steve]

2. OOPS!

Here is the full story link.