Engineers Demand Jobs, Union

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Dodging noontime rains last Thursday, two dozen activists demonstrated in Rockville in support of building engineers fired for trying to organize a union with IUOE Local 99. “The NLRB told America’s Capital Partners (ACP) that if you fire two out of the three workers in a unit, you wreck organizing attempts,” IUOE Local 99 organizers Eamon Clifford told Union City, “ACP has to deal with us now.” The union says ACP fired two stationary engineers, Clarence DeGroat and Ricardo Gamez the day of a union hearing for trying to organize and sign union cards. Clifford reports that while ACP told DeGroat he was under-qualified “He has seven engineering certifications. He couldn’t be more qualified.” Building security guards told demonstrators they were disturbing the peace, but the union was not deterred.  “We have a permit and are going to be here every day until our workers are rehired,” Clifford told UC.
- reported by Jenna Brooks