CenterPoint Energy, unions win labor-management award from United Way

This year\’s awards ceremony, March 20 in St. Paul, honored CenterPoint Energy and its three unions — Gas Workers Local 340, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 949, and Office and Professional Employees Local 12.

"The three labor unions who work at Centerpoint, we work well together," said Mark Overman, financial officer for Gas Workers Local 340. "We got all the unions to sign a letter to members that led to an increase in donations."

CenterPoint and the three unions "collaborated from the very beginning… with the goal of coming together for the community," said Angie Poppe, workplace consultant for Greater Twin Cities United Way. "It was really showing a team effort."

In addition to the letter signed jointly by the unions and CenterPoint, labor and management also appeared together at all workplace United Way campaign events. "The unions participated in the presentations at the local meetings. That really made a difference, rather than the company making the presentation, said Vince Guertin, Local 949 business manager.

While many companies\’ campaigns now solicit donations by e-mail, Poppe noted, reverting to paper pledge forms was a key factor in the CenterPoint campaign\’s success in 2007. The employee participation rate increased from 18.6 percent to 46.8 percent, she reported.

"It\’s about knowing your company culture and what works," she said.

Unions, of course, know their members best. "We encourage the companies who have unions to engage their unions in a close partnership," Poppe said.

Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council. Visit the CLUC website, www.minneapolisunions.org