AFSCME Receives Injunction to Stop Detroit Custodians From Being Laid Off and Privatized

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-23-2007/0004570997&EDATE=

DETROIT, April 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Albert Garrett, President of Michigan Council 25 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, issued the following statement:

"AFSCME Council 25, and its locals 1220 and 2394, both received an injunction against the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority, and the City of Detroit, from laying off the custodians in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center," stated Garrett. "The Authority had announced plans to privatize the custodial services in the CAYMC, and replace these thirty-plus employees with a private vendor. AFSCME argued that it has a bargaining agreement with the Authority and that the agreement prohibits employees from being laid off and replaced.

Garrett said that he was pleased with the Court's ruling: "The Authority was arguing that the contract it signed with the AFSCME union was signed by the wrong person -- the General Manager of the Authority instead of the Commission Chairman signed it. I could not believe such a hollow argument. Even worse, the Authority operated under the contract for decades, admittedly, but now wants to reject the contract once we use it to save the jobs of our members." In addition to the contract with AFSCME, the City Council and the Authority have an agreement, reflected in a City Council resolution, that all custodians of the CAYMC are to be City employees.

President Garrett is proud that the union won, but knows the fight is not over: "Several years ago, the CAYMC was rated as the cleanest building downtown. Then, half of the staff was eliminated, and they were expected to do the same type of work. We can do the work if you support us. However, the Authority may appeal, and will fight us before the arbitrator and the state labor board. We will continue to fight and protect our membership."


FULL story at link.