PSA Option 6 AFSCME Organizing Update

As you know, the ballot count for PSA Option 6 employees was scheduled for today -- Friday, September 26th. Unbelievably, but perhaps not surprisingly, the State did not provide the information required to allow the vote count to move forward.

The State failed to provide signature exemplars for almost 100 eligible voters – (93 to be exact). In addition, the States challenged the eligibility of certain voters on the basis of their supervisory, confidential and managerial status, as well as challenged votes on the basis that certain employees were no longer PSA Option 6 employees and therefore their ballots should not be counted. Since these challenges could determine the outcome of the election, the Labor Board stopped the vote count.

AFSCME believes the State's conduct in this matter is unconscionable. The State knew for a month that they were required to provide these signatures. Frankly, there is no good reason for their failure. In addition, both AFSCME and the service employees believe that the votes of PSAs who were eligible at the time of the election should be counted.

AFSCME is pushing the Labor Board and the State to move forward as quickly as possible. PSA Option 6 employees have already waited far too long to win the representation they need and deserve. Right now, many PSA Option 6 employees are being threatened with layoffs. If PSA Option 6 employees had AFSCME representation, those affected PSA Option 6s would not only have representation but be afforded the opportunity to move into AFSCME-represented positions. (As many of you know, AFSCME was successful in getting both the House and the Senate to pass supplemental appropriations which would restore the positions now targeted for lay-offs. We are encouraging employees to contact the Governor to approve this appropriation). In addition, each day of delay means another day without the pay raises that PSA Option 6 employees so need.

AFSCME will continue to fight to move this process forward as expeditiously as possible!
For more information, please call AFSCME at 1-800-697-4645, ext. 5383.