Unit 5.6 - Union Representation of Employees

Question 1

What are the 3 levels of structure for labor unions?

Answer 1

• Local union - one area for a particular employer
• National/international union - collections of local unions, often in the same industry
• The federation of unions - AFL-CIO

Question 2

Who are the Business Representative and Union Steward in local unions?

Answer 2

Business Representative - crucial role in contract negotiations, grievance proceedings, supervising admin staff, etc.

Union Steward - first step in grievance procedure, resolves problems on informal basis

Question 3

What is the Change to Win union?

Answer 3

In 2005, 7 national unions formed a new coalition called Change to Win

Left AFL-CIO because of dissatisfaction with the union because of its involvement with political campaigns, inadequate recruiting of new members

1/3 moved over to CTW

Question 4

What is the purpose of the NLRB?

Answer 4

To protect the rights of employees, employers, unions, and the
general public

Established by the Wagner Act

Question 5

What are the steps of organizing a union?

Answer 5

Process of Certification:

① Gain minimum 30 percent signed authorization cards (express an interest)
② Petition to the NLRB for a representation election
③ NLRB investigation
* Determine if the company falls with in the jurisdiction of the NLRB
* Determine who should represent the workers
* Determine sufficient worker interest (30% interest)
* Determine if election bars exist (have they filed a petition in the past year? If so, they have to wait another year to file)

Decertification is same process but opposite

Question 6

What are the arrangements unions have designed for continued membership?

Answer 6

• Closed shop - requires only union members be hired (applicants must already belong to the union; Taft-Hartley Act outlaws this except for in the construction industry)
• Union shop - requires everyone hired to join the union within a certain time frame (usually within 30 days); temps, part-time, and students are exempted
• Agency shop - recognizes the union as the bargaining agent for both union and non-union employees, and requires everyone to pay dues regardless of membership
• Maintenance of membership - requires that employees who join voluntarily continue to pay dues until the present contract expires
• Dues check-off - provision that allows union dues to be paid directly to the union by the company’s payroll office, if a member signs an agreement for the payroll deduction

Question 7

What are Worker Centers?

Answer 7

The primary goal of worker centers is to gather sufficient support to eventually win a representation election.

It’s a group of like-minded employees who function like an employee interest group