FOR THE FIRST TIME, employees at a private non-profit company have joined Council 2. Twenty-one residential support staff at Twin Harbors Group Home in Aberdeen became members of the union after a January 14 vote.

The election process was organized through the National Labor Relations Board.

Until 1996 Council 2 represented only those who worked for public bodies. But in that year staff at Laidlaw Transit, North America’s largest school bus company, voted to join the union.

Their action marked the first time employees from the private sector had become members of Council 2.

Other organizations outside the ranks of employees of counties and cities followed. Now a private non-profit company also has joined the ranks.

But the latest victory is still causing ripples. After the Aberdeen election had been won, the management of the home challenged the election, claiming the employees’ supervisor had been involved in campaigning for Council 2.

The union responded that the supervisor was a lead worker and other supervisors had been allowed to vote.

The union also is planning to file unfair labor practice charges for the alleged retaliation.

Meanwhile three employees have been suspended with pay pending what Council 2 sees as “trumped-up charges” that the union believes related to the employer’s perception of their union activities.

In addition, the union has filed another charge to support its belief that the employer unilaterally changed the medical benefits after the petition had been filed.