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1· What is a union?
A union is
a group of workers of which a majority decides to bargain collectively to
improve wages, benefits, respect on the job, and other working conditions.
Unions counter-balance the unchecked power of employers.
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2· How do you form a union?
Basically,
you sign a "union authorization card" (a card that indicates that you would like to form a
union at your workplace). If a majority of employees sign such a card, the
cards are given to a government agency (The
NLRB - The National Labor
Relations Board) which then schedules and oversees a secret ballot election
to see if the employees really do want a union. If a majority votes "Yes"
(50% +1) then a union is formed, with which the company must bargain over wages,
benefits and working conditions. See
How to Unionize for more detail.
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3· Why should workers unionize?
All
workers deserve a seat at the table. No company transcends the need for
legally-backed workers’ rights. All workers deserve respect,
better wages, better benefits, job security, and a voice at work. Without a
union, your employer has complete authority to make all decisions. When
workers unionize, however, the employer is legally obligated to negotiate the
terms and conditions of their employment with them.
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4· Can my employer prevent me from organizing or joining a
union?
Legally,
no. Your right to form a union is protected by
Federal law. But keep in mind
that your employer can be an anti-union company. They will fight any
effort of workers to unionize – including stretching (and sometimes perhaps
breaking) the law to accomplish this. They are also trying to make improvements and offering
concessions in an attempt to convince workers that their concerns are being
heard. But remember, unless workers have a union contract, any changes and
improvements can be taken away at any time — your employer still has all the
power and control.
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5· What's an Organizing Committee?
An
organizing committee is a group of workers who want to and are able to meet
regularly to discuss a unionizing campaign, research and gather information,
inform themselves and their fellow workers, talk with a local union
organization, and hold meetings to give out information and discuss
unionizing with interested people. ( Also known as a "V.O.L." Voluntary
Organizing Committee)
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6· What's a Union Authorization Card?
Union
authorization cards are used to show the
National Labor Relations Board that there is enough interest to hold an
election. In order for the
NLRB to schedule an election, at least 30% of
workers at a given workplace need to sign authorization cards. It means you want to
join a union. That is all. It does not mean the union speaks for you, it
does not mean you are a union member, it does not mean you have to pay dues,
it does not mean anything else. It does not even mean you have to vote yes
in the election. It simply means you want to form a union in order to
collectively bargain with your employer. Signing a union card is an
anonymous process. Your company will never see your card or know how you
voted. And they cannot ask. These are given to the NLRB for their
internal records only.
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7· What does a union do?
The
primary objective of a union is to secure a contract, which spells out the
wages, benefits and working conditions for employees and holds a company
legally accountable for adhering to them. Once a contract is signed by the
employer and ratified (voted on and approved) by a majority of employees,
the union then exists to help any employee who wants help with problems with
management. This is done through the grievance procedure.
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8· What is a Grievance
The
grievance procedure is one of the most important parts of a union contract.
It explains how any conflicts between employees and management are to be
resolved. For example, let’s say you were written up for something you feel
isn’t fair. You talk with your managers but they refuse to do anything about
it. You then go to your steward (see below for definition) to get help. The
steward sits down with you and management to try to resolve the issue. If it
can’t be resolved at this meeting, a business representative for the union (see
below) comes to talk with management. If they still cannot
resolve the problem to everyone’s satisfaction, the business
representative will
appeal to upper management. If this step fails, both parties will bring in a
neutral arbitrator who will issue a final decision.
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9· What's a shop steward and a business
representative?
A steward
is simply a co-worker that is elected by her/his co-workers to make sure the
contract isn’t violated. In addition, he/she is the person to contact when an
employee has a problem with management and wants union help. A union
representative/business agent, is an official of the union that handles any problems the
shop steward cannot.
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10· What besides the grievance procedure goes into a
contract?
Some examples of what is in a union contract.
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PURPOSE
RECOGNITION
TERM OF
AGREEMENT
MANAGEMENT
RIGHTS
RULES AND
REGULATIONS
CONTRACTING
EMPLOYEE
RIGHTS
STRIKE
PROVISIONS
GRIEVANCE &
ARBITRATION PROCEDURE
HOURS OF
WORK
WORK WEEK
SEVERANCE PAY |
STANDBY Pay
SENIORITY
HEALTH AND
SAFETY
HOLIDAYS
VACATION
LEAVES OF
ABSENCE
INSURANCE
WORKERS’
COMPENSATION SUPPLEMENT
RESIGNATION
COOPERATION
SAVINGS
Clause
ETC. |
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11· Who negotiates the contract?
If a
majority of workers vote “yes” to union representation (50% +1), the union and the
company put together teams. The union team consists of employees who are
elected by their co-workers to the negotiating committee, and union
negotiators. The company’s team is usually comprised of lawyers, local
management and upper management officials.
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12· What kind of say do I get in the contract?
Before
contract talks, the union passes out a form on which you list those things
you'd like to see in a contract. The union uses this to base the negotiation
on. Furthermore, you could be on the negotiating team, but at the very least
you get to vote on the contract. If a majority doesn't approve of the
contract, the negotiating team has to go back to the negotiating table.
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13· How long do contracts last?
Usually 1
to 5 years. This gives both sides long enough time to see what works and
what needs to be changed/renegotiated.
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14· What's this "bargaining unit" thing I've heard about?
The
bargaining unit defines which employees are eligible to vote for and be in
the union. Excluded by federal law are managers, supervisors and security guards.
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15· Hey, if I sign a union card, does that mean I have to
vote yes in the election? What if I change my mind?
You can
vote any way you like in the election whether or not you signed a card. It's
secret ballot so no one, neither management or union, will ever know
how you voted.
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16· What are union dues? What are they used for?
Union dues
are compensation to the union for their support; they're what allows a union
to operate. Dues pay for the union's staff, organizers, lawyers,
negotiators, office rent, materials, trainings, and other things it takes to
maintain an organization able to represent its members and help organize
non-unionized workers.
Remember,
dues are only paid by members after a contract has been approved by a
majority of workers -- you are able to see whether the benefits exceed the
cost of the dues before you vote to ratify it. Dues vary depending on the
industry and your wage. IBEW, Local 949's dues are 1%/mo. of your base
hourly/salary rate,
& $12.00 month for International portion.
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17· Geez, isn't that a lot of money?
Yes, but
these facts help: you don't pay a cent to the union until a contract is
ratified by the employees. So if wage and/or benefits gains in the contract
don't more than make up for your dues, simply turn the contract down.
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18· What's a "union shop"?
This means
that all employees in the bargaining unit (see above) must be part of the
union. It's a standard part of most contracts. It enables the union to
bargain from a stronger position, which benefits all employees.
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19· Even if they voted against the union? That's not very
fair.
Unless
you’re in a situation in which you can make decisions using consensus, a
majority decision is the most logical and fair. It’s important to remember
that even those who opposed unionizing receive any increases in wages and/or
benefits. You would have a lot less strength in an “open” shop because the
company can engage in tactics to destroy the union (e.g., the company could
hire people knowing they are anti-union).
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20· I've heard about union fines. What can I be fined for?
In theory,
you can be fined for crossing picket lines, not doing a picketing shift
during a strike, and such. But many locals have NEVER fined a member. Ever.
It’s best to check with the union organization you’re considering
affiliating with to find out more specific information.
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21· What's a "local"?
A union’s
structure is similar to the US government. There is a national government,
but many of the decisions that really affect you are on the state level.
This is even truer with a union. There is an international union that
oversees national operations. But the local helps negotiate and enforce the
contract, helps employees with grievances, etc.
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22· So what's this "International" do?
They lobby
Congress for changes in laws that would benefit workers, send help to any
locals that need it, coordinate national organizing efforts, etc.
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23· Can you give me a better idea of what will happen
during a union drive?
You'll be
asked at some point to sign a union card. Once about 65-75% of the employees
in the bargaining unit are signed up (legally, you could file with as few as
30% of employees signed up, but it's best to wait for a solid majority), the
cards are submitted to the
NLRB. (The National Labor Relations Board, the
government agency that oversees union/management relations.) The bargaining
unit (see above) is finalized either by the NLRB or by agreement between the
company and union. An election date is set. The secret ballot election is
held and a majority wins. Of course, during the few weeks before the
election, both management and pro-union employees will try to disseminate
information. Management will do this through mandatory meetings and memos in
your mailboxes. Pro-union employees will try to get you to talk with them
about concerns, hold voluntary meetings and may mail information to your home.
Tensions may start to run high, but the best way to avoid this is by feeling
free to talk with you coworkers about your concerns.
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24· What benefits can the union guarantee?
When
workers stick together as a union, they have bargaining power and a
collective voice that they simply do not have when they are not unionized.
Employer says no guarantees can be made about the contract. Of course
that’s true, but only because workers actively participate in creating their
own contract. An important guarantee that is in place, however, is that once
a contract is voted in by a majority of workers, it is legally binding and
the union will make sure it’s enforced.
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25· Is it true that we could be worse off than we are now
if we unionize?
The
purpose of forming a union is to win improvements, not lose them. Workers
start with what they have now and move forward. A common scare tactic used
by companies to discourage workers from unionizing is to tell them they
could “lose everything they now have.” But as with other scare tactics, it’s
not true. If having a union meant your Employer could reduce our benefits, why
would they fight union effort? All workers vote on whether or not to accept
a contract. No one would vote to accept a contract that took away her/his
current benefits. Interesting fact:
On average, unionized workers earn a
third more than non-unionized workers in wages and benefits.
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26· How democratic are unions?
It depends
on the union. Some unions are not democratic at all, others preach
democratic values, but don’t allow (or at least discourage) rank & file
control. When everything is working right, the whole process is democratic.
You decide if you want to sign a card. You decide to vote yes or no for
union representation. You decide what you want in a contract. You decide
which employees will be on the negotiating committee. You decide to vote yes
or no to ratify the contract. You vote on who will be your shop steward.
Every 3 years you vote on who will be the officials of the local.
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27· Will we have to go on strike?
No. Only
workers can make the decision to go on strike, and there can only be a
strike if a 2/3 majority of workers vote to go on strike. Employers
emphasizes strikes to scare workers. In reality, however, strikes are very
rare; over 98% of all union contracts are negotiated without a strike. It is
leverage that workers have, but only if they want/need it.
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28· Aren’t unions corrupt and dishonest?
Employers
would like us to think that all unions are corrupt. However, most are
decent, honest organizations dedicated to improving the lives of working
people. Unions aren’t perfect, and there have been examples of union
officials who have been corrupt. But the same is true of government
officials and company executives. Telling people to not vote for a union
because of a few examples of corruption is like telling people to not work
for a company because some company officials have been fired in the past for
misconduct.
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29· Will my employer close if I vote for a union?
NO. It is
against the law for the company to close or threaten to close because of
union activity. Companies do not go out of business because their workers
are unionized and are treated fairly; they go out of business because people
stop buying their products, or because of poor management practices.
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30· Is it easy to unionize?
No. It
takes a significant amount of work by employees who are dedicated to
improving the working conditions of all employees. It takes a lot of
strength and unity to fight against employers anti-union campaign. It
requires a great deal of education – of yourself and of your co-workers.
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31· What is "At-Will" Employment?
Doctrine that states
that no one has a right to a job, but works at the will of the employer, and
the job may be terminated for any reason. Most employee's that are not
under a union contract are an "at will employee".
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32.
Can I get fired for helping the
union or for attending a union meeting?
It is illegal for you to be fired, punished or
harassed for attending union meetings or for supporting a union. The law
protects your right as workers to improve your working conditions.
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33
How & why people join unions?
A union is a
group of workers who come together to win respect on the job, better wages
and benefits, more flexibility for work and family needs and a voice in
improving the quality of their products and services. Workers in unions
counter-balance the unchecked power of employers.
If you do
not have a union at your job, find out more about how to form one. Today,
more people are taking the step to form unions on the job than at any time
in recent history.
You can be one of them!
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34 How do unions help
working families today?
Through unions, workers win better wages, benefits and a voice on the
job—and good union jobs mean stronger communities. Union workers earn 26
percent more than nonunion workers and are more likely to receive health
care and pension benefits than those without a union. In 2002, median weekly
earnings for full-time union wage and salary workers were $740, compared
with $587 for their nonunion counterparts. Unions lead the fight today for
better lives for working people, such as through expanded family and medical
leave, improved safety and health protections and fair-trade agreements that
lift the standard of living for workers all over the world.
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What kinds of workers
are forming unions today?
A wider range of people than ever before, including
many women and immigrants, is joining unions—doctors and nurses, poultry
workers and graduate employees, home health care aides and wireless
communications workers, auto parts workers and engineers, to name a few.
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