From WKAR:
EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan State University Extension employees are forming a union. More than 70% voted to form two bargaining units.
Jeremy Jubenville is a MSU Extension educator in West Michigan and helped lead the unionization efforts.
While he said organizers anticipated the outcome, they were surprised by the margin with which it was approved.
There are more than 400 Extension employees with a presence in every county in Michigan. They act as educators, aiding community members in agriculture, health and management of natural resources.
He said that forming their own union will allow Extension employees’ unique needs to be addressed. But workers being spread throughout the state created challenges.
“Communication is a challenge. Getting on the same page is a challenge,” Jubenville said. “A lot of these decisions aren’t made lightly by people, so it just takes time to have conversations with them.”