Adams Public Employees Petition for UnionBy Jen Thomas - March 21, 2008
iBerkshires Staff
ADAMS — Dozens of town employees hope joining a union will give them a voice — one that will have to be heard by town officials.
According to Marilyn Kolis, administrative assistant to the director of public works, "a majority" of the municipal employees signed a petition last month asking to be recognized by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 93.
Council 93 represents 45,000 public workers in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
"We no longer want to be at-will employees. With budgets and everything else going on, whenever there's a hit to be taken, it's with the employees, whether it's hours or pay or whatever," said Kolis on Wednesday.
Kolis said the decision to unionize was a result of continued tension between the 30 to 35 employees — which include Town Hall and Council on Aging workers and library staff — and town officials. Additionally, Town Administrator William Ketcham's role as the personnel director seems like a conflict of interest, added Kolis.
"There's just no channel of communication. Obviously, Ketcham's first interest is to the town so we have nobody to speak for us, to stand up for us," Kolis said. "We feel like we're expendable to them and we're trying to protect ourselves."
Contacted on Monday, Ketcham said the town had received a petition from AFSCME, seeking recognition of the union but the process is still in the beginning stages and no action has been taken. He had no further comment.
Kolis said she was told that the town must respond to the petition and make determinations on which employees should be included in the union.
"Some people can be excluded for confidentiality reasons," explained Kolis, who also said department heads cannot be part of the union. "They were supposed to make that decision by March 17 but I haven't heard anything about it yet."
The town's Police and Highway departments are already unionized, each with its own bargaining unit. Saying the town employees are in the minority when it comes to unions, Kolis noted that joining AFSCME is merely an attempt to seek better representation for the town's employees.
"We like our jobs and we want to do what's best for the town. We just want to have a voice," she said. "We want to make sure the town appreciates and supports their employees for a long time."
Kolis said union talk has been circulating for years but it wasn't until the fall that many began to take the prospect seriously. Several factors contributed to the desire to unionize, including a perceived lack of equity for all employees and no sense of job security.
Though the forming of the union is "still in the planning stages" and no union stewards have been appointed or committees formed, Kolis said she looks forward to future negotiations.
"We don't want to start any trouble. We just want fairness and equality," she said. |
To Hail to Town Meeting: THE ELECTED OFFICIAL DID NOT TAKE ANYONES JOB! ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOT UNFAIR their just like all the other department heads. All they can do is suggest. Town Meeting makes the final decision. The position was eliminated because it was not needed. No one received a promotion or pay raise because of this cut. The days of fabricating jobs to "take care of someone" are over. If this was the private sector the entire job would have been eliminated not just part of it. For a part time position it pays very well over $17.00 an hour I am sure people out there would love to have this "part time" position.
Union or no union it really does not matter. There are rules and regulations that must be followed. Positions that are needed remain and others will be eliminated this is a fact. Look at the rest of the world. Stop complaining and be happy you have a job!
| | from: Ask those who know | on: 03-27-2008 |
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| Regarding the statement by "part time employee". YOU KNOW that an ELECTED OFFICIAL took your job, not management. Stop being so unfair. Mr. Ketcham tried to intervene, & was unable to, because ELECTED officials get to decide for themselves!!! For those who don't know, there are 3 elected officials, Town Clerk, Treasurer/Collector & Assessor who NOW control their own employees. (With the Union, it WILL CHANGE) It was one of these Elected Officials who would not HAVE you in their office and that is why you do not have the other half of your Job. Donna "the Saint" MacDonald asked Town meeting to let her have more hours for you. YOU WERE SITTING RIGHT BY HER!!! TOWN MEETING DENIED YOU MORE HOURS. NOT Management!!! You knew what was happening. Town Meeting will still decide the fate of ALL APPROPRIATIONS. Sue, go back to work & stop your infernal whining. | | from: Hail to Town Meeting | on: 03-25-2008 |
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| Union. Hmm! Maybe this part time person lost her job because he or she wasn't doing their job. This is just another example haw a union protects bad employees. | | from: Get the facts | on: 03-25-2008 |
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| A union? Maybe. But I will reaffirm my earlier statement(s) and say that what the town needs in a management team, person, board that WANTS to have effective communication not only with staff but with the townspeople as a whole. What happened to the part-time person who posted below is absolutely terrible and should NEVER happen...but it does. What bothers me most is that it happened in MY town! The issue lies ENTIRELY with the management team in place and starts with the board of selectmen. If the board fostered open, honest and straightforward communication...and held management to the same standard, issues like this would not happen...and we wouldn't be debating the prospects of a union right now. Let's look to those in charge to provide remedy and take responsibility.....at least this once.... | | from: Amused | on: 03-25-2008 |
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| I HAVE BEEN A TOWN EMPLOYEE FOR 9 YEARS 2 YEARS AGO MY JOB WAS REDUCED TO PART TIME WITH THE LOSS OF MY BEBEFITS. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE LOSS OF MY JOB ON THE STREETS OF ADAMS AND IN THE NEWSPAPER. MANAGEMENT NEVER TOLD ME MY JOB WAS TO BE CUT OR WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GET MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS FROM MY WORK AREA, I GUESS MY THINGS WERE THROWN IN THE TRASH. MY CO-WORKER GOT A PROMOTION AND A RAISE, OTHER DEPARTMENTS GOT TO WORK 40 HRS INSTEAD OF 35. I AM HAPPY FOR MY CO-WORKERS BECAUSE THEY DID BENEFIT BY THE LOSS OF MY JOB BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS, DO WE NEED A UNION ??? YOU BET WE DO !!! | | from: PART TIME WORKER | on: 03-25-2008 |
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| I have been an AFSCME Local 1067 Union member for 20 years and very active for the past 8 years. I am now the V.P. of our local. Joining a Union does not mean you will receive outlandish pay raises. In fact, the negotiated pay raise may be very similar to those received prior to becoming a Union member. What the AFSCME Union does is bring management and workers together to discuss and agree upon multiple items. Such as Opportunities for advancement, part time employees becoming full time employees when the opportunity arises, hours to be worked, probation periods for new hires, vacation, insurance, filling of vacancies, etc. etc. I have many times seen and been involved in grievances where the contract protects the union member as well as when the contract protects the management. Having a Union is not one sided. It is not just for the members. It also will protect concerns of management. When a contract is negotiated, both parties sit together and work out the concerns and issues so all is fair to all. Nothing goes one sided. Each side has fair opportunity to deliver their concerns to one another and each side is given fair opportunity to work out resolutions of those concerns between each other. Mutual agreements are made, respect for one another is created, lines of communication are opened and an improved working relationship begins. Having a Union contract can be positive for both parties of concern. It appears that the Town of Adams and its' employees do not have good open lines of communication nor a good working relationship. By having the AFSCME Union, the lines of communication with one another will be opened and a better working relationship will develop. A better understanding of each parties needs will develop as well as a better respect of the towns needs and the workers needs will come into play. The AFSCME Union is a positive Union, one that will negotiate fairly and honestly. The town employees and the the town of Adams, both can benefit by having the Town of Adams employees become AFSCME brothers and sisters. | | from: Denise | on: 03-22-2008 |
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Best of luck to the employees trying to unionize. It’s a shame when the word “union” is discussed; employers or town officials become angry and vindictive towards the employees who are only wishing to add security towards their job.
Also, why does everyone always think employees will receive a pay raise if a union becomes involved? Having a union representing an organization has far more reaching affects then simply a pay raise.
Again, what is the fear of employers or town officials? Is it the fear of evening a playing field?
| | from: Paul | on: 03-22-2008 |
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| It's too bad that so many people have negative attitutdes towards unions. If I am not mistaken, the police department, highway department, and of course, the school departments all have unions. Why shouldn't the Town Hall employees have a union? Things should be equal across the board - not just those with unions. | | from: Resident | on: 03-22-2008 |
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People need to get their facts straight and be aware of what is happening in town government. The Town Administrator is also the town's Personnel Director. This dual responsibility was voted on and made part of the town's by-laws years ago by its citizens. Most people would acknowledge that this is a conflict of interest. The Personnel Subcommittee is comprised of 2 selectmen, hardly an impartial entity. The bottom line is that for years there has never been a fair and objective process for non-union employees to voice their concerns or air their grievances when it came to personnel issues. And yes, personnel issues involve far more than compensation. More than money, employees have been concerned about fairness and equity in hiring practices, in distribution of work, in job descriptions and in interpreting and applying existing personnel regulations.
As far as raises go, town employees receive an annual step raise of 2 1/2% in a 12 step salary administration plan. Since many of the employees are at their 12th step and have been for several years, they no longer receive a raise. "Past practice" by the Town for the past 20 years or more granted the non-union employees a COLA (a cost of living allowance) each year that equaled what the union employees bargained for. For long term employees, the COLA is the only increase in their salaries.
This year, when personnel budgets are discussed at finance and town meeting, union employees as well as department heads and managers will get their step raises if applicable and will also get their COLA. However, the COLA was taken away from the non-union employees once they filed a petition to organize. There is no legal reason for the town to withhold the COLA from the non-union employees. Some might even say that doing so constitutes retribution or intimidation for trying to unionize.
The town's non-union employees are not asking for more, they are asking for what they have always received. We don't know when we will be able to negotiate a contract and should not be penalized in the meantime. Employees have the legal right to organize, to protect their jobs, their families and their futures. Try to respect that by becoming informed before you make judgements based on misinformation or your own personal agendas. | | from: do your homework | on: 03-21-2008 |
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| So, it's all right for the predominantly male employees that work for the DPW and Police departments to have a union. But, when the mainly female non-union staff decides to file a petition to organize, they are chastised and criticized. This is the 21st century people! Women make up nearly 50% of the workforce. We have come a long way, but obviously not far enough. The Town of Adams needs to recognize this sector of their workforce, respect their rights and bargain fairly. | | from: brave new world | on: 03-21-2008 |
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Someone should go get all the salaries that these people make and put that on iberkshires. It is public information. There are assistants that make more than Officials make in other cities or towns. And lets not forget the School - there are workers up there that get more than their posted salaries through "Stipends" for EVERY SINGLE extra thing they do. Where is the outrage on that? Isn't that public service too? And their salary increases are larger than the Town and the School pays 80% of their Benefits, the Town pays 75%. I think a diligent searcher would find that some aides get more in benefits than their salaries.
| | from: You have been challenged | on: 03-21-2008 |
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| We should not be taking the right of workers to organize and stepping on it like trash. I am a private sector employee and applaud the workers of Adams for taking a step in the right direction. For too long people have been making employees feel like dirt for exercising their rights under the law. Because people want to have a voice on the job does not mean that they disrespect the citizens of Adams. Guess what they pay taxes just like we do. | | from: private sector employee | on: 03-21-2008 |
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| Good lord...this is what I've been referring to for years now in one form or another. It should never, ever get to this level...especially in the supposed open-door, open-format public service arena. Where is our management team? Asleep in the Town Administrators office? Come on here. Obviously the town has already spent money on an additional HR-oriented attorney that it didn't anticipate....never mind the time it is taking away from REAL issues. Now on the flip side...if town employees are at all interested in the town and not their own best interests, stand on a street corner and petition the PEOPLE of Adams and ask them how they feel about the seemingly entitled 3% cost of living increases and STEP raises they receive every year. Yes, they're automatic folks...no performance appraisals, no consultations.....in some cases, 5% is at the low end. I understand they may be concerned about budgetary issues and their jobs but you are in PUBLIC SERVICE folks....this isn't Ford or GM. You WORK FOR THE PEOPLE. If you are not happy, try the private sector...banks, supermarkets and department stores are always hiring at $10 per hour. Consider yourselves EXTREMELY lucky in this economy, sit down and stop complaining and lets get back to the REAL business of the people in town who are struggling to eat and pay heating bills. | | from: Amused | on: 03-21-2008 |
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| The town employees have been supported and receive a substantial increase annually at a rate that exceeds 5%. Those of us in the private sector could never see that, we're lucky if we see cost of living. It seems to me that the real issue here is that the employees are looking out for themselves and not the citizens of the town of Adams who pay their salaries and benefits with increases in our real estate taxes and fees. Shame on the employees for this and shame on the Town Administrator and Board of Selectmen for not doing their job to allow the employees to be heard. I have never seen the town so bad, the current Town Administrator is the pawn of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Selectmen lacks any type of leadership. They profess to care about the citizens and are looking out for us, great job. What a mess! | | from: disenchanted | on: 03-21-2008 |
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| An employee who is chronically late should not be your spokesperson. Go for your Union but choose your leadership more wisely people! | | from: MondayAM QB | on: 03-21-2008 |
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