Organizing a workplace and signing a contract can take years, but Richmond, Va., Local 666, wrapped up the whole process recently in less than six months.

"This is what happens when people can choose without fear," said lead organizer Dale McCray.

T&H Services is a government contractor performing operations and maintenance at the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center within Fort Barfoot, Va. Though the outcome was noteworthy for its speed, the beginning of the T&H Services organizing drive looked the same way a lot of organizing drives do.

The workers, who handle operations and maintenance including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roads and grounds, janitorial and heavy equipment operation, had not had a comprehensive pay raise since 2019. Working conditions were deteriorating, and they had no voice to get management to do anything about it. Not surprisingly, there was a lot of turnover.

"Something just wasn't right," said Donnie Barnes, an HVAC mechanic who's worked at the site for over four years.

When Barnes started looking around for possible union representation, he found a news article that mentioned that T&H had a facility in Colorado where the employees were represented by Colorado Springs Local 113. Then he found Local 666 nearby and reached out.

"They're a great group of workers that were overdue for better wages and benefits, and we were happy to help," Local 666 Business Manager Charles Skelly said.

While most organizing drives face resistance, even employer intimidation, Barnes and his co-workers were covered by the Service Contract Act. The act offers federal contractors a host of protections. First, federal contractors must pay a prevailing wage and benefits. It also creates an environment that discourages the usual union-busting activities.

Fort Barfoot is a federal government installation, and as such expects workers employed at those locations to be treated fairly by their employer. If a group of workers decides to unionize, the employer can then request that the government modify their contract to help offset any additional labor costs. And since government contracts can be lucrative, most employers realize that labor disputes could prevent them from securing future years on the existing contract or tarnish their reputation throughout government contracting. Most employers would rather play by the rules and be fair with employees than risk losing out on future deals.

"That doesn't mean the employer can just simply agree to whatever the union requests in bargaining. The employer must be a good custodian of the government's money and negotiate at arm's length with the union," Skelly said. "It is important to ascertain quickly whether the contractor is pragmatic or ideological. If they are pragmatic, then they will respect the employees' right to unionize and bargain in good faith with their union. And that's exactly what T&H Services did. By contrast, there are ideological employers who dislike the idea of their employees unionizing and will fight their efforts to do so and engage in bad faith bargaining. This often results in unnecessary labor disputes."

Unfortunately, the wage determinations set by the government are updated on a set schedule measured in years, so Barnes and his co-workers were making less than they should have. Benefits were also below average. Still, the employees were initially hesitant.

"It took a lot of persuasion," Barnes said. "We had to get them to understand that if we stood together as a group, with the IBEW's help, that a union is what we needed."

Worker education was key, through door knocking, phone banking and literature drops, Barnes said. McCray, along with fellow lead organizer Danielle Buchanan and others, took the time to address everyone's issues and help with whatever was needed.

Once the workers realized they couldn't legally be retaliated against and that they could freely decide what was best for them, they felt very comfortable voting, Barnes said.

"I was so impressed with the IBEW. I had never done anything like this before. The experience and knowledge that they brought to the table was incredible."

The vote was 49-0 in favor of joining Local 666.

"It's a testament to what can happen when people aren't scared to death," McCray said.

When it came time to negotiate the first contract, T&H was a reliable partner that understood its duty to bargain fairly. Negotiations were over in about three days, McCray said.

Thanks to IBEW expertise and an employer willing to bargain in good faith, the 65 workers in the unit can now look forward to a 16% cumulative wage increase and greater than 60% gain in benefit rates over the three-year contract. A new defined-contribution retirement fund was created, in addition to the existing — and unchanged — 401(k) offered by the employer. The contract also included for the first time in company history pay bumps for second and third shifts of 5% and 10%, respectively. Paid holidays now count toward the computation of overtime, and workers can now sell back some of their paid time off at the end of the year.

Most important, they have a voice on the job.

"We have oversight now," Barnes said. "Now we're working together and all parties see the benefits of addressing employee needs and safety concerns."

Morale is also a lot higher now, which should help with turnover, Barnes said.

"It's been nothing but great," Barnes said. "Without the IBEW, we would have nothing. I can say that with 100% confidence."

Credit should also go to the workers, said Local 666 Assistant Business Manager and Organizer Walt Goree.

"These guys have amazing solidarity. I was really impressed," he said. "When workers have natural cohesion like that, nothing can stop them."