UCLA Labor Relations to decide on recognizing union to represent trade workers

The UCLA Employee and Labor Relations department will decide whether to recognize Teamsters Local 2010 as a union to represent its skilled trade workers Friday, bringing more than 600 currently unrepresented workers at UCLA a step closer to negotiating new contracts.

Two unions have been fighting to represent the service engineer sector since its previous contract expired on Oct. 23, 2015. The debate has stalled employee contract negotiations for more than two months.

The UCLA craft workers department is comprised of UCLA Health Services, Facilities Management, ASUCLA, UCLA Athletics and UCLA Housing employees.

Workers began searching for new representation when their contract between the State Employee Trade Council-United and UCLA expired at the end of October. SETC declined to renew their contract with UCLA.

Laura Newman, a UCLA refrigerator service engineer, said union Teamsters Local 2010 submitted paperwork to the Public Employment Relations Board or PERB, to represent all of UCLA’s skilled craft workers, including service engineers. However, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 501 filed for an intervention under PERB to represent the service engineers. IUOE unions, which specifically represent stationary engineers, have previously bargained for UCLA service engineers.

PERB is an administrative agency responsible for settling representational disputes for employees of California and its public schools, colleges and universities. The agency will ultimately decide whether Teamsters representation is appropriate for all UCLA employees.

PERB has acknowledged both the recognition petition from Teamsters Local 2010, which allows them to represent all skilled craft workers, and the intervention from IUOE Local 501, said Wendi Ross, deputy general counsel in the Office of General Counsel for PERB. Since October, both unions have been in contact with UCLA service engineers.

Ross added PERB cannot proceed without a response from UCLA, because of the PERB regulations.

UCLA spokesperson Ricardo Vazquez said Anthony Solana Jr., UCLA Director of Employee and Labor Relations, was scheduled to respond by Dec. 30. UCLA requested an extension to respond to the two bargaining units on Jan. 8, citing the school’s winter break closure.

Until Solana responds, UCLA craft workers will continue to work without union representation.

Several service engineers said they favor IUOE Local 501 because they think it can better represent their needs.

“(Service engineers) are seeking separate representation,” said Clayton Benson, a service engineer. “Everyone (else) wants Teamsters and we want 501.”

Ben Gonzalez, a steam operating engineer at UCLA, said he thinks service engineers support IUOE Local 501 because their voice has not been heard under other unions that don’t specifically work with stationary engineers.

He added he thinks service engineers prefer Local 501 because it will help them to obtain a higher salary, more training and increased safety.

“If you compare UCLA to the other UCs, we’ve had a small percentage of wage increase,” Gonzalez said.

Other sectors of the skilled craft workers support Teamsters Local 2010.

Gary Comer, former SETC chief steward and UCLA sign shop worker, said he thinks Teamsters have the finances, experience and resources to support the craft workers.

Newman said she thinks continued lack of representation will gravely affect the craft workers’ ability to negotiate a fair salary, raises and safety guidelines.

She added she thinks the tension created by the uncertainty of the situation has created some animosity between service engineers and the rest of the craft workers, and is damaging to their work environment.

“Bargaining stops without a union,” Newman said.