Communist
21st April 2009, 18:28
from Workers Independent News
==================================================
http://www.laborradio.org/node/10945
By Doug Cunningham
When library workers at Indiana's Indianapolis Marion
County Library decided they wanted to form a union they
couldn't just sign up to join one. It took them four
years, but they won. They just signed their first
collective bargaining agreement. With the help of
AFSCME - the American federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees - they first had to get the library
board to pass a resolution allowing it. Indiana law
doesn't give public employees collective bargaining
rights. AFSCME Council 62 Executive Director David
Warrick says getting that board approval and organizing
the workers took amazing perseverance by the 225
library workers.
[Warrick]: "The employees are very happy to have a
voice now and a contract, And they're very excited
about moving forward now with a document that allows
them to have union representation and allows them to be
able to sit at the table as equals. Without them doing
this and sticking to the process they would have ended
up with nothing. They would have ended up with no
raises and cutbacks in their insurance."
Warrick says in addition to concerns about wages and
health insurance, the issue of respect and a voice on
the job are what mattered most to these library
workers.
==================================================
http://www.laborradio.org/node/10945
By Doug Cunningham
When library workers at Indiana's Indianapolis Marion
County Library decided they wanted to form a union they
couldn't just sign up to join one. It took them four
years, but they won. They just signed their first
collective bargaining agreement. With the help of
AFSCME - the American federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees - they first had to get the library
board to pass a resolution allowing it. Indiana law
doesn't give public employees collective bargaining
rights. AFSCME Council 62 Executive Director David
Warrick says getting that board approval and organizing
the workers took amazing perseverance by the 225
library workers.
[Warrick]: "The employees are very happy to have a
voice now and a contract, And they're very excited
about moving forward now with a document that allows
them to have union representation and allows them to be
able to sit at the table as equals. Without them doing
this and sticking to the process they would have ended
up with nothing. They would have ended up with no
raises and cutbacks in their insurance."
Warrick says in addition to concerns about wages and
health insurance, the issue of respect and a voice on
the job are what mattered most to these library
workers.