Before I begin, I want to disclose that this topic relates to my day job. I am not an authorized speaker, so I am limiting this story to my general opinions while sticking to the facts. I encourage any employee, in any location across the country, to seek out as much information as possible to understand both the pros and cons of this issue.
I work in an environment with both union and non-union locations, and I have friends on both sides of the fence. My location is currently considering forming a union, and we have been navigating this process for about a month. This is where the story begins.
I was invited to a gathering outside of work to discuss forming a union. The invitation came from someone I deeply respect, someone I occasionally discuss politics with — a topic I typically avoid due to its divisiveness. I politely declined the invitation, preferring to spend my free time at home with my wife of 35 years. “You can gather information and share the highlights with me,” I said.
The situation intensified after a few meetings when my boss was accused of union-busting. A message from the union appeared on my phone, making my blood boil. I was shocked that my private number had been shared without my permission. The text related to a complaint the union filed against my general manager. I immediately went to my boss to express my frustration. He assured me that management had not disclosed employee phone numbers but noted that several employees had voiced similar concerns.
As tensions rose, my boss's boss visited our location to observe the situation. When I expressed my anger and asked if there was anything I could do to push back, he simply said, “Just be yourself.”
A few days ago, I sat with a coworker and an outside union organizer in our food court. My coworker, someone I greatly respect for her positivity and leadership, has been active in the union discussions. I told them I felt the group had crossed a line by distributing flyers with managers' personal phone numbers at a political rally. That breach of privacy inspired me to write today’s story.
My friend offered to email me a copy of the collective bargaining agreement, but I declined, preferring to access it independently. She informed me that the contract wasn’t available outside the union. As of yesterday, I now have the most up-to-date version and am working to understand it fully.
I shared past experiences from other locations, including encounters with unions involved in construction projects. In one instance, union members taunted and cursed at us during marketing events, which impacted my perception of unions. My friend tried to show me that her vision for our workplace was different, but I explained that my past experiences shape my current views.
The original founder of our company had a pragmatic approach to unions. He told employees they were free to unionize but promised to create such excellent working conditions that unions would be unnecessary. The unionized locations in our company were inherited through mergers, and post-merger, union locations received pay raises to catch up to non-union locations that were paid more than union locations.
I believe misinformation is prevalent right now. There are valid points on both sides, but for me, the founder's sentiment from over 40 years ago still resonates: “In our situation, they are unnecessary.”
I urge anyone considering unionizing to gather all the facts and fully understand what signing a pledge card means. In Iowa, a right-to-work state, I have the freedom to choose whether or not to join a union. However, if a strike occurs and I choose to continue serving members, I could be labeled a “scab.” Thirteen years ago, I committed to serving members — not a union.
I am sharing this story on my Facebook page today, hoping that anyone facing a similar situation carefully weighs all the facts. Every story has two sides. This is mine. What’s yours?
Have a great day!
No comments:
Post a Comment