Mansfield workers will be represented by AFSCME.
By:Eve Collins
MANSFIELD Municipal employees voted to unionize Feb. 3 and will be represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Township white-collar employees approached District Council 71 about unionizing in November of 2002, said John Hemmy, associate director of AFSCME District Council 71.
The district council will represent 16 clerical workers in Mansfield, Mr. Hemmy said.
These workers approached the union because they were dissatisfied and wanted their rights protected, he said.
The ballots were sent out to the workers. Eleven of the employees voted to unionize; one employee voted not to unionize; three did not send their ballots back.
One employee’s vote is being challenged by the Township Committee as to whether that person should be included in the union.
Mansfield Township Mayor Arthur Puglia said he could not comment. None of the workers was available for comment.
Mr. Hemmy said since there are only 16 members, they would probably be a chapter of another local union.
The workers must elect a chapter chairperson and assistant chairperson to act as a spokesperson, which they will do in the coming weeks, he said.
Once this is done, he said, the workers will then decide what to negotiate for and will begin negotiations with the township by late March or early April.
The township could elect to have the mayor, a committee member, or the administrator enter into negotiations with the workers, Mr. Hemmy said.
Contracts generally consist of hours, wages and conditions of employment, Mr. Hemmy said.
He said it was too early to comment on what specifically the Mansfield employees would be asking for.
District Council 71’s main office is in Williamstown, Mr. Hemmy said.
It covers the lower eight counties of the state, representing local, state, utility authority, and nursing home employees.
Founded in 1936, AFSCME represents more than 1.3 million state and municipal employees, health care and education workers across the nation.
AFSCME has about 3,500 chartered local unions and affiliates in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
AFSCME members work in dozens of occupations including health care, education, corrections, transportation, information technology and social services.
AFSCME is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and Public Service International.
The township Road Department workers already are represented by the Communication Workers of America, which also is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

