Workers still fighting for fairness at Red Cross in Peoria

It's an outrage: Due to stalling, foot-dragging and illegal anti-union tactics by the Red Cross in Peoria, blood services workers -- the folks who collect donated blood and by doing so, save lives every day -- are being made to fight tooth and nail for fair treatment and a voice on the job, more than six years after they voted to form their union with AFSCME.

That's why a crowd of nearly 100 Red Cross employees, their supporters and fellow AFSCME members marched from the Peoria Labor Temple to Red Cross headquarters on Sunday, July 28, then held an informational picket to raise public awareness of their battle for respect on the job and a first union contract.

You can get a glimpse of the spirited action and hear what's at stake from AFSCME Council 31 staff representative Tim Lavelle in this video by the Peoria Journal-Star:

From the Journal-Star's report:

Red Cross workers voted for union representation in June 2007, but management kept ballots from that vote from being tallied until September 2010, according to a news release. From there, management refused to recognize the union until the beginning of 2011, when contract negotiations began. Six years since the workers voted for representation — and two years since contract negotiations started — and still no contract. Workers who work irregular hours without set days off have started to feel unappreciated for their services.

“The average worker here is only making $11 an hour and we’re just trying to get a fair contract,” LaVelle said. ...

Tina Abel, who trekked to Peoria from Galesburg with her partner to participate in the rally, said she was fed up with the stalling from management and wants to be treated like a valued employee.

“We’re tired of waiting to get a contract and tired of them giving us the run-around and keep appealing,” Abel said.

"[T]here have been a lot of stalls and delays throughout the process," AFSCME's LaVelle told WEEK-TV. "They owe us past wages and future wages. These folks sometimes work completely irregular hours so we're trying to make it more of a normal schedule for them. We're ready for a contract and that's what we're asking -- for a fair and equitable contract now."