Unions for All? Communications Workers of America staffers petition to decertify their union
Staffers employed by a Communications Workers of America (CWA) local in Newark, New Jersey filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Friday to hold an election in order to decertify the union representing them, the United Steelworkers.
The petitioned-for unit of 10 workers consists of staff representatives, a communications coordinator, support staff, as well as the Political Director, according to the NLRB filing.
As a union, the CWA got its start as a union representing workers in the telephone industry. However, in more recent years, the CWA has branched out into other industries such as communications and information industries, as well as the news media, airlines, broadcast and cable television, public service, higher education and health care, manufacturing, in high tech and more.
While the NLRB decertification petition does not indicate which CWA local employs the dissatisfied union members, it is possible that the employees work for Local 1037 which, according to its website, “represents more than 10,000 workers at over 400 worksites in both the public and private sector in NJ.”
Although it is fairly uncommon for union employees to decertify the unions representing them, it appears that the trend of union staffers filing for decertification elections is increasing.
