United Way Worldwide has signed a card-check agreement with The NewsGuild. The action is a result of negotiations taking place since May, when about three dozen UWW “associates” voted against forming a WBNG unit.
Under the new neutrality agreement, both the professional associates and support staff will be able to more easily organize a Guild shop.
UWW’s chief operating officer had led a vigorous anti-union campaign in the run-up to the election. “Some of the letters that management sent to employees were made public and unions around the country contacted United Way and questioned their continued participation in United Way campaigns,” said Guild Administrative Director Tim Schick. In a report to the WBNG Executive Council near the end of April, Schick said he was confident of a WBNG victory.
United Way employees in regional offices nationwide had begun talking with WBNG in late 2014. Following unit-determination hearings, an election was held May 13. “We lost the drive after UWW used some bad tactics,” said Guild President Bernie Lunzer. But by late summer, the relationship had been repaired. “They made a mistake and acknowledged that. We believe we’re past that now that the card check agreement is in place. I believe UWW and TNG-CWA share many of the same social justice values.”
WBNG has represented professional staff in UWW’s Department of Labor Participation since a first contract was signed in 1997. Successive Guild contracts were achieved in 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011. The 2011 contract – under which the six-covered associates based in Alexandria are receiving 3 percent wage hikes – was recently extended to April 30, 2016..