Union-Busting Union Accused Of Firing Union Staffer Days Before Union Election
On Thursday, 1199SEIU union staffers plan on protesting the firing of one of their co-workers by union management.
By Peter List, Editor | May 13, 2024
With only days before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) sends out mail ballots to over 250 union staffers employed by 1199SEIU-United Healthcare Workers East, the management of the union has allegedly fired an employee and one of the organizing committee members.
“Ahead of voting YES to win our In House Staff Union, 1199 Leadership still believe they can break our In-House unity: on Friday they fired our InHouse Staff colleague, Donald Hemmings, Education Coordinator, without cause,” the union committee stated on a flyer to their colleagues. “Monday, the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (WBNG) filed a ULP. Retaliation due to union organizing is illegal. The NLRB can soon demand Donald’s reinstatement—with back pay.”
In response to 1199SEIU-UHWE management’s firing of their co-worker, the union committee announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it is planning to picket outside the union’s headquarters on Thursday.
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In addition, union management is reportedly using a retired executive vice president of the union, Steve Kramer1, to persuade the union staffers to vote against unionizing.
The charge filed Monday for 1199SEIU’s termination of its employee follows prior charges filed with the NLRB against the union for unlawful interrogation and polling, as well as threatening employees.
As a former executive vice president of 1199SEIU helping the union with its anti-union campaign, Mr. Kramer would be likely now be considered an agent of the employer (1199SEIU).
As such, Mr. Kramer should be obligated to disclose his involvement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) as a “persuader.”
An inquiry to OLMS was made regarding Mr. Kramer’s work for 1199SEIU. However, no response was received prior to the posting of this article. This article will be updated as/if a response if received.