Persistence Pays Off

After 6 years and 3 votes, Tri-Cities Lab goes Union at last

May 12, 2008

Last month, employees at Tri-Cities Laboratories in Kennewick finally won union representation — but it wasn’t easy.

Twice before — first in 2002, then again in 2006 — pro-union employees had collected ­authorization cards from a majority of their co-workers and filed for union elections. Both times, the company used every trick in the book to spread misinformation and attack the union as the elections approached. Unfortunately, these misleading tactics can sometimes be effective, and the votes came in against representation.

Darren Christensen

“I was part of all three union organizing drives at Tri‑Cities Lab. I’m glad to finally have union representation after going through the same old anti-union campaign from the lab one last time.

If a majority of workers want representation, there shouldn’t be so many obstacles along the way. It’s time for laws that protect workers’ right to form a union.”

Darren Christensen, Tri-Cities Lab

A bad case of deja vu

After two elections — but no representation — nothing much had changed. Employees were still working for wages far below union standards. Family health benefits were out of reach for many. And ­supervisors played favorites when granting promotions, job postings, and time off, ignoring seniority and merit.

Laws to Protect
the Right to Organize

Forming a union is a right — it shouldn’t be a battle. No workers should have to go through what TCL employees and millions of others do just to have a union. That’s why we’re fighting for new laws to protect workers’ right to organize:

  • The Employee Free Choice Act would protect the right of workers across the country to form a union without interference from managers.
  • The Worker Privacy Act would prevent employers in Washington State from requiring employees to attend meetings about unions, politics, or religion.

So TCL workers again contacted Local 21, and workers filed for their third union election at the lab in 6 years.

What happened next seemed like a bad case of deja vu: management tried the same old tricks, flooding the lab with rumors, exaggerations, and ­incorrect information.

But this time, things were different. TCL workers had heard it all before, and they had seen what Management promises are worth when they’re not backed up by a union contract.

A convincing victory

On April 3rd, TCL employees chose a new direction, voting by a strong margin for representation with Local 21! Congratulations to the newest workers to become part of our union.

The convincing victory of these determined workers at TCL is worth celebrating. But their story also points to the need for stronger laws to protect workers’ right to have a union.

It shouldn’t take 6 years just to exercise your ­basic rights as a worker.

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