Press Releases
Clark County School District Employees Win New Teamster Election
(LAS VEGAS) –– Today, in a major victory for workers, the Employee-Management Relations Board (EMRB) acknowledged that the supermajority election rule for Clark County School District (CCSD) support staff was not in the best interest of the employees and has ordered a new election take place requiring simple majority.
On Feb. 3, the EMRB administered an election for the Clark County School District employees to choose their bargaining representative. Teamsters Local 14 overwhelmingly won with 71 percent of workers voting to join the Teamsters over the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA).
The EMRB made its decision today, after taking into consideration the overwhelming participation by CCSD support staff, who packed the hearing room yesterday afternoon, urging the Board to rule on the side of fairness and listen to the democratic voice of the workers in choosing their union representative.
CCSD support staff has already voted overwhelmingly two times in favor of Local 14 representation, in a vote tabulated Feb. 3 of this year and in 2006. Despite democratically voting to join the Teamsters, in both elections a supermajority, 50-percent-plus-1 of eligible voters, was required to unseat ESEA. With the ordering of a new election, the EMRB recognizes the undemocratic, unfair nature of the election process and is giving workers the opportunity to vote for their union representative by a simple majority, highest vote-getter, process in an election to be held this fall.
“This is a historic decision and I applaud the Board for listening to the workers. For far too long, the Clark County support staff has gone without a voice in their workplace. The Board listened to what the workers had to say and carefully considered the workers in their decision. This is what happens when workers stay united and speak up for what they want,” said Larry Griffith, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 14.
“We have been fighting for this win for so long. We’ve won the election twice in the past and we will win again in the fall,” said Carlos Pinto, head custodian with CCSD.
“Teamsters Local 14 is dedicated to finding a solution that will provide affordable health care, address outsourcing, and bring stability and respect to all the employees. The workers and their families deserve strong representation,” Griffith said.
Local 14 represents over 3,500 workers in the public sector and distribution, warehouse and mechanic industry. Local 14 has represented public and private sector workers across Nevada since 1955. The Teamsters Public Services Division represents more than 260,000 public employees, including school employees in districts across the country.