Common Questions About Unions

Common Questions About Unions

During any campaign for workplace democracy, predictable themes will arise based upon issues with Union representation raised by the employer. These questions raise concerns with employees who, for the most part, have limited knowledge about Unions or the IBEW. This document is provided to answer those common questions that arise. If you need further information, contact the IBEW or your IBEW Organizer.

Strikes

"Unions mean strikes"

"I could never afford a strike"

"I could never walk out on our customers"

Strikes happen very rarely. Government statistics indicate that more than 98 out of 100 contracts are settled without a strike. That means that the odds of a strike are about one in a hundred.
Federal law has a number of safeguards built in to reduce the likelihood of strikes. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation service is required to get involved in order to help avoid strikes.
The decision to strike is made democratically by the members only. No one from outside your bargaining group can tell you to strike. You vote on whether or not to strike. No national or state union officers, no outside union staff, no other union local can make you go out on strike. Our advice usually is: don't strike unless the overwhelming majority of your membership votes to do so.
If you do vote to strike, each individual still has the legally guaranteed and protected right not to strike. Of course, if the overwhelming majority of your coworkers are out on strike, you may not be too popular, but you do have the right to go to work.

The most important point, perhaps, is that on the few occasions when strikes have actually happened, these were not the actions of a few, rich, greedy uncaring people who suddenly lost their jobs or commitment to their company. They were people like you who cared very much about their jobs and their employer, and were taking a stand on behalf of their fellow employees, their customers, and the future security of them and their families.

Union Dues

"Union dues are too high"

"You pay more in dues than you get back in increased wages and benefits"

"What about initiation fees and other costs?"

"The union bosses can raise my dues anytime they want"

"I don't want to be forced to pay union dues"

The IBEW's union dues are no secret. We have distributed copies of the dues schedule for anyone that has asked.
The U.S. Government says that, on average, union workers make about $4,000 to $5,000 per year more in wages and benefits than nonunion workers.
What kind of price tag do you place upon legal protections and rights on the job . . . having a voice, having the power to affect decisions about wages, benefits, and working conditions? What are these things worth to you?
At every level of the IBEW, the members set the dues democratically . . . by voting on them!
Every penny of union dues is spent upon membership services.
Whether or not people will have to pay union dues is something that is negotiated at the bargaining table with management . . . and then voted on by the membership.

FEAR

"I'm afraid I'll be fired or get in trouble if my supervisor knows that I support the Union."

You have a legal right to organize. The National Labor Relations Act says that you cannot be harassed, threatened, spied upon, interfered with, or discriminated against in any way because of your union activities or support.
The Union will stand by you and support you in every way if you have problems because of your union activities or support.
If you have any problems because of the support for the Union, the rest of us will come to your assistance right away!

Isn't the fact that you are afraid of getting in trouble for doing something your supervisor doesn't like - - even if it is legal and proper - - a good example of why you need a union? If you have a union, you will finally have real, legally enforceable rights on the job. With a Union, you will not have to fear the everyday favoritism and 'politics' and changes in policies that make you so fearful!

Individual Issues

"I'm afraid that I won't get the promotion/the change is assignment/the hours I want if they know that I support the union."

Again, this is exactly why you need a union! With a good union contract, decisions like these will be made fairly, and not on the basis of favoritism and politics.

"I'm afraid that they will contract out our work if we unionize."

It is illegal for management to threaten to do this or even hint that they might do this because you are organizing a union.
Again, the possibility of contracting out is a good reason to have a union. Without a union, they can contract out your jobs without consulting you. With a union, they are legally obligated to bargain with you on things like this.

"I'm afraid I'll lose my individual rights if the Union gets in."

What individual rights do you have now? The right to free speech? The right to a fair, impartial grievance procedure? The right to representation on grievances? The right to negotiate fair wages? The right to negotiate benefits?

The list goes on and on. Without a union, you have the right to the minimum wage, worker's compensation, the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, gender, disability, and a couple of other things and . . . that's about it. Everything else is up to management! On wages and benefits, contracting out, changing shifts and hours, changing rules and policies . . . they can do what they want and then change it whenever they want! With a union, management has to, by law, consult and negotiate with you, the employees.

"I'm afraid that I/ we will lose the flexibility we have if the union gets in!"

You are the union. Why would you give up something you value so much?
Without the Union and a contract, whatever "flexible" arrangements you have can be changed or eliminated any time management chooses . . . and there is nothing you can do about it!
With a Union, you can codify and spell out - - in a contract - - the "flexibility" and other good arrangements and policies you have . . . and because they are in a contract, they will be legally binding for the first time!

Wages

"The Company says that our wages will be subject to bargaining. We may gain, and more importantly, we may lose."

First off, Employees themselves, through their union, determine what is acceptable for themselves through a ratification vote. Each bargaining unit with a company negotiates their own wages and benefits. There is no set "scale" between employers unless the employees of those employers choose it that way.
In the construction industry, multi-employer bargaining has been established by the unions and their employers to stabilize wages and benefits between employers, thereby taking the wages of employees out of competition. Keep in mind that this has been agreed to by the workers and the employers . . . it has not been implemented by the union.
In industrial settings, (like your group and similar employers) each employee group, or bargaining unit, negotiates their own wage and benefits package. For example, one employee group may choose wages over benefits, and receive a higher hourly wage. Another group may select benefits over wages, and therefore would have a lower wage rate. However, overall, the wage and benefit package between the employers is comparable.
Employers like to scare employees into believing that they will not gain with a union. The concept of a union is simple, pure logic. Employees are better able to make gains if they act in concert in dealing with their employer, just as employers belong to industry associations to increase their influence and strength over industry influences.
Most importantly, once a wage/benefits package is determined, it is set in a legally binding and signed contract. The contract cannot be changed unless agreed-to by both parties — employees through their union, and the employer.