Allstate Agent Group to Vote on Union Affiliation

Members of the National Association of Professional Allstate Agents Inc. (NAPAA), who feel threatened with the loss of their businesses, soon will take part in a secret mail ballot vote that will determine whether the association will affiliate with Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) as a Guild. NAPAA says the vote will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and be counted on August 17 at the AAA's New York office.

The decision to poll the membership was bolstered by the enthusiastic response of attendees and the NAPAA Board of Directors at the group's most recent national conference in New Orleans, said NAPAA. There, Michael Goodwin, president of OPEIU, presented the case for affiliation and took questions from the audience. He pointed out that guilds have proven effective for self-employed workers.

The OPEIU represents 125,000 employees and guild members but, when coupled with its affiliation with the AFL-CIO, the number swells to more than 11 million. NAPAA says with a positive vote on the ballot initiative, the group will take steps to formalize the affiliation. Upon affiliation, NAPAA members will be granted membership in the OPEIU, the national AFL-CIO and all State Federations of Labor, giving the agent group better access to legislative assistance and legal expertise.