BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.–After employees at one of its branches in its home state formed a union, employees at a branch of Lake Michigan Credit Union in Southwest Florida are now looking to do the same.
As CUToday.info reported in January, employees of the South Division St. branch of LMCU voted in favor of unionizing and have joined the Communications Workers of America. Employees at the branch said other workers at other branches have contacted them about doing the same.
Now, two employees at a branch in Bonita Springs say they are short-staffed and overworked, according to a letter sent to LMCU CEO Sandy Jelinski as reported by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
“The current staffing model does not support our development needs, which include the ability to receive adequate training and the opportunity to grow,” according to the letter signed by the branch’s lead teller, Kim Pierre, and member services representative, Olga Valdez,” the Business Journal reported.
Inadequate Staffing Alleged
The Tampa Bay Business Journal further reported that Pierre and Valdez alleged in the letter that on certain occasions they haven’t been able to service loan applications due to inadequate staffing, nor can they support the volume of traffic at the branch or property mentor new hires.
The report further noted that Pierre and Valdez said they expressed concerns to upper management on numerous occasions with no effect. They’re filing for a union election “in solidarity with the current labor movement at LMCU and across the banking industry,” according to the letter.
Credit Union Pushes Back
In a statement to the Business Journal, the $11.9-billion LMCU strongly denied the accusations.
“We have long been focused on providing excellent employment and career opportunities with competitive wages and benefits in a welcoming work environment for all of our team members in Florida and Michigan,” a spokesperson for LMCU said in the statement, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. “We believe our employee-focused approach sets us apart. We take the concerns of our staff seriously, and we are committed to remaining an employer of choice throughout the banking and finance industry.”
As CUToday.info reported, Grand Rapid, Mich.-based Lake Michigan CU moved into the Sunshine State over the last several years with its acquisition of several banks, including Tampa-based Pilot Bank.
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