Unionize? Hellooo, You’re Management
Here’s something I never thought I’d say: good decision, RI State Labor Board.
The Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board recently dismissed a petition to unionize by Tiverton’s municipal department heads.
The board decided the matter on Nov. 7, saying the superintendent of wastewater collections, the town planner, tax assessor, zoning officer, senior center director, tax collector and public works director were ineligible to unionize because they all held managerial positions.
The town had also argued that the positions did not share a community of interest with each other, further limiting their eligibility to join a municipal employee union.
File the petition by Tiverton department heads to unionize under the category, “Unclear on the Concept”. It appears that the Labor Board also subscribed to this view in light of the superlatives employed in their denial.
“The testimony and documentary evidence submitted in this proceeding overwhelmingly established that each and every one of the positions sought, meet the test for supervisory and/or managerial status,” the decision stated. “As such, they are wholly ineligible to engage in collective bargaining under the Municipal Employees Arbitration Act.
I have known a few public employees who have refused promotion to management. The salary increase was slight, numerous perks were lost and they would become “fireable”.
Seconded, Warrington.
There is virtually no incentive in the Federal system to go from a GS-14 to a GS-15 position besides ego. When presented with the choice between A)Having no responsibilities, ironclad job security, and earning $137k, or B) Managing 10 whining union employees (a few of whom will have serious emotional problems – mental disabilities get preference in hiring), getting grieved every year, writing long performance appraisals, attending boring management meetings all day, and giving up telework options for $144k, I don’t have to tell you which option most accept.
They should have done their homework. The Smithfield directors tried the same thing a few years back and were rebuffed. It should be concerning to Tiverton taxpayers that the directors don’t have an understanding of the differences between labor and management. This is pretty basic labor-management stuff.