DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware S tatehouse workers announced their intention to form a union Tuesday, hours before the General Assembly convened for its 2020 legislative session.
The organization announced itself as the Delaware General Assembly Union in a news release posted to Twitter confirming its plans to organize with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Democratic, Republican and nonpartisan staff from all four caucuses of the General Assembly are expected to join in forming what the union called the first partisan-inclusive state legislative union in the country. About 50 staffers have said they’ll join, news outlets reported, citing organizers.
The union’s statement didn’t identify which staffers or exactly how many were involved in the effort.
The group followed up with a statement saying it has requested voluntary recognition from General Assembly leadership.
House and Senate Republican Caucuses weren’t informed of the union plans ahead of the announcement, according to a joint statement from House Minority Leader Danny Short, R-Seaford , and Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View.
“We recognize the right of our employees to collectively organize,” the statement said. “However, … Our staffs only became aware of this action today. There are still many questions which need to be answered regarding this proposal.”
A spokesman said House Democratic leadership will respect the legal process that must follow the rules of the National Labor Relations Act, according to a statement on behalf of Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach.
Senate Democrats followed up with a statement acknowledging “the Delaware Senate Democratic Caucus has a lengthy record of supporting the rights of workers to collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions.”
General Assembly employees approached AFSCME Council 81 a few months ago seeking guidance on unionizing, Mike Begatto, executive director of the local council, told Delaware State News. The effort didn’t stem from unhappiness with current working conditions, he noted.
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