Help Stop This Union Buster
This is a recap of events as they actually occurred, and includes an unexpected twist...
Having foresight of the problems they would encounter with a person who was soon-to-be their new boss, a group of workers voted to join a labor union. On August 2nd of 2019, they joined the Communications Workers of America Local 9509.
I met one of these workers on the first day of our strike against Kaiser Permanente in October of 2023. Throughout the strike, she helped my brothers, sisters, and I on the picket line. She was knowledgeable, supportive, and consistently demonstrated a steadfast resolve. I was appalled to learn that, shortly after our strike had successfully ended, Angela's employer terminated her. Despite never receiving a corrective action throughout her 9+ years of employment and despite being a union member in the Communications Workers of America, Angela's boss called her into a meeting. Without informing Angela's union or providing a reason, her boss terminated her. Today, Angela and her union continue to fight her unjust termination while her former boss remains quiet during the grievance meetings, hiding behind company attorneys who are paid to argue that terminating a union worker without cause is acceptable.
Here is the unexpected twist... Angela was a Business Agent for the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 30. Angela's boss was Marianne Giordano, the CFO of that union.
This union boss's anti-union behavior continues...
OPEIU Local 30 held an election of officers where the slate of nearly all previously appointed incumbent candidates (including Marianne) was elected. Afterwards, union stewards (including several union members who were unsuccessful candidates on the opposing slate) received notices, signed by Marianne, that stated, "we are removing you from our steward roster effective immediately."
Then, on January 18th, 2024, during the ‘New Business’ portion of the union’s general membership meeting, a former steward and former candidate from the most recent election raised her hand to speak. Per Robert’s Rules, she was recognized by the chair. But just seconds into her time, Marianne began to interrupt her, stating she was “out of order.” As any experienced steward or union officer can confirm, the member was in full compliance with Robert’s Rules of Order. She was simply stating information that Marianne did not want to hear. Marianne continued to shout over the member and then initiated a ‘clap chant’ which the local union’s Executive Board and stewards -eager to prove their loyalty to Marianne- joined, completely drowning out the member. What Marianne taught these members was another anti-democratic, anti-union lesson that, despite someone following all the rules, they don’t have to listen to them if they think they may disagree with them. She also reinforced why it’s a waste of time for any member to try to be engaged in the union if they have beliefs that may differ from hers.
During that same January membership meeting, Marianne insisted at the 01-18-2023 General membership meeting that she did not try to bust the Business Agent's union. But, just three days after joining the CWA, one of the two replacement Business Agents that Marianne hand-picked, Ezekiel Dias, filed to decertify the union. On 03-17-24, they voted (1 voted to remain union members and 2 voted to decertify) to decertify their union. As a result of their actions, they voted out their union and Marianne's mission was complete (more about Ezekiel, Margie, and Briggett's decision to bust their union).
During the membership meeting on 04-25-24, Marianne and her group introduced amendments to the union’s bylaws (beginning on page 11) that will make it significantly more difficult to hold her accountable for her actions by impeachment. Under her new rules, a petition to ASK her hand-picked Executive Board to CONSIDER impeachment would need to have the signatures of roughly 400% of unions' current election participation level.
In a weak attempt to justify her decisions, Ms. Giordano only claims that she believes that her actions are not illegal. The legality of her decisions may be debatable, but the anti-unionism of them is not, especially to true union leaders. Her decisions are detrimental to the OPEIU because they decrease member morale, oppress healthy debate, and inhibit member engagement. Her actions will deter potential members from choosing to join our union. For example, as the owner of a labor union referral site who has personally answered hundreds of union referral requests, I would not refer any worker who has expressed interest in joining a labor union to a union where the above-described anti-union actions are acceptable. Marianne’s decision to fire an employee without ‘just cause’ is a violation of the employee's union contract and a financial liability for our union which is now in litigation and may be determined responsible for wrongful termination. This could cost our union hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The recurring theme here is that, although Marianne occupies union leadership positions, her own actions consistently demonstrate that she is not a leader; Marianne is just a union boss whose deplorable actions reflect badly upon true union leaders.
I want to believe that any 'leader' within the OPEIU cannot act in complete opposition to the principles that the union purports to advocate, without consequence. The officers of the International OPEIU now have knowledge of these facts. I am hopeful that these officers will exercise the courage to demonstrate their commitment to the values stated on its website and "improve the lives of working families by bringing economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our communities" to the fullest extent that it is capable.
Article 15 Section 1 of the OPEIU Constitution and Bylaws states, "The Executive Board shall have the power, within its discretion and in accordance with the procedure hereinafter set forth, to suspend, expel and discipline a member of any Local Union, an officer of any Local Union or of the International Union, or any Local Union itself"..."In imposing any penalty upon any member, officer, or Local Union, the Executive Board shall not impose any monetary fine, but shall have the authority to invoke any other penalty allowed by law."
*Attention Stewards and Officers within OPEIU Local 30: Before you choose to stand up for the principles of unionism and support our union brothers and sisters, be aware of a likely consequence. If you choose to support this petition and if you choose to include your name and Marianne continues her established pattern, she will have you removed from your position and you will be excluded from future union activities. If this makes you uncomfortable, you may choose to sign anonymously.
