MN public radio: Union battle heats up in A.G. Swanson's office

[Omaha Steve]

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/03/06/agunion/

by Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio
March 7, 2008

Listen to feature audio: http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/news/features/2008/03/07_tpugmire_agunion

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and many of her employees are at odds over a union organization effort within the office. Some employees say they've faced harassment and intimidation for their union support. They also claim Swanson has repeatedly blocked the effort and retaliated against office organizers. Swanson, a first-term Democrat, has denied the allegations. She portrays the union support as a minority opinion among her staff.

St. Paul, Minn. — Year-old union-busting allegations against Swanson surfaced again last month when three of her staff attorneys went public with their concerns.

Susan Damon, Daniel Goldberg and Amy Lawler sent a letter to Swanson on behalf of a union organizing committee, asking her to recognize what they described as "the will of the staff to be represented by a labor union."


Attorney General Lori Swanson has been involved in an ongoing dispute with some of her employees over union organizing. (MPR Photo/Tim Pugmire)


They also asked Swanson to support efforts to clarify the state collective bargaining law for public employees, to specifically include attorneys and other at-will employees in the attorney general's office.

Amy Lawler said she and her colleagues believe a union would protect them if they speak out about workplace problems.

FULL story at link.

[wellstone dem]

1. The AG's office in Minnesota has been held by democrat for many

years, AG Swanson's actions could cost the dems this seat.