Sunoptics employees, along with IBEW 1245 members who helped them organize, were congratulated by the IBEW 1245 Advisory Council on Feb. 1. From left: Richard Porter, Jammi Juarez, Alex Leon, Harold Blackshire Jr, Chris Hann, Justin Fore, Pam Pendleton, Jennifer Gray, Mauricio Centeno, Rene Cruz Martinez. Photo: John Storey
Sunoptics employees were congratulated at the IBEW 1245 Advisory Council on Feb. 1 for their courageous and successful campaign to organize a union.
“They were dealing with major issues: lack of respect, safety, shift changes” and some bad managers, IBEW Organizer Jennifer Gray told the Advisory Council. “This is an amazing group. They circulated authorization cards, they hustled, they did the work. We take our hats off to you and all the great work you did.”
The Sunoptics workers voted 48 to 29 for union representation on Jan. 10.
Business Manager Tom Dalzell added words of praise for IBEW members who assisted the campaign.
“For our members at PG&E to take the time to come help our brothers and sisters (at Sunoptics) is just extraordinary,” he said.
Proposals for bargaining were submitted by the members at Sunoptics in January. Negotiations with the company have been scheduled for Feb. 18-21.
Serving on the union’s negotiating committee are Mauricio Senteno, Todd Davis, Chris Hann and Pam Pendleton, along with Business Rep Cruz Serna and Assistant Business Manager Ray Thomas.