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Sunday, May 10, 2015

The Union Buster


Even though private employees have a federal right to organize a union in America, it's not always easy. Many employers hit the panic button when they hear the word "union" and hire a union busting consulting firm. These are firms that specialize in scare tactics, misinformation and intimidation.

The History of Union Busting - From Baseball Bats to Brief Cases

Years ago, when workers in America tried to form a union the company would call thugs in to beat up workers and intimidate them. Over time this industry evolved into a multi-billion dollar cottage industry and today's union busters use brief cases and wear ties.

From the moment a union buster steps onto a company's property he takes control of labor relations. It's his job to spread fear in an orchestrated and carefully planned campaign. Often times, the employer pays thousands of dollars per employee for the union buster to keep the union out. To some employers, it's not about the money it's about the power and they'll spend as much as they need to in order to prevent employees from exercising their federally protected rights.

There is a difference between a "management consultant" who helps management negotiate collective bargaining agreements and a "union buster". A management consultant represents management, obeys the law and tries to get a contract that is fair to all parties.

A union buster is a snake in the grass who goes to bed at night dreaming of ways to violate employees' rights. Sometimes employees don't even see the union buster during a campaign so the snake can avoid filling out financial disclosure forms with the federal government. The union buster has a whole bag of tricks that he uses to spread intimidation and misinformation. Unfortunately, all of his tricks are based on lies.

Lie #1 The Union Impedes Communication

Sometimes the union buster has a supervisor or member of the management team read from a "script" in front of workers in an attempt to show how "restrictive" things will be if the union is voted in. He will tell employees that if they have a union, employees won't be able to communicate with supervisors and everything will be military like.

What the union buster's puppet won't tell you is the first step of a union grievance procedure is for the employee to speak with their supervisor. The union encourages communication between employees and management. The more communication there is the better the company runs. The better the company runs the more money they make. The more money they make the more our members make.

Lie #2 We Won't Negotiate

During a union campaign, the union buster will have management try to convince the employees that they won’t negotiate if the union is voted in. The fact is, the federal law says the opposite. Management will negotiate because they have to negotiate with employees. It is an unfair labor practice for management to refuse to negotiate or even bargain in bad faith.

The union buster will also pretend like they might actually negotiate standards down at the bargaining table. But statistics from the Department of Labor say otherwise. Employees who negotiate collectively with their employers have higher salaries on average than their non union counterparts. In addition, safety is typically higher and turnover is typically lower at unionized facilities.

Bargaining unit employees vote on the final agreement and most employees won’t vote to cut their own standards.

Lie #3 Strikes

Scare tactics are a big part of the union buster’s campaign. They will have management talk a lot about strikes and act like everyone who organizes a union ends up on strike. The truth is, less than 2% of all contract negotiations end in a strike or work stoppage. If management were really trying to get the facts out they would talk about the 98% of bargaining that ends in a mutual agreement between the parties.

When the company states that a strike is imminent if employees organize they are breaking the law. The union doesn’t force anyone on strike. A strike is a decision voted on by the employees. In the 2% of contract talks that end in a strike a majority of employees voted to take action.

Lie #4 Dues

When employees begin to form a union, management suddenly becomes concerned about how you spend your money. They will exaggerate the amount of dues that members pay say the union just wants your money. What they won’t tell you is you don’t have to decide if you’re going to become a member and pay dues until after your contract goes into effect. If the improvements in pay, benefits and fair treatment aren’t worth your dues then you’re probably not going to join.

The union buster will train supervisors to act like they are worried that paying dues is a waste of your money. But when you think about it, they really aren’t concerned about how you spend your paycheck. It’s OK with them if you give it all to the church, blow it at a casino, invest it in the market or buy alcohol and cigarettes or anything else for that matter. They don’t care because they know it’s none of their business. The only reason they care if you’re paying union dues is because they don’t want you to organize and bargain collectively.

Lie #5 Just Give Us One More Chance

The union buster also trains supervisors and managers to beg for one more chance. They’ll say they didn’t know that employees were frustrated and now that they know they want a chance to fix the problems. They’ll say the company is one big family and they need just one more chance. Supervisors will start treating employees better and show new concern for their well being.

The union buster knows that if the union is voted down, the employees can’t file for another election for a year and that buys them time. Most employees who give management one more chance realize soon after the election that they’ve been lied to. Asking for one more chance is managements way of guilting employees into voting no in order to retain complete control of conditions and standards.

Lie #6 Promises

The union buster is a pro at the whisper campaign. They’ll get supervisors to whisper promises of promotions in employees ears or promise better pay if the union is voted down. They’ll give special treatment to certain employees if they turn against the union. But the special treatment will end on election day. Many employees who were tricked with promises find themselves treated just as poorly as their co-workers after the union loses an election.

Lie #7 Bargaining From Scratch

It is illegal for an employer to say you’ll be bargaining from scratch. It is also illegal for an employer to threaten to reduce benefits if the union is voted in. When you negotiate a first contract you start with the pay and benefits you have now and negotiate changes. You’ll decide what to ask for in your contract then vote on it.


32 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is one of the biggest lies that con-way uses to scare the workers.
..You’ll be bargaining from scratch.Will Reduce benefits if the union is voted in.
I keep hearing this from my coworkers.That will loose what we have now.and That's because management spreads that lie around....
Con-way should be forced to post the real labor Laws not some made up crap.To bad the NLRB can't show up at the Con-way locations when Greg does his speeches to the workers.So they can hear all the lies that come out of Con-way.

Anonymous said...

How was the meeting whit the big guys in michigan today

Anonymous said...

Chicagoland no more Union or what ?

Anonymous said...

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN MIAMI,TEXAS AND L.A??? MIAMI WHATS THE WORD ON YOUR CONTRACT?

Anonymous said...

WHERE DID EVERYONE GO?

Anonymous said...

Nope everyone gave up after we got the raises. Smdh

Anonymous said...

seems like all you conway employees gave up

Anonymous said...

That's right it's not worth fighting when people don't care about their future like a cheap hore all they care about is a few dollars! But remember just like a hore u are going to grow old and then what???

Anonymous said...

Just wait e few weeks and will see

Anonymous said...

IT'S ALREADY BEGINNING THE REPERCUSSIONS OF BEING SILENCE & SCARED LIKE THE LION IN THE WIZARD OF OZ. THE HOT SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE THERE WILL BE MORE CUTTING OF HOURS, & GIVING THOSE HOURS TO THE NEWBIES WHO ARE FRESH OUT OF DRIVING SCHOOL. WE WERE BROUGHT FOR $2, & WHEN A TERMINALPETITIONS HERE COMES NUMBSKULL WITH HIS CAMPAIGN ON TERROR TOUR WHICH SCARES THE HELL OUT OF US.....YES NUMBSKULL BROUGHT HIS "A" GAME & WE BROUGHT INTO IT WITH BACKING OUT WITH SILENCE. $2 IS NOT GONNA HELP OUR HOUSEHOLD IF YOU CAN'T BARELY GET 40 HOURS. OH WELL WE WILL MARCH ON IN SILENCE AS STOLAR & NUMBSKULL KEEPS MAKING THEIR VIDEOS BRAGGING ON HOW MUCH CON-WAY MADE EVERY QUARTER & LOVE THANKING ALL OF US BITCHES FOR KEEPING THAT MONEY FLOWING RIGHT INTO THEIR & THE SHAREHOLDERS POCKETS.

Anonymous said...

What for what!! We've been waiting long enough

Anonymous said...

All the kool-aid drinkers will get what they ask for and i can't wait to watch them suffer in there own glass of kool-aid, i can assure you , with there lips moist from a drink say , were are the cards this isn't right , i hope everyone turns there back on them and says ahh take another drink, i can assure you they will turn there back again on the union because they are nothing more than a 2 dollor whore.

Anonymous said...

To all centers: How's things since the raise? How's the hours? What about the treatment? We're all curious to know. Hit us up.

Anonymous said...

I've often said that we'll live to regret the "no" vote.

Anonymous said...

NOF your lucky if your get 40 hours SCM said that we are properly staff now not over staff he said the day's of 12 to 14 hours are OVER! But Omar still gets his 60 hours!!!

Anonymous said...

It's never been better we are treated with Respect and Dignity the way it should have always been. Don't be an at will Employee don't let them have total Control Noone cares if the company runs the show they will anyways but people have Security in your life and in your families life Vote Yes.
Miami Teamsters 769.

Anonymous said...

The drivers are happy except for the fact there hours are cut , do to more hiring . My question is has freight dropped off or not and we had 20 or 22 million dollar profit for the first quarter does that seem low or normal, to me it just seems we should be handling more freight for this time of year.

Anonymous said...

Xbo driver hear evrybody hear at xbo including myself get overtime i get 50hr a week no problem

Anonymous said...

Yes management is using the lead program to turn drivers in to handymen, housekeepers, guards, dispatcher, supervisors. This is to place drivers in wrong doing.

Anonymous said...

I HEAR EVERYONE SAYING IT'S ALL GOOD BUT, HOW'S YOUR BENEFITS & INSURANCE IS IT ALL GOOD TOO? IS CON-WAY GETTING THE BEST RATE PLANS FOR US, IS OUR OUT OF POCKETS COST DIMINISHING? IT'S ALL GOOD ALRIGHT......PEOPLE IF CON-WAY ISN'T COLLECTIVELY WORKING TOWARDS OUR GENERAL WELFARE HOW COULD IT BE ALL GOOD? HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE FOR US TO GET ANOTHER SALARY INCREASE.?

IT'S ALL GOOD ALRIGHT...KOOL-AID DRINKERS CON-WAY GOT YOU THINKING RIGHT WERE THEY WANT YOU & WHEN THOSE NEW HIRES GET UP TO SPEED YOU WON'T BE GETTING 50 HOURS......KEEP ON THINKING IIT'S ALL GOOD......KEEP LICKING THOSE BONES THEY THROWING AT YOU ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU FEEL IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER RAISE.....GLAD TO HEAR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SATSIFIED WITH THE SAME INSURANCE PLANS, ETC, ETC........

j said...

Those of you who are voting no to collecting bargaining you are rejecting a chance to earn a $2500-3000 pension for life when you retire

j said...

Pensions are not entitlement or welfare that's money we earn through the years we worked.but if you wan to used the word entitlement i can tell you some the biggest beneficiaries of welfare conway,fedex,walmart are some of them being subsidy by tax payers money i can go here so do not try to come on here and repeat talking points
.

Anonymous said...

Getting a new F.O.M at XME coming from XAU anybody at xau knowing?

j said...

we'll see who's the nut sucker on June 22

Anonymous said...

Every one at conway needs to see the LM10 conway filed for 2014 all the money they spent 2 keep the union out and 2 keep your from exercising your right to form a union! https://cslxwep1.dol-esa.gov/Disclosure/OnlineSR.jsp?ReportId=LM10

Anonymous said...

WHATS HAPPENING JUNE 22????

Anonymous said...

Friday next week BUFFALO ELECTION DAY they need all our support dont forgate it

Anonymous said...

Xbo again?
Hopefully they get it right this time!

Anonymous said...

GO BLOGGER J, YOU GUYS CAN ALWAYS START AGAIN. PEOPLE LET'S ENCOURAGE XBO THEY REALLY NEED OUR SUPPORT. AT LEAST J ISN'T SITTING UP HERE SAYING IT'S ALL GOOD WHEN WE STILL HAVE CRUMMY HEALTH INSURANCE & A RAISE EVERY THREE TO FOUR YEARS.

REALITY PEOPLE & THAT GOES FOR ALL THE CLOSE TO RETIREES WHO BELIEVE I GOT MINE YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO GET YOURS. WELL I HOPE YOU'RE GETTING WHAT YOUR THINK YOUR GOING TO GET YOU JUST MIGHT GET A BIG ASS SURPRISE FROM CON-JOB. ......A KICK IN THE ASS AND HALF OF WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GET. WELL THANKS FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE AND LOYALTY.

Anonymous said...

All i can say Is.Conway has to many who are brain dead and love drinking that Conway Kool-aid.If people don't start thinking about there future and there families will never have any type of contract with Conway.Conway will always have control....

Conway/XPO Employees said...

buffalo drivers we want to hear you please contact us at changeconwaytowin@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

It takes up to a year to negociate a first contract, if you are trying to spread rumors fear, and disunion here, got something for you, (F_CK YOU)!!