TROY — The National Labor Relations Board has recognized the validity of a series of unfair practice claims made by a union against the nonprofit organization Capital Roots. This acknowledgement opens the possibility of resolving some of the allegations through a potential settlement.
In a separate development, an employee of Capital Roots has filed their own complaint against the union, SEIU Local 2000 United, which is attempting to organize workers at the organization.
SEIU organizer Sean Collins stated that the NLRB’s recognition of the merit of the union’s claims confirms their belief that Capital Roots CEO Amy Klein engaged in retaliation and intimidation against union organizers in violation of federal labor laws.
SEIU began organizing Capital Roots workers over a year ago, which led to the voluntary recognition of the union as a bargaining agent by the organization. However, relations deteriorated during contract negotiations, leading to the organization’s rejection of the union. There has been staff turnover and numerous complaints from SEIU regarding the mistreatment of union activists. At the same time, Klein maintains that the union has unfairly targeted her.
Capital Roots focuses on providing fresh fruits and vegetables to disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Capital Region. They also operate community gardens to assist individuals interested in growing their own produce.
The NLRB’s recognition of the merit of the union’s claims sets the stage for a potential settlement, which could include compensation for employees who were allegedly unjustly terminated.
Greg Campbell-Cohen, a food policy director for Capital Roots, who claims to have been dismissed in late July 2022 following the unionization efforts, described the process as lengthy and looks forward to learning about the terms of the settlement. He emphasized that he is just one of many people involved.
Amidst these developments, a Capital Roots grant writer named Eric Winders has filed a complaint against the union. Winders alleges a lack of good faith in the bargaining process from the SEIU and that the organization has been unfair in their attempts to negotiate a contract.
Winders, who is not part of the management team, believes it is essential to question the narrative put forth by Collins. His complaint asserts that not only management, but also staff members have chosen to disassociate from the union. Rather than being fired, Winders claims that several people have left the organization due to the toxic environment that has emerged as the conflict unfolded.
Collins denied Winders’ allegations and expressed confidence that they would not withstand scrutiny from the NLRB.
Regarding the NLRB’s determination of merit against Capital Roots, Campbell-Cohen expects a settlement offer to be presented by the agency in the coming weeks.
For further information, contact [email protected] or 518-454-5758. You can also reach out on Twitter @RickKarlinTU.
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