CCSD Employees Vote to join Teamsters

(LAS VEGAS) ––Clark County School District (CCSD) support workers have voted overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters Union, the Employee-Management Relations Board (EMRB) announced today. There are more than 11,000 support workers in the bargaining unit.

The vote for Teamsters Local 14 was a decisive win over the current bargaining representative at CCSD, with nearly 82 percent of workers voting to join the Teamsters over the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA). The unit is made up of a wide range of support workers, including clerical, custodial, maintenance, school bus and cafeteria workers who maintain and operate America’s fifth-largest school district.

“This is a historic day,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “These determined school workers stood strong to win this free and fair election. Today, their hard work has finally paid off. On behalf of the 1.4 million Teamster members, I want to congratulate them on joining the growing movement of public service workers nationwide seeking Teamster power.”

Support staff already voted overwhelmingly 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, both elections required a supermajority rule (50-percent-plus-1 of all eligible voters) for Local 14 to obtain certification. Following the election in February, however, hundreds of support staff took their case to the EMRB to win a fair election.

“This is what democracy looks like,” said Carlos Pinto, a head custodian at CCSD who spoke on behalf of the unit following the vote count. “We, the workers, brought change. It’s hard to express how meaningful this victory is for us. We couldn’t be prouder.”

Pinto was joined by co-worker Kim Bucy, an administrative secretary at CCSD who helped lead the organizing effort.

“This fight has always been about fairness and respect. After voting overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters in two elections, it was clear the supermajority rule was unfair to workers,” Bucy said. "By uniting to win a simple-majority election, we won fairness. Now we will unite at the bargaining table to win respect.” 

Speaking on behalf of Local 14, Secretary-Treasurer Larry Griffith thanked the workers for their dedication over the years, crediting the worker-led organizing committee for bringing change to CCSD.

“Workers at CCSD have done what many have called the impossible. It’s truly incredible what they’ve accomplished today,” Griffith said. “We will continue to stand in solidarity and unity with everyone at CCSD as we address a decades-worth of concerns.”

As the newest members of the Teamsters Public Services Division, CCSD support staff will join public employees across the country already enjoying the benefits of Teamster representation.

"This is an important vote, as the dreams of many will finally be realized," said Michael Filler, Director of the Teamsters Public Services Division. “As the newest Teamsters in the Public Services Division, thousands of Clark County school support staff and their families can focus on a more promising future."