Turning to a union―what’s going on?

Under the National Labor Relations Act, all employees―whether they work for government employers, unionized companies, or private companies without a union―have a right to attempt to unionize and speak with other employees about unionization or the terms and conditions of their employment. As traditional union strongholds such as automobile and manufacturing decline, unions are aggressively attempting to expand into the retail and service industries. Now is the time for employers to understand why employees turn to unions and what they can do to stop that.  

An employee’s perspective:

When you bring on a new employee, keep in mind that where she came from may affect her expectations about her new work environment. If an employee moved from a Midwestern state such as Michigan, which has long been associated with unions, to a “right-to-work” state, she or her family members may belong to a labor union. Thus, managers should be concerned that her initial response to a problem may be to turn to a union.

Many employees who have worked in a union environment for a significant period of time believe that the union, not the employer, provides wages, benefits, and job security. They also become convinced that if they have a problem, a third party should address it. Former union members have a difficult time believing that in a well-managed, union-free company, management wants to know about employee problems and wants opportunities to solve them.

Employers must stay ahead of the issues and keep the lines of communication with employees open. Today, most employers realize that if they want to attract and retain quality employees, management must resolve issues quickly and fairly.

Union membership statistics:

Union membership in the United States has been declining for more than 70 years. In 1945, about 35% of workers were union members. Unions were at their peak during the mid-1940s and early 1950s. Today, most private-sector employees do not belong to a union. If you include public employment―the only area where unions have grown―11.5% of workers belong to a union. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 6.7% of private-sector employees are union members. In Arizona, only 5% of employees belong to a union. Even in Michigan, only 16.3% of employees are unionized.

Recent success of unions:

Although the union-organizing business in the private sector has been weak for 70 years, recent union success has some commentators believing union membership may increase. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued many significant pro-labor decisions under the Obama administration. In addition, with the economic challenges of the last six years, many companies have forgotten the importance of employees. When employees get frustrated with the way management treats them, they become excellent candidates for unionization.

During tough economic times, not only are employees who lose their jobs harmed, but employees who keep their jobs are also negatively affected. Employees are now doing more than just their job. While business has improved for a lot of companies, it has not resulted in more hiring. Additionally, pay increases have been smaller and less frequent than in the past. Further, in many companies, insurance benefits have been reduced, and employee contributions have increased.

Bottom line:

So what does all this mean? When employees get frustrated with the pace at which management solves problems, it can result in unions filing election petitions. In cases in which management does not appear to be listening, union-organizing success rates have been extremely high. For instance, in recent years, unions have won more than 50% of all representation elections held. Last year, unions were successful 64% of the time. That’s a disturbing trend for employers that are concerned about unions. If managers work hard to create positive employee relations, workers will be less likely to turn to a union.

Source: HR Hero Line