Union Representation

Workers at Lehigh Portland Cement Co. flashed the thumbs-up sign to each other late Thursday afternoon when they learned they would be represented by a new union."

Getting fired propelled Roxie Herbekian into three decades of work as a labor organizer. The president of Local 7 of Unite Here, an international union that represents workers in the hospitality industry, was working as a non-union waitress and room service phone operator at the Watergate complex in Washington in 1981 when she joined a Unite Here effort to represent workers. "I got fired for organizing," Herbekian said. She began working for the union, organizing campaigns in Washington, Northern Virginia and Baltimore.

David Marshall is 36, and he's already spent two decades at one of the hardest, dirtiest jobs in the poultry industry - catching panicked chickens and cramming them into cages to be hauled to Delmarva processing plants. Right now, says Marshall, who has caught millions of the birds at farms across the peninsula, things have never looked better for him and 120 or so catchers who work for home-grown industry giant Perdue Farms Inc. Years of court fights and union rallies - aided by a coalition of labor, environmental and legal aid groups that have targeted the Eastern Shore's largest industry - have paid off in recent months with long-sought overtime pay, employee benefits and a new union.

A contentious battle is unfolding in the quiet town of Westminster, where rank and file police officers seeking union representation are squaring off against the police chief and mayor, a former state cop with nearly three decades experience. Town leaders accuse the Fraternal Order of Police of rabble rousing and infiltrating the 45-member department to make trouble and expand their union ranks. A top police union executive says 32 city cops signed a letter wanting to organize to get their voices heard.

Ending a 10-week strike, workers at Up-To-Date Laundry in Southwest Baltimore overwhelmingly approved last night a three-year contract that calls for an immediate wage increase of up to $1 an hour, health and pension benefits and, for the first time, union representation. Workers, who will be represented by the Union of Needletraders, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE!), will return to work Monday. For 24 hours a day since April 23, workers had picketed at Up-To-Date's facility on DeSoto Road.

Getting fired propelled Roxie Herbekian into three decades of work as a labor organizer. The president of Local 7 of Unite Here, an international union that represents workers in the hospitality industry, was working as a non-union waitress and room service phone operator at the Watergate complex in Washington in 1981 when she joined a Unite Here effort to represent workers. "I got fired for organizing," Herbekian said. She began working for the union, organizing campaigns in Washington, Northern Virginia and Baltimore.

For the seventh time in 25 years, workers at the Elkton division of Thiokol Corp. have rejected a bid for union representation.In a vote conducted Thursday by the National Labor Relations Board, employees of the Cecil County rocket plant voted 154-to-65 against the International Association of Machinists. About 230 production, maintenance, technical and clerical employees were eligible to vote in the secret balloting.The plant produces the STAR series of solid propellant rockets for space missions.

Hundreds of health care workers — many who say they can't afford care from the hospitals where they're employed — demanded better wages and benefits at a rally Thursday where actor and activist Danny Glover was on hand to back their cause. Some workers came from work, still dressed in scrubs, to tell their stories about juggling bills to make it on small salaries. Many talked about holding side jobs. They were nurse's assistants, laundry workers and those who check in patients and serve them food.

Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. employees will vote today to accept or reject union representation, the first such election involving the utility's workers in more than three decades.Over the next two days, nearly 3,500 BGE workers are slated to cast votes at 11 polling stations set up by the National Labor Relations Board to determine through a simple majority whether BGE will maintain its 180-year status as a union-free company.At stake, too, is perhaps the fate of collective bargaining in the planned Constellation Energy Corp.

The International Ladies Garment Workers Union refused to participate in Thursday's election for representation of the Merry-Go-Round Enterprises Inc. Joppa warehouse workers.The company said that 314 employees are eligible to vote, but theunion has challenged that number through the National Labor Relations Board, saying that the figure is closer to 275.The NLRB in Washington will rule on the validity of Thursday's election.More than 800 people work for Merry-Go-Round at the Joppa location, but none is represented by a union.

Hundreds of health care workers — many who say they can't afford care from the hospitals where they're employed — demanded better wages and benefits at a rally Thursday where actor and activist Danny Glover was on hand to back their cause. Some workers came from work, still dressed in scrubs, to tell their stories about juggling bills to make it on small salaries. Many talked about holding side jobs. They were nurse's assistants, laundry workers and those who check in patients and serve them food.

A prominent Baltimore city councilman is raising questions about a possible merger of emergency and non-emergency workers in a shared dispatch center, with labor leaders worrying that the idea could be a precursor to stripping dozens of employees of union representation. Councilman Bernard C. "Jack" Young, a leading candidate for City Council president, has called for a hearing on a plan to combine the city's 311 and 911 call centers, which officials say is in early stages of discussion.

A prominent Baltimore city councilman is raising questions about a possible merger of emergency and non-emergency workers in a shared dispatch center, with labor leaders worrying that the idea could be a precursor to stripping dozens of employees of union representation. Councilman Bernard C. "Jack" Young, a leading candidate for City Council president, has called for a hearing on a plan to combine the city's 311 and 911 call centers, which officials say is in early stages of discussion.

Drivers and attendants employed by the city school system's largest bus contractor, First Student Inc., met with Teamsters officials at a rally yesterday and then marched onto their employer's bus lot to demand improved bus maintenance and health benefits. "Time after time we have asked First Student to respect us," said Sheila Wactor, a First Student bus driver who supports joining the union. "The way to make a change is to vote `yes' [for the union]." Leading the event at the lot in White Marsh was Jim Hoffa, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the son of Jimmy Hoffa, the Teamsters' leader who mysteriously vanished 31 years ago and is presumed dead.

Anne Arundel County officials and the sergeants in the Sheriff's Office are headed for arbitration to resolve a dispute over their bid to become what would be the smallest bargaining unit in the county government. Personnel Officer Mark M. Atkisson turned down Friday the sergeants' bid to create an eight-member bargaining unit under the National Union of Law Enforcement Associations (NULEA). He infuriated the sergeants by doing it after the Oct. 31 deadline for certifying a bargaining unit and by directing them away from that union and toward the group that represents sergeants at the jail.

Tugboat crews were misled on union vote The Seafarers International Union (SIU) takes issue with The Sun's article about Moran Towing tugboat crews giving up union representation ("Tug firm crewmen can quit union," Sept. 18). The SIU contends that the company misled the workers to influence their vote. First -- and this detail is crucial -- no SIU contract provision allows Moran to reduce staffing by one union position. Contrary to what was stated in the article, no such provision exists.

An article Saturday incorrectly reported that Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. is challenging the votes of 726 employees in a union election. BGE maintains the contested votes should be counted in the election; the International Brotherhood ofElectrical Workers wants the votes excluded.The Sun regrets the errors.Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. employees have voted down union representation for the second time in two years, but the company's margin of victory was so small that a final outcome won't be certain for weeks.

Union officials helping to organize janitors in Baltimore said yesterday that negotiations with several commercial cleaning companies will begin this month. But they did not rule out more strikes and civil disobedience if agreements aren't reached. Six commercial cleaning companies have agreed to negotiate with the union, which is seeking better wages and health benefits for part-time and full-time workers. While about 100 workers returned to work at the six companies after strikes began 22 days ago, about 25 workers continued striking at two companies that have not agreed to negotiate - Metropolitan Maintenance and Broadway Services, union officials said.

In Baltimore City Project to rebuild Market Place to cause traffic changes A 10-month project to rebuild Market Place between Pratt and Water streets will begin today, forcing temporary changes to downtown streets, the city's Office of Transportation said. During construction, Market Place will be converted to a one-way street northbound. In addition, Water Street will become one-way westbound from Market Place to Gay Street. Work is expected to be completed by July. Crews will rebuild the two blocks of Market Place, installing new utilities, curbs, brick sidewalks, lights and landscaping.

Union officials helping to organize janitors in Baltimore said yesterday that negotiations with several commercial cleaning companies will begin this month. But they did not rule out more strikes and civil disobedience if agreements aren't reached. Six commercial cleaning companies have agreed to negotiate with the union, which is seeking better wages and health benefits for part-time and full-time workers. While about 100 workers returned to work at the six companies after strikes began 22 days ago, about 25 workers continued striking at two companies that have not agreed to negotiate - Metropolitan Maintenance and Broadway Services, union officials said.