A Checklist: What Your Employer Might Do
Getting a script from union- busting consultants.
Thousands of lawyers and management experts make huge profits by advising employers about how to keep workers from using their right to have a union.
Some employers hire consultants for hundreds of dollars per hour to run their campaign against the union.
Other employers send management personnel to schools and workshops on union busting run by these consultants.
Still other employers use manuals prepared by union-busting consultants.
Is your employer following a game plan developed by professional union busters? Why doesn’t he invest that time and money into improvements for you instead?
Pressuring supervisors to pressure you.
Most employers order their supervisors to take the lead in the campaign against the union.
The employer may try to make them think that they will lose their jobs if the union is voted in.
They may be warned that a union contract would prevent them from playing favorites and harassing workers.
Remember that since supervisors generally don’t have a union themselves, even supervisors you like may do things they don’t believe in to keep their jobs.
Encouraging a few employees to campaign against the union.
In most situations where workers want a union, a so-called “Vote No Committee” of employees mysteriously appears to present the employer’s propaganda.
This “No Committee” usually uses a “home-made” style for leaflets and posters so it won’t look like the employer is producing the material.
Usually, no one knows exactly who is paying for committee members’ expenses. No one knows who is feeding them the ideas and information they need to spread false rumors. In most cases, no one knows what they have been promised in return for doing the employer’s dirty work.
The “No Committee” members may be recruited from workers who once had a bad experience with another union, or are friends or relatives of someone in management, or are politically opposed to all unions, whether you need one here or not.
Sending letters to you and your family.
After ignoring many employee concerns for a long time, your employer may suddenly start sending you letters which are designed to mislead you without giving union supporters a chance to respond.
Holding special meetings to browbeat or sweet-talk you.
Your employer may force you to spend work time in special meetings where managers will try to scare you and make empty promises. These are known as “captive audience” meetings.
In these meetings, managers won’t tell you that they are worried about a union because they will have to treat you better.
Instead, they will claim that they are worried for your sake.
For instance, they may try to convince you that you might lose benefits under a union contract, or that you will automatically be forced to go on strike.
If you ask good questions at these meetings, your employer probably will not give straight answers—and may even stop allowing questions at all.
Sometimes, union supporters are kept out of these meetings so they won’t embarrass the employer with the facts.
Denying your rights through delays and violations of the law.
Union-busting consultants advise employers to delay each step of the way as workers organize to join a union.
As the law is now written and as it is enforced by the government, employers often can find loopholes to delay the election for a union and to delay contract negotiations once the voting is completed.
Employers also often deliberately violate the law—such as by telling obvious lies about the union. Even though they know they will later be forced by the government to admit they were wrong, they hope to reduce union support in the meantime.
CWA’s organizers and lawyers will put their experience to work for you to fight any delays and illegal actions. CWA has made a commitment to help you get a union, and it will stick by you.
But the main way to defeat such employer tactics is to expect them, and to let your employer know that they will make you even more determined.
Springing a last-minute surprise on you.
Union busters teach employers to plan a special event just before workers vote on union representation—when it will be too late for union supporters to react.
The last-minute surprise may vary, depending on the employer. It could be:
- A “captive audience” speech to employees by an executive flown in from corporate headquarters.
- A rumor about the union or its supporters or a possible raise or shutdown.
- A handbill or letter with distorted “facts” about a union contract settlement, strike or layoff at another workplace.
- Other events or tactics described inside this leaflet.
Expect a last-minute surprise aimed at keeping you from making a free choice. Then it won ‘t work because it won’t be a surprise after all.
If your employer uses any of these tactics, check with the organizing committee and your CWA organizer.
You might want to take this checklist with you when you go to captive audience meetings. See how many of the tactics listed inside are used by your employer.
