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July 9, 2008 – On July 11, 2008, Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa Employees will have the opportunity to exercise a right that few people in this world have: The right to vote on the status of their employment. This is a privilege that has been granted through local and federal law as well as through the struggle of labor unions in this country for over a century.
I have long been an advocate of unionization and the benefits and protections that it brings to employees. There is a comfort and confidence gained from the strength of co-workers joining together in a group that makes them stronger. There is security in the negotiating power that can be gained. Unionized workers can bargain for such things as enhanced sick leave, vacation time, retirement benefits, medical benefits, improved working conditions and much, much more.
I have been making extensive public calls for private sector employees to unionize. This is how strongly I feel about the matter. KFC has been successfully unionized. I have asked Main Street to unionize. Pueblo employees suffered from not being unionized, losing their job security and tenure. Nothing protects workers and workers' rights better than unionization.
I wish to commend the Sugar Bay employees for their bravery and fortitude in taking these steps towards organization. The decision to come forward and consider unionization is commendable. I urge all to be steadfast in this goal and to remain committed to it just as I am committed to all the working men and women in our community, both in the public and private sector.
I also must commend the efforts of V.I. Workers Union and, in particular, President Charlesworth Nicholas, for doing a yeoman's job in bringing unionization to a vote. The exceptional job Mr. Nicholas did with KFC is but one example of the skill and experience borne by this champion of employee rights.
Just as with other unionization efforts I will remain solidly behind the Sugar Bay employees' struggle to organize. I consider unionization a common sense approach to guaranteeing rights as employees. Other private sector employees in the Virgin Islands have already organized, bringing themselves the benefits of a solid employee structure. As I stood beside them, so shall I now stand beside the employees of Sugar Bay.
Vote Yes! for Union Representation!
