UE Service Center Workers

From the St. Albans Messenger...

Subcontractors’ employees vote on Jan. 31, Feb. 1

ST. ALBANS CITY — “You have put together a wonderful and a powerful campaign for justice,” Bob Kingsley, director of Organization for the United Electrical Workers (UE) told U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) contract workers on Tuesday.

Kingsley addressed those gathered at UE headquarters for an open house with members of UE locals from around the state.

Many of the assembled workers sported buttons which read, “We’re UE Get Over It.” That is a reference to a remark alleged to have been made by Jerry Sharpe, a Stanley executive, to a worker who had complained about a wage cut -- “get over it.”

The workers launched a petition drive to join UE on Dec. 4, the day after Stanley Associates took over the contract to operate the center from SCOT, the previous contractor. Stanley subsequently cut wages for roughly 100 of the center’s 400 workers.

On Dec. 21, UE filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

All three of Stanley’s subcontractors have agreed to union elections. The Federal Working Group, which employs roughly 20 of the workers, and Choctaw Archiving Enterprise, which employs approximately 100, will have elections on Jan. 31.

On Feb. 1, file maintenance and mailroom workers employed by Northrop-Grumman will get their chance to vote for or against the union.

A date has not been set for a vote for Stanley employees. Stanley and UE went before the NLRB in Boston last week to present their case for inclusion or non-inclusion of workers from the Quality Assurance department (QCs) and Subject Matter Experts in the bargaining unit.

Once the NLRB makes a decision about the composition of the unit, an election will be scheduled for Stanley’s workers.

In the meantime, Stanley, which has retained the services of Sheyfarth Shaw, one of the leading “union avoidance” law firms in the U.S., began distributing pamphlets entitled “Just The Facts” to workers.

Lorinda Bushey was among the workers expressing skepticism about the information in the pamphlets yesterday. “They are trying to turn us against each other by using the stewards,” Bushey said of a pamphlet subtitled “Union Stewards and Favoritism.” Stanley is “planting the idea that if there are cutbacks you—and they capitalized you—will go first.” Bushey said.

Bushey was skeptical that workers at the center, who worked 16 hours of mandatory overtime for most of last year, would suffer layoffs.

One worker, who asked not to have her name printed, pointed out that it takes 2-3 months just to get a security clearance to work at the center. She says that is what she reminds workers who are nervous that having a union will lead to a strike.

Stanley has been holding meetings with workers during work time. Workers report that information presented by Stanley and at least one of its subcontractors, Choctaw, doesn’t always agree.

Bushey, a Choctaw employee, said that Stanley refers workers to Choctaw with questions, but when Erika Dixon of Choctaw met with workers, “I asked her just was exactly do you have control over? She affirmed that her duties were insurance and payroll.”

Issues of production standards, working environment, and wages were all under Stanley’s control, Bushey said.

Other “Just the Facts” pamphlets focus on collective bargaining, telling workers that the union will concentrate on getting a union security clause, a dues check off and “superseniority” for stewards, which the pamphlets say benefit the union, rather than on securing wage and benefit improvements for workers.

The pamphlets do not tell workers that the bargaining committee will be comprised of workers from the center and that the membership has to approve the contract by a majority vote before it becomes official.

Bushey was among the workers who expressed concern about what will happen in three years when Stanley’s contract expires. So far the contract has changed hands twice, from the first contractor, Labatt-Anderson, to SCOT, and from SCOT to Stanley, each time at least some workers experienced wage cuts.

“If this is what’s going to happen every three years, oh my goodness,” Bushey said.

“I’m worried about my oil (heating costs), because I’m making almost $2 an hour less,” one worker, who declined to be named, said.

Stanley argued before the NLRB that quality assurance workers (QCs) do the same work as clerks. “When Stanley says that QC is the same as us, they’re not,” one worker said. She also described the QC workers, nearly all of who are wearing “Vote No” buttons, according to workers, as being “on a power trip.”

Quality control employees examine the work of other workers for errors. According to the worker, QC is rejecting lots from known union supporters. QC workers also received a $2 per hour raise, although the department was reduced in size when one QC worker was transferred to data entry.

In addition to wage cuts for approximately 100 workers, employees at the center also said they have experienced cuts in personal and vacation time and 401K contributions.

Choctaw Archiving Enterprise and Stanley Associates both had problems providing workers with health insurance in a timely fashion, and workers were forced to pay for health care expenses out of pocket.

Phil Fiermonte of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ office, said Sanders’ staff has been meeting with Stanley executives and has secured a commitment that workers will be reimbursed for health care expenses that should have been covered by insurance.

At 11 a.m. Monday Sanders will be in St. Albans to meet with workers.

Camryn Stanko, president of the UE local that represents 300 UVM employees, said of her local, “It would be hard to find someone who hasn’t benefited from having UE represent them.” Stanko said her local has secured raises across the board.

“They didn’t wait six months; they didn’t wait a year,” to cut wages, Stanko said, referring to Stanley’s request that workers give them a chance.

“It’s important for Vermonters to send the message that we will not stand for companies coming into our state and making our workers poverty wage workers,” Stanko said.