MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

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June 17, 2012

City Council union move democratic

The Muskogee City Council did the democratic thing at its meeting Monday.

City councilors voted unanimously to amend Ordinance 3893-A to read, “The affirmative vote of 50 percent plus one of the total number of votes cast by eligible employees working for the employer is required for certification or decertification of the Labor Organization.”

Before the amendment non-uniform employees would have had to gain the vote of 50 percent plus one of all eligible employees to reorganize under an ordinance city councilors approved Dec. 12, 2011.

By that standard, none of the current city councilors would have been elected. Only 17 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the last general election for City Council.

With the change, it looks as if the union is poised to reorganize this year.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2465’s most recent contract expired Oct. 31, 2011, after city councilors, without public debate or comment, voted last June to end its collective bargaining agreement with non-uniform employees.

City employees have been collecting cards demonstrating support for union representation. Employees presented 100 cards, representing more than half of the eligible employees, to the City Council on Monday.

The union has from July to November to organize a vote on collective bargaining this year.

If the cards are an indication, it will be successful.

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