By David Fleet
Editor
Ortonville- On April 7, representatives from the Village will meet for the first time with Teamsters Local 214 to discuss ground rules for a labor contract with the department of public works.
Les Barrett, a trustee with Local 214 said a series of 47 proposals ranging from non-economic to disability to wages and hours will be discussed at the closed session meeting.
Paul Zelenak along with attorney Richard W. Fanning, Jr. from Detroit based Keller-Thomas will represent the village in the talks while Barrett along with Dan Hackman from the village DPW will represent Local 214.
‘Much of the language for the contract comes from existing Teamster contracts,? said Barrett. ‘This process could take up to six months to complete. It depends on how agreeable each side is in settling a contract. The first contract is always the most difficult.?
In April 2003 the Ortonville Department of Public Works employees filed to be represented by Teamsters Local 214.
Barrett said when the issue regarding the union started the village objected to one of the three DPW employees included in the bargaining unit. At issue says Barrett, was the incorporation of a supervisor within the group of the three DPW workers.
The Local 214 has a membership of more than 9,000 and is the largest Teamsters local union in the state. The local currently represents three bargaining units at the Brandon School district: food service, custodial and maintenance; bus drivers and mechanic employees.
Following a hearing before an administrative law judge for the Michigan Employment Relations Commission in December 2003, the commission ruled in favor of all three employees included in the bargaining unit.
An election was held in September 2004 and by a vote of 2-1 the bargaining rights were awarded.
The village DPW workers declined comment following the vote.
The village was notified last fall in a letter from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth Employment Relations Commission regarding the outcome of the vote.
Teamsters Local 214 was chartered in 1965 to represent only public employees in the State of Michigan administrative, technical, clerical, law enforcement, labor and trade occupation in public employment.