90% of the office's 45 employees signed union cards triggering a vote, but Andrews is contesting the effort in a new legal battle.
PAINESVILLE, Ohio — Lake County Clerk of Courts Faith Andrews, who’s been accused of creating dysfunction that threatens the operations of the common pleas court, is challenging efforts by employees to unionize.
David Passalacqua, president of the Communications Workers of America Local 4340, said 90 percent of clerk office's 45 employees signed a petition of intent to unionize, which exceeds the 30 percent threshold needed to seek recognition before the State Employment Relations Board and trigger a formal vote.
Passalacqua said Andrews is contesting the petition in part by arguing some employees do not qualify as public workers in her office. (The CWA already represents seven bargaining units in Lake County.)
“Everyone who works for Lake County is a public employee,” Passalacqua said. “Hopefully. the members or potential members are going to have their opportunity to vote. From what I've heard from people is the clerk has mentioned that we don't have the support. There’s a simple way to prove that. Let them cast their vote.”
Andrews’ office is using the law firm Clemans Nelson & Associations to advise it on the union effort, Passalacqua said. (3News has requested copies of the firm’s invoices.)
Passalacqua said the employees cited Andrews' treatment of staff as the reason they want to be represented by a union.
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