Mystic Seaport United filed an unfair labor practice charge today with the National Labor Relations Board against the management of .
Earlier this spring a number of to form a union called Mystic Seaport United. They hope to join the Connecticut chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which is the second largest AFL-CIO union in Connecticut.
A press release from AFT Connecticut Communications Coordinator and Union spokesman Eric Excell Bailey stated: “ Under the National Labor Relations Act, workers have a right to come together to form a union. The law is very clear about what management can and can’t do when workers are coming together to form a union.
It is illegal for the Seaport administration to make workers feel like they are being watched. It is illegal for managers to harass or interrogate workers about their decision to form a union. It is illegal for managers to allow anti-union workers to advocate their opinions at work, but deny that same access to those who are pro-union.”
After news of employees trying to organize the union spread, several Seaport employees reported the where the message at the meeting was intimidating.
“The message was, ‘we can work this out.’ But they used language that (upset) people. Be careful, they said, be careful of what you sign. Be careful of trickery. (The word) consequences was used (meaning) if you sign,” said museum interpreter Liz Kading who has been on the job since 2006.
Sign cards that indicate an interest in forming the union, which would be an AFT local.
According to the press release the NLRB in Hartford will investigate the charges and then hold a hearing to determine if and how the Seaport administration will be held accountable.
