Contact
Guild Organizers
Why Organize
Workers
organize to help each other improve conditions in their workplace.
Together and through a union, workers have a say in pay and
working conditions.
We
can help you build a strong organization to better enable you
and your co-workers to negotiate good contracts and increase
standards of living and quality of life.
With
a union, you and your fellow workers can join together and create
a positive vision for the workplace.
How
to Organize
Interested in organizing a union in your workplace? A union
is simply a majority of employees who join together to better
their work lives.
Under the National Labor Relations Action (NLRA) you have the
legal right to form a union in your workplace. The NLRA says:
Section 7:
"Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to
form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively
through representation of their own choosing, and to engage
in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective
bargaining·."
Section 8(a):
"It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer to
interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise
of the rights guaranteed in section 7·."
Getting Started
To get a union started, the first thing you need to do is talk
to your co-workers. Do they share the same concerns you have?
Or, do they have other issues? Is there a common theme to these
concerns such as lack of respect and dignity; lack of a voice
in the workplace; unfair treatment; and/or wages and benefits
lower than other people working in the same industry?
Workers Create Their Own Organization
Our experience tells us that it's best when workers organize
themselves if they are to create a viable organization in their
workplace. Guild organizers and staff can help. But it's the
workers who must join together and build their organization.
After talking with your co-workers to find out their issues,
you can call Guild to talk with a union organizer. He or she
will set up a meeting with you and some of your co-workers.
Together, you will create a plan for a organizing a union in
your workplace.
A Typical Organizing Campaign
The campaign will consist of talking with co-workers about the
union, asking them to sign a petition of support. When there
is a significant majority of support, the union will file for
an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Usually, the NLRB will then meet with the union and the employer
to establish the criteria for employees who will be eligible
to vote in the union election. The NLRB sets a date for a secret
ballot election.
What You Can Do
Under Section 7 of the NLRA, you have the legal right to:
- Attend
meetings to discuss joining a union.
- Read,
distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as you do
this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as during
breaks or lunch hours).
- Wear
union buttons, t-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items on
the job.
- Sign
a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with
the union.
- Sign
petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working
conditions, and other job issues.
- Ask
other employees to support the union, to sign union cards
or petitions, or to file grievances.
Bargaining
a Contract
After the union's election victory is officially certified by
the NLRB, your employer is legally required to negotiate in
"good faith" with the union on a written contract
covering wages, hours, and other working conditions.
Public Workers
Some public workers do not have the right to bargain collectively.
However, they do have the right to form a union and work together
to lobby for better wages and working conditions. Contact the
Guild office to find out more information.
Contact Guild Organizers
If you're interested in organizing a union in your workplace,
call us at (206) 328-1190 or e-mail info@pnwguild.org.
A Guild organizer will contact you. He or she can set up a meeting
with you and some of your co-workers to discuss the possibility
of a union in your workplace.
