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Washington, D.C.—Some 215 professional employees of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] headquartered in Kansas City, KS, most of them scientists, voted overwhelmingly to be represented by the National Treasury Employees Union [NTEU]. The election, conducted by the Federal Labor Relations Authority, resulted in 101 votes for NTEU, three for another federal union, and 22 for no representation.

NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said the addition of the EPA Region VII professionals brings to about 2,200 the number of EPA employees represented by NTEU at the agency’s Washington headquarters and in three other regional offices. “We are delighted with the growing recognition throughout the EPA workforce of the benefits of NTEU representation,” she said.

The EPA Region VII professionals are responsible for a wide range of environmental activities, including dealing with pesticides and the cleanup of hazardous waste Superfund and other sites, as well as programs protecting drinking water supplies and air quality. The workforce includes meteorologists, hydrologists, geologists, environmental scientists, accountants and others.

Scott Ritchey, an environmental scientist who was active in the organizing campaign, said it succeeded by such as wide margin because it became clear to EPA’s professional employees in the Kansas City area that “we needed a seat at the table.”

The voices of these employees simply were not being heard on a number of important issues, Ritchie said, including the need for adequate training, a flexiplace program, fair appraisals and promotional opportunities. “We picked NTEU because it’s the best,” he said. These previously-unrepresented EPA employees, whose responsibilities extend throughout Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska, will form a new NTEU chapter.

Nationally, NTEU is the largest independent federal union epresenting some 150,000 employees in 25 agencies and departments.