Union Busting Continuing At Hudson River Park?

"On December 29th of last year, at Ms. Fishman's request, the Trust's Board of Directors approved an additional $150,000 for "Labor and Employment Law Consultation," services of Bond, Schoeneck and King, bringing the total appropriation for the firm to $350,000. The request included no mention of the "union avoidance" training and consultation advertised on the firm's website." - IUOE Local 30 Press Release

A group of 16 workers at Hudson River Park are waiting for a decision by the New York State Labor Relations Board to know if their vote to join IUOE Local 30 union will be upheld. The board will be hearing the appeal on November 9. The next Hudson River Park Trust board meeting is scheduled for December 6. (Photo: Nicole Breskin/DNAinfo)

Manhattan

Battle brewing in Hudson River union bid.

The battle to unionize maintenance and operations workers at Hudson River Park heated up last week when the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30 filed an "improper conduct" charge against the park's trust with the state's Public Employment Relations Board, according to the New York Daily News.

Union officials said the park's management has refused to recognize the workers as union members, even though they voted to join IUOE back in April.

May 2010. A 15 foot inflatable rat, courtesy of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)

Local 30, greeted park-goers attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening of Hudson River Park’s newest facility at Pier 62 in Chelsea. According to Local 30 the rat and informational picket was organized to protest Hudson River Park Trust President Connie Fishman’s continued use of taxpayer and donor funds for a high priced “union avoidance” law firm in an attempt to overturn the union’s election victory in the Park‘s Maintenance and Operations Department.

On April 19th 2010, Hudson River Park's Maintenance and Operations (M&O) personnel voted by a majority of 7 to 5 to join the INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS (IUOE) Local 30. Local 30 has been trying to organize since 2007 and has been fighting what they say is Hudson River Park Trust's continued use of park operating funds for a high priced “union avoidance” campaign run by Bond, Schoeneck and King, a high-priced law firm located upstate. The campaign now includes an effort to overturn the union’s election victory in the Park‘s (M&O) Department the union charges. According to the Union, M&O employees have met the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) criteria three times during the past year to establish union recognition, but each time the Trust delayed recognition with objections and challenges.

Press Release:

October 29, 2010

IUOE Local 30

LOCAL 30 CHARGES IMPROPER CONDUCT BY HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST

Maintenance and Operations workers fighting for union recognition at Hudson River Park claim beleaguered Park Trust President Connie Fishman's costly anti-union crusade has now gone from merely unethical to blatantly illegal.

An improper conduct charge filed with the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) this week claims Trust management has harassed employees that signed a petition demanding the Trust recognize International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30 as their Collective Bargaining Representative and directing the Trust to immediately enter into contract negotiations.

The petition was a response to the Park's continued refusal to recognize Local 30 as their Collective Bargaining Representative. Three times during the past year M&O employees have met the PERB criteria to establish union recognition, but each time the Trust delayed recognition with objections and challenges.

Park employees loudly declared "Union Yes" when the union won an April 19th recognition election. In a May 14th e-mail message Hudson River Park Trust President Connie Fishman assured its Advisory Council the Trust “we have never had any intention of engaging in a protracted, expensive legal fight over the outcome of the vote", even though the Park had already filed a challenge to the election result. The challenge claimed the rules the Trust had agreed to prior to the election, to protect the integrity of the ballots and prevent fraud, should not apply after all. When PERB Public Employment Practices and Representation Director Monte Klein rejected the Trust's challenge, the Trust again dismissed its assurance to the Advisory Council and filed an objection to the Director's decision.

On December 29th of last year, at Ms. Fishman's request, the Trust's Board of Directors approved an additional $150,000 for "Labor and Employment Law Consultation," services of Bond, Schoeneck and King, bringing the total appropriation for the firm to $350,000. The request included no mention of the "union avoidance" training and consultation advertised on the firm's website. While "union avoidance" is commonly recognized as a code name for union busting, the firm's activity at Hudson River Park has coincided with Local 30's organizing activity and the Park's tactics and rhetoric regarding unionization are consistent with that routinely employed by established anti-union consultants, Ms. Fishman insists that the firm is retained for reasons other than an aggressive campaign of misinformation and intimidation.

Read More:

Battle brewing in Hudson River union bid New York Daily News - November 3, 2010 - By Lisa Coangelo

Hudson River Park Trust Fights Employees' Vote to Join Union DNAinfo - October 27, 2010 - By Gabriela Resto-Montero

Hudson River Park Trust Spends Park Money To Fight Union Drive By 16 Employees West View - June 8 2010 - by Zachary Black

HUDSON RIVER PARK SPENDS TAXPAYER MONEY TO OVERTURN LOCAL 30 ELECTION VICTORY

IUOE Local 30 - June 7, 2010 - By Neal Tepel