The International Union of Operating Engineers held a protest outside Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center on Friday, Apr. 11 calling for a contract with fair pay, benefits and improved working conditions. It has been negotiating on behalf of Piedmont maintenance workers since the workers voted to join the union in August.
Employers like Piedmont Athens Regional have a legal obligation under the National Labor Relations Act to negotiate with unions in good faith and to keep working conditions the same while contract negotiations are ongoing. But that’s not what’s happening at Piedmont, according to Chris Carr, an organizer with the International Union of Operating Engineers. He said Piedmont is retaliating against workers for their union participation by adding to their workloads and requiring some to work nights who have never needed to before.
“They’re doubling up the work on these guys. Imagine if you got hired for a day shift and they say you have to work night shift. Naturally, your whole life works around your shift. Picking kids up, the routine. It’s a big disruption for somebody. They’re doing it to certain people because they did participate [in the union],” said Carr.
Carr has filed seven unfair labor practice complaints with the National Labor Relations Board in recent months. The union is alleging that one worker was terminated inappropriately because of their union membership. They say that paid time off requests have been delayed excessively, in some cases by a month or more, that employees have had their company-issued phones taken away and that one worker with 27 years of service has been required to be on call, when that has never been required before.
Some workers have quit because of the new requirements. However, Carr said Piedmont is purposefully refusing to rehire for the open positions as a way of making life more difficult for those who remain. Furthermore, Piedmont has hired Jackson Lewis, an anti-union law firm, to help handle these workplace disputes. Carr sees this as an attempt to crush the union before it is fully established. “They don’t want to negotiate, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
Before the vote on union membership last year, Piedmont Athens Regional CEO Michael Burnett indicated to them in a video message how he wanted these workers to vote. “Piedmont is 100% union free, and that’s very important to us,” Burnett said.
Workers defied Burnett, voting 20–9 to join the International Union of Operating Engineers. They did so, according to Carr, because of low pay and “a lot of broken promises” about future pay increases. They also want better training and more control over their working conditions. “They have direct supervisors who have been treating these guys like crap for years. That’s been going unchecked,” Carr said.
Given the resistance he said Piedmont Athens Regional has to negotiating a contract, Carr is trying to raise awareness in Athens, and he hopes the community comes to their assistance.
Piedmont Athens Regional did not respond to Flagpole‘s request for an interview.
Like what you just read? Support Flagpole by making a donation today. Every dollar you give helps fund our ongoing mission to provide Athens with quality, independent journalism.
