Post by concernedILAworker on Jul 13, 2009 16:52:58 GMT -5
Union Files Complaint Against Evergreen
Joseph Bonney
Jul 13, 2009
The Journal of Commerce
ILA claims unfair labor practices in coverage of guest workers
The International Longshoremen’s Association filed a complaint accusing Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) of improperly trying to include 13 Taiwanese guest workers among the company’s clerical employees for whom the ILA is negotiating a contract.
ILA Local 1964, based in Ridgefield Park, N.J., filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Evergreen of unfair labor practices and asking the NLRB to clarify the membership of the union’s employee bargaining unit at Evergreen.
The ILA and the company are negotiating a new contract covering clerical workers at Evergreen’s Jersey City offices. After winning NLRB and court appeals of a disputed 2002 employee referendum on union representation, the ILA and company negotiated an initial three-year contract in 2006.
In its petition to the NLRB, the ILA accused the company of abusing visa rules by bringing in overseas workers on visas as trainees or supervisors but employing them in rank-and-file jobs that displace union-represented members at Evergreen. The ILA complained that the Taiwanese workers’ seniority, based in previous work in their home country, protects them from layoffs that the company is implementing.
Evergreen said it was reviewing the petition and had no immediate comment.
Joseph Bonney
Jul 13, 2009
The Journal of Commerce
ILA claims unfair labor practices in coverage of guest workers
The International Longshoremen’s Association filed a complaint accusing Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) of improperly trying to include 13 Taiwanese guest workers among the company’s clerical employees for whom the ILA is negotiating a contract.
ILA Local 1964, based in Ridgefield Park, N.J., filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Evergreen of unfair labor practices and asking the NLRB to clarify the membership of the union’s employee bargaining unit at Evergreen.
The ILA and the company are negotiating a new contract covering clerical workers at Evergreen’s Jersey City offices. After winning NLRB and court appeals of a disputed 2002 employee referendum on union representation, the ILA and company negotiated an initial three-year contract in 2006.
In its petition to the NLRB, the ILA accused the company of abusing visa rules by bringing in overseas workers on visas as trainees or supervisors but employing them in rank-and-file jobs that displace union-represented members at Evergreen. The ILA complained that the Taiwanese workers’ seniority, based in previous work in their home country, protects them from layoffs that the company is implementing.
Evergreen said it was reviewing the petition and had no immediate comment.