Joe Mailey: Bates union deserves support from community

So, Bates College non-managerial folks are trying to form a union in their workplace. Good for them.

Workers from the janitorial staff to the adjunct staff with different backgrounds had decided enough was enough, and were able to find common ground in how they felt about their workplaces within the Bates College campus.

Their reason for wanting to unionize is so that they can have a say in their workplaces and how their tasks are accomplished, work hours or shift changes, adjunct rates and scheduling, etc. These reasons also resulted in colleges like Stanford unionizing.

Bates College has a rich history of teaching students from around the world and has contributed greatly to the betterment of mankind through its course work. However, Bates, like many other “nonprofit” organizations, has failed to recognize its employees and staff as people in favor of enhancing shareholder and corporate profits.

The bottom line is this: if these workers didn’t make all of this possible, then who did?

Since many of us union workers already have our voices heard and have duly signed contracts to prove it, we should offer our support for those who are not as lucky to have what we have.

I ask people to support these folks by talking with Bates workers, calling the campus, or allowing a sign to placed on one’s own lawn.

Joe Mailey, Auburn