For Immediate Release
Monday, January 25, 1999
By Close to a 2-to-1 Margin RHD Workers Vote for Union
PHILADELPHIA, PA —After a six week organizing campaign that was riddled with anti-union rhetoric and employee intimidation, the need for dignity and respect won out when employees of Resources for Human Development (RHD) voted by almost a 2 to 1 margin to be represented by the United Child Care Union (UCCU) an affiliate of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees/AFSCME.
RHD employees, including teachers, caseworkers, cooks, bus drivers and maintenance workers, voted 243 to 125 for UCCU representation. UCCU will represent a bargaining unit of 400 employees. The unit will be the first to affiliate with UCCU since it was chartered by NUHHCE in May 1998.
“We now have a voice to bring about change in our workplace and have input in program decisions that impact the quality of our jobs and the services we provide to the children we care for,” said Sheila Womack, assistant teacher at Rainbow Central.
Some of the issues that emerged during the course of the organizing campaign were the need for improved working conditions, better benefits, improved wages and adequate staffing levels.
“For far too long we have been saying that parents can’t afford to pay, teachers can’t afford to stay and the union is a better way,” said Henry Nicholas, president of NUHHCE/AFSCME. “Friday’s vote proved that child care workers were ready for a change and decided it was time to stand up for dignity, respect and a living wage in order to improve child care jobs and provide better care for children.”
NUHHCE represents over 70,000 members and has over 25 years of experience unionizing health care workers. NUHHCE is affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the nation’s largest public employee and health care workers union.
