The union is producing a series of posters and graphics for use in its new education campaign. Artists that have worked for Stephen Spielberg and Disney have agreed to join in the effort to bring union issues to light. It’s about rights.

     After months of stalling, the Mayor has indicated an unwillingness to talk with unions or allow his representatives to negotiate with workers in good faith. This comes as no surprise after he issued an Executive Order earlier forbidding municipal workers from participating in election campaigns in the City of Tulsa. Not only is this an unethical approach to suppression of union members’ rights to free speech and freedom of assembly, it is a clear indication that the Mayor’s office is simply wasting tax-payer dollars by sending City Legal to the negotiating table while leaving them unable to negotiate. To make these issues clear to the public, AFSCME Local 1180 President has asked the City to allow negotiations sessions to be  publically aired on TGOV, but they have refused to respond to the request. All of this leaves one wondering, What is the Mayor and the City so afraid of? Why are they unwilling to give tax-payers a real look at what union negotiations look like?

     In order to ensure that the public is properly informed, The Executive Board of Local 1180 recently resolved to begin an unprecedented public relations campaign to teach the people of Tulsa what it means to be union, and to illustrate that union principles and objectives are not about partisan politics. They’re about common sense.

    As statistics have proven, cities which have strong municipal unions and strong contracts contribute to the overall prosperity and higher wages for all working people—even those in other vocations. What’s more, with a strong union, the tax-payers have a local advocate that is intertwined in the workings of their city to keep them informed of budgetary issues, wasteful spending, while providing a mechanism for the public to engage directly with the workforce in order to enhance efficiency and address public health and safety concerns. Mayor Bartlett’s friends, on the other hand, do not allow for public insight into how tax-payer dollars are spent. AFSCME has decided it’s time that the people of Tulsa understand what is really going on in their City.