The group of Senate employees pushing to unionize are "hopeful" that Senate President Karen Spilka will announce her support, even as their wait for a meeting with the Ashland Democrat stretches past the one-month mark.
IBEW Local 2222 delivered a letter to Spilka on March 31 seeking voluntary recognition of a Senate staffers union and requesting a meeting between the employees, labor representatives and the Senate president. Days later, the employees issued a press release and turned to social media spread the word of their movement.
The Massachusetts State House Employee Union turned to Twitter again on Wednesday evening, saying in a new statement that neither of those requests have been fulfilled nearly five weeks later.
"Staff are still seeking a collaborative partnership with the Senate President to recognize the will of her own employees," the group said. "The MSHEU cannot engage in productive dialogue with Senate Leadership if we are not invited to have a seat at the table. With her and the Massachusetts State Senate's track record for supporting organized labor, we are still hopeful she will also affirm her support for her staff."
Spilka said Monday that the Senate's new legal counsel, Jim DiTullio, is still working through "complex, thorny issues" and that she is examining options for meeting with staffers and their union representative.
Legislative staffers behind the historic unionization push have set their sights on action to address low pay, gaps in pay equity between employees, and a health insurance coverage waiting period.
Unions over the years have a traditional source of political strength for House and Senate Democrats, who have often voiced their support for unionization efforts outside the Statehouse in a wide range of industries.
