Officers in SU’s Department of Public Safety vote to unionize

Officers in SU’s Department of Public Safety vote to unionizeJune 15, 2006Kevin Morrowkdmorrow@syr.edu

On May 8, 2006, the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) union filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to become the bargaining agent for officers in Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety. The NLRB conducted an in-person, secret-ballot election and tabulated the results today.

Of the 47 eligible voters, 29 cast votes in favor of the union and 10 cast votes against unionization. Absent timely objections to the conduct of the election, the union will be certified by the NLRB as the bargaining representative of SU Department of Public Safety officers.

“Respecting the decision of our Department of Public Safety staff, the University is committed to building an effective working relationship with SPFPA to ensure an outcome that meets the interests of the institution and these valued professionals,” says SU Senior Vice President for Human Services and Government Relations Eleanor Ware, to whom the Department of Public Safety reports.

Details of the unionization process are available at http://publicsafety.syr.edu/union/unionization.html.

The eligible voters were defined as: all full-time and regular part-time public safety officers, community service officers, communications officers and security guards performing services in the Department of Public Safety.

The University has one week to file objections to any potentially objectionable conduct that may have unfairly influenced the outcome of the election. If objections are filed, the NLRB will decide the issues and the appropriate remedy. Once any objections are fully resolved, the University will respect the results of the election, if and when those results are appropriately certified by the NLRB.