Post by Admin on Jan 26, 2016 14:01:59 GMT
So I made this account to safely tell you about what I'm doing with my store. I work at a typical staples as a floor associate along with about 40 other people. I along with a lot of other coworkers are pissed off about our wages. Ceo fat cats make billions in profit and we see none of it. So I came up with the idea to get us unionized. It's not as hard as everyone thinks it is as there are a lot of misconceptions about it. Here are a few:
"Unions cost too much in dues!"
Staples along with other corporations may use this as a tactic to sway it's employees to not even think about trying to unionize. From what I've intensely googled, apparently its a common strategy to sway employees. To counter that, I found one that will represent us at the cost of $10 a paycheck (local grassroots type union, name might give away location).
"They'll fire you before you succeed!"
While this may have occurred on some incidences involving other businesses, this is highly illegal. It is against the law if two or more employees are attempting to organize their workplace. Organizing is a right. They would rather avoid the trouble that the labor relations union board would give them. However as that may be, they can still fire you for any other reason (such as being late a few times, making coupons rain, ect). So if you are attempting to unionize/organize, you have to be the best employee in the building.
"Unions always fail because they just close down the store"
This may occur, don't get me wrong, but around where I live that is also against the law in which I think the corporation would have a pretty big class action suit against them (too expensive for them). They may fudge enough numbers though to show that they don't make enough to stay afloat in the area and shut down but that is pretty rare.
We're not past step 3 yet (I'll tell ya in a sec) but we're all very hopeful that we can pull this off. I've heard from a union representatives mouth, that the only way a union can fail is by these means:
Word gets out that there is a committee attempting to organize because someone either snitched, or let it slip to the wrong person.
If this happens, the committee formed In step 1 of "The Road to A Union" become primary targets to management and they basically use illegal or unfair methods to get them fired (mentioned above).
2: People in the building have voted to not have a union
Now this is a common way unions fail. There are lots of reason why this occurs. Obviously not knowing how many people would be for one before submitting whats needed to the labor board is a big no no. Then there is the biggest obstacle which is the big cheeses. When the form that pretty much says there will be an election held at work with the employees in that particular building whom will vote on the choice of having a union. Now from what I hear they will act fast. They bring in specialist attempting to persuade the employees that its a bad idea through propaganda and outright lies. If people at this point get cold feet and vote no (even though you went through the process of checking if each of your coworkers would say yes to this thing), the union obviously fails. Don't be discouraged however, you can convince enough employees to stand strong. It is a process... A simple one but it can be done. and here is my knowledge (based off what the union representative told me) on how to unionize.
The Road to A Union
By /u/bourgeoisiethrowaway
Step 1: You and one other person decide that you want to unionize
Once this step is done, you are protected by law with your right to organize. As mentioned above it isn't an indestructible protection against them but it is some assurance.
Step 2: Form a secret committee
This will entail a few of your coworkers to represent the workplace as a whole and confront the big cheeses with your demands formed in step 3. This committee should be with the coworkers you trust with your life..... or at least a secret. If management hears about it, the committee becomes the biggest target.
Step 3: Have weekly meetings with the committee and the union representative.
The goal of these meetings are basically for your committee to discover who is going to be on your side when the election goes down, and find out what exactly your demands are for the entire workplace. Minimum for success is 51%. Finding out demands are easy because its the usual stuff like increased pay, benefits, flexible hours, ect. These demands have to be agreed upon so you can be firm with the big cheeses as you face them later in step 6. Going from the meetings to work on a weekly basis should keep things rolling. While 51% is minimum, it is ideal to get more than that in case people are on the fence and get cold feet come election time. Once you feel comfortable about the election succeeding, proceed to the next step.
Step 4: Submit form to national union labor relations board (or whatever they're called)
The form can be obtained by your union representative or may know where to get it. Anyway, once submitted is when I think shit hits the fan and big cheeses are alerted. From there yall have to buckle down and stay strong for the upcoming shit storm.
Step 5: Hold the election
The election is scheduled by the union representative and the labor board comes into work and gives out these ballots that ask if the employee wants to have this particular union represent them at staples. They may either say yes, no, or not decide. I believe all choices are anonymous and the ones that do not decide do not count towards the 51% needed/total. If you get 51% or over... Congratulations, you are now a union! But its not over, because now you have to give your demands to the big cheeses.
Step 6: Negotiations/Strike
So this part is a little mirky for me but I'm still learning. I think what happens is the big cheeses either cave in and meet the demands, or they resist and find an alternate means to fuel their money making machine which may cost more than they are willing to pay. If they resist, you go on strike and they got no one covering the store. If they cave, you win end of story. Well there may be some facts that may be a little off but I'm only regurgitating what the union representative has told our secret council.
"Unions cost too much in dues!"
Staples along with other corporations may use this as a tactic to sway it's employees to not even think about trying to unionize. From what I've intensely googled, apparently its a common strategy to sway employees. To counter that, I found one that will represent us at the cost of $10 a paycheck (local grassroots type union, name might give away location).
"They'll fire you before you succeed!"
While this may have occurred on some incidences involving other businesses, this is highly illegal. It is against the law if two or more employees are attempting to organize their workplace. Organizing is a right. They would rather avoid the trouble that the labor relations union board would give them. However as that may be, they can still fire you for any other reason (such as being late a few times, making coupons rain, ect). So if you are attempting to unionize/organize, you have to be the best employee in the building.
"Unions always fail because they just close down the store"
This may occur, don't get me wrong, but around where I live that is also against the law in which I think the corporation would have a pretty big class action suit against them (too expensive for them). They may fudge enough numbers though to show that they don't make enough to stay afloat in the area and shut down but that is pretty rare.
We're not past step 3 yet (I'll tell ya in a sec) but we're all very hopeful that we can pull this off. I've heard from a union representatives mouth, that the only way a union can fail is by these means:
Word gets out that there is a committee attempting to organize because someone either snitched, or let it slip to the wrong person.
If this happens, the committee formed In step 1 of "The Road to A Union" become primary targets to management and they basically use illegal or unfair methods to get them fired (mentioned above).
2: People in the building have voted to not have a union
Now this is a common way unions fail. There are lots of reason why this occurs. Obviously not knowing how many people would be for one before submitting whats needed to the labor board is a big no no. Then there is the biggest obstacle which is the big cheeses. When the form that pretty much says there will be an election held at work with the employees in that particular building whom will vote on the choice of having a union. Now from what I hear they will act fast. They bring in specialist attempting to persuade the employees that its a bad idea through propaganda and outright lies. If people at this point get cold feet and vote no (even though you went through the process of checking if each of your coworkers would say yes to this thing), the union obviously fails. Don't be discouraged however, you can convince enough employees to stand strong. It is a process... A simple one but it can be done. and here is my knowledge (based off what the union representative told me) on how to unionize.
The Road to A Union
By /u/bourgeoisiethrowaway
Step 1: You and one other person decide that you want to unionize
Once this step is done, you are protected by law with your right to organize. As mentioned above it isn't an indestructible protection against them but it is some assurance.
Step 2: Form a secret committee
This will entail a few of your coworkers to represent the workplace as a whole and confront the big cheeses with your demands formed in step 3. This committee should be with the coworkers you trust with your life..... or at least a secret. If management hears about it, the committee becomes the biggest target.
Step 3: Have weekly meetings with the committee and the union representative.
The goal of these meetings are basically for your committee to discover who is going to be on your side when the election goes down, and find out what exactly your demands are for the entire workplace. Minimum for success is 51%. Finding out demands are easy because its the usual stuff like increased pay, benefits, flexible hours, ect. These demands have to be agreed upon so you can be firm with the big cheeses as you face them later in step 6. Going from the meetings to work on a weekly basis should keep things rolling. While 51% is minimum, it is ideal to get more than that in case people are on the fence and get cold feet come election time. Once you feel comfortable about the election succeeding, proceed to the next step.
Step 4: Submit form to national union labor relations board (or whatever they're called)
The form can be obtained by your union representative or may know where to get it. Anyway, once submitted is when I think shit hits the fan and big cheeses are alerted. From there yall have to buckle down and stay strong for the upcoming shit storm.
Step 5: Hold the election
The election is scheduled by the union representative and the labor board comes into work and gives out these ballots that ask if the employee wants to have this particular union represent them at staples. They may either say yes, no, or not decide. I believe all choices are anonymous and the ones that do not decide do not count towards the 51% needed/total. If you get 51% or over... Congratulations, you are now a union! But its not over, because now you have to give your demands to the big cheeses.
Step 6: Negotiations/Strike
So this part is a little mirky for me but I'm still learning. I think what happens is the big cheeses either cave in and meet the demands, or they resist and find an alternate means to fuel their money making machine which may cost more than they are willing to pay. If they resist, you go on strike and they got no one covering the store. If they cave, you win end of story. Well there may be some facts that may be a little off but I'm only regurgitating what the union representative has told our secret council.