Hard Hatted Women Goes UNION!!

I have no idea if there was much of a fight from the 8 employees to join a union, but I'm proud of this organization that I've been hooping and hollering for these past years...why? Take a look:

HARD HATTED WOMEN ALIGNS MISSION WITH PURPOSE, ANNOUNCING A UNIONIZED WORKFORCE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – May 22, 2008. Hard Hatted Women (HHW) today announced its ratification of a union contract, making HWW employees the newest members of OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) Local 1794.

Seeking to provide equality, diversity and job protection—values they tirelessly defend on behalf of their constituents—within the walls of their own offices, management and workers came to an agreement on terms last week. A contract was ratified on May 13th, 2008.

Says Terri Burgess Sandu, Co-Interim Executive Director, “As non-profits are increasingly encouraged to adopt a framework and practices similar to corporate America, we are also seeing a trend towards unionization in the non-profit sector. I believe that all working people deserve to have a voice in decisions of wages, job protection, and benefits that affect our quality of life. We advocate those benefits for hundreds of women on a daily basis. For HHW, this is an excellent opportunity as we carry our mission into a fourth decade of doing business in Ohio.”

Adds Board of Directors President Calli Frehmeyer, “As a longtime member of both Laborers Local 310 and Hard Hatted Women it only made sense to support the employees’ efforts to unionize. I believe by doing this we are not only supporting our staff but we are standing in solidarity with labor. The board supports the staff and believes in them wholeheartedly.”

The OPEIU Local 1794 negotiating team included Sandra Harvey, Christine Bowen, and Winny Clark, who were joined by HHW staff members Shelly Richmond and Kelly Kupcak. “We look forward to a long and mutually satisfying relationship with this organization. We feel that the Staff of HHW are both dedicated and energetic. We are pleased to welcome them into our Local Union, and excited to have successfully negotiated their initial contract with them,” states Sandra Harvey.

At its Cleveland office, HHW employs eight people, five of whom will now be part of the OPEIU Local 1794. HHW regularly works to place women in nontraditional occupations represented by a wide variety of unionized trade organizations.

With funding and participation from the local community, state organizations and federal government, HHW leverages their experience to assist women gain access to living wage jobs in nontraditional fields of employment. With a comprehensive platform including training, outreach, mentoring, leadership development, and programs for youth, HHW provides a single location where women can access employment, retention and advancement services for high wage, nontraditional careers. HHW also serves as a resource for employers seeking to attract and retain a qualified, diverse workforce.

YEAH!!