There's Something About Mary Johnson

UAW members employed at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts have been in contract negotiations since May and have been told by management there is no money for any raises for the direct care workers.

Additionally several Unfair Labor Practice charges have been filed by the Union against the YWCA. They include complaints about what the Union views as union animus behavior towards one of the Union’s activist/stewards and also complaints about what the Union believes is an attempt to stifle criticism by Union members by prohibiting them from speaking to the press. (Not exactly keeping in keeping with their “mission” to “empower women and end racism”).

Because the YWCA claimed an inability to pay for wage increases rather then just a refusal to provide increases the YWCA was obliged to provide financial information to the Union. That information was reviewed by the UAW Auditing Department at the UAW International in Detroit.

A summary of that review is being posted to this site for anyone interested in seeing it. While claiming an inability to provide raises of any kind to their employees who actually do the work that the YWCA boasts about, Ms. Johnson and her management staff have received substantial raises. (Please note the salaries for Executive Director Mary Johnson and her management staff at the end of the financial summary)

While the YWCA has made no offer of wage increases for their direct care workers claiming they can not afford any, Executive Director Mary Johnson and other members of upper management have received substantial raises. In fact Mary Johnson received a 7.8 % increase in Fiscal Year Ending (FYE) 2007 briging her salary to $129,303 not including her “benefits” package valued at $8,669. Ms Johnson had also received a wage increase of 19% in FYE 2006.

Earlier in the summer (June 28, 2008) members of UAW 2322 employed at the YWCA and their supporters leafleted at Springfield Symphony Hall during a fundraiser being put on by the YWCA at which Sweet Honey in the Rock performed. They were trying to inform the public about the status of YWCA contract negotiations. The YWCA repsone was to have their lawyers send a letter to the Union warning not to violate the contract and containing what was viewed as a thinly veiled threat to close programs.

The contract was recently terminated so that members and their supporters can engage in more public actions as the contract had prohibited certain job actions including picketing and striking.

UAW/YWCA members will be meeting to discuss future actions and will be asking for community support to help them win a fair and equitable contract with reasonable wage increases. Please contact Ron Patenaude, President UAW 2322 if you would like to help or be notified of any upcoming job actions.

Finally ,the YWCA has spent in excess of $200,000 for the services of an antiunion law firm over the last several years in an attempt to first prevent the YWCA workers from joining a Union and then to stonewall bargaining. Obviously the YWCA seems to have money for some purposes. It is a shame they don't place as much value on their workers as they do on lawyers. (For more infomration on these costs and a history of the YWCA employees trials and tribulations as they organized and joined the UAW please check earlier posts on this site).