Employees at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden vote to unionize in 37-13 vote
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Dozens of employees at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden have officially voted to unionize, marking a significant step toward possibly bettering working conditions and increasing wages. The final vote, held on Thursday, Nov. 21, saw 37 Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden employees in favor of forming a union, while 13 voted against it. For months, workers at the popular Richmond-area garden have voiced concerns over pay and working conditions, particularly the challenges of living on wages that struggle to cover basic expenses such as groceries, rent and gas. "A lot of us, including myself, are feeling overjoyed and overwhelmed with the fact that we have so much support and so much opportunity now to be heard and continue the longevity of the garden," said Elliot Harrington, an employee at the garden's shop for two years. Harrington, like many others, expressed the difficulty of managing personal financial struggles while trying to provide excellent service in their roles. Union supporters hope that by coming together, they can negotiate higher pay and improved working conditions, among other things. "So we can come to work confidently knowing that we can do our job at our best and not stressing over our own personal struggles," Harrington said. The journey to unionization was not without its doubts. Initially, many employees were unsure about the process and the potential benefits. However, as discussions continued, workers realized that a collective effort would allow them to advocate for both their own needs and the garden's long-term success. "Our whole community here will ideally get more space for advocacy and more space in general to hear our concerns, hear our desires and our proposed solutions as a way to uplift the garden and the community," Harrington said. While the election results must now be certified before negotiations can begin, employees are optimistic that their efforts will lead to improvements that will benefit not only the staff but the garden as a whole. As the garden moves forward, employees remain hopeful that this unionization will bring meaningful change for all involved. "I feel confident that every single person who works here, who advocates for this union or not, loves their job, and we care about our jobs and we care about the community here," Harrington said. 8News received the following statement from garden management about the vote: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has long been pro-employee and we have enjoyed working with staff individually and personally. We hope that the IAM Union will keep both employees needs and concerns, and the mission of our Garden at the center of negotiations as we progress towards a mutually beneficial contract. We are committed to an outcome that benefits employees while ensuring our organization remains a treasured community resource for our volunteers, guests, members, patrons and community partners. Mary Heather Parch, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Chief Marketing Officer
VENN
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Dozens of employees at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden have officially voted to unionize, marking a significant step toward possibly bettering working conditions and increasing wages.
The final vote, held on Thursday, Nov. 21, saw 37 Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden employees in favor of forming a union, while 13 voted against it.
For months, workers at the popular Richmond-area garden have voiced concerns over pay and working conditions, particularly the challenges of living on wages that struggle to cover basic expenses such as groceries, rent and gas.
"A lot of us, including myself, are feeling overjoyed and overwhelmed with the fact that we have so much support and so much opportunity now to be heard and continue the longevity of the garden," said Elliot Harrington, an employee at the garden's shop for two years.
Harrington, like many others, expressed the difficulty of managing personal financial struggles while trying to provide excellent service in their roles. Union supporters hope that by coming together, they can negotiate higher pay and improved working conditions, among other things.
"So we can come to work confidently knowing that we can do our job at our best and not stressing over our own personal struggles," Harrington said.
The journey to unionization was not without its doubts. Initially, many employees were unsure about the process and the potential benefits. However, as discussions continued, workers realized that a collective effort would allow them to advocate for both their own needs and the garden's long-term success.
"Our whole community here will ideally get more space for advocacy and more space in general to hear our concerns, hear our desires and our proposed solutions as a way to uplift the garden and the community," Harrington said.
While the election results must now be certified before negotiations can begin, employees are optimistic that their efforts will lead to improvements that will benefit not only the staff but the garden as a whole. As the garden moves forward, employees remain hopeful that this unionization will bring meaningful change for all involved.
"I feel confident that every single person who works here, who advocates for this union or not, loves their job, and we care about our jobs and we care about the community here," Harrington said.
8News received the following statement from garden management about the vote:
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has long been pro-employee and we have enjoyed working with staff individually and personally. We hope that the IAM Union will keep both employees needs and concerns, and the mission of our Garden at the center of negotiations as we progress towards a mutually beneficial contract. We are committed to an outcome that benefits employees while ensuring our organization remains a treasured community resource for our volunteers, guests, members, patrons and community partners. Mary Heather Parch, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Chief Marketing Officer
