Fire Fighters Local: Wichita engaged in anti-union practices
Source: THE WICHITA EAGLE
BY KELSEY RYAN
The Wichita Fire Fighters Local 135 says the city has engaged in anti-union practices, including denying or significantly delaying the union’s grievances, harassing or trying to dissuade members from using union representation and discouraging the enrollment of new members.
The issue was brought before the City Council on Tuesday when Mark Woolbright, vice president of the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington, D.C., spoke about the working relationship between the fire fighters and city administration.
"We strongly believe from a legal standpoint that your fire fighters’ contractual, statutorily protected rights as a bargaining unit are being violated," said Woolbright, who called some of the incidents "blatant acts of intimidation."
In response, City Manager Robert Layton said the city did not engage in anti-union conduct and that it "believes that it did not violate the labor agreement." Layton said the allegations should be taken to the Kansas Public Employee Relations Board, but that Local 135 has failed to do that.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article3197691.html
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