Galloway Township Employees Vote to Switch Unions

Over 40 township employees voted in favor of changing their union in a pair of votes held Wednesday, Oct. 23, according to a report on The Press of Atlantic City’s website Wednesday night and confirmed by an unnamed employee with knowledge of the vote.

The 44 employees voted in two sessions, with the first group of employees voting early in the day and only two voting in favor of remaining with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 210, according to the employee. In the afternoon, the supervisors voted, 9-7, in favor of leaving the IBEW.

The possibility remains that IBEW may challenge the vote, according to the employee.

According to the employee, a police dispatcher led the effort to switch unions for the past few months. Previously, there was a mixup with the paperwork, the employee said. This resulted in the need to vote again on Wednesday.

According to the Press, the Government Workers Union will now represent the workers and supervisors in the clerical, communications and Information Technology departments.

The Government Workers Union Supervisors Council 10 will represent the supervisors in this group, of which there are 17, according to the Press.

The vote comes in the wake of layoff notices being issued to about 90 percent of the township's employees in September, with final layoffs to come no later than Nov. 16.

It also comes one day after Township Manager Arch Liston introduced the idea of possible restructuring in the police department.