City Workers to Vote Soon on Union

Some city employees will vote soon on whether to accept a new union, a procedure that has drawn heated protest from an established labor group.

The City Council recognized the new union, the Technical, Office and Professionals Assn., last week. But Robin Nahin, representing the Buena Park City Employees Assn., said the city manager erred last month when he ruled that the petition submitted by the rival union was valid.

Nahin asked the council to deny the petition or call in state mediators to resolve the dispute. The petition by the new union, TOPs, to hold an election among employees was filed after the due date, was missing dates and validation of signatures, and was overly influenced by management, she said.

Attorney Steve Filarsky, defending the city manager’s decision to recognize the group, said the petition had been filed on time and disputed the other allegations.

“The only thing TOPs is asking for is an election determining whether TOPs should be recognized,” he said.

The Buena Park City Employees Assn. represents a mixed group of employees in City Hall and the city’s maintenance yard. The 30-year-old union, representing 120 employees, excludes police and some management groups, who have their own associations to bargain with the city over wages and benefits.

Nahin said that TOPs would split the current union in half, draining its strength and membership just weeks before the current contract expires.

“I don’t know if you understand the seriousness of the issue at hand,” she told the council.

Council members said that they did not necessarily support splitting the union. But they agreed that the TOPs petition was valid and that the group had the right to hold an election. The date for the voting has not been set.