School workers union challenges order

By Emily Richmond

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002 | 9:17 a.m.

The union for the Clark County School District's support employees will be in court today, challenging a labor board's order for an election that would give workers the opportunity to choose new representation through Teamsters Local 14.

The Education Support Employees Association is questioning the order handed down Sept. 24 by the Nevada Local Government Employee Management Relations Board. The order came after three days of hearings and more than a year of campaigning by the Teamsters to win the support of the district's bus drivers, food service workers, custodians and office personnel.

Doug McCain, president of the ESEA, said Friday his organization's attorneys planned to challenge the order. The ESEA's case was not properly considered by the board, McCain said.

If the challenge fails, the ESEA is prepared to move ahead to a vote and expects to retain its position as the support employees' union, McCain said.

A telephone conference hearing will be held in Carson City District Court to determine whether the board's ruling will stand, union leaders said. The original order called for an election to be held within 30 days -- and the Teamsters are ready now, said spokeswoman Kathy Naumann.

"If the ESEA really has the majority of its membership, as it claims, then they should be willing to put that to a vote immediately," Naumann said this morning. "Taking this to court is just stalling, and it's costing their own members money."

In order to be recognized by the county for collective bargaining, a union must show its membership accounts for 50 percent plus one eligible employee. The ESEA currently claims 56 percent as members. Support for the ESEA has faltered in the past two years following the failure of the group's health trust. More than $8 million in unpaid bills and debt accrued, forcing some members into collections because of mounting medical expenses that were not reimbursed.