District 9 and Local 777 in St. Louis, MO recently added 61 new members with an organizing win among employees who work in the city’s Fleet Maintenance, Parks, Fire, Ambulance and Refuse facilities.
According to District 9 Organize Mike Musgrove, the main issues in the drive were gaining professional representation, increased wages and the lack of training opportunities.”They are very concerned with the lack of training and difficulty in attaining certifications at work,” explained Musgrove. “The result is outsourcing, which is unacceptable.”
Musgrove praised the individuals who led the campaign from inside the city departments saying, “The in-house organizing team was solid as a rock. It was their hard work and determination that got this done.”
“We commend DBR Roger Poole along with Organizers Mike Musgrove and Mike Hahn for a job well done,” said Midwest Territory GVP Philip J. Gruber, who extended his thanks to everyone involved. “We welcome our new members into the IAM and appreciate their courage and dedication to win the professional representation, better wages and working conditions they deserve.”