


President Mark Huddleston sent out a letter to staff members on Feb. 12, and included a brochure, which is intended help staff members "make an informed choice," about unionization. "While I believe that there are places and circumstances where unions are essential in the fight for decent wages and safe working conditions, I also firmly believe that this is not one of them," Huddleston wrote in the letter.
He said UNH community, administrators and staff historically, have worked together harmoniously to ensure the staff is paid fairly and has safe working conditions.
"My choice would always be to work directly with each of you and your colleagues and not through a negotiating team," Huddleston wrote.
Both unions have been in Durham for more than six months meeting with staff workers and sending out mailings and setting up headquarters.
Lonn Sattler, who works in the registrar's office at UNH said he equates unionizing to a real estate agency helping someone purchase a home. Sattler said he's a AUW supporter.
"When you buy a house you get people around who know the ins and outs and make sure nothing is left out. Experience on your side," he said.
AFSCME labor organizer, Rudy Renaud, said the union has always had an interest in New Hampshire's university system. However, with the new regulations regarding state labor statutes, organizers from both labor unions felt the time was right to organize.
"We've had contacts out here for a long time. Things started to move more quickly with recent state statutes set in place, last year, said Renaud. Once written majority authorization passed things really started to pick up. It makes it much easier to organize."
The new statute that was passed in October indicates that if the union can demonstrate a majority of employees who could be in the union signed cards, the union can be deemed the authorized representative by the state Public Employee Labor Relations Board without an election.
Renaud said the time between determining a majority of employees are interested in organizing and the date of a staff election often gave employers time to bust up the union's effort.
"It's nice to not have to go to elections anymore," she said.
Renaud said the staff's interest in unionizing is based on concerns about health care benefits and wage increases.
Sattler said there are several reasons why he and others want to organize the staff employees.
"You hear horror stories, there are the haves and the have-nots. The faculty has better benefits than we do. It's basically about everybody working together and finding the weak spots. When you're done (negotiations) the administration and staff all know that all the information is out there and this is the best (agreement) everybody can get," Sattler said.
Renaud said most of the employees she's talked to are seeking better benefits, a way to get compensation for additional work and more opportunities for career advancement. "There's no career-ladder," she said.
We opened up an office on corner of Madbury and Main Street across from the post office. We are continuing to hold meetings but Nothing can replace the one on one conversation," she said.
The AUW's headquarters are at the Holiday Inn Express in Durham.
(fosters.com)