Laundry owner to fight NLRB ruling (reinstate and give back pay to three workers)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1019biz-laundryb...

Cathryn Creno
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 19, 2007 05:12 PM

The owner of a west Phoenix laundry said Thursday that he will fight a recent National Labor Relations Board decision that it must reinstate and give back pay to three workers who backed union organization efforts.

Milum Textile Services, 333 N. Seventh Ave., cleans textiles soiled with medical waste.

Owner Craig Milum said he plans to fight a ruling by the NLRB over disputes with New York-based Unite Here, which represents Arizona's 1,200 unionized laundry workers.

United Here is trying to organize about 80 workers at Milum and says it wants to unionize all laundry workers in the state.

An Oct. 5 decision by NLRB Administrative Law Judge Lana H. Parke appears on the NLRB Web site. It orders Milum to reinstate the workers with back pay and to allow workers who wish to wear pro-union buttons.

"We are not giving up, either," United Here organizer Brian Callaci said. "There is enforcement that needs to come out of the NLRB decision."