Need a Union? Choose Carefully!

Workers usually join a union for one of two reasons: either because of poor working conditions or because of a genuine desire to work collectively with their employer instead of one on one.

However, organizing becomes more complicated when union organizers become involved. They have a vested interest that workers choose their organization.

Workers generally have two approaches to union representation available to them. One is adversarial and views the employer as the enemy. The other is cooperative and views the employer as a potential partner.

An adversarial union’s approach to organizing and representation will most likely make any pre-existing conflict in the workplace even more acute. Organizers from adversarial-minded unions aim to convince workers that their employer is greedy and taking advantage of them to enrich him or herself at their expense.

You can imagine where this approach leads—employees pitted against their employer, poisoning their working relationship even further, spoiling the entire workplace. At that point, everything breaks down. The company’s very existence—and the jobs that go along with it—is sometimes even threatened.

CLAC takes a radically different approach to representation and organizing, which is why I’m incredibly proud to be part of it. We seek to unite the workplace, to help employees and their employer work together to make the workplace a place where all are respected, where everyone’s abilities are recognized and valued.

It’s not always easy to achieve, but cultivating a partnership relationship with the employer creates a positive workplace where everyone works together. By working together, both employees and employers benefit from a united community serving society, producing quality products and services. By working together, the company can improve and grow, creating new job opportunities for more workers. By working together, the company can become a great place to work, one where every person shares in its success.

Which approach would you choose if you were looking for a union?!