Majority of union members at Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington take vote of no confidence
A majority of unionized workers for the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington took a vote of no confidence Monday in the leadership of Human Resources Director Lois Chauncey.
The Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 11 - which represents 72 of the agency's employees - sent the petition to the Southwest Washington Council of Governments on Aging and Disabilities, which oversees how the agency allocates services across Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties and addresses staff benefit issues, adding or terminating services, and legal and liability issues.
The Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington is a regional governmental agency and works with local service providers to provide home- and community-based services for seniors, family caregivers, adults living with a disability and their families.
Forty-five union-represented workers who are case managers, case aids and nurses signed the vote of no confidence after Chauncey allegedly denied employees' requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and fired one worker after their accommodation was requested.
The Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington did not respond to The Columbian's request for comment.
OPEIU Local 11 Union representative Cheyenne Russell said the termination did not follow progressive discipline procedures in employee contracts. Other union members have expressed concern about asking human resources for their own accommodations for fear of losing their jobs, according to a union news release.
"I am completely shocked and disappointed that an organization that supports people with disabilities is failing to support their workers with disabilities by making it harder for them to get any workplace accommodation," Russell said.
The vote of no confidence and petition asks for a formal review of Chauncey's administration of ADA accommodation requests, employee discipline and termination practices. It also asks the Southwest Washington Council of Governments on Aging and Disabilities to evaluate whether workplace practices relating to human resources are following the law and are fair and equitable as required in the union contract.
"Human resources must serve as a neutral and supportive resource that protects employee rights and ensures compliance with federal law and the collective bargaining agreement," the petition says. "When workplace processes including the ADA accommodation process and other employment practices become obstructive rather than supportive, it undermines both the purpose of the ADA and broader employee protections, while eroding trust in the organization's commitment to equity, fairness and accessibility."
This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.
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