The
Seven Management Downfalls That Drive Employees Toward
Unions
Why
do some employers manage to operate their company in
a union-free environment, while others in the same industry
and geographic area have a workforce that has opted for
union representation?
It
is timely for employers to examine their personnel practices
because union organizing is on the upswing. In 1997 unions
participated in the largest number of NLRB elections
since 1990, and the union "win" rate jumped
to 50.3%, up from 47% in 1996.
Having
represented employers confronted with union organizing
drives for twenty years, the reasons why employees feel
the need to self-organize and join unions can be classified
into seven categories.
1.
Inadequate Communication
Many
employers do not understand the various needs for, or
benefits of, communication between employees and management.
In an organizing survey sponsored by the AFL-CIO, the
Organizing Department studied NLRB election results for
one year to evaluate effective union campaign techniques.
The AFL-CIO concluded: "Quality of work life programs
are disastrous for unions; only 17% of elections were
successful where such programs are present."
Quality
of work life programs are really communication tools.
Employers should conduct regular, periodic meetings with
employees on paid time during which all matters of employee
interest and concern are discussed in a dialogue.
The
first half of these meetings should be devoted to keeping
employees informed about basic matters affecting the
company and its welfare, including the six "C's" (satisfying
the Customer, reducing Costs, surpassing Competition,
managing Change, offering fair Compensation, and communicating
Concern of the company).
The
second half of the meeting should be devoted to involving
employees in the ongoing process of change by soliciting
and considering their views, ideas, and suggestions on
how the companies operation - and their daily work life
- can be improved.
Often
when a union arrives on the scene trying to organize
employees, the employer's first impulse is to gather
the employees and say "Tell me your problems and
I will fix them." The Labor Board calls that "solicitation
of grievances" and "promise of benefit," and
it is illegal. But if done on an on-going basis when
no union is trying to organize, it is legal and good
business practice.
2.
Poor or Inadequate Supervision
You
cannot assume that a good, energetic worker automatically
becomes a good supervisor just because he gets the title
and pay raise. Supervisors need to be trained to properly
plan, organize, delegate, motivate and control.
They
need coaching on how to discipline constructively, privately,
progressively, and in accordance with the due process
that all employees expect. Because they are your front
line communicators, they must be taught not to stifle
employee expression of ideas, opinions or complaints.
They
should solicit employee input concerning changes in,
or better ways to do, the job and keep employees fully
informed about duties, schedules, overtime, changes or
conditions that affect them.
Good
supervisors demonstrate concern for employee safety,
comfort, and convenience, and "stand up" for
an employee when the employee is right (like a union
shop steward would do).
Finally,
supervisors must be coached that listening to employees
and responding promptly to employee problems, complaints,
questions, and concerns is a priority.
3.
Failure to Treat Employees Fairly and with Dignity
In
many recent organizing campaigns the union literature
promises employees "respect and dignity". What
does this mean? Obviously unions cant produce respect
and dignity, even if you write it in a contract and sign
it. (Some unions do have respect and dignity clauses
in their contracts.) Instead, these are really buzz words
to appeal to the side of the employee that feels unappreciated
and forgotten by management. How do you neutralize this
type of union overture?
First
employers need to recognize that there is a basic employee
need for fraternization and "belonging". Thus,
create a "team" or "family" psychology
in the workplace by showing recognition and appreciation
for hard work, and letting employees know where they
fit in the "big picture".
Steal
a trick from the unions: they always pass out union T-shirts
and hats to appeal to the employees' sense of belonging.
You can use company T-shirts, hats and jackets to show
recognition and appreciation. Very few workers have voted
for a union while their son was wearing a company T-shirt.
Respect
and dignity also means having an effective complaint
resolution or "fair treatment" procedure, with
sound and consistent discipline procedures. Good employees
expect management to take disciplinary action when warranted;
therefore, deal effectively and in a timely manner with
malcontents, marginal employees, loafers and misfits.
4.
Lack of Job Predictability - Too Much Change
Employees
sometimes feel that if the company is disorganized and "can't
get its act together", maybe a union will bring
some order to the chaos.
Employees
like predictability. The employer should plan in a manner
that will minimize transfers, schedule changes, irregular
hours, layoffs or excessive overtime, and when this fails,
to at least give adequate advance notice of overtime
and changes. Too many changes in policy and procedure
frustrate employees.
5.
Lack of Job Security or Advancement Opportunity
In
a union setting, seniority usually governs. While no
one advocates that strict seniority be followed in a
non-union setting, the failure to accord seniority its
proper respect when dealing with equally qualified individuals
in layoffs, recalls, demotions and reassignments simply
invites dissension. An employer should consider adopting
a promotion or advancement policy that gives due recognition
to seniority, ability, and performance.
Employees
should be given notice of potential job opportunities,
and promotion from within should be considered when practical.
6.
Failure to Demonstrate Adequate Concern for Work Place
Safety and Employee Comfort
Recognize
that safety is one of the employee's most significant
concerns for two reasons: first, no one wants to risk
being hurt on the job; and second, it speaks volumes
about whether the employer cares about the employee.
From a worker's perspective, if the employer cares about
his employees he will clean up the unsafe condition and
not risk the employee's health and livelihood. Employers
and supervisors should make employee safety complaints
a priority.
Similarly,
don't tolerate inadequate or poorly maintained lunch
rooms, break facilities, bathrooms, drinking fountains,
wash up or changing facilities. Make good housekeeping
in the work place a habit.
7.
Inadequate, Unfair or Poorly Administered Wage and
Benefit Programs
Most
union organizers will tell you that if wages or benefits
are the only sources of employee discontent, the union
drive will fail. Why? Because employers can effectively
communicate that unions don't guarantee wage increases.
Nonetheless, the employer's wage and benefit package
needs to be at least "in the ballpark" with
due regard for the industry levels and labor market factors.
In
addition employees should have a sound expectation for
wage progression. "Merit pay" systems -- if
utilized -- should have objective, measurable, and consistently
applied criteria.
Finally,
in this era of regular health insurance changes, there
should be a management "point person" that
can answer questions about coverage and go to bat for
the employee if the insurance company is not responding
properly.
Conclusion
Technically,
in an NLRB election, the question on the ballot is "Do
you want to be represented by the union?" In reality,
the employees vote on the question "Do you like
your employer and supervisor today?" The union is
an unknown quality. Employees don't know if the union
will be beneficial. The employer, on the other hand,
is a known quantity; employees know the good points and
the bad points. If the employer has received proper legal
guidance and has shown concern for the seven areas addressed
above, employees more often than not will vote against
union representation.
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