Yesterday dozens of UE members at the California Service Center in Laguna Niguel, CA filed into the office of site manager Jerry Sharpe to deliver a letter signed by dozens more co-workers at the facility demanding that Stanley treat workers with the respect and dignity they deserve and that they not spend money on an anti-union campaign. What follows is a report on the action from Organizing Committee member Joel Faypon:

On January 14, 2008, we made Stanley realize how united we are. We made Jerry Sharpe feel that we are all determined to come forward with a collective strength to represent our fellow employees who, up to this date, are still being harassed by their supervisors because of their show of support in the November protest and of the union.

Our band of some night shift and day shift clerks consisting of committee and newly signed members met up at the south entrance. We braved the uncertainty and hesitation and decided to march to Stanley admin. We went straight to the program manager’s office and found Jerry Sharpe. We handed him copies of the UE letter bearing many signatures of UE members. We demanded respect.

We pointed out the issue and our individual sentiments about how some of us are mistreated, singled out, closely watched by some Stanley supervisors. We expressed how tired we are of such treatment and we demanded Stanley to take action. Although Sharpe pointed out the legal implication of our grievance, we made him understand that our complaint can be remedied by a simple reminder to the supervisors, that they should not harass us for exercising our rights as employees and as citizens. Sharpe’s response was all in our favor, though it is uncertain that he will even take any action at all.

Our bold move did more than its original purpose. Other than letting Stanley know of our unity, it also gave out an impression to the clerks, still clad in fear, that they have fellow employees who are brave enough to face the ever feared administration. We made a statement that from this day onward; we will no longer tolerate any unfair or adverse treatment from the slave drivers that these government contractors seem to keep as part of their administration. We made a strong statement that from this day onward; we will no longer be intimidated by anyone from their administration.

Jerry Sharpe and Stanley now realize how strong we have become as a collective, especially with UE on our side. They know now that we mean business.

- Joel Faypon, UE Organizing Committee Member

Here is the text of the letter:

January 14, 2008


Philip Nolan , CEO 

Stanley Associates, Inc.

3101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700

Arlington, VA 22201

Fax: 802-527-4689, 703-683-0039 



Dear Mr. Nolan:


We, the undersigned employees of Stanley Associates and its subcontractors at the California Service Center facility, demand to be treated with the dignity and respect we deserve. We call upon you to respect out basic rights as workers and as human beings.

We are exercising our basic human right to organize and to collectively bargain with our employer. These rights are protected by the National Labor Relations Act. We demand that Stanley not engage in anti-union activity or otherwise interfere with this process. 



You have told us that Stanley is very proud of being found a good employer by Fortune Magazine. We expect that you will now act as a responsible employer and respect your employees’ right to organize. In receiving this latest $225 million government contract, Stanley has the responsibility to taxpayers not to waste any of this money on an anti-union campaign. 



Unfortunately, many workers continue to be subject to harassment and unfair treatment. For this reason, we will continue our efforts to build our union to ensure that all workers here are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Sincerely,

[Signed by dozens of UE members at the California Service Center.]

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