Members accuse Shedd Aquarium of restricting speech about new union
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Union members on Tuesday accused the Shedd Aquarium of quashing union-related speech.
Shedd Workers United—a subunit of AFSCME Council 31—filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday.
The union said Shedd employees announced its formation in April. Since then, the charge claims, Shedd management "has discriminatorily enforced its no-solicitation policy to restrict union-related speech and solicitation while allowing other non-work-related speech and solicitation."
"We have a right to speak freely about our union. Management interference is illegal," the Shedd Workers United/AFSCME organizing committee said in a news release. "Under the law, if we're allowed to talk about non-work topics like what we did on vacation, then we can talk about our union. And if we're allowed to ask co-workers to support non-work causes like a raffle, the law says we can ask them to sign a union card. But again and again, if it's union-related, management interferes, threatens and retaliates."
The Shedd Aquarium released a statement Tuesday saying it disagrees with the union's claims:
"Shedd Aquarium has not received the charge referenced. Based on the limited information that has been shared, Shedd disagrees with these claims. We have long supported and encouraged our staff to openly explore their options, share their opinions related to unionization with their coworkers in a considerate way, and make their own, informed decisions. Like many employers, Shedd maintains a policy prohibiting solicitation of any kind during working time. We are proud that Shedd provides employees with a respectful workplace culture regardless of their opinions on unions. Shedd looks forward to cooperating fully with any investigation into these allegations."