If you and your coworkers are interested in organizing together, the BCTGM will help you build majority support during your campaign. But experience shows us that for workers to create a viable union that truly represents their wishes, itโs best they lead the campaign and organize themselves.
BCTGM will provide you with support and guidance after you and your co-workers take the first steps to forming your union.
Here is a brief summary of where to start.
STEP 1: TALK TO YOUR CO-WORKERS
Do many of you share the same concerns? Determine your top five or so issues. Is there a common theme such as lack of respect and dignity, scheduling, paid time off, health insurance, favoritism? Are wages and benefits lower at your workplace than what workers are getting in similar jobs in your industry? Write a list.
When talking among yourselves about a union, start with coworkers you trust.ย Although you have a right to talk about the Union anywhere (If youโre allowed to talk about other non-work subjects, you can talk about the Union!) itโs best not to tip off management at this early stage.
Organizing a union is legal and a protected right under federal law, but you need to avoid tipping off management as long as possible. If your employer finds out, especially when you are in the beginning stages of identifying key workplace issues and building union support, your road to success may be more difficult.
STEP 2: START BUILDING A COMMITTEE
After determining support for a union exists around key workplace issues, build a committee of co-workers that is representative of your workplace.
Building a strong inside organizing committee is critical to building the majority support that you will need to establish your union.ย Look for coworkers on different shifts and departments who are willing to help form a Union.
Ideally, the number of workers on your committee should be at least 10 percent of the workforce. During this stage, a BCTGM organizer will give you tips on building majority union support.
STEP 3: START BUILDING MAJORITY SUPPORT
After building your committee and identifying key issues, you need to talk openly with your co-workers at this time and we highly recommend youย contact a BCTGM organizer.
BCTGM representatives will discuss how to prove a majority interest exists, which is required for either gaining recognition by your employer through card check, or requesting the National Labor Relations Board conduct a secret ballot election.
After having a majority of your co-workerโs sign BCTGM Union authorization cards, it is time to go into the โpublicโ phase of your campaign.
Through one-on-one discussions with workers in your workplace, evaluate the support that exists for a union around your key issues. Remember, that even though this is the โpublicโ part of your campaign, restrict handing out cards or written material about the union to break time in non-working locations (lunchrooms, bathrooms), or away from company property.ย Most companies have a non-solicitation policy.
STEP 4: MOST EMPLOYERS WILL LAUNCH THEIR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST YOUR UNION EFFORT
When they learn of your campaign, they try to increase fear and conflict in the workplace (see examples below) and blame it on the โunionโ as if it is some outside organization.
Remember, you are the union.ย If management discovers its employees are talking about the Union, they will hold mandatory captive audience meetings to scare workers into not signing a card.
Need help navigating your rights through this step?
How You Choose to Go Union
How you and your co-workers decide whether you want a union depends on where you work.
The BCTGM represents workers within the โPrivate Sector.โ At most private sector employers, workers make the choice through elections overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). You get your union if a majority of the workers voting in the election vote for the union.
At some BCTGM employers, workers make the choice through a process called majority sign up. This is a much shorter way to get a union because the procedure is agreed to in advance between BCTGM and the employer. And these employers agree to remain neutral.
The Employer’s Campaign
In most cases, employers will use a variety of tactics to prevent you from organizing a union, many designed to create conflict, divide union supporters, and create an atmosphere of fear.
Remember Division and Diversion causes Defeat: keep your eye on the prize.
Here are just some of the most widely used (and many illegal) tactics used by employers:
- Scaring employees with warnings of strikes or violence;
- Intimidating union supporters with unspoken threats of firings and or disciplinary action;
- Labeling the union that you and your co-workers are attempting to organize as an โoutsideโ organization or โthird partyโ that will come in and make decisions for you and your co-workers;
- Making inaccurate and misleading statements about the union or union dues;
- Asking for another chance to improve working conditions.
What employers donโt want to talk about during their anti-union campaign are your concerns โ those key workplace issues that you and your organizing committee identified as reasons why you want a union.
Strong majority support for a union is the best defense to successfully withstanding the employerโs campaign.
If you and your coworkers are interested in forming a union, BCTGM is here to help! Before contacting us, make sure that you have already begun talking with your co-workers about forming a union, identifying key workplace issues, and building an inside organizing committee.
CLICK HERE TO CONTACT AN ORGANIZER!
