Sunday, May 17, 2009

Learning From Union Organizers

Truer words were never spoken:

"You get the union you deserve."

Those were uttered by an ex-union organizer who now consults for union-avoidance.

More? Sure:

The grievances are always the same, he says, and "it always has to do with the employer not being responsive." Bad employers may think that decent pay can substitute for recognizing good work or listening to employees.

Wrong, and there's nothing like surviving an attempted unionization to wake up employers, says Wathen. It makes most see the error of their ways and purge bad managers. If they don't, they'll likely face a second campaign, and, statistically speaking, in those "the union kicks their ass. As well it should," said Wathen.

McIlheran's editorial has a great deal more information--there ARE such things as trickery and deceit, for example, in union-organizing drives.

But in most cases, trickery and deceit are not really necessary. Usually all it takes is a supervisor or manager who is an idiot.

1 comment:

capper said...

And, of course, management has never, ever coerced, bullied, intimidated or fired people trying to unionize.

No wonder you and PaddyMac like each other...you feed off of each other's bullstuff sandwiches.