Friday, December 28, 2007

The Pro-Lori/ Anti-Union Petition: "Exhibit A" in the Case for Unionizing

Have you been approached to sign a “pro-Lori, anti-union” petition? If so, do you believe that the petitioner is acting strictly under his own initiative? Did he wake up and decide to start a counter-movement after reading the weird letter Lori recently mailed us all in response to an article in an AFSCME newsletter? Did he declare that he is taking his vacation hours to talk to you? Do his actions seem authentic or orchestrated?

Even if you wanted to, could you really say “no” to a pro-Lori petition--or to doing political dirty work on her behalf--without worrying about your job security? You are, after all, an at-will employee, and Lori can fire any of us for any reason or for no reason at all. Why does a state attorney general need nearly 300 "at-will" employees? It makes no sense and it doesn't seem to jibe with the intent of Minn Stat 8.31.

In fact, if you do get fired, you’ll never know why, because the administration won’t tell you! Just ask the dozens of employees who have been fired from the office since January 1999. While you’re at it, ask them what it’s like to be called to the Capitol, summarily fired and then told they can’t return to their offices to pick up their personal belongings until after hours, and then only with an escort. If you think it can’t happen to you, think again! No attorney or legal assistant at the AGO—no matter how competent, how hard working or how loyal—is safe from this kind of treatment. We need the protection of a union contract for this very reason.

Sign the petition if you feel like you have to, but then find us to sign a card so you don't ever get put in this position again. agorganizer@gmail.com