Posted on the CAPT website
www.psychtechs.net
October 16, 2007

CAPT chalks up another union access win

Our union had an important win April 12, when an arbitrator ruled in a Fairview Developmental Center case that CAPT President Tony Myers could visit state facilities without management “escorts” in tow. But when DMH tried to deny access rights, we won again.

Upon planning an early April visit to Atascadero State Hospital, DMH labor relations informed Myers that required a management rep must accompany him at ASH: something he’d never had to do at any other DMH facility. As with the Fairview case, Myers said, “No way!”

“The CAPT president’s right to facility visits without management interference is in contract language: language that was upheld by an arbitrator,” he added. “And then DMH tried to argue that the April 12 ruling didn’t apply to them, because ASH isn’t a DDS facility. Give me a break!”

Article 12.2 of our contract contains unique language saying that the union president has “the same access to employees as the chapter officers and stewards for representation purposes,” and also has the right to “access through work areas for purposes of posting literature in unit break rooms.”

Union representatives took DMH to task, emphasizing that the April 12 ruling -- as well as our contract language -- applied to all state facilities.

DMH backed down July 17.

“Access to facilities is an extremely important union right,” said Myers. “If we don’t have access, we can’t help our members and keep them informed on-site.”

For more information on union access or distribution of literature, or other contract rights, contact your chapter president.