By James Haslam
In a joint letter to the Associated Press (AP), Vermont Congressional delegation of Sen. Jim Jeffords, Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Bernie Sanders expressed that they were “stunned, outraged and saddened by the summary dismissal” of longtime Vermont AP Bureau Chief Christopher Graff.
Chris Graff was a longtime AP employee, who by all accounts was doing his job, had not been informed he wasn’t doing his job and the AP did not cite financial reasons for the firing. In fact, the AP seems to not have provided any reason at all. Unfortunately, no one should be particularly stunned by this.
Everyday our Vermont Workers’ Rights Hotline receives calls of stunned and outraged Vermonters who have just experienced the same thing – the unjust legal realities of “at-will” employment. At-will employment means that if you do not have an employment contract your employer can end your employment for almost any reason, including no reason at all.
Our only hope is that the highly publicized firing of Mr. Graff and the outrage that has followed will shed some light on to the same plight experienced by thousands of Vermonters each year. Where at-will employment is the law of the land, the only way to have any job security is to organize with your co-workers to form a union. That is why it is so important for workers who want job security and the ability to have a voice about our working conditions to organize unions. It is also why it is so important for our elected officials, faith leaders and community members to support workers’ rights to organize.
It is also important to note that “at-will” employment is not the law of the land everywhere. Many other countries have what is called “just cause” employment policies, where there have to be good reasons to be fired, such as unsatisfactory job performance or financial reasons. In fact, if Chris Graff was working in Canada, AP’s firing would be illegal.
It should be noted that the news of massive protests and strikes by students and the labor movement in France (often reported to us by the AP) is in an effort to fight a new labor bill that would make at-will employment effective for young workers. We should be in the streets demanding an end to “at-will” employment in our country.
I hope more Vermonters will become just as outraged when any worker is wrongfully fired, support workers organizing unions and make “just cause” employment the law of the land. Call the Vermont Workers’ Rights Hotline to learn more toll-free at 866-229-0009.
James Haslam is the Director of the Vermont Workers’ Center – Jobs With Justice, www.workerscenter.org
Case in Point: AP’s Firing of Chris Graff
UVM Rallies for Better Pay
Burlington Free Press , Friday, March 31, 2006
By Jill Fahy, Free Press Staff Writer
A group of University of Vermont students, staff and labor rights activists rallied on campus Thursday to demand better wages and working conditions for university workers and contractors not represented by a union.
The noon news conference at Old Mill, organized by the campus Student Labor Action Project, drew about 45 people. Among attendees were representatives for UVM staff -- clerical, professional and technical workers and supervisors -- who are the university's only employee groups not represented by a union.
Jennifer Larsen, a lab technician in UVM's geology department, said staff employees, particularly clerical staff, want more of a voice when it comes to discussions about wages, working conditions, retirement benefits and health benefits.
"The 1,800 employees who are still unrepresented are working to realize the same security afforded the faculty," Larsen said.
Nearly 300 of UVM's 632 clerical staff earn between $20,000 and $25,000 and are among the university's lowest paid workers, according to data from the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign.
University President Daniel Fogel said UVM always has been committed to providing fair and competitive wages for its employees."Among universities, UVM is among the most progressive employers in the nation," Fogel said. "The raises we've given staff on a percentage basis have been at the top of the region as compared to the other New England land grant universities."
About 50 percent of the university's staff employees support unionizing, Larsen said. Because the staff represents the university's largest employee group, it has taken time to gather support for taking a vote on whether to unionize, she added.
The rest of UVM's employees, including the full- and part-time faculty and the campus' maintenance workers, all work under separate contracts. Full-time faculty recently negotiated their second contract. Part-time faculty bargained for their first contract last month.
Colin Robinson, a UVM senior, said UVM's Students for Peace and Global Justice -- an umbrella group for the Student Labor Action Project -- have stood in solidarity with UVM's employee unions for the past four years.
Students also began advocating for construction workers who are pushing the university to change the way it contracts for building projects. Student activists have organized a number of rallies and speak-outs on campus in recent months, calling attention to faculty and staff grievances about working conditions and wages. Among the rallies was a demonstration in February during a UVM trustee meeting.
A 1986 UVM graduate, Larsen said she is impressed by the student support for university employees and contractors.
"As a former student, I'm astonished and thrilled these students are taking on this responsibility," Larsen said.
Contact Jill Fahy at 660-1898 or jfahy@bfp. burlingtonfreepress.com
Also check out the article in Seven Days: http://www.sevendaysvt.com/columns/local-matters-news/2006/reflecting-a-national-trend-local-student-labor-movement-finds-its-voice.html