CIU 20 Transportation Employees Vote Yes For Union

The evening of October 19th, 2011 found the management of Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 reeling from the final tally of votes for a union.

In a final vote of 55-21, the employees of CIU20 voted almost 3-1 for representation by the Transport Workers Union of America. Official certification of the union will take place in 5 days by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board if neither side contests the results.

According to Matthew Dees, Lead Organizer on the CIU 20 Union Organizing Committee, problems have been brewing for the last couple of years with their employer. Wages taken from paychecks without notification requiring action by the Labor Board for its’ return, reduced hours, loss of medical benefits, and an overall attitude of employees being indentured servants by new management personnel all contributed to installing the TWU, Dees said in newspaper interviews.

TWU International Organizer Steve Roberts intends to roll this successful organizing effort into other CIU’s throughout the state of Pennsylvania. CIU 20 is the first CIU to unionize. Pennsylvania consists of 29 CIU’s providing services to special needs children throughout the state.

“Every CIU Transportation Department employee, located in every Pennsylvania county should have a contract. Now that they realize that a successful union organizing effort can be done, it’s only a matter of time before the rest rise up and gain workers rights,” Dees said.

With the union victory, the last 91 employees of CIU 20 now have a union. The employees, consisting of bus operators, monitors, mechanics, custodians, and maintenance personnel will join existing union members of TWU Local 282.

CIU 20 Executive Director Charlene Brennan has made no public comment.

For additional information about CIU 20’s union, visit CIUnion20.com.

CIU 20 Is Located In Easton, PA

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