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Teamsters seeks union vote at NeilMed
New employees staff the packaging lines at NeilMed Pharmaceuticals in February after more than 100 workers were released when they didn't have proper documentation. Now, the Teamsters is seeking a union certification vote at NeilMed.
JOHN BURGESS/The Press DemocratPublished: Monday, July 6, 2009 at 4:41 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 6, 2009 at 4:41 p.m.
The Teamsters union has asked the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union certification vote at NeilMed Pharmaceuticals in Santa Rosa, where former workers are suing over alleged labor law violations.
The Teamsters union wants to represent about 120 warehouse, production and transportation workers in contract bargaining at NeilMed, which makes nasal rinse products for allergy sufferers.
The unit would include workers in assembly, packaging, forklift operations, shipping and receiving at NeilMed’s headquarters on Aviation Boulevard near Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport. At least 30 percent of the workers in the affected jobs support the petition for a vote, according to the union.
In a formal statement, NeilMed said it respects the workers’ right to organize, but said its employees don’t need a union.
“We do not agree that employees are better off when represented by a union, and hope the union organizers are fully disclosing all aspects of their representation, including the obligation of all employees represented by a union to pay union costs in the form of mandatory dues,” the company said.
The certification vote wouldn’t affect employees in office, management, supervisory, quality control, confidential and security guard positions.
The Teamsters’ petition was filed last week. Ralph Miranda, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Union Local 624 in Santa Rosa, didn’t return a call seeking further comment Monday.
The federal labor relations board conducts government-sponsored elections when at least 30 percent of affected employees show their support. Elections generally are held less than 50 days from the date of the petition, according to the board.
If a majority of the unit votes in favor, an employer is required by law to negotiate in good faith with the union.
In February, about 175 Latino workers at NeilMed resigned voluntarily when the company told them they didn’t have proper documents to work in the United States, a NeilMed spokeswoman said at the time.
But an attorney for the workers said NeilMed forced them to resign or have their cases turned over to federal authorities. The workers’ departures followed an investigation of NeilMed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Last month, two of the former workers filed a class action lawsuit against NeilMed, alleging the company broke California labor laws. Employees were allegedly denied overtime, vacation pay, promised bonuses, meal and rest breaks, reimbursement of expenses and other workplace rights, according to the suit. The suit seeks back pay and penalties.
NeilMed said the allegations aren’t true.
“We have worked hard to follow the law and to maintain comfortable working conditions for our employees, and have maintained accurate documents proving our compliance with all legal requirements,” the company said. “We are confident that the company’s full compliance with these laws will be apparent once the parties meet to review the records.”
NeilMed, founded in 2000 by Santa Rosa physician Dr. Ketan Mehta, saw its sales soar in 2007 when one of its products was mentioned on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show. The company has about 250 employees.
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