It’s time, and enough is enough. After a year and a half of waiting to see how things are going to go it is apparent that all of the benefits that our previous employer used to keep us from unionizing have been stripped away.
Our raises are lower, bonuses less while corporate gets more, health deductibles cost more, retirement “cash balance plan” is worse, safety incentives cut, 9/80 and other alternative work schedules removed while those in offices keep theirs, operation budgets slashed, and training budgets and opportunities have been demolished. We are left to work with less for less benefit and no say. Nor does anyone ask or listen. At least Spectra used to ask and listen.
The people in the offices “above” us have no idea how to do our jobs yet feel that we are too ignorant to understand business and what they are doing. They act as though we are beneath them. That our time is worth less and our jobs are
Not as important. What they have forgotten is that we make the money. We perform the very functions required for this company to exist. We are the engine. “They” on the other are nothing more than the bureaucracy.
There is an obvious line which has been drawn. There is no “WE”. It is an “US” and a “THEM”. And we should have a say if they are only going to take.
So here are the rules:
By Federal law you as an employee are protected for wanting and even voting for a Union. You can not be punished or let go for this. You are even protected to express this openly of you choose. What you can not do is organize or converse about it on the clock. The organization can take action if you are using company time to conduct these things.
Another thing is that it’s not required for the entire US Operations group to Unionize together. A group as small as your location can vote with a rep to unionize if you choose.
You do need a legitimate vote, and 50% of the voter turnout in your favor. A rep can help with all of this.
So here is a link with some information. Take a look on your personal time. http://www.liuna.org/how-to-join
This doesn’t necessarily have to be the union you reach out to, but it could be and it’s a good place to get some info.
Lastly, document everything. Every conversation, letter, phone call, email, etc... Document the times
and dates. In the event that the corporation do indeed try to retaliate you will want this information to protect yourself.
Consider whether this works for you or not. Ask whether your family is better off today or yesterday. Whether you were better off under the last umbrella or this one. And whether you want a say in what tomorrow looks like or not.