A yr after staff on the Nationwide Audubon Society voted to unionize, the union representing them has filed complaints with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over disputes involving wages and well being care advantages.
The primary criticism, often called an Unfair Labor Follow cost, from the Communications Staff of America claims that since early Could, Audubon administration “has refused to cut price over the wages of bargaining-unit workers, together with minimal salaries.”
The second criticism asserts that Audubon violated the Nationwide Labor Relations Act “by unilaterally altering phrases and situations of employment relating to well being care advantages to undermine the Union’s position as unique consultant of the bargaining unit.”
The criticism about well being care advantages stems from a change the nonprofit made to workers’ advantages in November.
Staff say the brand new plan quantities to a 50 p.c enhance in prices for workers. A spokesperson for the union says: “The plan with probably the most inexpensive premiums final yr had a $2,000 deductible and a $4,000 out-of-pocket most. Underneath the brand new plan, the deductible is $3,000 and the out-of-pocket max is $6,000 for a similar premiums.”
Diana Wilson, a union member who works as a communication affiliate at Audubon Connecticut and New York, says administration started to barter with the union a few new well being care plan however “didn’t actually enable our bargaining committee to have the ability to provide you with a counter proposal” earlier than saying adjustments to the plan.
In a press release, JJ Blitstein, Audubon’s director of labor relations, mentioned: “Dealing with considerably rising prices, Audubon negotiated with our insurance coverage service for a 2023 plan with a gross price enhance of simply over 2%. Audubon continues to cowl 83% of premiums for workers, has a progressive pay construction the place greater earners pay extra for a similar plans, and is offering the identical community of medical doctors to not disrupt care.
“Audubon complied with the NLRA always, and we proceed to be dedicated to cut price brazenly and in good religion on all points.”
Maxine Griffin Somerville, the group’s chief individuals and tradition officer, provides: “As insurance coverage premiums are skyrocketing, we care deeply about our Audubon employees and are persevering with to offer complete and high-quality advantages.”
Wilson says that in addition to the particular complaints about pay and advantages, the union needs to really feel a way of partnership with Audubon administration.
“What the union is asking for is basically not that excessive,” Wilson mentioned. “We’re asking once more that they’ve bargained in good religion. We’re asking that Audubon come to the bargaining desk seeking to collaborate with us, seeking to work with us, seeking to create a company the place the workers are capable of be supported and really feel supported that may enable us to proceed to do the important work that we do that individuals help Audubon for: Issues like conservation and neighborhood applications, the science work we do, the journalistic work we do. All of that stuff can’t exist and might’t occur, and positively can’t occur on the high quality that we’re capable of put it out at now with no workforce that really feel and are supported by Audubon administration.”
It’s troublesome to say what comes subsequent with the complaints. In accordance with the NLRB, Unfair Labor Follow prices immediate investigations by regional area examiners and attorneys. “Greater than half of all prices are withdrawn or dismissed. In instances the place an investigation finds possible advantage, the bulk settle by agreements between the events. If no settlement may be reached, the Regional Director points a criticism detailing the alleged violations.” Thus far in 2022, almost 18,000 complaints have been filed nationwide, and greater than 5,100 have been settled.
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