Wednesday, June 01, 2005

SEIU union denies punishing its own employees---for trying to unionize

Good job to the Robert C. Herguth of Chicago Sun-Times for writing this story about the unionization efforts of employees of Local 880 of the Service Employee International Union. I'm a little disappointed in the decision by Sun-Times editors to put this embarrassing (for the union) story out on Memorial Day, when they know readership will be way down. We don't live in a perfect world.

From that article:

Workers were trying to unionize, and they wore buttons showcasing their cause.
Supervisors demanded the buttons be removed, and they disciplined a half-dozen employees who didn't listen.


The workers filed a complaint with the federal government, saying their rights were being violated. Dissidents also claimed later that three ringleaders of the organizing effort were let go because of their activism.

Employees trying to unionize often face resistance -- or retribution -- from bosses.
But the employees in this instance weren't working at some factory or warehouse. They're actually employed by a union. They're organizers and clerical staff for the fast-growing Service Employees International Union Local 880. And their bosses are Local 880 leaders, who deny anything underhanded.

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