Union workers at WCHA file unfair labor practice claim

By Cherri Flinn, Marion Daily Republican
Published: Friday, March 24, 2006 10:57 AM CST

WILLIAMSON COUNTY - More than nine months after negotiations were scheduled to begin, union workers at the Williamson County Housing Authority say that the authority has engaged in unfair labor practices, violating the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act.

On Mar. 22, the union employees filed the charge against the authority. Union Representative Gary Wilson confirmed that he filed the charge on behalf of the workers who are members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local No. 2.

Negotiations began in early June 2005, but over the past nine months, there have been many cancellations by the board, and at least one occasion where the board sent Williamson County Housing Authority executive director to the negotiations, although he was not authorized to be there because he wasn't on the negotiation committee.

"Basically, I was not allowed or authorized to negotiate in any of the union negotiations," said WCHA Executive Director Mark Sosnowski.

"Mark (Sosnowski) did respond to all of their requests except one," said housing authority attorney Steve Green.

Early in the process WCHA Board President Dayton Franklin and Board Member Melvin Fisher were on the negotiating team. However, when Franklin was asked by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to step down from his position, his vacant seat was filled by newly-elected Board President Bill Romeo.

During a recent housing board meeting, the board denied a raise for any non-union personnel citing a deficit in the budget. Non-union personnel have not received a raise in more than a year. Jan. 5 was the last meeting to negotiate the union contract