Low wages, long hours and heavy workloads are prompting Twin Cities funeral directors to mount an organizing effort with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

A group of funeral directors publicized their campaign June 12 outside the Washburn-McReavy funeral home in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. They said the owners of the funeral home, William McReavy and his son, William Jr., have interfered with their right to decide whether or not they want a union.

The funeral directors have filed charges against the Washburn-McReavy management with the National Labor Relations Board. In the meantime, they are working to organize more than 125 funeral directors at about 50 facilities across the Twin Cities.

"We are taking this bold step to achieve a goal that has too long been denied those employed in our industry: Respect," said Dwight Gahm, who has worked as a funeral director for 35 years.

Despite the fact that funeral directors have college degrees, they earn low wages (starting pay averaging $25,000 a year) and have poor health and retirement plans, Gahm said. "We now know that it doesn't have to be this way. Through the Teamsters Union, we have seen, for example, how unionized funeral directors in Chicago have gained a living wage and guaranteed pensions with their union contract. And guess what: the cost of funerals in the Twin Cities and Chicago is basically comparable."

With about two years of experience, Heather Kramer and Aimee Hulsing are at the opposite end of the experience spectrum from Gahm. But they say they see little future in the profession unless conditions improve.

Management "tells us we're talented and we should make more, but they don't do anything about it," said Hulsing. The working conditions include dealing with the threat of infectious disease on a daily basis, they said.

Clergy who belong to the Twin Cities Religion Labor Network participated in the event to show their support for the workers. "As a pastor, I have particular occasion to work with many of you . . . and know the good work that you do," said the Rev. Doug Mork.

He and other members of the clergy presented William McReavy Jr. with a petition asking the management to respect the workers' rights in their organizing effort. Afterwards, McReavy Jr. told reporters that he disagrees with many of the claims made by the funeral directors regarding their pay and working conditions but added, "If they vote to have representation, that's fine."

The elder McReavy said management has not made any attempt to influence workers. "Those two girls you were just talking to," he said, referring to Kramer and Hulsing, "are not on call at night. They work a 40-hour week. We've given them exactly what they wanted and now they're out there complaining."