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).

For the second time in as many weeks there has been a judgment against the YWCA of Western Mass for violations of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

In response to a previous decision and Order against the YWCA by Administrative Law Judge David I. Goldman, U.S. Federal District Judge Michael Ponsor has ruled that the YWCA must adhere to that decision and granted 10 J Injunctive Relief to UAW Local 2322 the duly elected bargaining representatives for employees of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts. Now two Federal Judges have found the YWCA guilty of violating U.S. Labor laws

In his decision U.S District Judge Ponsor ordered that the YWCA implement the previous order of Administrative Law Judge David I. Goldman which orders YWCA management to �sign the collective-bargaining agreement reached with the Union and ratified by employees on April 20, 2005.� It also orders the YWCA to stop �interfering with, restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of rights guaranteed them by Section 7 of the Act (National Labor Relations Act).

The YWCA is estimated to have spent several hundred thousand dollars in legal expenses fighting their workers rights from the onset of the workers efforts to organize and join UAW Local 2322. Available IRS records indicate that the YWCA spent $68,951 in legal fees in the Fiscal Year Ending (FYE) 6/30/04 and $46,738 in FYE 6/30/05 for a total of $115,689. Those figures do not include costs incurred from 7/1/05 until now which will be considerable given the legal fight the YWCA has waged against the NLRB charges.

Those figures were recently amended as they YWCA has previously claimed no legal expenses for those periods and were only amended when UAW Local 2322 President Ron Patenaude filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General�s office over what he saw as discrepancies in their IRS filings.

Patenaude said �it�s sad to think that the YWCA who solicits money thorough its charities and the United Way, are instead of helping the victims who come to them for help or increasing the meager wages paid their employees are squandering those monies on high priced lawyers to break a union which a majority of employees voted for.� UAW International Representative Henry Fijalkowski added, �This is the second ruling supporting our position that the YWCA violated their workers rights and I hope that the YWCA management will recognize this and stop expending what have been exorbitant amounts to avoid their legal obligations under the NLRA.�

For More information contact Ron Patenaude 413-534-7600

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD FINDS FOR UAW LOCAL 2322 IN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE DECISION AGAINST THE YWCA OF WESTERN MASS.

The NLRB has ordered the YWCA of Western Mass to �Cease and Desis� its violations of the National Labor Relations Act in response to Unfair Labor Practice charges filed by UAW Local 2322. The charges were filed over the YWCA�s illegal withdrawal of recognition and over their failure and refusal to sign and execute a collective bargaining agreement previously reached with the Union.

In his decision Administrative Law Judge David I. Goldman orders YWCA management to �sign the collective-bargaining agreement reached with the Union and ratified by employees on April 20, 2005.� It also orders the YWCA to stop �interfering with, restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of rights guaranteed them by Section 7 of the Act (National Labor Relations Act). The decision also included 8 additional provisions including an order to post a �Notice to Employees� at all YWCA worksites acknowledging that the YWCA violated Federal Labor Law and agreeing to stop engaging in those violations.

Former YWCA employee and Licensed Social Worker Kim Milberg said, �It�s great that the YWCA workers who elected to join the Union are finally getting justice.� Another current YWCA employee who asked that their name not be used said, �I voted for the Union and I�m glad the YWCA will now have to honor our contract.�

UAW Local 2322 President Ron Patenaude stated he felt this was �a great victory for workers who increasingly face work environments hostile to workers� rights; specifically the right to form, join or assist union as guaranteed under the NLRA.� Patenaude also voiced concern over the growing number of �nonprofits� such as the YWCA who would rather hire expensive antiunion lawyers to avoid or violate workers� rights to join union, spending 10s or even 100s of thousands of dollars on those activities rather than improving workers salaries and working conditions.

For More information contact Ron Patenaude 413-427-3785

As we all know, government agencies have been closely scrutinizing corporate financial documuents to help root out fiscal mismanagement on the part of its top officers. Corporate leaders should go through all government financial filings with with a fine toothed comb to make sure there's no sign of accounting irregularities or fraud occuring within the organization. Playing games with other people's money isn't something the government takes to very kindly.