_

Union Organizing Activities

Why is the company opposed to unions?

The union acts as the voice of individual employees. Unions challenge unfair or arbitrary decisions made by an employer or company. A union ensures that the individual employee takes part in decision's regarding issues such as hours of work, level of wages and salaries, job assignments and safety. Companies sometime forget that the success or future of the company is a direct result of the employees. Therefore, employees must have a say in the future of the company. A union only maintains a sense of democracy within a company and should be considered a constructive influence.

What is a Union?

A union is an organization committed to representing the individual. It establishes a true sense of democracy in our private enterprise system and corporate oriented economy; it represents the individual's interest when the company's interest conflicts with it or even fails to consider it; it represents public or government employees as they seek to apply industrial democracy to their jobs and working conditions.

Why is the union so interested in us?

Unions are interested in any employees who are seeking stronger representation within their companies.

What happens if I sign a union card?

Signing a union card is just the first step of a thorough process in determining whether a company wants to obtain a union contract. In order to obtain this contract, a majority of employees must sign union cards, authorizing them in collective bargaining with their employer. A petition can then be filed with the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board), requesting that a secret ballot elections be held to confirm that a majority of employees want the union. If that majority votes in favor of the union, the NLRB will certify the union as the official bargaining representative.

If I have not signed a card before an election, does this mean I will be treated differently if the union wins?

No. Such actions would be discriminatory and are neither permitted by law nor practiced by unions.

If a union gets in a company, are union supporters given preferences in wages and job assignments?

No. By law, no employee can be given preference in wages and job assignments just because of his/her union support.

If a union gets in a company, does the company have to pay any money to the union?

No. The law prohibits a company from paying money to the union.

Does it cost money to belong to a union?

Until a you become a member of the union, you do not pay anything. At the time that you become a member, you pay dues that have been determined by the entire membership. Just like the Moose, Elks, American Legion, health clubs or any other membership organization, dues are a fact of life. We all realize this fact and are willing to contribute our fair share. In the end your employer pays your union dues many times over because of the increased wages and benefits you will receive through your union contract. Just ask yourself, what am I paying In nonunion dues?

Do employees lose their right to bargain individually with management about wages, hours and working conditions if a union gets in our company?

The union negotiates contracts that provide for improved wages and benefits. These betterment's establish the minimum wages and benefits an employer must pay for all employees that the union represents. An employee can get more money from the employer on his/her own, so long as that employee and the employer do not violate the contract tot he detriment of the other employees that the union represents.

If the union wins a representation election, does the company automatically have to sign a contract with the union?

The company must bargain in good faith with the union toward reaching an agreement. 99% of the time a contract is reached with the company.

Can unions guarantee job security?

The only guarantees in life are death and taxes. The union cannot and the employer cannot guarantee any one job security however, employees represented by unions historically have enjoyed greater job security.

Can the union get me a raise or any other increased fringe benefit?

The union will be the collective voice of the employees in advocating for wages and fringe benefit increases.

Can a company close down because a union is voted in?

No. It is against the law for a company to close down simply because a union is voted in.

Could the union force the company to do away with work rules?

No. However, if you find those rules unjust or discriminatory, the union, as a collective bargaining agent, can help ensure that your workplace operated fairly.

Could the union tell the company how to run their operation?

No. The union acts as the collective bargaining agent in matters concerning wages, hours and conditions of employment. A union does not run the company in which you work; it provides you the right to have someone represent you on matters with which you disagree with the company.

Can the union require the company to replace supervisory personnel with people of the union's choosing?

No. It is management's prerogative to select supervisory personal.

Can the union automatically get employees the things that the union had promised?

The union will not make promises to you about any issue that it cannot deliver on. Although nothing is automatic, union success in bargaining is evident. It has already been mentioned that 150,000 collective bargaining agreements have been made in recent years with a majority of employee issues being satisfied.

Is the company allowed to speak out against the union?

Yes. And it is very likely they will. It is in the employers best interest (not yours) to keep the company union free. Your employer will tell you anything even lie to you in order to remain union free. On the other hand it is in the unions best interest to be as up-front and honest with you and also to let you know the type of tactics that will be used by your employer.

Are there things that a supervisor cannot do about our union activities?

The following are examples of employer conduct that interferes with the rights of employees:

* threatening the loss of jobs or benefits

* threatening employees about their union activity

* promising or granting promotions, pay raises, or other benefit in return for being against the union

* discriminating or firing employees to discourage unionismIf any of these Section 7 violations do occur the union will file charges with the National Labor Relations Board on your behalf. You have the legal right to support and join a union of your own choosing and will make sure that right is not interfered with by unscrupulous employers.

As the beginning of the twenty-first century approaches, the electrical industry and our union stand at a crossroads. Starting with little more than electrical skills and a desire for a better life for all electrical workers, the founders of the IBEW built powerful and respected local unions, won for their members decent wages, benefits and conditions, and provided the electrical industry with stability and order.

The IBEW is the only socioeconomic force capable of saving the electrical construction industry from continued decline. By revitalizing unionized electrical construction the IBEW can promote an industry where managerial efficiency, craft pride and skill and progressive labor-management relations are once again honored. As the IBEW strategizes and organizes the electrical construction industry, we now confront a challenge that may be as formidable as that faced by the founding fathers of the IBEW over a century ago. Our founding fathers understood that the basis of union strength in an industry like ours, was control of the labor supply. For that reason, they defined as their primary goal, to organize all workers who work in the electrical trade.

There was a time, not too long ago, when electrical contractors actually came to the IBEW locals to be "organized", because the only way to gain access to the skilled labor supply was to become a signatory contractor. In fact, as long as the IBEW represented most electrical workers, contractors had to come to the union. The successful "bottom up" organizing of the electrical workers, in the first half of the twentieth century, enabled many IBEW local unions to organize thousands of contractors to become "union" without appealing directly to their workers. But the truth understood by our founding fathers remained the same: organizing electrical workers is he best way to unionize the electrical construction industry. Organizing workers requires a genuine commitment to universal membership and to worker-to-worker organizing. History teaches, that as the percentage of electrical workers who are union members grows, union strength grows. That is why we organize.

The fundamental source of union strength has ALWAYS been organizing workers.

In virtually every region of the country, there is a resurgence in construction, organizing. (In part, this is in recognition of the fact, that the ability of unions to gain improvements in pay and working conditions, is a function of the percentage of the workforce which is organized in the labor market area.

As growing numbers of IBEW members renew the commitment to the organizing mission, a progressive path to revitalize the unionized electrical industry is emerging. Rather than lowering the costs of our labor in order to compete, and thus driving down the standards in the industry, IBEW locals are pursuing strategies that improve the conditions of members and put our contractors on equal footing with non union contractors in order to elevate the conditions of the entire industry. From SALTING to job targeting, from intervention in the permit process, to the creation of community coalitions, we are now on the move. By regaining control of the skilled electrical labor supply through organizing, we are recapturing the market share, and restoring wages and benefits to levels where they rightfully belong. New tactics are being employed and age old strategies are being revisited.

The antilabor forces have amassed again and are reciting their standard mantras: organized labor is dead; no one wants to join unions; and the unions are unnecessary in the workplace of the future. How wrong they are!

Organized labor is alive and strong. It will survive as long as mankind survives, for organized labor comprises human beings who have joined forces in organizations with a common purpose and a common pride.

Why have people throughout the ages organized into labor unions? Why will they continue to organize? Whom will they organize? Who benefits from organized labor?

Particularly in the last century, workers realized that in numbers and in unity, there is strength. Their working conditions were deplorable; their hours of labor were exceedingly long and wearying; their pay was meager and unjust. As individuals, how could they overcome such burdens? They could not. So, workers organized into groups with similar jobs and interests to gain leverage in their dealings with employers. These groups - unions - accomplished much as they fought for fairness and justice for workers. But the need for their continuation remains.

While organized labor succeeded in overcoming many adversities in many industries, it has not yet accomplished all its goals. In many parts of the world, deplorable working conditions, long work hours, and inadequate pay remain the worker's plight. In the United States and Canada, organized labor suffers the threat of union busters, determined to destroy unions and end labor's right to bargain collectively for improved working conditions, shorter hours of work, better pay and benefits which are due to all working people. Many workplaces in the United States and Canada still lack the improved conditions won by organized labor through collective bargaining in some industries and plants. That is why working people will continue to organize into labor unions.

Organized labor cannot rest until all unorganized workers become aware of the goals and achievements of labor unions; of the benefits of membership in organized labor; and of labor's unending pursuit of social, political and economic improvements for all human beings. Organized labor cannot rest until all unorganized workers are allowed to decide for themselves, by secret ballot, whether or not they want to belong to labor unions.

Who can best related the truth about organized labor to the unorganized? The members of labor unions, of course. Each of us in organized labor should realize that we could not have accomplished anything on our own. The founders of organized labor, united in their cause, struggled long and hard to improve pay, conditions and benefits. We have won additional improvements through our continuing membership in labor unions and by bargaining collectively for all, not just a few. The founders of organized labor overcame hurdles we will never face. They fought the good battle, not just for themselves, but for all unorganized workers and for future generations. We cannot become smug in the belief that we did it all for ourselves. We cannot become too complacent and think we have it made and to heck with the other guys.

It is not enough to feel satisfied and think, "My plant is organized; why should I bother to help organize that other plant across town?" It is not enough to feel satisfied and think, "My office is organized; why should I bother to help organize that other office in the neighborhood?"

It is never enough until we reach all unorganized workers so they, too, can enjoy the improved conditions of work and better living conditions workers have won by belonging to labor unions. It is never enough: because complacently breeds a false sense of security. What has been gained, can sometimes be lost. The pitfalls of complacency are intensified by the efforts of those who would like to kill organized labor and dump it into a deep grave.

Organized labor must get out and organize those with whom we are now competing for jobs. We must recruit new labor union members. Our goal, state as the first "Object" of the IBEW is "to organize all workers in the entire electrical industry in the United States and Canada, including all those in public utilities and electrical manufacturing, into local unions." As members, we can sell the IBEW to nonunion workers by being friendly and helpful, and by being informed about the IBEW and organized labor in general, so we can answer their questions. The pride we have in our training and skills is evident in the products and services we provide. Still, it never hurts to tell others about the opportunities available to us in organized labor through apprenticeship programs, training courses and other educational opportunities.

We must educate the unorganized about the additional benefits gained through collective bargaining - pensions, annuities, paid vacations and holidays, medical and hospital insurance, dental insurance, paid prescription plans, vision care, etc. We must explain to the unorganized that the benefits gained through belonging to a labor union are good, concrete returns which guarantee future work opportunities and a better way of life for our families. WE must demonstrate our pride in belonging, our sense of accomplishment, our camaraderie and our spirit of sharing. WE must tell the unorganized what organized labor can do for them. WE need to organize!

The efforts of organized labor result in better working conditions, hours of work, pay and fringe benefits for union members, of course. But workers derive other benefits from union membership. Union members are better informed on many matters. They make better voters. They show a real interest in the progress of working people. They can speak with more authority on social, economic, labor and political maters. They can help inform others. They also have a voice in decision made by their local unions, civic groups, political associations, national political parties and consumer groups.

Is organized labor, then, a "special interest" group, as has so often been charged (particularly during election campaigns)? Clearly, the answer is, no. Since its inception, organized labor has led the battle for a wide range of protective measures for the welfare of all people - for decent working hours, conditions and pay for all workers, not just union members. Organized labor is often a leading proponent of important social legislation: such as, Social Security, Railroad Retirement, Medicare, safety and health protection on the job, food programs for the hungry, public health programs, civil rights, voting rights, better consumer protection, equal pay for equal work, equal employment opportunities and public education. Organized labor supports legislation regarding minimum wages and overtime compensation, child labor, age discrimination, the shorter work week, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, better housing, better transportation, adequate and equitable taxes, job training for the unskilled, and government-sanctioned apprenticeship programs. As we said before, organized labor supports programs and legislation which benefits everyone.

Members of organized labor, through their local unions, participate in a variety of community activities - civic campaigns and projects, blood donations, blood pressure and diabetes checkups, scout troops and athletic teams, agencies which help the less fortunate, etc. Just as they reap benefits from bargaining collectively with management, so union members can reap benefits from collectively acting on behalf of others.

No, organized labor is not a special-interest group. It is a group of special interests. Ours is the cause of many, and we will continue our cause that the many may be served. IBEW Journal/April 1996