AFSCME Decidedly Wins Election with 83 Percent of Voters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SALT LAKE CITY – Dec. 10, 2009 –  Skilled Trades, Services and Maintenance employees decidedly voted to form a labor union with Local 1004 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.  This week, Salt Lake County certified the election results and declared AFSCME the winner with 83 percent of the voters.

“The victory in the Skilled Trades, Services and Maintenance is part of a tide of momentum building throughout the county in support of AFSCME,” said Patty Rich, Executive Director of Utah AFSCME Local 1004.

“County employees in a wide array of jobs – from nurses to security officers to lab technicians – are uniting with Utah AFSCME because the employees take enormous pride in Salt Lake County,” Rich said.  “Together we’re working to improve the quality of the services they provide and prevent future pay cuts that hurt our local economy.”

“I’m worried about the 2.75 percent pay cut because I have a family to support,” said John Farrer, who has maintained roads and highways for six years as a District Worker in the Highway Department.  “We need a strong union voice to represent the interests of working families.  That’s why I voted for Utah AFSCME.”

Employees from the county’s Civilian Law Enforcement division are expected to vote early next year on whether to form a union.  An election was held within the unit in early December, at which AFSCME had a strong showing, but was ruled invalid due to a technicality.

Utah AFSCME Local 1004 has been representing Utah public service employees for over 30 years, including Salt Lake City municipal employees.  The union recently worked to pass a county ordinance that allows county employees to choose union representation. 

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