 FRONT PAGE Archive Index Feedback |
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
| |||||
Mayor Backs Science Center Workers' Right to Organize
Steve Rodriguez, Jenny Alley and Melissa Metzger work at the Pacific Science Center and are trying to form a union. |
Seattle Mayor Paul Schell sent a strongly worded letter to George Moynihan, executive director of the Science Center, emphasizing his belief that "employees have a right to select or not select" a union to represent them. Schell said workers should be allowed to make their own decision "without interference from their employers."
Schell said employer anti-union activities generally result "in a negative work environment for everyone, regardless of the outcome of the vote."
Science Center management unleashed a hard-ball anti-union campaign when workers got together with the help of Local 6 of the Service Employees (SEIU) and petitioned for a federal union representation election.
Schell urged Moynihan to "reconsider your current course of action and assume a position of neutrality with regard to your employees' decision. It is, after all, theirs to make under the law."
City Council member Judy Nicastro also wrote to Moynihan in support of the workers' right to organize a union.
Exhibits worker Steve Rodriguez said, "Most of us work here because we want to teach about science." He said high turnover and, recently, reduced staffing levels have made it increasingly difficult to maintain high professional standards and good educational practices. Jenny Alley, who takes care of naked mole rats and other animals said some "part-time" workers make more money and have more hours than some full-time workers. Melissa Metzger, a science explainer said "When we're short-staffed, we can't do as good a job for the visitors."
Workers say starting wage at the Science Center is $7.18 an hour with no benefits. Dick's Drive-In, by comparison, pays $8 an hour plus fringe benefits including college scholarships.
Reader Comments
Discuss this article in the forums!
No comments yet!