When dealing with the effects a union has on an organization it is best to understand the history between the organization and the Union. The Connecticut Department of Correction has five separate unions; One union represents supervisors, one represents officers counselors food service and maintenance staff, one represents teachers, one represents medical and one represents secretaries and administrative assistants. The Union representing the correctional supervisors has had the most recent impact within the organization.
The Connecticut Department of Corrections has been serving the state of Connecticut since 1968 (State of Connecticut Department of Correction, 2010). Up until 2001 the correctional supervisor did not have the Union. Prior to this the state of Connecticut could do what it wishes with each correctional supervisor including transfer, adjust schedules, terminate and refuse pay increases. In 2001 the decision was made by correctional supervisors to unionize. This provided an avenue for transfer rights, pay raises and other benefits needed to avoid labor law violations and potential litigation. The most likely litigation that potentially could have been brought forward is that of a hostile work environment or retaliation. These charges would be brought about because a supervisor acted in a way the administration didn’t want or approve of and thus changed the staff members schedule or transferred the staff member. The first president of the supervisors union was involuntarily transferred over 5 times prior to the unions’ establishment.
In order to establish a union there is a specific process, (AFL-CIO, 2013). As with the first to steps being understanding the rights that are afforded to employees and determining what union to join the correctional supervisors understood their right to unionize and determined they wanted to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) The supervisors then need to take the third step and forth step...