For Immediate Release
Tuesday, December 18, 2001
AFSCME Wins Biggest Unit Ever for State Workers in Kentucky
Frankfort, KY —In the biggest union election for state workers in Kentucky history, state social and employment services workers in Kentucky have elected the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) to represent them in talks on the Governor's Advisory Council. The victory for 5,000 employees was the union's third consecutive win in statewide elections.
According to the State Labor Cabinet, AFSCME garnered 1,292 votes, no representative 659 votes, and K-LASER 486 votes.
Today's success brings the total to 10,000 state workers who have chosen AFSCME, guaranteeing the union the most state workers and occupational units for the upcoming negotiations with the state. The state Corrections and Law Enforcement unit (3,300) and the state Healthcare unit (1,700) voted overwhelmingly for AFSCME earlier this fall.
"Now we'll be able to fight for better staffing ratios and get lower costs on health insurance," said Family Support Specialist Penelope Howard who works in Fayettte County.
Trecia Dials, a case management specialist from Knott County said, "We'll gain strength by joining the union already chosen by health and corrections employees."
The union has begun to prepare for bargaining with the state by surveying employees and by conducting meetings throughout Kentucky to determine priority issues.
AFSCME organizers will now turn their attention to the Administrative unit-a group of 4,000 state employees who work as administrative specialists, policy analysts, systems consultants and other professional and technical jobs. Nationally, AFSCME represents more than 250,000 professional employees among its 1.3 million members.
"We expect to gather enough cards among the state Administrative employees to seek an election soon," said Kentucky AFSCME Organizing Director Carolyn Klinglesmith.
AFSCME is part of the Public Employees Alliance of Kentucky (PEAK) which includes the United Autoworkers and the Teamsters. The Teamsters won the Labor and Trades unit on Dec. 10, while the UAW filed for the Clerical/Technical and Regulatory/Inspection units on Dec. 7 and is waiting for union election dates to be set by the Labor Cabinet.
State workers won the right to negotiate their pay, working conditions and benefits when Governor Paul E. Patton issued an executive order in May.
