Archeologists are First in Their Industry to Form a Union
SALT LAKE CITY, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Archeologists at SWCA Environmental Consultants in Salt Lake City have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 222.
"Local 222 is excited to welcome these new members to the ranks," said Spencer Hogue, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 222. "These are truly a unique group of workers. They ensure our environment, history, and cultural heritage are protected when development happens in some of the most remote and rugged areas in Utah and the surrounding states. These front-line workers are hardworking, college educated, and dedicated to their industry—and yet, they barely survive because of the poor pay and lack of meaningful benefits. It's about time their employer shows them the respect that they deserve."
"For decades, archeological technicians and leads in the CRM industry have sat around the campfire and talked about unionization," said Freeman Stevenson, a field archeologist at SWCA. "I voted for the Teamsters to help show others that it can be done. It's time for archeologists to receive better pay, benefits, and working conditions that reflect their hard work and dedication to the environment. The way we can achieve this is by coming together as workers to form a union and hold our industry accountable."
The archeological field crew at SWCA Environmental Consultants' Salt Lake City office are the first archeologists within the private sector Cultural Resource Management industry to successfully win a union election. They overcame months of union busting, staying united and never wavering.
"I'm ecstatic about our election vote," said Sariah Batt, an archeologist at SWCA. "The companies in our industry have a history of exploiting their literal boots-on-the-ground laborers, and I'm excited to see us have protections going forward."
Teamsters Local 222 serves more than 4,500 members working for 35 employers across the state of Utah. For more information, visit Teamsterslocal222.org.
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