Mohawk Valley Community College and Oneida County are opposing the unionization of most part-time employees at the school and adjunct faculty members. There currently is no union for MVCC’s part-timers.

"There is not a sufficient community of interest," states a document sent by County Attorney Gregory J. Amoroso to the state Public Employment Relations Board. He was responding to a petition from New York State United Teachers to PERB proposing recognition of a NYSUT affiliate for MVCC part-time staff, including both adjunct instructors and others.

The requested union would cover 427 employees, according to the county attorney’s submission to PERB.

Amoroso said the school and county, which is MVCC’s sponsor, would be "unable to negotiate effectively" because of such factors as different work rules and personnel policies, different working conditions, different duties and responsibilities, different occupational tasks, and different wage structures and fringe benefits. The county attorney also asserts that some of the people in proposed bargaining unit fall under the classification of "casual seasonal employees" and therefore are not covered by the Public Employees’ Fair Employment act.

An overwhelming majority of the affected employees returned union cards in favor of organizing and affiliating with the New York State United Teachers, said Jim Henck of NYSUT. He expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to oppose the unionization bid.

Henck said College President Randall J. VanWagoner sent a neutrally worded email to MVCC employees about the matter while at the same time the school went on record opposing unionization in the filing with PERB.

He said the titles proposed for the new union closely mirror those covered by the union — also an affiliate of NYSUT — that represent MVCC’s full-time faculty and full-time non-teaching professionals.

He said factors driving the issue include: job security, opportunities for professional development and advancement, low pay, and having the opportunity to teach additional courses and work more hours.

A conference call involving the county, college, NYSUT and the state agency is scheduled for Friday to discuss the matter and how to proceed on NYSUT’s petition.