Here are 10 tips on how to start a union. Two of these steps make me cringe when I read them, because they are indicative of the clash between the idealism and naivete of the author. Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for passionate idealists. But expending such passionate energy on quests in which the end result strays so far from the intended ideal is such a sad squandering of energy.
Step 6 says to “make it your union.” If only. In the past 2 months I have been involved in interviewing 4 different former union organizers. They were all passionate individuals who threw themselves into what they felt was a worthy cause. They were all broadsided by the reality of just “who” they were working for. Unions exist to feed themselves – to collect dues and expand their internal and political power bases. They do not exist for the benefit of the workers. They do as little as possible on behalf of workers to keep those workers believing that the union has their interests in mind, so they can continue to collect dues.
Which leads me to the second point, Step 8, “education.” Why is it less than 8% of the American private work force is unionized? It is mostly due to the fact that unions have not been in the business of serving their members for decades, and most Americans know it. When an organizing drive begins, the most effective means of defeating it is to simply communicate the facts about unions – how they spend their money, how effectively they do their job (handling grievances, negotiating contracts, etc.), and how well they deliver on the promises made during organizing campaigns. Revealing the facts and dispelling the myths are about the most effective anti-union strategies there are.
Yes – there are companies who do not do a good job of managing their work force. When faced with an organizing drive, they may react and lash out, even perpetrate acts of intimidation. Typically, they get the union they deserve. There are also occasions where good companies are dealt a tough hand, due to a host of possible issues (local union density, the interest of a particular union for assaulting a particular company, non-English speaking workforces, unscrupulous practices by union organizers). Of those companies that don’t do a very good job of exposing the truth about unions during a campaign, about half lose the battle. When companies employ solid communication programs, they win around 90% of the time. The truth works wonders, when well communicated!
Every worker would do well to heed Step One of the authors advice: “be the best worker at your workplace.” It will pay off! You’ll get far better value out of this one simple thought than any union will ever be able to achieve on your behalf.
