On Saturday, 17 union organizers with IAM District 4 attended the game, wearing t-shirts that encouraged Nationals Park's 341 guest service workers to vote "Yes" in an upcoming union election. They claim security kicked them out for wearing the shirts. Two days later on Labor Day itself, another 4 union organizers wearing similar t-shirts were also kicked out.
“We were told that our shirts were offensive and escorted out of the ballpark,” says IAM District 4 union organizer Joe Flanders. “We weren't even talking to anyone, we were just wearing our shirts so that workers knew they had support.”
The Washington Nationals dispute Flanders' version of events.
"A few individuals who identified themselves as being with an organized group called IAM were asked to leave Nationals Park for violating multiple guest conduct policies, including soliciting persons inside the ballpark, taking unauthorized surveys inside the ballpark, engaging in unauthorized commercial activities inside the ballpark, disruptOn Saturday, 17 union organizers with IAM District 4 attended the game, wearing t-shirts that encouraged Nationals Park's 341 guest service workers to vote "Yes" in an upcoming union election. They claim security kicked them out for wearing the shirts. Two days later on Labor Day itself, another 4 union organizers wearing similar t-shirts were also kicked out.
IAM is currently attempting to organize the guest service workers. The union claims the workers are upset about making only $11 an hour with no benefits, as well as unhappy that workers who speak up to management are denied work assignments. Those workers approached IAM, and an election to decide whether to join the union is scheduled for September 6 and 7.Given that the Nationals have hired a union-busting firm, who do you believe?
It's ironic, considering the players are members of a union -- the Major League Baseball Players Association.
