Heartland REC Workers United

• 100% report management does not care about employees

• 100% report communication is ineffective

• 93% report management is not honest

• 100% say morale has worsened in recent years

At the same time:

• 100% say they are proud to serve Heartland members.

The workforce remains committed to the community. Trust in leadership is where concerns exist.

The organizing drive at Heartland did not begin because workers were demanding more pay or special treatment. Workers say they began organizing because they felt they were losing benefits and protections that had existed for years. Their goal was simple: Protect what they already had and prevent further erosion of their working conditions. Forming a union was a way for workers to create stability for themselves and their families while continuing to serve the community.

Heartland workers are primarily asking for:

• Protection of the benefits and working conditions they already have
• Respect for their legal right to organize
• Good-faith negotiations toward a contract

The only change workers proposed outside of current conditions is a scheduling option commonly used at many electric utilities.

The status quo conditions going into negotiations was the summer 4-10’s. Management took away summer 4-10’s for the bargaining unit workers to be vindictive. 

Federal law dictates that management give status quo annual pay raises same as they have done in the past. Management has given the full 3.79% pay increase to the non-bargaining unit workers. However, they withheld the status quo pay raises to the bargaining unit workers to be petty. 

When workers vote to form a union, federal labor law requires that employers maintain the existing wages, benefits, and working conditions while negotiations take place.

This principle is often called maintaining the “status quo.”

Workers say they should not lose wages or benefits simply because they exercised their right to organize.

Workers say the difference between the pay increase they received and the increase other employees received is less than one percent (.79%).

At the same time, Heartland has hired outside labor attorneys to represent the cooperative in negotiations. Even defending a single labor charge can cost $5,000 to $15,000 or more in legal fees, and much more if the case proceeds further.  "Heartland workers say they would rather see the money go back to the workers and members at the COOP, rather than going to expensive labor attorneys fighting illegal ULP’s.“ .

Workers have also raised concerns including:

• Discipline and discrimination against workers who support the union

• Allegations of hazardous work assignments used as retaliation against union supporters

• Multiple labor law complaints regarding schedule changes and workplace conditions

• Workplace safety concerns that resulted in a federal OSHA complaint

Heartland OSHA Complaint No. 23 - ”Workers say these issues could be resolved through respectful negotiations.

Even while addressing these concerns, Heartland workers continue giving back to the community they serve.

For example, workers recently partnered with the IBEW to plant trees in Girard as part of a local community improvement project “Heartland Community Project Art”
These are the same crews who restore power during storms and emergencies.

Heartland REC is a member-owned cooperative.

“That means the cooperative ultimately belongs to the people and communities it serves.

When the workers who maintain the electric system are treated fairly and have a voice on the job, it strengthens the cooperative and benefits everyone who depends on reliable power.”

Add your name and respectfully ask the Heartland REC Board to:

• Treat workers fairly
• Negotiate in good faith
• Protect the crews who keep southeast Kansas powered