In a stunning victory for every Local 132 member, and particularly for part-timers, an arbitrator rejected SoCal Gas’s argument that part-timers are “at-will” employees as he ordered the company to put cashier Margaret Madrigal back to work. In his award the arbitrator wrote, “Part-time employees with six months of service are covered by the 'cause' standard of Article VI of the contract.” SoCal Gas now has some 1400 part-timers working a variety of jobs who are affected by this decision, some belonging to other unions. Local 132’s victory will cover all of them.

This decision means that all part-time workers have the right to the arbitration procedure when they are disciplined in any way. No part-time worker can be fired without cause, and the Company must justify its action. SoCal Gas has made a practice of treating part-timers as second class, denying them the rights and benefits of the Local 132 contract.

Ellen Greenstone, the Union’s attorney, believes this is the most significant arbitration case she has presented in the 30 years during which she has been associated with Local 132.

 “The position taken by the gas company in this case —that an eight-year part-time employee is 'at-will' and has no rights to fairness in discipline or other rights spelled out in the Union contract — is offensive.”

Local 132 President Art Frias noted, “This is a great beginning to our contract campaign for 2011 when we will be fighting for even more benefits and rights for all of our members including part-timers.”

You can read the full arbitration decision on Local 132's website at: http://www.uwua132.org