It is always great to hear of another union being formed. Workers representing themselves is not only a benefit for the workers, but also a pathway to healthy and sustainable organisations.
I've not heard of a union representing about 10 people before. Is the idea that they can now all negotiate to have the same benefits and salaries, rather than doing it individually?
Not necessarily. I mean, they could, but there's nothing compelling them to all take the same salaries.
That doesn't happen in big unions, either. Two people with the same job title and experience would probably have the same salary, but the union will represent many different job titles.
It means, rather, that if Steve says "I deserve a raise", and the other union members agree, the union as a whole will say "Steve deserves a raise" to management. Management will negotiate with the union, rather than with Steve specifically. That means a professional negotiator, rather than Steve alone in a room with his boss.
And yeah, sitting in the background is the strike, i.e. everybody walks off if Steve doesn't get a raise. That's not as important as people imagine. It's a catchall way to understand what a union does, but the union has a lot of other tools in its toolbox. Some unions can't strike at all, but they shouldn't need to.
the idea, i would guess, is that their boss is sort of a dick, and they were all willing to quit over it, but figured they'd unionize first even if it meant getting fired
It is always great to hear of another union being formed. Workers representing themselves is not only a benefit for the workers, but also a pathway to healthy and sustainable organisations.
I've not heard of a union representing about 10 people before. Is the idea that they can now all negotiate to have the same benefits and salaries, rather than doing it individually?
Not necessarily. I mean, they could, but there's nothing compelling them to all take the same salaries.
That doesn't happen in big unions, either. Two people with the same job title and experience would probably have the same salary, but the union will represent many different job titles.
It means, rather, that if Steve says "I deserve a raise", and the other union members agree, the union as a whole will say "Steve deserves a raise" to management. Management will negotiate with the union, rather than with Steve specifically. That means a professional negotiator, rather than Steve alone in a room with his boss.
And yeah, sitting in the background is the strike, i.e. everybody walks off if Steve doesn't get a raise. That's not as important as people imagine. It's a catchall way to understand what a union does, but the union has a lot of other tools in its toolbox. Some unions can't strike at all, but they shouldn't need to.
Yes, they can collectively bargain for wages, working arrangements, benefits, etc.
the idea, i would guess, is that their boss is sort of a dick, and they were all willing to quit over it, but figured they'd unionize first even if it meant getting fired
This is incredible! Bravo! Good for you guys!!!
> represents approximately 10 eligible editorial staff members
With that few members, you'd think they'd be able to nail down that number a bit fore definitely.
It’s very common for unions to avoid giving out exact numbers of members to make it harder for employers to do union busting.
In this case it wouldn’t matter, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was habit.
The guy in charge of taking attendance lost a finger in a shop accident, so he couldn't count that high with certainty.
Excellent news, apparently only 10 members but still able to get voluntary recognition. A wonderful accomplishment.
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