Employees at two Salvation Army detox centers have approved their first contract, avoiding a strike that could have seriously hampered bell-ringing fundraising in the Twin Cities.
Eighty-eight percent of the workers represented by AFSCME Local 708 voted Nov. 16 to ratify the one-year contract. It is believed to be the first contract with a Salvation Army unit anywhere in the United States.
As a result of the settlement, labor unions and members are free once again to participate in bell-ringing efforts for the Salvation Army's annual kettle fund-raising drive, said Shar Knutson, president of the Saint Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. The Assembly had led efforts so show solidarity with the detox center workers.
As of early November, the Salvation Army said, unions had cancelled more than 1,500 hours of bell-ringing time.
'The labor movement was making a big impact on their kettle-ringing plans,' said Matt Nelson, business representative for AFSCME Council 14.
The contract covers 40 workers at the two centers -- 1800 Chicago Ave. South and 1010 Currie Ave. -- which treat chemically dependent clients. It provides substantial raises immediately. Care technicians -- who are the majority of the employees -- jump to at least $10 an hour. The median raise is 14.44 percent; three-fourths of workers get raises of more than 10 percent.
In addition, the contract creates a grievance-and-arbitration procedure, 'just cause' provisions, job protections, and dues checkoff. It does not, however, provide union security language or unemployment insurance for workers, two other provisions the union had sought. The contract expires Dec. 31, 2001.
This article was written for the Nov. 22 issue of The Union Advocate newspaper. Used by permission. The Union Advocate is the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org