South Dakota Union Proves Its Mettle in 1st Contract Battle
May 21, 2010
BATTLE TESTED – City employees of Yankton, S.D., are proud of their first contract, won after a two-year effort. Shown (left to right) are Local 3968 members John Slemp, street department steward; local Pres. Beth Parr, Sec.-Treas. Sue O’Grady, Vice Pres. Brad Binde, and Bruce Ulmer, recording secretary. (Photo credit: Council 59)
Winning a first contract is always an achievement, but the collective bargaining agreement won last month by AFSCME-represented employees of the City of Yankton, S.D., testifies to the determination of a small unit that refused to give up.
It’s not that some of the approximately 80 city workers – including dispatchers, clericals and employees in parks, public works and the library – didn’t get discouraged over the two difficult years it took to achieve success.
Some did consider giving up. Paul Aylward, executive director of AFSCME Council 59, credits the resolve and optimism of Local 3968 Pres. Beth Parr, and the Local 3968 bargaining committee, for keeping the unit together through the tough times.
Trouble began as soon as the employees made known their intention to join AFSCME in 2008. The city commission hired an out-of-state law firm to break the workers’ will. It didn’t work. In early 2008, the workers voted overwhelmingly for AFSCME representation, and negotiations for a first contract began that June.
“The employees felt we had no job security,” says Parr, a municipal records clerk in the finance office. Winning it was their priority.
In March 2009, just as the workers felt they had made some progress, “the city declared it was their final offer and refused to come back to the table,” says Parr.
The union requested mediation, but that session lasted only 15 minutes before city officials “walked away from the table,” Parr recalls. “It was very frustrating to members.” She restored their faith and bolstered their solidity by taking them step-by-step through the process and explaining the city’s delaying tactics.
Next step was a fact-finding hearing, which didn’t go well for the workers. “It’s a right-to-work state, Parr explains. “We don’t have a lot of rights compared to other states.”
Despite the setback, the workers persuaded the city to return to the negotiating table this March. Their perseverance paid off with a first contract that includes job protection measures such as a grievance procedure, plus a 4 percent raise over two years (retroactive to January 2009) and other benefits.
Aylward attributes the local’s success to Parr’s leadership skills. “She told the members, ‘We need to hang in there, we need to be strong, and we’ll eventually get to where we want to be.’ That was the message all the way through.”
Parr credits her co-workers for proving their strength by sticking together in the face of adversity. “I think the city came to realize the employees are valuable. I get the sense they’re going to be a bit easier to work with now that we have the contract in place.”
Soon they will begin bargaining over their second contract.
Read more about their first-contract victory in the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan.
