 | Sign Up Now
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
How to Organize a Union
Why Organize a Union? Without
a union, an employer can unilaterally change
its employees' pay, sick leave or vacation accrual,
or medical insurance benefits,
or even terminate an employee without cause. So
long as there is
no violation of law, an employer can change
virtually any pay level, benefit or working
condition of its employees -- or even dismiss
them -- without consulting with them. But
in a unionized workplace, management is legally
obligated to bargain with the employees' union
over working conditions and levels of pay and
benefits and may not discipline employees arbitrarily
and without due process. Many
workers organize unions to gain some control
over their work lives, where many of them spend
half or even more of their waking hours. Often,
these employees are seeking some way to ensure
fairness and dignity on the job. They often
find that a great tool for obtaining these goals
is a good union contract. A
union contract is a legally binding document
-- signed by both management and the employees'
union -- that spells out an employee's rights
and benefits, as well as a process for addressing
employee grievances. The
Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild prides
itself on achieving contracts that are based
on input from, and bargained with the participation
of, the employees covered by those agreements. How
to Organize a Union One
of the most important principles to understand
when organizing a viable Guild unit is that
the employees must want the union. The
union is not an outside group -- it is an organization
of employees committed to bettering their working
lives and those of their colleagues. Another
important principle to remember is that organizing
a union in your workplace is a legitimate and
legally protected activity under federal law.
To
achieve recognition of the employee's union,
the employees must demonstrate to management
that a majority -- 50% plus one -- of the employees
have authorized the union to represent them.
Demonstrating
this majority can be done in several ways, and
determining who should be covered by the union
(in what is called a bargaining unit) requires
some careful research and consideration. Because
of these technical issues, as well as the fact
that many employers often fight to avoid having
their employees unionize, it is advisable that
you contact us before you begin trying to organize
a union in your workplace.
The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild Contracts | Staff & Unit Leaders | Calendar | Join | Member Benefits | Newsroom | About Us | Related Links | Home Copyright 2006 The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild All rights reserved
|