SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP Hearing set on bid for union

The two employees want job protection.
NEW SPRINGFIELD -- A hearing will be set before the State Employee Relations Board in Columbus after a failed attempt at a recent mediation hearing to reach an agreement on union recognition for Springfield Township's two-man road department.
Springfield Township Road Superintendent Richard Kennedy and his assistant, Eric Mace, are seeking recognition as members of Teamsters Local 377. That union already represents Canfield, Poland and Boardman road departments.
Chris Colella, president of Teamsters Local 377, Youngstown, accompanied the two men to the mediation hearing late last month while representatives from the Mahoning County Prosecutor's office attended with township trustees. Trustees had no comment on the hearing. Kennedy said that because no agreement was reached at the mediation hearing, the date of a full hearing on the question of union recognition for the two men will be announced Wednesday.
Kennedy and Mace said they are seeking job security in the politicized atmosphere of Springfield Township.
"When you get new elected officials, you don't know what will happen," Mace said. Kennedy said that because the two have to be rehired every year, they fear for their jobs should the political winds change. Kennedy and Mace have 22 and 20 years, respectively at the township. "We've dedicated our lives here," Mace said.
Kennedy said that in addition, a year ago, trustees came out with a proposed policy manual and job descriptions that would have cut his and Mace's vacation and sick time and personal days. Though the manual has not been adopted, the two men feel it could be in the future.
Hearing
At the mediation hearing, the township maintained that Kennedy and Mace hold administrative positions. But Kennedy said if he and Eric are managers, "who's going to do the work?" He added he doesn't hire or fire, discipline Mace or set his wages, set policies, budget or pick road projects.
The two men are responsible for care of the township's 29 miles of roads. In the winter, they said this means they must be ready to come out day or night to plow the roads, a job which takes five to six hours. If snow continues, they start a second round. They have only one part-time backup who worked a total of 20 hours last winter.
In 2003, Kennedy and Mace made a bid to join the International Union of Operating Engineers. They signed cards with the union after failing for the first time in years to receive the same percentage pay increase as unionized township police. IOP had also filed an unfair labor practices charge with the township claiming the two men were threatened with their jobs if they didn't take a pay cut. That charge was later dismissed. Kennedy and Mace also later withdrew their petition for recognition.
"I'm very happy with the money I make," Kennedy said. "They've treated us well. But once you're threatened with loss of your job, you look at things differently."