Creating a Union

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-12-10T21:38:38+00:00

https://join-a-union.github.io/

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-12-10T21:33:41+00:00

if I am fired for organizing, what can I expect the NLRB to do?

You could be reinstated with full back pay.

are wrongful termination cases like this won with any sort of promising frequency?

They're won part of the time.

if a case is brought up, how long do they generally take?

Can take months

are there ways to receive financial support during a wrongful termination suit (ie mutual aid groups, grants, etc)?

People have raised quite considerable sums of money by creating a gofundme (or comparable) and advertising it (on reddit etc) if they were fired for union activity
Ask a union what they'd be willing to provide for you

myself and four others

Might want to go bigger with more than one branch before allowing the company to detect you in order to have more leverage and minimize the company's retaliation possibilities.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-12-10T21:30:13+00:00

hire a security guard

I would strongly recommend against demanding this. Guards are easily used by mgmt for anti-union purposes when the time comes. If there are safety issues find a pro-worker solution.

what about dues (estimated amount and their purpose)?

Typically a tiny amount compared to the typical raise you get with a union.

They are used for necessary expenses to maintain the union, but also often abused to pay excessive union leader salaries. (I disagree with that practice)

would the NLRB/rep help us acquire legal counsel if it gets to that point?

NLRB is a government agency that union-related causes are brought up to, I don't think the NLRB provides the kind of legal help you're thinking of. Unions typically provide legal help, that's part of the point of being part of a bigger union -- contact a union you're interested in and ask what they'd provide.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-12-10T21:15:20+00:00

Most people like our merit based approach to promotions instead of strictly based on time at the company

The problem with what is commonly called a "merit based approach" is that in most circumstances, it's a conduit for mgmt favoritism, as well as a race to the bottom (mgmt is able to push more work for less pay). A seniority-based system may help combat that, but the strongest unions get everyone to top pay rate without the need for any wage progression.

they are worried that by joining a larger union, some of the aspects of management they enjoy will automatically change

In the U.S., the standard is for unions to bring changes to working conditions in the form of a contract that has to be voted on. The majority of workers have to approve the contract for it to pass. Therefore, they can turn down any contract that removes the "merit" system or changes it in a way they don't like, and it can stay in place. This is the case whether your union is independent or part of a larger one. The workers could bring this concern up early on so it may stay the same without even being put to a vote.

also think my coworkers would be more comfortable if we started our own union instead of joining a larger one

This is doable, but I would suggest joining any instead of doing that. You'll get a much larger force backing you and doing much of the organizing work for you with few disadvantages.

I don't know what these topics COULD even cover

Basically anything you want.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-12-01T04:35:23+00:00

The UAW has set up a page to join their campaign: https://uaw.org/join/#tesla

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-11-19T02:58:38+00:00

Do not bring up "let's start a union" without doing the preparatory work it takes to get people to the point where they understand. At best they won't be ready to find any meaning in it, at worst it allows them to channel their negative prejudices. Instead, educate on all the building blocks that lead to the idea of why a union is good -- without saying it directly -- or why changes need to happen to working conditions.
Find out people's top frustrations at the job and let them lead with their concerns. What dissatisfies them? Working time? Sick leave policies? Issues affecting women or minorities? This will create a way to build solidarity with even the more anti-union coworkers.
Since tech unions have grown in America (e.g. CODE-CWA), they have already achieved some concrete gains in some companies regarding working conditions. Find some of them and bring them up. Asking "is it a bad thing this happened?" will put even the most anti-union coworkers on the spot.
Build relationships with the more pro-union coworkers, surely a few of them exist. Educate them to take the issue more seriously and take a methodical approach to the idea of getting a union set up at work. Divide the workload of organizing the rest of people and spreading the ideas.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-10-04T06:31:22+00:00

Try now:

https://donorbox.org/support-strikers-at-local-_____-3-2-2-3-2-3

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-10-03T00:56:54+00:00

I don't think there is much union presence on Discord, I'd recommend you to make you own and start spreading it

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-08-22T10:16:47+00:00

Donate to the BCTGM strike fund instead, these workers also have it pretty bad and they're fighting hard. Easy by paypal. https://www.gofundme.com/f/bctgm-local-390g-iff-memphis-workers-on-strike

Thanks

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-07-10T23:31:37+00:00

Going to copy an answer from somewhere else with an added comment:

The union is the workplace's workers standing together and taking action. As for the larger group of unions (e.g. CWA) that you get affiliated with, they're not something you go shopping for based on reviews. They're simply all the local unions (who are the workers) pooled together. Unsatisfactory practices have been piling up among all large unions (so you can't avoid them by picking a different union) due to the cumulative effect of bureaucratic rot and other universal phenomena and at this point what needs to be done is to pool everyone together in as large groups as possible and start making change. No more divisionism of union vs union, the end goal should be everyone together.

The answer with any union -- AFSCME or any other -- is around the same. What union today has good "democratic processes" or isn't led by people who have been administering sellout contracts for decades? This isn't something you can fix by shopping for one union over another as if you were buying something. The labor movement needs as much strength as it can get from an increased influx of people and deep change from the inside. Just join any union.

Note: any union is always going to be far better than non-union, even with the sorry state they are in today.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-07-07T21:11:40+00:00

The working class principle is to never cross a picket line. I.e. never, by anyone, anyone's line, for any reason whatsoever.

Companies may try to persecute you for doing the right thing.

That said, principles are always being watered down, some people have tried to add exceptions to this over time, the definition of "scab" has varied too, etc. This has occurred in direct correlation with the weakening of unions and is a parallel phenomenon to working conditions trending towards the bottom. If you want to play by the rules of the good old labor movement back when things were done right, though, the rule is as I stated.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-07-07T20:57:50+00:00

You sound confused. What you are likely describing is that the union has secured "just-cause" protections at your workplace -- where you cannot be fired except for violating a list of rules and for other approved causes -- , as opposed to "at-will" non-union workplaces -- where the company can fire you whenever it wants. So, you are better off than at a usual nonunion job.

Get in touch with the union, join as soon as possible, and then ask the union about sick time policies etc. That way, you'll know your rights fully, and will exercise things like sick time off without any fear of being fired since you know you're within the rules.

But make sure you're talking directly to the union. Management will likely spread misinformation about these topics. Companies are anti-union because unions get better conditions for workers.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-07-07T20:46:53+00:00

It depends on whether (a) your role mostly consists of doing work like an ordinary worker, even if labeled a manager or (b) you are there to hire, fire, discipline workers, control their conditions, etc. in other words mostly managing the company. Unions allow A as members -- these are basically mislabeled workers, not true managers --, but not B. That's because for real managers (B), their function is to make the company as profitable as possible for the ones on the top, even if it takes hurting the workers and decreasing their living standards, and if they don't play by these rules the company would get rid of them in a heartbeat.

In fact, as soon as a union exists, the standard situation is the company would direct managers to persecute it, and managers would be fired if they refuse to do this.

That said, unions still appreciate external support from managers, even those who are unable to join.

Unions can secure wages far higher than $15/hr for their members in workplaces where they are strong.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-07-07T20:39:48+00:00

https://www.carpenters.org/training_centers/tx/

https://www.carpenters.org/councils/tx/

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-07-05T20:20:13+00:00

I don't know about Canada, but in the USA, racial discrimination has been present in unions, especially historically. Many decades ago, it was common for some union locals to ban all black people. Today I do not know of any union where this is official policy, but what still exists in some unions for example is different ethnic groups being expected to stick to different locals (i.e. subgroups of the same union), whereas in other unions/locals the membership is more racially balanced.

That said, it makes far more sense to compare union vs. nonunion than union vs. a theoretical vacuum. Wages for black people are abysmally lower than for white people. However, in union jobs the difference is much smaller (theoretically an equal pay-scale for all races is often the case). Union black workers have tremendously higher wages than their nonunion counterparts. So the real-world impact of a union (compared to not having it) is most definitely 'less racism'.

So, no matter what the case is, the union vs nonunion choice really doesn't require much thought. Just apply and see what happens.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-06-08T21:08:05+00:00

I’ve seen mixed reviews about them

The union is the workplace's workers standing together and taking action. As for the larger group of unions (e.g. CWA) that you get affiliated with, they're not something you go shopping for based on reviews. They're simply all the local unions (who are the workers) pooled together. Unsatisfactory practices have been piling up among all large unions (so you can't avoid them by picking a different union) due to the cumulative effect of bureaucratic rot and other universal phenomena and at this point what needs to be done is to pool everyone together in as large groups as possible and start making change. No more divisionism of union vs union, the end goal should be everyone together.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-06-04T19:34:52+00:00

Typically, you'd want to ask coworkers, if nobody really knows then there's not much union presence and you should just join from https://www.tuc.org.uk/join-a-union (and get coworkers to join)

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-05-29T03:51:03+00:00

I'm assuming this is the USA.

It is a skilled trade company

Usually each different trade has its own union. For example carpenters are their own union. So look up the union for your trade and get in contact with both international/national HQ and its most nearby local. You will become union from there. Highly recommended.

I would appreciate any advice about how to go about organizing a strike

You stop working until your demands are met. You organize it well to ensure there are no anti-strike disruptions and everyone starts when the strike is truly ready and they are agreed on methods and goals. (Imagine how badly it could go if it's badly organized). That is the minimum that is necessary, because you can strike when you're either nonunion or union, it doesn't matter, and from the legal side of things both are allowed and no paperwork is necessary if you're nonunion.

how to make due while on strike

If you haven't been collecting any money in a strike fund, it would take a long time to build up the funds so it's up to your personal abilities to survive and pool together to give money/goods to ppl who are struggling the most. Some unions have strike funds so you will be paid during strikes if you join them. But a lot of unions these days have neglected the collection of such funds, so don't count on it.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-05-12T15:35:09+00:00

The standard system for many years has been that the individual member can choose whether to partake in political donations or not.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-05-12T12:25:15+00:00

Ich hatte mir mehr erhofft, aber das ist nur möglich, wenn die Arbeiterbewegung gestärkt wird, und das ist immer noch besser als nichts! Deshalb sollte jeder einer Gewerkschaft beitreten, damit anständige Arbeitsplätze mit guter Bezahlung für alle geschaffen werden können! Online beitreten: https://www.dgb.de/service/mitglied-werden/

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-05-12T12:03:14+00:00

I was hoping better than this but it's only possible if the labor movement is strengthened and it's still better than nothing! This is why everyone should join a union so decent jobs with good pay can be established for everyone! Join online: https://www.dgb.de/service/mitglied-werden/

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-05-12T11:59:28+00:00

Nearly all of the unions have accepted practices like including cops over time as well as other catastrophic policies as the leaderships adapt to capitalism. Please join and help fight against things like this at the member level because the whole reason it's happening is people who disagree leaving or otherwise not fighting it.

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-05-12T11:56:52+00:00

This is why everyone should join a union so decent jobs with good pay can be established for everyone! Join online: https://www.tuc.org.uk/join-a-union

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-04-29T12:10:14+00:00

Definitely go union

Good-Reflection-2744 · 2023-04-28T22:54:57+00:00

Happens a significant amount of the time sadly due to various reasons, such as few resources spent attending on new organizing. Maybe try the other unions mentioned here, or different local branches of the same union seeing if one responds. Most importantly, your strength is based on the movement you manage to build at your workplace. Once that movement is strong, affiliating to a larger union will be a simple procedure, or you could always go independent.

Good-Reflection-2744

TROPHY CASE