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St. Louis Newspaper Guild TNG-CWA 36047
The Bloomington Pantagraph Employee Organizing Committee |
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HIRE A UNION-BUSTING CONSULTING FIRM
Lawyers and consulting firms make huge sums advising employers how to keep workers from exercising our legal right to form unions. Ask yourself why your employer hasn’t responded to you or invested the same amount of time or money into workplace improvements? |
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SEND LETTERS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
After ignoring employee’s concerns for a long time, your employer may take a sudden interest in you by sending you letters. This tactic is designed to mislead or divide your committee and coworkers. |
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DENY YOUR RIGHTS THROUGH DELAY AND VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW
Union-busters always advise employers to delay every step of the way when workers have organized together in order to form a union. Employers often deliberately violate the law (i.e. telling lies about the union or your rights) even though they realize that they might later be penalized by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Since employers are trying to do everything they can to reduce union support at your workplace, any penalties are viewed as an acceptable and necessary risk.
The best way to defeat illegal employer tactics during your campaign is to expect them; and to let your employer know that such tactics will only make you more determined.
The Guild’s organizers and lawyers will assist you in fighting any delays or illegal actions. Our union has made a commitment to help you and will stick by you. |
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SPRING A LAST-MINUTE SURPRISE ON YOU
Just before workers are scheduled to vote, union-busters often urge employers to spring a special event, or issue an unfounded attack because it will be too late for union supporters to respond.
These surprises might be: · A captive audience meeting with LEE execs · Unfounded charges about the Guild · A rumor about a possible raise
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HOLD MEETINGS TO SWEET-TALK (OR BROWBEAT) YOU
You may be required to spend some time at work in mandatory “captive audience” meetings where managers make empty promises or try to scare you. Management does not use the meetings to tell you that they are worried because if you build a union they will have to treat you better; instead, they use the meetings to claim that they are “worried about what will happen to you”. (You may wonder why they care so much about you now.) They will claim that bad things will happen if you get a union—that you’ll lose benefits or be “forced out” on strike. |
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PRESSURE SUPERVISORS TO PRESSURE YOU
Employers usually order supervisors to take the lead in campaigns against employees seeking a union. Typically, supervisors hold “one on one” meetings with individual workers. Remember, supervisors generally don’t have unions, so they can be forced into doing things that they don’t believe in to keep their jobs—even supervisors that you may like. |
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ENCOURAGE A FEW EMPLOYEES TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST YOU.
Often in campaigns, “Vote-No” committees of unnamed employees crop up. The materials they circulate seems to present the employer’s perspective. Leaflets from these committees generally are produced in a “homemade” style so it won’t look as if the employer is producing or paying for their material (which is against the law) . No one usually ever finds out who paid for the committee’s expenses, or feeds them the ideas, rumors and misinformation they circulate. What do you suppose they are promised for doing their employer’s dirty work? |
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Employers Who Use These Tactics To Stop Workers From Organizing
¨ Hold Mandatory Meetings ¨ Conduct “one on ones” with workers ¨ Hire “labor” consultants ¨ Distribute anti-union literature ¨ Mail out anti-union letters ¨ Promise improvements ¨ Make bribes, use special favors ¨ Assist “anti-union committees” ¨ Employers who use 5 or more tactics
Cornell University, 2000
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92% 78% 75% 75% 70% 48% 34% 31% 62% |
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St. Louis Newspaper Guild Pantagraph Organizing Committee 1015 Locust, Ste 1040 St. Louis, MO 63101
Kelly Casey Organizer 618-303-8070
Cathy Schwegmann Organizing Coordinator 309-531-9867 |