Union president to be rehired

The university said it won't challenge the arbitration ruling.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- An arbiter for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has ordered that the president of the Association of Classified Employees union at Youngstown State University be reinstated.
The university terminated Christine Domhoff's position as an administrative assistant at its Cisco Networking Academy on June 30, 2005, contending that the post was funded from external sources and that money was no longer available.
The action came around the time contract negotiations for the 400-member ACE union were heating up, and Domhoff and others suggested the loss of her job was retaliation for her union activities.
Further, the union argued that the Cisco Networking Academy post was funded through YSU's general fund, not external grants.
In a ruling handed down Thursday, arbiter Daniel G. Zelser agreed with the union's position on the job funding.
He ordered YSU to treat her as though she hadn't been in an externally funded position and give her full layoff and recall rights -- essentially directing that she be reinstated.
He also directed that she be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of not being able to exercise layoff and recall rights.
Response
The university issued a statement saying it will comply with the arbitration ruling.
Domhoff's reinstatement was included in the recommendation of a YSU Labor Management Review Panel in January, and the university said it would defer any action on the matter pending the arbiter's ruling.
The panel was appointed by President David C. Sweet to find ways to improve the campus labor climate.
"We remain committed to moving forward constructively to improve labor relations on campus," the university's statement said.
Domhoff, who hadn't seen a copy of the ruling Friday, said she was pleased that the university wants to move forward with labor relations and that she is very happy to get her job back.
She said it's unlikely she will actually get her old position but will probably be offered another post with the university. She's worked at YSU since January 1982.
gwin@vindy.com