That contract is due to expire on July 31, and it has led to a couple of startling developments.
The first is especially odd. Although the Pinellas Staff Organization is the exclusive bargaining representative of the seven staffers, only two of them are actually members of the union. The other five do not belong, as is their right under Florida law and the Janus ruling.
One of the five, Don Manly, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to decertify PSO as the exclusive representative. In order to file such a petition, one must have the support of at least 30 percent of the bargaining unit, which in this case is three people — Manly and two others.
If the NLRB approves the petition, an election would be held, and four votes to decertify would cast out PSO.
Decertifying a union’s staff union would be singular enough, but McCall added fuel to the fire by notifying staffers that PCTA would cease abiding by the current contract’s terms when it expires on July 31.
It’s a fundamental principle of collective bargaining that even after a contract expires, its provisions remain in effect — sometimes for years — until a new agreement is reached or until both parties agree to end the relationship.
This move by PCTA caused an uproar within the staff union community. PSO petitioned PCTA to extend the current contract for one year, or until a new agreement can be reached.