Source: W.V. MetroNews

June 12, 2024

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Members of the United Mine Workers of America want to continue their dialog with the Monongalia County Commission on behalf of employees in the county assessor’s office.

UMWA Director of Communications Erin Bates said in recent weeks the back and forth has included questions about pay, benefits, and a perception of favoritism in the assessor’s office. Bates said union representation would allow each side to negotiate a contract that could be implemented to address the issues concerning the employees.

“There’s a lot of he said, she said with the commissioner’s office,” Bates said Wednesday on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town.” “The employees are saying you’re doing this, and the commissioners are saying we’re doing that, and at the end of the day, a contract is going to rectify a lot of those issues.”

According to commissioners, one assessor’s office employee has approached them about questions and clarifications about the wage and benefit system, and they believe those answers have been provided. Based on the information available, beyond favoritism claims, there were no other direct issues that were identified that workers were having a problem with.

“They want someone to come in and help create a fair, just atmosphere in their workplace,” Bates said. “So, for each little gritty issue that the employee might have, they took the time to come to the union to ask for help, and then they obviously believe they need help.”

Bates said union representation would ensure that all workers in the office are treated the same. The negotiations and contract would provide the framework for expectations and a means to litigate disputes for commissioners and workers in the assessor’s office.

“If I’m doing the exact same job as my co-worker and that person and I are working the same amount of hours and doing the same amount of work, there’s no reason that person should be making substantially more than me.”

Commissioners have said verbally and in writing that there is no resolution needed to allow the employees to hold an election for union representation. The commission has continued to tell the workers they have the right to vote and organize.

“But in the exact same breath, they’re saying they won’t recognize the union if the vote is yes,” Bates said. “So at the end of the day, it’s worse than a broken promise because if you aren’t going to recognize the union if they vote “yes,” what’s the point of voting “yes” for a union?”

Commissioner Tom Bloom was a counselor and coach in the Monongalia County Schools system for 32 years and echoed their position during the regular meeting on Wednesday, June 12.

“We’ve made it very clear; the law is clear, and being part of a union, I’m very knowledgeable about this,” Bloom said. “An election can happen at any time; there is no need for any input from the county commissioners.”

UMWA officials are calling for a meeting with commissioners to work on the details of a vote and who employees would actually bargain with if the union is approved by the workers.

Written By: Mike Nolting 

Source: WVMetroNews

June 5, 2024 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A group of workers in the Monongalia County Assessor’s Office say they have no confidence in the Monongalia County Commission and that’s why they want to join a union.

A member of the Monongalia County Assessor’s Office addressed county commissioners Wednesday about their efforts to organize with the United Mine Workers of America. The workers want a resolution from the commission. It’s unclear how many workers want to join the union.

Assessor’s office employee Amy Gumney told commissioners the group of employees has approved a no-confidence vote in the county commission and they want to be represented by the UMWA in order “to keep everything honest.” She accused commissioners of operating a “good old boys club” and not being transparent or accurate about pay and benefits information.

She said the county has a current surplus of about $8 million, and the expected tax revenue in the current year would add another $5 million to that figure. Gumney expects some of that surplus to be directed toward increased wages and benefits for workers struggling in the current high-inflation economy.

“So with that kind of surplus, I have to ask why?” Gumney questioned. “Our insurance premiums continue to go up, our deductible has gone up, our coverage is 90–10, and the cost of living has skyrocketed, so why do you choose not to give a cost of living raise to the employees that keep the county in that surplus?”

Gumney criticized commissioners about comments to the media.

“You tell tell half-truths to the media concerning our insurance and pay raises,” Gumney said. “For example in June of 2023, you told WAJR our premium increase for 2023 would be $17 per month when in truth it was double that.”

She said a recent bonus that was announced for all employees really wasn’t a clear statement. Additionally, she said only 20 employees in the assessor’s office did receive the bonus.

“Every year I’ve been here, we’ve given the employees something, so we certainly wanted to take care of the employees who take care of us,” Gumney presented. “What he failed to mention is that if an employee has been given any type of raise that year, you did not give them a cost of living raise.”

UMWA District 31 Vice President Mike Payton said the commission is represented on the state level by the West Virginia Association of Counties. Payton said the county is required to pay dues, and the organization acts on their behalf, much like a union, according to Payton.

“It’s kind of hypocritical when you’re part of an association that lobbies on your behalf and speaks as a third party, and you look at your workers and say, Do as I say, not as I do,” Payton said.

Commissioner Jeff Arnett explained that there is no requirement for approval from the commission to seek representation. Arnett continued that they have communicated that to the employees verbally and in writing.

“We don’t have a required action to approve the assessor’s office employees to have a vote. If they want to have a vote, they can have a vote at any time; they don’t have to have our permission to do that,” Arnett said. “That’s what was stated in our letter, and that’s been our position all along, so we have not denied an opportunity to have a vote.”

The county commission has said the workers don’t need a resolution from them to join a union.

Written By: Mike Nolting 

SOURCE: The Dominion Post
DATE: June 5, 2024

UMWA to Mon County Commission: We’re not going away

Since talk of potential United Mine Workers of America representation in the county assessor’s office became public in late April, members of the Monongalia County Commission have kept the issue at arm’s length by stating they were unaware of any county employees supporting such activity.

That changed Wednesday.

Amy Guminey, an employee in Assessor Mark Musick’s office, told the commission she represents the employees of the assessor’s office that are requesting UMWA representation.

She did not say how many of the 41 office employees are included in that group.

“Let this serve as notice from the members of the assessor’s office seeking representation from the UMWA that we have voted no confidence in our county commission,” Guminey said, explaining, “You participate in a good-ol’-boys club and are indignant and rude when questioned; or condescending remarks when we try to participate in meetings.”

Guminey’s comments come two weeks after the commission said it need not and would not take any action on a resolution supporting a union vote in the assessor’s office, and that the body doesn’t believe third-party representation is in the best interest of the county or its employees.

Guminey said the commission offers half-truths in terms of cost-of-living raises and employee insurance benefits. Further, she said the commission provided one employee a raise of $7,916 and one “special” employee a raise of $9,499 in March 2022.

Following the meeting, The Dominion Post asked if the raises in question went to County Administrator Rennetta McClure and office manager/grant writer Collene Coon.

While Commission President Sean Sikora said he couldn’t be sure who was being referenced, he said both McClure and Coon did receive significant raises after a statewide comparison of similar positions.

“We have a staff of two and they have been given more responsibilities. I assume that’s what they’re talking about,” Sikora said.

Commissioner Jeff Arnett offered further.

“In Kanawha County, each commissioner has a personal assistant. They have five office staff. The commissioners have brand-new Tahoes to drive,” Arnett said. “Rennetta literally probably does the work of three or four people. We work on a shoestring budget.”

As for COLA raises, the commissioners said it’s the county’s longstanding policy that if an elected official, in this case the assessor, gives some or all of their employees raises in the second half of the year, the commission does not give those employees another increase when considering the following fiscal year’s budget.

“They’re cherry picking, too. Over the last two years through the regular budget process, we have significantly increased employee salaries where the office holder has asked for those increases,” Sikora said.

The commission says it welcomes any examination and comparison of the health insurance benefits offered to county employees.

At the end of the day, the commissioners reaffirmed their position that there is no action required from them for employees to take a union vote at any time, just as there is no requirement the commission honor the outcome of such a vote.

“If they want to have a vote, they can have a vote at any time. They don’t need our permission to do that. That was what was stated in our letter and that’s what was stated all along,” Arnett said.

United Mine Workers of America District 31 Vice President Michael Payton said he believes the commission’s stance is hypocritical considering the county pays dues to be represented by the County Commissioners Association of West Virginia, which lobbies on its behalf.

“To me, in my world, that’s called a union. Everybody else calls it an association … It’s kind of hypocritical when you’re part of an association that lobbies on your behalf and speaks as a third party to then look at your workers and tell them ‘Do as I say and not as I do,’” Payton said, adding, “We’re not going away.”

Written by: Ben Conley

Source: WBOY Channel 12

May 31, 2024

UMWA rescinds endorsement of Mon County commissioner’s reelection campaign

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) has rescinded its endorsement of Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom’s November reelection bid.

According to a news release from the UMWA and the Monongalia Area Council of the Coal Miners Political Action Committee (COMPAC), the decision is in response to Bloom’s recent seconding of a motion that the union claims denied employees in the Monongalia County Assessor’s Office the ability to vote on organizing under the UMWA’s umbrella.

On May 22, Bloom seconded a motion to approve a letter to the UMWA which rejected the union’s request that commissioners pass a resolution in support of a unionization vote.

“Bloom allowed language and tactics reminiscent of union-busters to be used without challenge during a Commission meeting,” said International District 31 Vice President Michael Payton. “This decision goes against the principals that the UMWA stands for and the values it upholds.”

In a written response emailed to 12 News, Bloom said: “It is important for the citizens of Monongalia County to know that I have not heard from any workers in the Assessor’s office about their concerns, issues or wanting to organize a union. The UMWA was asking us (the Commission) to call for a vote rather than the employees who supposedly want to be represented.”

In the letter commissioners addressed to Payton on May 22, Commissioner Sean Sikora wrote: “It is the opinion of this commission that employees in the Monongalia County Assessor’s office can choose for themselves to support a union, but we do not agree that having an intervening third party represent the employees is in the best interest of our employees, nor would it be beneficial to the overall governance of Monongalia County.”

“The County Commissioners have taken a stand that the employees from the assessor’s office have the right to take a vote at any time to form a union,” said Bloom in his written statement. “UMWA leadership and I might have to agree to disagree in this instance, but overall, my record in fighting for our employees and support of employee rights is clear and speaks for itself.”

Bloom said he did not request the UMWA’s endorsement.

“On March 26th, I received an endorsement letter with no monetary funds. I did not interview them or request an endorsement. I have not received any other information at this time,” Bloom’s statement said.

Bloom, a Democrat, ran unopposed in the May primary election and is seeking a third term as a county commissioner. He faces Republican MaryAnn Folz in the November general election.

Written By: Eric Minor