Art Museum Terminates Guards Who Sought A Union
A recent rash of disciplinary warnings and even terminations have cropped up at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, causing the recently formed Philadelphia Security Officers Union to believe the actions are targeting workers who are union supporters.
Walter Lunsford, shop steward for the Philadelphia Security Officers Union and latest victim of anti-union actions, said, “They didn’t even call me into the office or give me an explanation. They just told me I was terminated when I called to check my hour.”
Lunsford worked for AlliedBarton at the museum for six years until he was terminated.
The union also reports Nathan Alston, a PSOU Shop Steward and museum guard for 10 years, was terminated on Feb. 24 and that Venus Hines, a union supporter, was terminated a week prior.
“How can I work for 10 years with a perfect record and then, months after becoming a shop steward, they find a reason to fire me? They are coming after the union leaders before the labor board throws out AlliedBarton’s objections,” stated Alston.
The guards won an election for union representation last October. AlliedBarton attempted to contest the election, but lost the first round of appeals in January. In February, it filed a second round.
