Letter City Councilors William Greenlee And Blondell Reynolds-Brown Tells Guards That City Law Protects Against Employer Claims

Leaders from the Philadelphia Security Officers Union (PSOU) expected their employer to warn that a vote for the union was a vote to loose their jobs. Union organizers hope that a letter from City Councilors William Greenlee and Blondell Reynolds-Brown that points out that even if the company decided to leave the contract behind, their jobs would be protected by the Philadelphia "Protection For Displaced Sub-Contractors" Law.

Though it is illegal under the National Labor Relations Act for an employer to make the claim that unionizing will result in the loose of employment, a recent poll found that 79% percent of workers in union efforts think that they are likely to loose their job for supporting the union and additional 71% are told that their employer will lose business and be force to close. Security guards at the Philadelphia Museum of Art have heard both claims.

"We expected the company to say these things. But, if we file Unfair Labor Practices against them, it works in their favor. They just get more time to erode our majority by postponing our election " says Cecelia Lynch, a founding member of the independent, PSOU.

"There have been a lot of false threats and rumors floated among the guards." says Jennifer Collazo, PSOU member and museum guard.

"We think that this letter will knock down the rumors. We also know that Allied is making a bunch of promises. But, we know that only a binding legal, union contract will guarantee guards the changes that we need," further state Callazo.

The Philadelphia "Protection for Displaced Sub-Contractors" Law states that if in the case that a sub-contract changes hands in the city, the new employer must offer all of the old employees their jobs back and must retain them for three months.

The union aims to reverse the decrease in wages an benefits that began when the museum guards were privatized in 1992. The changes that they propose include raising wages above the Federal Poverty Guidelines, affordable health care, a better scheduling and sick-leave policies.

The letter from At-Large City Counciman William Greenlee and At-Large City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown follows the Thursday passage of a City Council resolution that was co-sponsored by Maria Quinones-Sanchez

The election to certify the Philadelphia Security Officers Union as the collective bargaining representative for the 130 security guards at the Philadelphia Museum of Art will happen at 6:30 am - 10:30 am and again from 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm on Friday, October 9 and from 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm on Saturday, October 10.